Learning Together

<p>This monograph explores the online community and its new relationship to the Army educational system. Over the past six to seven years online communities such as CompanyCommand.army.mil have established themselves as means of communication for the profession. These communities are now integrated into the structures of educational institutions such as West Point and the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. While they have thrived thus far their integration may mean a greater reliance on their capabilities. This monograph briefly examines the ability of the online community to educate professionals. The methodology used is a review of adult learning models comparison with self-directed learning models and examination of recent research in communities of practice. The comparison is brief and highlights a potential for more detailed research as the online community matures. The conclusions identify the usefulness of the Professional Forum to enhance the learning of soldiers in the conduct of their duties. The Army should resource the Professional Forum to enhance the learning opportunities and maximize the impact. Additionally the Army should connect the Professional Forum to the foundational schools enabling a much better discourse between the school and the field.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>