New Center to Revolutionize Airman Development Process

In support of Air Education and Training Command’s intent to soon redesignate as Airman Development Command, the command is planning to realign portions of the headquarters staff to establish the Enterprise Learning Engineering Center of Excellence to directly support development and delivery of mission ready Airmen and Guardians to joint force commanders with the competencies needed to deter or defeat great power competitors.

As a critical component of AETC’s efforts to follow through on the Department of the Air Force’s reoptimization for Great Power Competition, the ELE CoE will be designed to enhance learning engineering and accelerate learning and retention for students, faculty, and staffs across the DAF.

“The ELE CoE is designed to accelerate force development by connecting the learning ecosystem and supporting recommendations for policies and practice which impact the learning enterprise,” said Dr. Wendy Walsh, AETC chief learning officer. “The team’s structure provides the DAF a theoretically grounded method to continuously improve and innovate learning across the Department of the Air Force through the lens of operational readiness and the Air Force Future Operating Concept.”

According to Walsh, Learning Engineering is an interdisciplinary approach that prioritizes human-centered design and the use of evidence-based practices supported by rigorous research and empirical data. Learning Engineering applies principles from various domains such as education, cognitive science, data analytics, technology, and engineering to optimize learning experiences and outcomes.

The ELE CoE will be dedicated to the systematic application of evidence-based principles, scientific methods, and practices from the learning sciences, education research and systems-thinking to produce effective, Airmen-centered learning outcomes and competency acquisition, Walsh said.

It will focus on experimenting with learning technologies, developing training methods, and enhancing faculty development. It will collaborate with industry and academia, manage learning data, and address capability gaps. The center will work with various stakeholders to advance Airman development and integrate new technologies, ensuring effective, interdisciplinary solutions.

As an advisor to the future ADC commander, and guided by the chief learning officer, the ELE CoE director will lead an interdisciplinary cross-functional team of approximately 24 full-time learning professionals, analysts, researchers, and military leaders employing a diverse set of educational and development skills and experiences.