Eisenhower Paper 4: "New Technologies to Foster Critical Thinking", by Guillaume Lasconjarias.
Technology is often perceived as an important game-changer in the military. Nearly all past discussions and debates about the transformation process of Western militaries and the so-called “Revolution in Military Affairs” have incorporated an important technological dimension. However, as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have shown, technological prowess alone does not ensure victory. The human factor remains vital to understand a shifting and evolving environment. It is a challenging task to train and educate a new generation of soldiers who are “digital natives,” accustomed to smart devices and being permanently hyper-connected. Technology seems an obvious solution in the digital domain, provided it is envisioned as an enhancer or an enabler that can help modern militaries adapt to upcoming challenges. The evolution of Professional Military Education is essential in explaining, understanding, and using these technologies, as it helps Western forces maintain the upper hand over potential foes and adversaries. Therefore, thinking about innovative techniques and methods, based on learner-centric, tailored-made approaches, makes sense.
This Eisenhower Paper, written by a researcher in the NDC Research Division, demonstrates that technology will change not only what we know, but how we learn and how we teach. We hope you find this paper illuminating.
Regards,
Jeff
Dr Jeffrey Larsen, Division Head Research
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