When it comes to turning a training force into a trained force, Defence is at risk of letting the opportunities that augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and eLearning present pass them by.
Now more than ever before, learners are shaping their own learning environment. They want to learn how, when, and where they like – and why shouldn’t they? We know that every person learns differently, yet as adults we often fail to recognise this as an important success factor. Defence has the opportunity to take a more flexible and agile approach to its training.
Defence’s current training model – the Systematic Approach to Defence Learning (SADL) – is sometimes perceived to be overly complex and restricts innovation by saddling it with unnecessary analysis and planning. On the contrary, implemented correctly SADL provides the empirical base that supports modern, outside-the-box thinking, and ultimately an approved resolution. This could be advanced further by incorporating novel approaches and technologies such as Extended Reality (XR) into Defence’s training continuum.
XR is an all-encompassing term that includes VR, AR, mixed reality (MR) and everything in between. There is a tendency to view XR as an afterthought or ‘quick fix’ to modernise training, address gaps in knowledge, or demonstrate a cursory level of innovation.
However, such a transactional approach does not leverage the full advantages and capabilities of XR that could otherwise be achieved by incorporating it into the initial training design. Consequently, this increases risk over the long term by only offering a partial and/or incomplete solution.
Rather than asking how current training methodologies can be modernised, or how to efficiently mitigate training gaps, after a training program is already full flight, a blended learning approach incorporating XR from the outset needs to be integrated as part of the solution.
There are other less obvious benefits of blended learning using XR, such as retention. By enabling individuals within the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to upskill in areas outside their core role much more easily, it avoids the perils of retraining or – in some cases – overtraining, which is often counterproductive.
Using XR to achieve basic competencies allows training programs to be far less rigid. Trainees remain available to their units for deployment, on-the-job experiences, keeping them engaged across the entire training continuum. The application of XR also contributes to the culture of Defence, opening up more opportunities and adding to serving members’ value proposition.
For example, a mature training approach that utilises XR uplifts capabilities by allowing ADF members to acquire more skills at a baseline level of competency. This adds to the overall value proposition of Defence, improves Defence culture, and equips personnel with a wider range of skills that allow them to better plan their careers. More critically, it contributes to the uplift of the critical skills and capabilities that Defence will need over the coming years to implement the recommendations of the Defence Strategic Review (DSR).
The DSR’s focus on accelerated preparedness and enabling the Integrated Force implicitly places a premium on having a Defence workforce that has access to training that is both relevant and effective. This is an opportunity for Defence to realise the DSR’s key priority of technology and asymmetric advantage, by strengthening the role that AR and VR can play in the country’s defence strategy.
Until recently, most of Defence’s investment in capability was underpinned by the concept of having up to 10 years to prepare for conflict. With greater uncertainty and less warning time, Australia needs to focus not just on the high-cost projects, but also on enabling capabilities that must be ready when needed. The use of XR across Defence training will go a long way in helping fulfil the desired readiness and mobilisation requirements.
Whilst COVID-19 has accelerated the ADF’s use of eLearning and XR, it is segmented and there is still a fundamental lack of forward thinking. This needs to be addressed as a priority.
There are, of course, real sensitivities to be considered. Virtual training environments can be hyper-realistic and could be a triggering mechanism for some personnel. Conversely, it could desensitise the wearer of the true risks of the simulated environment. There are also practical side effects of nausea and vertigo to be mindful of.
Yet despite these potential shortcomings, the advantages far outweigh the risks.
Most of the conversations in Defence, however, seem to question how well a simulated environment can represent what is actually going on. This is where a blended learning solution comes into play. Using a range of approaches and tools to achieve a learning outcome(s), and not just relying on XR alone, allows a learner to baseline and build upon their knowledge in a safe environment, before finalising their proficiency on ‘the multimillion-dollar capability’.
We have seen the success of this approach with Ukraine’s drone training program. Operators spend many hours on a realistic computer simulator, then master a real drone in a special closed room, where there are no environmental effects, before starting at the Republican Centre for Unmanned Systems. Through this program, specific personnel are also trained by combat-experienced Army instructors on basic drone hardware, software repair and ammunition engineering. This is a blended learning approach.
Ukraine has considered the needs of the training force holistically, then as a subsidiary analysed the most efficient and effective way to train drone pilots; adapting to different learning levels, using both UAV technology advances and the direction of the war to guide the nuances of their training continuum. Ukraine successfully shows us how to create an appropriate learning curve, which allows their military, of whom the majority are former civilians, to evolve using a combination of face-to-face, augmented, and virtual reality training solutions.
We know that people learn differently, and we need an innovative approach to support efficient and effective training. A blended learning solution that is centred on the use of XR answers many of these questions, bringing with it other rewards, including positive culture, retention and an uplift of Defence skill level.
Once Defence can overcome the perceived risks of AR and VR and increase its awareness of the benefits that can be leveraged, the ADF will be better positioned to successfully achieve the accelerated delivery requirements of the DSR.
