| The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore perceived best practices of military and contract instructors implementing blended e-learning solutions for military technical training. A modified van Kaam method used open-ended, semi-structured, taped, and transcribed interviews for collecting perceptions of instructor and student lived experiences (Moustakas, 1994). The USN is transitioning advanced technical training from traditional classroom delivery to blended e-learning environments while making significant resource cuts, including instructional staff, and lacks sufficient information to determine best practices for instructors. The population under investigation included junior sailors new to the Navy who had recently completed "A" school training and some sailors returning from short-tours at sea before attending advanced "C" school technical training at the Aegis Training and Readiness Center (ATRC), in Dahlgren, VA. The sailors were male and female, between the ages of 19 and 32, with fewer than two years in the Navy. The study also included military and contract instructors facilitating the courses of instruction for these students. Numerous instructor best practices in a blended learning environment were identified as well as obstacles to effective instruction. Results of this study could lead to a better understanding of instructional best practices that may influence the Navy instructor-training continuum. The study results indicate instructors require individual and collective access to creative best practices to create effective learning environments that employ emerging technologies. |
