The Australian Defence College is made up of a number of Learning Centres and other organisations grouped under my command to deliver Joint Professional Military Education as well as broader Defence learning outcomes. The heart of the College is the people who are learning; they are the reason the College exists. Our traditional learning model has seen a focus on the institutions that deliver training and education. It has given preference to the institution while expecting the learner to conform to the strictures and curriculum and adapt to the institution’s needs. Learning has been a series of formal activities punctuated by periods in the various workplaces with little contact between the learner and the institutions between courses.
To meet the needs of the Australian Defence Force and the Department of Defence, the Australian Defence College needs to give preference to the learner. The learner and their needs must come first. We also need to understand that learning is not something that occurs only in the institutions – it is an activity that occurs continuously at both formal and informal levels and an increasing proportion of learning is occurring on the job, in the workplace, or on operations. This is being driven at an accelerated pace by technology and information proliferation across the globe.
To support learning the Australian Defence College will shift from an institution centric view of learning to a learner centric view. It will see learning as a life long activity that is enabled by both formal institutions, and informal networks and systems. Defence learning will be supported at both the institution and in the workplace. We will move from a model that has been institutionally taught and self enabled – to one where the individual is responsible for their learning and the institution enables that learning. Learning will become as ubiquitous as the information that is available to support learning. It will be a blend of self development, institutional instruction and practical experience. It will also leverage new technology and innovation to compress learning cycles and exploit learning opportunities.
The hallmarks of our approach to learning will be a focus on helping the individual to learn; promoting critical thinking and problem solving; encouraging cooperation, communication, collaboration and trust; and will be characterised by the willingness to take risk. We will train for certainty and educate for uncertainty. There is no single solution to learning and the Australian Defence College will encourage a wide range of approaches and create diverse opportunities to learn with a clear focus on the learner and on life long learning.
Our key outcome will be learning that delivers effective military and Defence decision making; and practical advice to Government.
