ISR University leverages decades of operational, in-classroom, and individualized training experience to maximize student-based learning and knowledge-sharing in a virtual setting. We optimize the same instructional best practices that have made us thought leaders and expert practitioners in C4ISR in-person training. These allow us to engage students on a higher level, delve deeper into concepts, and achieve an Analyst II or 3C comprehension level.
- Outcome-Based Approach – We use an outcome-based approach that designs a curriculum to meet organizational desired learning objectives that are specific, measurable, and relevant and allow us to translate these objectives into real-world application of concepts and wisdom.
- Active Learning – The onus for learning is on the student. Instructors are facilitators, who help build wisdom through interactive live-virtual lessons. We use the Socratic method and thought-provoking discussions/exercises from targeted readings and assignments to aid discovery/deeper exploration of concepts.
- Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning – We employ a variety of synchronous and asynchronous learning techniques to maximize facilitator to student interaction and increase retention. Live-Virtual Instruction: Our expert instructors actively teach students using videoconferencing for up to two hours per module. Micro-Learning: Each module has micro-lessons that break down difficult or overarching topics into smaller chunks. Gamification: We leverage embedded games to help students retain information. Their scores are recorded on a class leader board, spurring their desire to repeat the game until they get a high score.
- Practical Application: We use meaningful practical exercises and assessment devices designed to translate into higher order capabilities of application, evaluation, synthesis, and analysis.
- Critical Thinking: All of our courses fundamentally build critical thinking skills through interactive learning and application assessments. We use an in-depth, tailorable, critical thinking rubric to meaningfully evaluate students and provide opportunities for growth.
Cohort-Based Learning– Cohorts play an incredibly important role in knowledge retention and the development of long-term professional relationships. Our faculty is experienced in developing strong academic and cohort ties in the virtual environment. In our virtual setting, discussion boards and blog posts require students to respond to each other’s thoughts and ideas and defend their own.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): Our courses are platform agnostic. All of our LMS platforms can be accessed on computer, tablet, or even smart phone, meeting our students where they are and when they need it (on command/on demand). This enables a learning “anywhere, anytime” environment while relieving pressure on overtaxed .gov and VPN-required networks.
Active Learning Hours: Instead of defining success in our course by hours in the classroom, we focus on the outcome – the impartation of knowledge. Each course has a number of anticipated active learning hours (LVC, readings, discussion posts, etc.) that must be completed over a set period of time but allows maximum flexibility for varying student schedules and organizational ops tempo. The course structure also allows motivated students to accelerate completion by dedicating more focused time on the material and demonstrating mastery of the concepts more quickly.