DISQUS

8404 · 5 months ago

While, Computer Based Training has it's place, I don't believe it's the panacea to classroom instructor based learning. Students need to be able to put what they have learned into practice, via hands-on practicals. Some things cannot be put into words, like what it feels like attempting to find a suitable vein for venipuncture.

While not a Corpsman myself, my past medical history has put me on the receiving end of what you all do. Why is it that every time I go into the hospital, it's the civilian nurses who have difficulty finding a vein, but a former 68W or Navy Corpsman, find them the first time, every time and in record time.

With regards to this article, this will not be the only time the military or civilian corporations sacrifice quality for the pursuit of cost savings! Cudos, to HMCM Cangelosi for successfully negotiating with the upper echelon of BUMED an alternative that meets everyone's needs.

Ben P · 5 months ago

The idea of complete CBT for a bunch of young sailors was a little strange when I first heard it. For a couple of reasons, first we're talking about a lot of 18 to 21 yr olds without much formal education, who have just been to bootcamp. They would need to pretty driven to keep up with what had to be learning some pretty foreign material. I have done a lot of computer courses for college, but I was already an RN. I had all the hands on stuff that I needed. I even did some of Master's online, but any hands on and true new skills were done in the classroom or a lab. The research crap was just that, but diagnosing and treating patients was treated very differently.
Secondly, there is no group cohesion in a completely computer based course. When I was in Corps school, the stronger students helped the weaker ones. We were a company and we were still learning about the Navy. Besides our instructors, we had a company co. and an asst., both HM1's going thru a "C" school themselves.

So, I agree with a mixed approach. There is more to Corps School than passing a few tests on a computer.

Ben

hm1dana · 5 months ago

Chief,
As you can imagine, I am right there with you, as I was back then teaching with you. I had wanted to be a Hospital Corps School Instructor from the day I graduated Corps School in 1995. I fought very long and hard to get those orders and was one of the few at the time that actually wanted to be there instead of being forced. I can honestly say with exception of the last 6-9 months of my tour, it was the best tour I ever had and I enjoyed it tremendously! Over my 4 years as an instructor, I went from fundamental area team teaching (go team 1), to pushing an entire class through the entire curriculum (my favorite by a long shot) to the computer based training (total waste of time in my opinion) and caught the tail end of the "improved" blended learning. When I first got to Corps School and we actually "taught" things were so much better. The moral of the students was the biggest thing. There were less disciplinary problems because you were seen as an instructor and a mentor. You had the opportunity to mold these young people into sailors. This was even more evident when we pushed a whole class through the curriculum. They had 3 staff to go to at all times. They knew what was expected and when. We had very low attrition rates and even less disciplinary problems. But then as the Navy wanted to save money, our program was affected. We went to the computer based training over what seemed to be overnight. After a couple months it was evident to all of the instructors, what a horrible plan this was. All of voiced our opinions, but it was never taken into consideration. At the point that I had transferred, I felt more like a babysitter than I did an instructor.
I am glad to hear that someone finally listened to the fleet about the poor quality "HMs" we were producing, and made a change. The children of this generation do enough sitting in front of a computer. But sitting infront of a computer screen cannot teach you how to treat a human being. There has to be a personal approach.

Callahan · 5 months ago

Interesting report. I'm a civilian, I just came across this while doing some research about online education. For learning academic subjects, CBT works pretty well. For math classes especially, going at your own pace makes sense (Carnegie Mellon's website has some free math and science courses that are pretty impressive). But if a sailor or marine needs a corpsman, book knowledge only takes you so far.

Sorry if this a dumb, lubberly question but since there's typically a lag between a recruit signing a contract and actually shipping off to boot camp, why not use that wait time for the recruits to complete a CBT course at home? Some recruits won't have the time to get through it, to be sure, and they could still start from scratch at their A-school.
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But the recruits who "test out" of the online exams could be taught as a separate cohort by instructors who can assume they have the theoretical knowledg and move to advanced skills or practical applications sooner at no additional cost to the Navy. I seem to recall that the Air Force conducts its reserve medical officer training that way. The docs have to go through a self-study course at home. Once that's complete, they ship off for their two week knife and fork school.

Of course the AF docs get their medical knowledge from med school, the self-study program is just basic stuff-- who to salute, military law, the history of the Air Force (who knew they won World War II single-handedly?), etc. :o)