Exploring trainers' experiences of distance education at the South African Military Academy

Abstract

Like some government departments, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) continuously seeks to improve the quality of service through various initiatives presented in the White Paper on Defence. The SANDF continuously seeks to restore legitimacy in South Africa through professional military education and training. Continuous professional development is one of the crucial processes used to improve the quality of services by making the personnel aware of development trends and the use of new technologies. The South African Military Academy (SAMA) a training unit in the SANDF provides a qualification-based course in distance education mode in partnership with Stellenbosch University to young officers to imbue them with a knowledge framework and to equip them for career opportunities. The evolution of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and online educational platforms are gradually being embraced as means for providing distance education, thereby bringing new experiences and challenges to the SAMAthat educators had to deal with. Military educators may have difficulties coping with these changes and challenges. Their experiences with these changes and challenges are essential in sustaining the provision of distance education through both paper and electronic forms. This study aimed to explore the experiences of these military educators in distance education at the SAMA in the Western Cape to gain a deeper understanding of how their experiences affect distance education. The study was conducted at the SAMA. The purpose of this proposal is to provide a narrative justifying the need to conduct a study to explore the experiences of educators in the defence force concerning distance education and training environments in the face of the influence of information and communication technologies. The study population consisted of 66 military educators of which purposive sampling was used to choose the sample of individuals to interview. The research employed a case study at the SAMA through a qualitative approach in which data was collected using interviews. Data was interpreted qualitatively, and the findings were organised into key themes. The findings and recommendations ensuing from the study contribute towards the quality and effectiveness of distance education.