Course Overview

My mini-course is an asynchronous, web-based, multi-module course delivered via the organization's training site, Ethos, on the Cornerstone learning management system. It begins with an introductory module that provides a comprehensive overview of all Divisions within the organization, familiarizing employees with the organization at the "10,000-foot level," including resources and programs for Marines, Sailors, and their families.  Subsequent modules focus on each Division, conducting a deep-dive into how it operates, supports the organization's mission, and interconnects with the other Divisions.  The mini-course promotes self-directed learning and includes elements of andragogy, connectivist, and behaviorist learning theory. 

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Knowledge Gap

Recent strategy sessions with our Division Advisory Group, a working group tasked with organizational improvements from the mid-level manager's point of view, and our Defense Organization Climate Survey, highlighted an opportunity to educate our members. Members of the organization, including mid-level managers, have specific knowledge of their respective jobs, but lack an overarching understanding of how their jobs support the organization. Members also work in siloed environments with limited exposure to other Divisions, further limiting knowledge of the organization as a whole. This gap not only affects members' holistic understanding of the organization but also limits their ability to identify, match, and recommend programs and resources for Marines, Sailors, and families outside their respective positions. 

 

Using a similar progressive approach to Bloom's Taxonomy, learners build from basic cognitive processes, such as active retrieval, to more complex processes, such as application and rationalization. Learners move: 

• From declarative knowledge, knowing what resources and programs exist

• Through procedural knowledge (knowing how to refer to or use those resources)

• To strategic knowledge (knowing when and why to apply this knowledge).