Class bell rings for cadets

  • Published
  • By Wayne Amann
  • U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFPN) --  Sports has its opening day, Broadway its opening night, and the academy its first day of class.

The anticipation of the new school year that begins Aug. 10 brings a book bag full of optimism for cadets and faculty as diverse as themselves.

“There’s so much excitement in that first meeting. It’s the beginning of our journey together for the semester,” said Brig. Gen. Dana H. Born, dean of the faculty. “They’re now in a learning environment. The students are somewhat apprehensive and the instructors are nervous, although the cadets don’t know it.”

Much of the preparation done during the summer months actually starts at the end of the previous academic year, as instructors incorporate inputs into their curriculum gained from critiques and assessments. Many teachers go into the new school year with an entirely restructured course.

Faculty members strive to stay up to date on new developments in their respective fields.

“This summer I divided my time between preparing for a core law course … and developing a proposed curriculum in computer and Internet law,” said Capt. Jeff Pozen of the law department. “We track new developments because the law itself changes when new statutes are passed or new cases are decided.”

Course directors typically have materials ready at least a month before class starts, General Born said. Faculty usually prepares individual lessons a day or two before a particular class so ideas and presentations are fresh and can be tied into the previous lesson. Current events such as the space shuttle launch or a development in Iraq are used to bring concepts to life.

One fact of faculty life is the nearly 30-percent instructor turnover every year. As a result, newcomers bring fresh ideas and experiences from the operational Air Force to supplement the educational experience and expertise of senior military and civilian faculty members.

Directorate of education officials run workshops and provide methods that course directors and teachers can use to improve their courses and instructional techniques. Instructors prepare about four hours for every 50-minute class.

“It’s a continuing learning process for us,” General Born said. “That’s why our most important initiative is our focus.”

This year’s focus centers on developing an environment on learning outcomes within the classroom instead of how well an instructor teaches.

“Even if you’re the most dazzling, prepared, educated, developed instructor, unless there’s learning occurring, it doesn’t matter,” General Born said. “We want to better measure that with seven outcomes.”

Called the Dean’s Outcomes, they deal with graduating cadets who can communicate effectively, who can solve, resolve and define problems, and be independent learners and critical thinkers. The outcomes are designed to blend with the officer development system outcomes of the training wing and athletic department to produce Air Force officers of character.

The academy offers 32 academic majors, spanning more than 500 undergraduate courses for 4,000 cadets.

“The curriculum is unparalleled,” General Born said. “But what makes the academy so unique are the phenomenal students who had tons of other opportunities. Instead they decided to serve their country and become something bigger than themselves. Add the high quality faculty -- right now more than half hold (doctorates), which is very unusual for an undergraduate institution -- plus our great staff and facilities, and it’s a wonderful blend.”

With all that, the academy still averages only 19 to 20 students per class.

“It’s (eye-to-eye) contact,” General Born said. “And every class carries a so-what factor -- ‘why do I need to know this in the profession of arms as an Air Force officer?’ You don’t get that at a civilian university.”

While her departments are responsible for the operational and tactical levels of teaching, General Born maintains the strategic view.

“Our customer is the Air Force, and we focus on Air Force needs in everything we do,” she said. “The academic curriculum is key to developing cadets, but we work in concert with the training wing and athletic department to provide an outstanding experience. We’re proud of what we do and are always looking for better ways to meet our goals. There’s no more challenging nor rewarding mission than developing officers of character.”