It seems that the need to move beyond training to learning, to move beyond knowledge and information to wisdom, and to do both quickly, is an all-consuming preoccupation with organizations and managers. Yet it is difficult to find real examples of success in these efforts. We would like to share with you the story of an Air Force knowledge management system that has integrated e-Learning to provide learning at the point of need, and in doing so has achieved all three of the goals named in our opening sentence.
The knowledge management system, Air Force Knowledge Now (AFKN), accelerates warfighter support by giving the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) workforce a mechanism for finding and accessing time-critical knowledge, training, and performance support resources. In this article, we describe how this system works, and we also discuss the rationale behind integration of the ELearning Architecture (ELA) within AFKN. Real-world applications that take advantage of the AFKN integrated ELA will illustrate the ELA features. These include the application of e-Learning environments for AFMC Directorate of Personnel, AF Civil Engineer Support Agency, AF Performance-Based Services Acquisition, and Deficiency Reporting.
The AFMC workforce encompasses over 100,000 military, civilian, and contractor personnel. The Command is responsible for delivering war-winning technology, acquisition support, and sustainment of expeditionary capabilities to the warfighter. Since 2001, policy and processes have been evolving at a rapid pace to be more flexible and responsive to expanding warfighter requirements. The challenge is getting the new knowledge to the workforce responsible for implementing these new directives.
At the same time, because of
technological advances, the way we access and share information has changed. To
facilitate knowledge sharing and information access, many enterprises now have some
kind of knowledge management or portal framework in place. As far back as 1995,
AFMC recognized the opportunity offered by the Internet to deploy training and information
to its widely dispersed workforce. AFMC designed the Virtual Schoolhouse to
provide online training to the entire AFMC workforce simply, quickly, and
economically. A few years later, three other knowledge dissemination programs joined
the Virtual Schoolhouse program: the
Figure 1 Knowledge Now site banner
The development of an e-Learning capability within AFKN provided an opportunity to realize learning beyond the reach of traditional training approaches, by addressing “how” people obtain the knowledge needed to accomplish their job and how Internet technologies could facilitate that process. Elliott Masie, a training futurist, attempted to address what the “e” in e-Learning might mean. He stated, “The easiest part of implementing e-Learning is the technology. That is like picking a good video camera or receiver. The toughest part is to invent — to innovate — content to create new models of experiences for delivery with the technology.” So, we threw away constraints to define an environment for e-Learning that provides instruction and information for training needs as well as a toolbox of knowledge — “wealth” to be shared and integrated in an environment conducive to creativity and innovation.
Knowledge Now
AFKN, designed to support a
community of practice (CoP) architecture, has over 2,000 communities and is
growing exponentially. This “community of communities” brings together people
with like needs and provides the training and support they need to accomplish
their jobs. The full operational range of each CoP involves a significant
number of user-controlled functions, including Discussion Forums, Document Management,
Hyperlink Maintenance, Community Calendars, Wisdom Exchange, Frequently Asked
Questions (FAQs), News Tickers, “Tell a Friend,” and Alert Notifications. It
also includes Metrics Tracking to measure the benefits of these features based
on usage. In addition, each community provides hyperlinks to Tools, Training
and Education, Find a
AFKN e-Learning assessment
Once AFKN began to achieve its goals for a connected workforce, we also began to look closely at how people were using the site. Our goal was to identify and assess how AFKN might provide learning beyond traditional training approaches by addressing “how” the workforce was using AFKN to obtain the knowledge needed to accomplish the AFMC mission. To accomplish this goal, we first conducted a study to define the gap between the current, “as-is,” environment and the desired, “to-be,” environment. In the “to-be” environment, we wanted to support learning that is everywhere, all the time, and tied directly to the job. We wanted to support learning removed from the constraints of job definitions that limit the ability of the person, and that also limit the ability of the organization to fully leverage its human capital. We wanted to communicate leadership’s vision, so that learning was present and the workforce could then act upon that vision as one. The results of this assessment provided a foundation from which the “to-be” vision, policies, and processes could be derived to interject new behaviors into AFMC, creating a cultural shift toward meeting AFMC business needs.
Using a systems approach, we evaluated the degree to which technology, people, and process addressed the to-be environment. We considered how to enhance these three systems components to achieve AFMC’s productivity and customer support objectives. In summary, the team’s assessment determined that AFKN had proven technology with great potential to achieve a connected workforce. Technology was not a constraint. However, processes needed to be better defined and people needed more personal support. In addressing these issues, we defined requirements for the creation of a fully integrated ELearning Architecture that would:
- Create opportunities for dynamic learning, deepening the meaning and effectiveness of the learning experience as a process for personal, academic, and professional development.
- Allow a small number of AFMC/DP ELearning Program staff to connect with an entire workforce through a structured process utilizing CoP Administrators and Knowledge Owners.
- Facilitate the structured distribution and access of training.
- Support the sharing of learning objects among numerous courses or curricula.
Online repository: MyLearning
Currently, learning resources are
scattered across numerous organizations and Web sites. The first step was to
create a centralized repository of learning resources available to the AFMC
workforce. Using AFKN, we established the MyLearning CoP and populated it with
links to numerous learning organizations containing resources available to the AFMC
workforce. This included access to formal training, online learning, and
collaboration opportunities. In addition, we tied MyLearning into the AFMC Education
and Training Management System (ETMS). Through MyLearning, the workforce can
conduct a keyword search for available courses and create a customized “My
Training Interests” page. They may locate a mentor through the Mentoring
application. Scheduled discussions, debates, and group activities on new AFMC
processes and changes allow the workforce to learn from each other. The goal is
to ensure activities are purposeful and relevant and their presentation is
timely, organized, and responsive to learner (workforce) interests. Users are
beginning to form special interest MyLearning CoPs. The Science and Engineering
(S&E)
Facilitated through the AFKN Wisdom Exchange feature (Figure 2), users can seek advice from more experienced members of the workforce. Experts register using the Provide Wisdom feature by indicating which knowledge areas they have experience in. AFKN users can seek answers by using the Find Advice feature and selecting a knowledge area. An email message sent to all associated wisdom providers contains a hyperlink to a threaded discussion area set up to collect all responses. Browse Wisdom allows the user to see an inventory of prior questions and corresponding answers. In many cases, a single question will be answered by several different people. This exchange of ideas and opinions allows the user to better learn about and understand the nuances of an issue under differing circumstances. It helps deepen the meaning and effectiveness of the learning experience by connecting the learning with the context in which it is applied, and it helps facilitate the creation of new knowledge.
Figure 2 The AFKN Wisdom Exchange
Support for community learning
Each community determines the content of its own workspace. For example, the Air Force Civil Engineering Support Agency (AFCESA) has created several CoPs for the AF Civil Engineering community to provide information and expertise and links to training materials. The ACES Real Property CoP is illustrated in Figure 3. The civil engineering community includes real property personnel, readiness personnel, military construction managers, fire department personnel, and other specialty areas. AFCESA is responsible for providing data management software and training for all of these specialty areas. Under Document Management, members are able to find the most recent AF real property policy and guidance. In addition, details regarding tricky transactions or classifications, unique situations, and lessons learned can be submitted to designated Knowledge Owners who approve their addition to the site. Real property government guiding organizations use the community as a means to inform the members and keep them updated on changes to the field.
Figure 3 ACES Real Property Community of Practice
Even more important, the discussion forums provide a place for members to ask questions and discuss topics related to their jobs. They capture inputs from many members in one location. These forums are a source of learning for all of the members, not just the ones who are new to the field. Remember the axiom that you learn well what you teach someone else? Having a mechanism for peers to share their knowledge is so important for professionals such as real property officers.
The community provides other resources as well. For example, the calendar feature is used to identify events at the community level such as a real property integrated product team meeting or an industry conference like the Society for Applied Learning Technology (SALT) conference. This information eliminates the “I didn’t get the email” syndrome and everyone has the same information. Highlighted items can be advertised within the scrolling News Ticker, for example when new training is posted to the training Web site. In addition to the discussion forums, CoP members can contact other members through email and mailing lists.
Last, but certainly not least, are the links to other communities. This mechanism for quickly accessing additional resources from the community is one more way the community serves its members.
Improving training distribution (Or, if we build it, will they come?)
One of the biggest challenges facing AFMC is getting the over 100,000+ workforce to access and take continuing, non-mandated training. For many years, courses were built and made accessible through road shows, and online through educational resources such as the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT). The challenge has been getting the workforce to seek out the training resources that have been made available. Even with the availability of a centralized repository like MyLearning, we still needed a strategy to get people to come to the site.
The answer: The community is the core
Our ability to efficiently transform AFMC into a learning culture requires a people-to-people interface, something which is impossible to accomplish given lean staffs and resources. Figure 4 illustrates our strategy for addressing the training distribution issue. This strategy is designed to capture and support the process and people components of the AFKN environment.
Figure 4 Training distribution strategy for AFKN
The AFMC workforce is represented by the CoP members who are at the core of this strategy. The AFKN CoP structure allows organizations responsible for the distribution of training to quickly contact and notify community knowledge owners and administrators about new training being developed that will impact their community members. The knowledge owners can then notify their members about the training. The knowledge owners of a community have an established trust relationship with the community members. Thus, their notification (and endorsement) of the training can motivate more members to complete the training than if an email had been distributed directly to the workforce from the training organization. In essence, the training organization pushes the training (leadership’s vision, new polices and processes, etc.) to the knowledge owner who pulls the training into the CoP for the community members.
Example: Performance-based services acquisition
This same process can be used across CoP’s. For example, HQ AFMC Contracting (AFMC/PK) developed Performance Based Services Acquisition (PBSA) training for the acquisition community that required contracting support. A Services Acquisition CoP was established to distribute the training. The CoP included additional resources, information, and point-of-contact names that supported the training effort in a couple of ways. First, AFMC/PK is available to provide in-depth training for new skill development along with regular information broadcasts, peer-to-peer support, and access to related tools and resources. Secondly, information that was subject to change was removed from within the e-Learning course and posted on the CoP. The course “taught” the learners to use the CoP for updates and on-going support, thus minimizing the need for updating the more costly e-Learning course. The AFKN ELA allowed AFMC/PK to help educate their customers and provide a customer service function.
Example: AFMC Sponsorship
Utilizing the ELA structure allowed us to address another issue — training content can change based on where a person is stationed or located. The AFMC/DP Sponsorship CoP illustrates how a single training program can accommodate this base-centric information. The AFMC Family Support Center (FSC) is responsible for the Sponsorship program, which matches a Sponsor with a newcomer to the base in order to help the newcomer and the newcomer’s family get settled in their new “home.” While there is a standard Sponsorship process, specifics change depending on the base the newcomer is moving to. The Sponsorship CoP contains the base specific resources such as maps, local stores and hospitals, license bureaus, etc, while the Sponsorship e-Learning course provides training on the Sponsorship process and instructions on using the Sponsorship CoP to access these additional resources.
ELA course/unit/LO structure
In addition to creating a learning repository, the ELearning Architecture design supports the deployment of learning objects in a structured, yet flexible, manner. Learning objects (LO) are small chunks of content that can stand alone, support a single learning objective, and can be combined to form a module (unit), or an entire course. In addition, the ELA allows training and learning to be tied to AFMC business objectives at organizational and individual levels. The ELA allows the instructional designer to enter information concerning each learning object, including Continuous Learning Points (CLPs), a measure of the hours of training provided by the LO. The syllabus is built using LO information entered here and the total CLPs for a course is calculated by adding the CLPs assigned at the LO level. Recording the Author’s Name, and the Creation and Expiration Dates allows the system to email authors later, to ensure the content within the learning object is still current. Units (or modules) are created by joining together learning objectives and may contain one or more Learning Objects. Finally, courses are created by joining together one or more units. The course syllabus is created at the course level and provides access to assigned units and LOs.
The Deficiency Reporting Program is an example of how learning objects were “mixed and matched” to create customized curriculums using a fixed subset of learning objects.
Example: Deficiency Reporting
The AFMC Deficiency Reporting (DR) Program had not been achieving its objectives and one of the reasons cited was lack of training. A curriculum was developed to address the training needs of the DR workforce. The workforce consisted of senior leadership, management, and key roles in the DR process (originating point, screening point, action point, and support point). Each group needed a different combination of learning objectives. The ELA allowed the e-Learning team to customize the learning for each person (role). Table 1 identifies how the LOs were assigned to each role. The syllabus for the Screening Point would include DRIS and Air Superiority, DRIS 101, and Screening & Action Point Duties; but not Root Cause Analysis.
| Role/course | DRIS and Air Superiority | DRIS 101 | Originating Point Duties | Screening & Action Point Duties | Support Point Duties | Root Cause Analysis |
| Senior leadership | X | X | ||||
| Originating point | X | X | X | |||
| Screening point | X | X | X | |||
| Action point | X | X | X | X | ||
| Support point | X | X | X | X |
ELA Tracking and reporting
The ELA also accommodates tracking and reporting of distributed training at the AFMC/DP level as well as at the CoP level. The Learner Progress Report is available at the CoP level to CoP administrators and others assigned with e-Learning administration responsibilities. It lists all CoP members and displays the start and finish dates for a particular course. In addition, when the CoP member completes the course, a certificate is issued and emailed to them. A unique certificate number is included in the Learner Progress Report for validation.
Because an individual and a course can be linked to multiple CoPs, the ELA was designed to ensure an individual only needs to complete the course once. That individual’s progress will be reflected in any CoP of which the individual is a member.
The Course Statistics Report provides metrics of course completion rates (see Figure 5). Each report will give the following information: number of CoP members, number of Starts, number of Completions, usage rate (in percentage), and a completion rate (in percentage). Information can be sorted by course, base, and CoP. The sort by CoP option allows the course administrator to see which CoPs have added the course into their CoP. As described above, an individual can be a member of multiple CoPs. The Course Statistics Report adjusts for multiple memberships when calculating totals.
Figure 5 Course Statistics Report
Conclusion
The integration of ELearning Architecture within an active knowledge management system has allowed us to expand learning beyond training. In its simplest form, learning occurs by pulling together training products, needed supplemental information, and subject matter experts within a structured environment. As training becomes more structured, the ELA allows communities to take responsibility for getting and monitoring training for the community members, In addition, the ELA allows learning to be accessible and customizable with virtually no effort and can involve all stakeholders quickly and easily into the process. We consider each of these efforts to be a success, and plans are in place to grow and nurture these efforts for continuing workforce performance support.
