The Department of Military Strategic Studies is committed to excellence in instruction and development of instructional materials. The Director of Faculty Development, organized under the Research and Instruction Division, is dedicated to providing a background in instructional theory and models as well as instructional strategy and development techniques. Integration of curriculum within the Department of Military Strategic Studies and across the Academy curriculum is a primary concern and .
Providing new faculty with a firm foundation to enter the classroom for the first time begins with a three-week New Faculty Orientation, conducted each summer between academic years. This introduces newcomers to the U.S. Air Force Academy, its organizational structure, facilities, opportunities, and commitment to the mission. Topics introduced include active learning, cognitive mapping, teaching and training, technology in the classroom, new instructor survival guide, acquaintance with the current curriculum in the Department, core curriculum, wargaming and simulation, grading subjective material, lesson preparation, the first day of class, and hints from a panel of experienced faculty about expectations, pitfalls, and tips for success.
Each semester the Director of Faculty Development spearheads a two day faculty development workshop. During the academic year, one workshop is dedicated to keep faculty not only aware of new instructional techniques, but help them expand thier expertise in the classroom. The second workshop is dedicated to helping all faculty remain current in the field of Military Strategic Studies. In the past, we have had workshops on managing teaching cases in the classroom, as well as writing teaching cases. Alternately, we have had workshops on current Air Force and Joint Doctrine. Two examples of these events follow. The spring 2005 workshop was dedicated to Middle East topics, and involved four guest speakers, each experts in their field. Topics included Geopolitics of the Middle East, Organization and Culture of Islam, Islamic Politics: Why is it so Political?, Military Considerations re: Islam and Terror, Arab/Israeli Wars and Peace, The al-Qaida Terror Threat, and Personal Perspectives from Iraq ; the Future of Iraq
Another example of Faculty Development days that is of interest occurred in a fall workshop that was dedicated to introducing all faculty to space, its capabilities and uses.
The Space Environment
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Currency, Consistency, Excellence
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"Striving to retain the MSS field of study and classroom instruction
in harmony withtoday's operational Air Force."
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For two days, members of the 34th EDG and other USAFA faculty at large will participate in an intense training program to learn about current and future space assets and their utility to the warfighter. |
The program will start with modules on the basics: space environment, orbital mechanics, space law, space lift and control; then will move into more advanced space concepts such as satellite communications, remote sensing, future concepts and a discussion of the threats and vulnerabilities our spacecraft face now and will face in the future.
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The program will culminate with an in-depth tutorial about the Global Positioning System (GPS), its warfighter applications, and a GPS field exercise conducted in Fox Run Park. The program will be very intense, with a great deal of information presented in a minimum of time. No previous space experience or education is required. |
This program is designed to take individuals from the "space novice" level to a solid, conversational level of our space systems and their capabilities. While our attendees will not attain a level of understanding high enough to control space systems or calculate equations for space maneuvers, they will have sufficient understanding of the capabilities and limitations of space to intelligently discuss and formulate space doctrine, strategy and tactics. |
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Working with the Dean of Faculty's Center for Educational Excellence, a series of workshops are held annually concerning relevant, critical topics for continued professional development and instructional success. These include topics such as Writing Meaningful Instructional Objectives, Test Writing, Using Case Studies Effectively, Educational Outcomes, as well as a series on Curriculum development, new and expanding issues. |
