Usable Knowledge Gained or Refined for Personnel Serving in the Operating Forces Through Naval Postgraduate School's Distributed Learning Program

摘要

This research examines the usable knowledge gained or refined through Distributed Learning from Naval Postgraduate School for personnel serving in operational billets. The population studied was students currently enrolled or students that had completed the Information Systems and Operations certificate program. The study used a web based survey for data collection and used that data to answer four research questions. The data clearly demonstrates that Distributed Learning is equivalent to resident coursework in terms of usable knowledge gained or refined and distributes that usable knowledge quickly and efficiently to individual servicemembers. Beyond the individual, a direct transfer to the organization of a portion of the knowledge gained or refined occurs. The data suggest that frequency of use of skills can be used as a measure of effectiveness for the Distributed Learning program at Naval Postgraduate School, but more data are needed to be conclusive. Additionally, the results provide evidence that Distributed Learning provides a strong, social interaction learning context. This evidence challenges the assertion that social interaction between students and faculty is primarily a characteristic of resident coursework and a limitation of Distributed Learning.