SAF SHARES LEARNING PRACTICES WITH INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE

With the rapid advancements in defence hardware, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has always embraced innovation and the use of technology in educating and passing on valuable knowledge to each new generation of soldiers.

Initiatives launched in recent years, such as the LEARNet system introduced in 2012 and the Learning Masterclass 2015/16, reflect the SAF's commitment to improving learning among its servicemen and women.

On 4 Nov, the SAF had the opportunity to share its curriculum development programme with experts in the learning and development industry.

Lieutenant-Colonel (LTC) Ho Mee Yin, Head of the Curriculum Branch in the Centre for Learning Systems (CLS), SAFTI Military Institute, was invited to speak at the LEARNTech Asia 2015 Conference.

Held at the Resorts World Convention Centre from 3 to 5 Nov, the event brought together leaders and veterans in the fields of education, learning and info-communications technology. The three-day conference saw local and international attendees from both the private and public sectors.

This was the first time the SAF was invited to present at the conference since its inauguration last year. "The SAF is advanced in its thinking and journey in learning transformation, (which) could be a point of learning for organisations outside the military," said Mr David Yeo, Chairman of the LEARNTech Asia Conference, on the reason for including the SAF in the event's lineup of speakers.

He added: "In this conference, we have a very varied audience, from corporate to government agencies to institutions of higher learning. However, the core idea of learning is transferrable between organisations. Given the SAF's experience and extensive investment in this very important initiative, it would be a pity if the SAF could not share its experiences with a wider audience."

In her keynote speech, entitled, "Integrating Technology for Effective, Efficient and Engaging Learning: An SAF Curriculum Perspective", LTC Ho highlighted the SAF's learner-centric philosophy, where the soldier and his learning experience take centre stage.

She also showed the difference between the old and new modes of teaching, using the example of the Flight Line Crew Course. In the past, trainees had to undergo five weeks of theory lessons before progressing to two weeks of practical lessons; now, the syllabus was divided into subjects and corresponding tasks.

LTC Ho, who specialises in learner-centric learning, explained that the CLS had come a long way in developing the new curriculum, and encouraging commanders and instructors to adopt the new teaching methods.

She said: "I focus on redesigning the training. We took the time to develop the step-by-step of the programme, go round to every SAF training school to show the instructors how to do it, and do it with them. If you allow people to see learning in a new perspective, they will eventually be able to do it on their own."

Mr Donald H. Taylor, who attended LTC Ho's presentation, was impressed by the SAF's learning framework. He said: "I thought the presentation was fascinating, a really well-explained view of a combination of understanding the modern theory behind adult learning and how to implement that in a large and complicated organisation."

Mr Taylor, who is Chairman of the Learning and Performance Institute in the United Kingdom, also found the changing role of the instructor interesting.

He said: "Not only is (the SAF) heading in the right direction, the British Armed Forces are taking similar approaches as well, particularly in getting people much more involved, hands-on, and as LTC Ho was saying, matching their (learning) experience to the mental framework they're given. That's an important step forward. I believe the SAF are far ahead with this, and I could see it giving instructions to other military forces elsewhere in the world by the experiences they've had. And they should be, I think, in a leading position."