The Regis Co. created a national security and decision making simulation for the Air Force
by Site Staff
November 19, 2012
THE REGIS CO.
Until recently, distance learning for officers taking part in education in the U.S. Air Force’s Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) consisted of reading a box of books followed by a multiple choice exam. The ACSC contracted with The Regis Co. to develop a more engaging, effective and scalable online approach.
Working with the Air Force, Regis first developed the national security and decision making simulation and followed that successful pilot by converting all three courses in the joint curriculum — joint forces, joint planning and joint air and space operations to a simulated format.
These 30- to 60-minute activities engage higher-order thinking skills by placing students in real-life mission scenarios that require them to actively apply joint operations principles. In one of the 17 online simulation courses, for example, students were required to become familiar with the range of nonmilitary agencies and actors that are part of joint operations and coordinate military and civilian efforts in an attempt to achieve U.S. strategic interests. The self-paced online simulation requires learners to overcome challenges in planning and conducting joint operations in a multinational environment.
The simulation includes a dynamic content engine designed to create complexity and minimizes the possibility of learners sharing answers via randomization. It also provides feedback to learners if they allocate resources in a way that is inconsistent with the mission’s objectives.
Rather than the traditional e-learning approach that has students click through lessons followed by an assessment, the online simulations actively engage learners in higher-order thinking and prepare them to be better critical and strategic thinkers.