Elearning! Magazine: Building Smarter Companies via Learning & Workplace Technologies.
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Defense Acquisition University Expands Global Capability
A LEARNING CULTURE THAT HAS LEFT THE CLASSROOM The DAU serves approximately 150,000
All over the world, members of the armed forces and its civilian support staff is tasked with spending tax dollars effective- ly to supply the military's needs. The Defense Acquisition University (DAU) has the phenomenal task of ensuring that these acquisition professionals do their jobs effectively and within budget. Faced with changing federal guidelines on con- tracting and performance, DAU re-engi- neered its curriculum expanding its dis- tance learning offerings so that people can receive training wherever they are located. In 2011, DAU has continued to improve
its web-based systems by making its learn- ing assets even more user-driven and col- laborative.
THE BIG SEARCH DAU relies on a robust core computer net- work containing learning offerings that can be accessed wherever the learners are. "We focus on learning at the point of need,
" says Dr. Christopher Hardy,
Director of DAU's Global Learning and Technology Center. Hardy said that creating an integrated
search capability is critical to the organiza- tion's mission. The goal is to allow learners to search behind the firewall and into non-public communities for relevant con- tent both external and internal facing, making it possible to access all of the learning assets from a single point of navi- gation. Hardy called this "The Big Search." DAU is planning to upgrade to a new
LMS, integrating the formal and informal learning assets. Implementing this will present difficulties. "The technical chal- lenges [we face] include keeping its mas- sive online mission going while at the same time standing up a new LMS with- out creating problems for its hundreds of thousands of users," said Hardy.
20 May / June 2012 Elearning!
Dr. Christopher Hardy, Director of DAU's Global Learning and Technology Center, pictured with Catherine Upton (left) and Joe DiDonato (right) EMG
put materials into learners' hands. They can get training and information in the middle of their work day if necessary. "You can go to www.dau.mil, you can
quickly access everything you need to do your job, and it is current,
" said Hardy.
MAKING SOCIAL NETWORKING WORK DAU also nurtures a strong collaborative component. The Acquisition Community Connection (ACC) supports daily exchanges between members of communi-
acquisition professionals located in multiple countries. In 2011, DAU students complet- ed 676,023 courses, including classroom- based classes and Web-based learning. DAU employees received approximately four mil- lion hours of informal, on-the-job learning using its non-traditional knowledge-sharing and mission assistance learning assets. DAU researched how and where its
employees learn and developed non-tradi- tional tools that can help them real-time. They use mobile and virtual technology to
ties of practice and special interest groups representing all career fields. In 2011, the ACC grew to 129,166 registered commu- nity members with 77,321 member contri- butions, using 18 communities of practice and 33 special interest areas. This social networking tool connects
far-flung professionals to their peers. It allows employees to reach out for expert help, advice, and support. The tool sup- ports the formal learning and policy rec- ommendations across the whole Defense Acquisition Workforce. The ACC is accessed via the Defense
Acquisition Portal (DAP). The DAP pro- vides acquisition professionals with a single entry point to all of the site's relevant material. The DAU contains links to mandatory and discretionary reference material, performance-support tools, Ask-A- Professor coaching tools, acquisi- tion events, and related Web resources.
A GROWING SYSTEM FOR LEANER TIMES DAU launched its continuous learning system in 2001. Since then, DAU has experienced a 380
percent growth in graduates each year. Last year, DAU graduated 56,699 classroom students and 146,431 online students. As all branches of the Department of
Defense experience tighter budgets and continued demands on their resources, it will become increasingly important to have even more effectively trained acquisi- tion personnel. DAU plans to expand fur- ther into web-based courses, knowledge sharing assets, and mobile learning and will continue to innovate in other ways to support learners at their point of need.
Learn More:
Experience the Defense Acquisition University: http://youtu.be/gSHEEPlNt64