Flipping Army Conscripts’ Training with the Support of ADL Learning Assets – Rewards and Challenges in the Context of Finnish Army Reserve Officer Training

In this article, we explore the experiences of military instructors with the introduction and application of the pedagogic method of the flipped classroom when supported by advanced distributed learning (ADL). The data were collected from interviews with eight instructors from the Reserve Officer School in the Finnish Defence Forces, all of whom have employed flipped classroom and ADL methods in their conscript training. The findings showed that the approach towards ADL and flipped classroom pedagogy varied, ranging from rejection to a focus on rewards and benefits, and from neutrality to an active appreciation of its potential for development. The motives reflecting these pedagogical and learning technology innovations were related to instructors, learners, subject matters, pedagogical methods, technology, resources, and the structures of the military education system. We suggest that scholars and practitioners of military pedagogy should focus on developing better technology infrastructure and accessibility for the end-user, the self-regulation and study skills of conscripts, and on applying modern pedagogical methods in practice. Further, the capacity of the military instructor to successfully employ learning technologies is contingent on the implementation of specific measures and strategies.