2010 Center for Army Leadership Annual Survey of Army Leadership (CASAL): Army Education

Abstract : This report supplements the main survey findings CAL Technical Report 2011-1, and explores PME attendance, quality, effectiveness, and relevance of course experiences, along with ability to transfer what was learned from the classroom to the field, and potential recommendations. This report is a direct response to General Officers' feedback on last year's PME findings. Specifically, Army education was concerning for senior leaders last year due to a downward trend in ratings of Army education across cohorts, a failure of most criteria to meet the 2/3 favorability threshold, and the fact that while perceptions of PME have been decreasing the reported effectiveness of the other two development domains (operational experience and self development) have been increasing. For the 2010 data, Army institutional education perceived value is still a concern. Although the findings are more favorable than last year's with the leveling of a downward trend, the data still show a downward slope from 2005. Quality of course instructors and technology resources are strengths, but weaknesses still include: providing relevant content, preparing leaders to develop the leadership skills of subordinates, preparing leaders to influence others, and unit effectiveness at utilizing or supporting the leadership skills graduates learned in the course. Colonels, Lieutenant Colonels and Chief Warrant 5s were also surveyed about what skills were lacking for recent graduates. The most common response is appropriate critical thinking and problem solving skills. Students who found their course ineffective were surveyed about potential improvements. The most common response was to make leadership a focus and cover specific leadership issues.