Distance LearningThe Global Challenge

Dr. Sue Stein & Dr. Beryl Harman

Defense Acquisition University

9820 Belvoir Road

FT Belvoir, VA 22060-5565

USA

703-805-5403

e-mail: sue.stein@dau.wpafb.af.mil

In This Session

• The Defense Acquisition University

• The USA ARC

• USA ARC’s Findings to Date

• Lessons Learned from Experience

• Challenges and Direction for the Future

About Defense Acquisition University

• Established in 1992

• Mission - To train and certify the DoD Acquisition Workforce (180K)

• Audience - Military & civilians at all levels

• Scope - 81+ courses covering 11 major career fields

• Faculty- 550 instructors and educators

The Call to US Government

• Enhance learning and education through technology- www.pub.whitehouse.gov

• Use of information technology to improve our society-www.pub.whitehouse.gov

Our Strategy

• All DAU courses will be reviewed for conversion to distributed learning within the next five years.

• Those courses or course segments appropriate for distributed learning will be converted using contracted support.

USA Acquisition Research Committee

• Founded in 1998

• Group of USA Civilians & Military engaged in training acquisition staff

• Mission - To research acquisition workforce related training issues

USA ARC Study

“What is the status of distance learning as a vehicle for training the federal workforce in select countries?”

Preparing for the Study

• Design of the methodology.

• Endorsement by key officials.

USA ARC Study Findings

• Population Demographics

• Training Environment

• Use of Distance Learning Technology

• Challenges for Future Collaboration

Findings on Population

• Similar categories of staff involved

• Size of the population varied

• Education level average highest in

• Australia

• Experience level average lowest in

• Australia

Acquisition Specialties

ContractingSpecialists

PurchasingSpecialists

IndustrialPropertyManagers

BusinessSpecialists

Cost Estimators

Financial Managers Auditors

QualityAssuranceSpecialists

Australia Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes YesCanada Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes YesIsrael Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

New Zealand Yes Yes Yes Yes YesUnited Kingdom Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes YesUnited States Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

AcquisitionLogisticians

ManufacturingSpecialists

SystemPlanners

Test andEvaluationEngineers

Education & Training

ProgramManagers

Communications/ComputerSpecialists Other

Yes Yes Yes YesIndustry Capability

Yes Yes Yes YesYes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

YesIndustry Program

YesYes Yes Yes Yes

AustraliaCanada

New Zealand

Israel

United Kingdom

United States

Size of Acquisition Work Force

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

New Zealand Israel Australia United Kingdom Canada United States

Levels of Education

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

NewZealand

Israel Australia UnitedKingdom

Canada UnitedStates

GraduateDegree

Some GraduateStudy

BA/BSDegrees

SomeCollege

HighSchoolGraduatesSomeHighSchool

Experience Levels

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

UnitedKingdom

Australia Canada United States Israel New Zealand

More thanfive yearsOne to five yearsLess thanone year

Findings on Training Environment

• Varied sources for training support

• Most had certification requirements

• Average of 120 hours of education provided annually

• Only two countries had mandatory continuing education requirements

Sources Utilized for Training

Training Source

Australia Canada New Zealand

United Kingdom

United States

National Government

X X X X

Foreign Government

X

Colleges and Universities

X X X X X

Private Vendors

X X

Professional Associations

X X X X X

On-the-Job X X X X X

Workforce Training Requirements

Requirement Australia Canada New Zealand

United Kingdom

United States

Certification Yes No Yes Yes Yes

Initial Training Hours

<120 <120 <120 <120 <120

Continuing Education Hours

0 0 50 0 40

Findings on Percentage of Distance Learning

• All except New Zealand are using Distance Learning to deliver some training

• % of training provided by distance learning is less 20 % of all training

• UK and Australia focused more on low tech distance learning

• US and Canada focused more on high tech distance learning

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Australia Canada United Kingdom United States

Not Reported

Written

Audio

Live Video

Recorded Video

Internet

CD-ROM

Percentage of Distance Learning from Different Methods

Findings on Distance Learning

• The USA reported the greatest variety of categories of training offered

• The USA reported the greatest variety of support mechanisms

• Australia reported the greatest incidence of challenges to implementation followed by Canada and the USA

Categories of Training

Category Australia Canada United States

Management and Leadership

Yes Yes

Policy Yes Yes

Processes Yes

Guidelines Yes

Research Yes Yes

Conferences Yes

Seminars Yes Yes Yes

Support for Acquisition Training

Mechanism Australia Canada United States

Development Process Yes Yes

Selection Guidelines Yes Yes Yes

Evaluation System Yes

Instructor Criteria

Instructor Training Yes

Accreditation Yes Yes Yes

Challenges to ImplementationChallenges Australia Canada United StatesStudent Time X X X

Scheduling X X

Remote Sites X X X

Student Orientation X X X

Curriculum Adaptation X X

Accreditation  X

Copyrights X

Contact with Students X X

Resistance  X

Cost X X X

Marketing X X

Govt. Resources X X

Site Management X X X

Compatible Equip. X X

Instructor Contact X X

Lessons for Global Collaboration

• Areas for collaboration are systematically identified

• Contacts are current and electronic

• Management is supportive of the effort

• Technology interface issues are resolved

• Time zone, cultural, and religious challenges are accommodated

• Equipment inadequacies

Our DAU Virtual Campus

What: YOU ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN A GLOBAL DIALOGUE USING DISTANCE LEARNING.

When: JANUARY 2001

Where: THE INTERNET USING CENTRA COLLABORATIVE SYSTEMS

Our Global Challenge to YOU!!

Installing Centra 99

Click on Install (hot-word)

Go to http://192.239.92.194

Centra 99 Log In

Enroll and Attend A Class

Participant’s Desktop

THANK YOU

FOR INVITING US TO PARTICIPATE IN

YOUR CONFERENCE