Because of the intense and unique nature of their military life, military officers face stresses that other students do not need to be concerned about when taking courses online. An institution's ability to understand these military officer students, design online programs to meet their unique learning needs and deliver valuable online curricula to advance their learning is instrumental to the long-term success of both the military student and the institution. Reflecting on our more than twenty years of experience teaching and mentoring military officer students, this article tells the story behind the development of an accelerated online program and shares the challenges brought along with having military officers in our online classes, including unpredictable deployment schedules, unannounced military exercises, security concerns and military values and culture. How our faculty creatively and pedagogically addresses these issues while still maintaining the rigor of our academic program is also discussed.
Similar to a service member's training, navigating a health crisis requires the acquisition of skills that enable employees to successfully perform their jobs. As a result of politics, egos, and a neglect for science, the U.S. government's response over how to handle the pandemic was bungled with misinformation and conflicting reports only fueling skeptics who no longer trust the government. Many adults still question the benefits of social distancing, masks, and a vaccine while more than 1,000,000 Americans have perished from COVID-19. A well-developed and consistent response to future health crises is necessary. The military already prepares its members to survive during challenging times and may offer human resource development professionals opportunities to focus on the skills that are beneficial in handling a global health crisis. The replication of military training in the workplace dealing with a pandemic is considered. K E Y W O R D S crisis, human resource development, military, pandemic, trainingThe global pandemic, after contributing to well over one million deaths and costs in the trillions of dollars, was a source of frustration, sadness, and anxiety for United States households (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 2020; Johns Hopkins, 2022). A coordinated and consistent response across levels of government was unclear throughout much of 2020 (Fitzpatrick, 2020;Wallach & Myers, 2020) and continued in 2021. The failures to communicate an organized response consistently and clearly should encourage human resource development (HRD) professionals to reflect on their organization's response to the health crisis. Historically, times of crisis such as supporting national interests, combating terrorism, providing security, or responding to statewide emergencies, often have involved local, state, and federal governments looking to the military for support (National Guard, n.d.). Still, the military may be overlooked for the training and development provided to service members that may improve organizational responses to national or international health crises such as COVID-19.Exploration into how training and development has been conducted within the military may inform new HRD practices that organizations can adapt during challenging times (Callahan, 2010;Kopp, 2007). In this paper, we highlight the prevalent challenges inspired by COVID-19 before outlining the role of society operating in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environment (Bennis & Nanus, 1986) while examining the skills military leaders develop in their members. From there, we outline skills developed through military service which may be particularly beneficial when responding to health crises. Next, strategies for HRD professionals to learn from the military are provided along with implications for training in diverse organizations.
This paper examines adult learning within United States based journals through the lens of culture. Four thematic areas from the literature are highlighted. These themes include: critically examining one's own and others' cultural stories; utilizing sociocultural approaches to facilitate or guide adult learning; developing and maintaining dialog; and incorporating strategies to improve people's cultural awareness and competency. Implications for practice are addressed throughout. A concluding discussion suggests areas for future research.
The Importance of Work in an Age of Uncertainty: The Eroding Work Experience in America presents insights from Americans who share their experiences related to critical issues concerning work alongside relevant literature describing the psychological impact of work. The author argues for a need to infuse psychological perspectives while including workers' voices into research concerning labor and work issues. These voices are from those on the front lines of rapid workforce changes. Furthermore, he argues that, holistically, Americans will see no advancement toward a "just and dignified approach to working" without including those workers who are most affected (p. 193). The purpose of the text is to extend readers beyond an economic view of numbers and data in articulating work and labor issues through rich narratives from people about their work experiences. The author points to decades of missed opportunities in research that have failed to capture working Americans' voices; sadly, he explains, economics has been the defining force informing public policies concerning work and how society understands it. This point and the central thesis that all workers deserve dignified and accessible employment serve as motivating forces behind this piece.Blustein leverages interview data and his experience as a therapist, career counselor, professor, and researcher in psychology and workforce development to inform the writing and convey Americans' psychological experiences concerning work. The book consists of a preface, nine chapters, notes, and an index. Each chapter begins with an introduction composed of historical or personal frames of reference for the material. Interview vignettes and emerging themes follow this section. The final part of each chapter introduces more recent psychological and sociological research, which aids further insight into work during periods of uncertainty, such as recessions and job eliminations due to technological advances.Chapter 1 embraces the significant role work plays in fulfilling psychological and social needs, while Chapter 2 explores human ambition for survival. Thus, combining the research presented in Chapter 1 and the vignettes in Chapter 2 permits readers to visualize Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Blustein presents stories concerning individuals' struggles for financial security after the Great Recession, which correlates to the hierarchy's safety and physiological needs. Chapter 3 expands the discussion of needs, explaining that being with others is key to an individual's well-being. Blustein also devotes attention to emerging constructs that impede the benefits of working with others, such as automation and harassment.Chapter 4 explores how individuals construct meaning and purpose in life and connect with the greater social good through work. These narratives offer a glimpse into the lives of those experiencing a deep connection to work, the social impacts of work, or those who struggle to find work. Bluestein discusses the experience of individuals' motivation for working in...
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