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“Developing Mach-21 Airmen” podcast explores student-centered learning in communities of practice

  • Published
  • Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas – A look inside what student-centered learning in communities of practice is the focus of episode 12 of Air Education and Training Command’s “Developing Mach-21 Airmen” professional development podcast series, released June 24.

On the pod, released June 10, Dr. Kristen Lewis from the 381st Training Group at Vandenburg Air Force Base, Calif., discusses the philosophy which is meant to maximize the learning potential of students by focusing in on the needs of individual students.    

Lewis talks about the research behind the student-centered instruction method, how it represents a paradigm shift in the fact instructors don’t control learning and how she was able to implement the approach in her unit.  She also discusses the importance of and the components that make up communities of practice and why they are a good fit for Air Force training.

Other topics include conversation on the thought “we learn at the boundaries of our understanding,” and how to win over skeptics who think the philosophy can’t be put into action in their particular training environment.

The professional development podcasts are designed to help communicate and inform Total Force Airmen across the globe on relevant, timely topics related to the recruiting, training, education and development fields and can be listened to on the government network on the AETC website, or via mobile application as well as on Apple Podcasts (iTunes). For Android or Google mobile users, the podcast can be found on their favorite third-party podcast phone application.  

Future episodes are set to cover a wide range of topics, including joint force training in the civil engineering career field; enlisted PME changes; the classroom of the future at the Inter-American Air Forces Academy and much more.