Modernizing Learning - Building the Future Learning Ecosystem

April 30, 2019

A new book exploring the future learning ecosystem

The ADL Initiative recently released Modernizing Learning: Building the Future Learning Ecosystem. This open-access publication examines the shift needed to our systems and society to enable lifelong, experiential, interconnected learning journeys. The book outlines the vision for a learning ecosystem that spans technology, learning science, policy, and organizational factors.

“The progress we’ve made both in terms of new technologies as well as our understanding of human cognition have created new opportunities to improve the ways we learn,” said Sae Schatz, Ph.D., Director of the ADL Initiative and co-editor of the book, “The future learning ecosystem represents a dynamic contrast to the Industrial Age model of time-focused, one-size-fits-all learning.”

“Extensive learning and technological research have been conducted across the myriad disciplines and communities needed to develop this holistic maturation of the learning ecosystem,” said J.J. Walcutt, Ph.D. co-editor, “These advancements have created the opportunity for formal and informal learning experiences to be accessible anywhere, anytime, and to be personalized to individual needs.”

Modernizing Learning is the outcome of a multi-year study recently completed by the ADL Initiative, a DoD-sponsored program that conducts research, development, testing, evaluation, and policy stewardship to enhance distributed learning. More than 85 stakeholders from across communities contributed, bringing together perspectives from K–12 educators, military trainers, technology specialists, and government leaders.

Section 1: Foundations

Chapter 01	Modernizing Learning	J.J. Walcutt, Ph.D., Director of Innovation, ADL Initiative Sae Schatz, Ph.D., Director, ADL Initiative, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Education and Training
Chapter 02	History of Distributed Learning	Arthur Graesser, Ph.D., Professor, The University of Memphis Xiangen Hu, Ph.D., Professor, The University of Memphis Steve Ritter, Ph.D., Co-Founder/Chief Product Architect, Carnegie Learning
Chapter 03	Distributed Learning Instructional Theories	Scotty D. Craig, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Arizona State University Ian Douglas, Ph.D., Executive Director, Institute for the Science of Teaching and Learning, Arizona State University
Chapter 04	Lifelong Learning	J.J. Walcutt, Ph.D., Director of Innovation, ADL Initiative Naomi Malone, Ph.D., Research Scientist (Contractor), ADL Initiative
Chapter 05	Learning Experience Design	Sae Schatz, Ph.D., Director, ADL Initiative

Section 2: Technology

Chapter 06	Interoperability	Brent Smith, R&D Principal (Contractor), ADL Initiative Prasad Ram, Ph.D., Founder and CEO, Gooru
Chapter 07	Data Security	Justin M. Pelletier, Ph.D., Business Director, Eaton Cybersecurity SAFE Lab, Rochester Institute of Technology
Chapter 08	Learner Privacy	Bart P. Knijnenburg, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Clemson University Elaine Raybourn, Ph.D., Scientist, Sandia National Laboratories
Chapter 09	Analytics and Visualization	Shelly Blake-Plock, President and CEO, Yet Analytics, Inc.
Chapter 10	Personalization	Jeremiah Folsom-Kovarik, Ph.D. Lead Scientist, Soar Technology, Inc. Dar-Wei Chen, Ph.D., Research Scientist, Soar Technology, Inc. Behrooz Mostafavi, Ph.D., Research Scientist, Soar Technology, Inc. Michael Freed, Ph.D., Consultant, Reperio

Section 3: Learning Science

Chapter 11	Assessment and Feedback	Debra Abbott, Ph.D., Metis Solutions contractor, Joint Special Operations University, U.S. Special Operations Command
Chapter 12	Instructional Strategies for the Future	Brenda Bannan, Ph.D., Associate Professor, George Mason University Nada Dabbagh, Ph.D., Associate and Director, George Mason University J.J. Walcutt, Ph.D. Director of Innovation, ADL Initiative
Chapter 13	Competency-Based Learning	Matthew C. Stafford, Ph.D., Chief Learning Officer, Air Training and Education Command, U.S. Air Force
Chapter 14	Social Learning	Julian Stodd, Founder, Sea Salt Learning Emilie Reitz, Bold Quest Analytical Working Group Lead, Joint Staff J6 (Joint Fires Division), U.S. Department of Defense
Chapter 15	Personalization	Louise Yarnall, Ph.D., Sr. Research Social Scientist, Center for Technology in Learning Michael Freed, Ph.D., Consultant, Reperio Naomi Malone, Ph.D., Research Scientist (Contractor), ADL Initiative

Section 4: Organization

Chapter 16	Instructional Designers and Learning Engineers	Dina Kurzweil, Ph.D., Director, Education and Technology Innovation Support Office, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, U.S. Department of Defense Karen Marcellas, Ph.D., Instructional Design Team Lead, Education and Technology Innovation Support Office, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences
Chapter 17	Governance for Learning Ecosystems	Thomas Giattino, Chief, Technology Integration Division, Air Education and Training Command Matthew Stafford, Ph.D. Chief Learning Officer, Air Education and Training Command
Chapter 18	Culture Change	Scott Erb, Captain, U.S. Navy (Ret.), Former Commanding Officer, Center for Security Forces Rizwan Shah, Organizational Culture Advisor, Department of Energy
Chapter 19	Strategic Planning	William Peratino, Ph.D., Deputy Director, USALearning, U.S. Office of Personnel Management Mitchell Bonnett, Ph.D., Distributed Learning Research, Standards & Specifications, Directorate of Distributed Learning, Army University, U.S. Army Dale Carpenter, Superintendent (Acting), U.S. National Park Services Yasir Saleem, Senior Solutions Consultant, Adobe Van Brewer, Ph.D., External R&D Principal (Contractor), ADL Initiative

This publication, available for free at the Government Printing Office under a permissive Creative Commons license, outlines what we need to build for tomorrow to empower our children, workforce, society, and military personnel to achieve.

Modernizing Learning is available for download here in both English and French. More information is also available from the Government Publishing Office.