Editorial: Ctrl + F

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, YAMAGUCHI, JAPAN

12.21.2015

Courtesy Story

AFN Iwakuni

Editor's Note: The views expressed in the following entry are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Marine Corps, Department of Defense or the U.S. government.

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan - This is it ... the final test. This is the test to determine whether I can be the best non-commissioned officer possible. This is the test that, if passed, will thrust me into being eligible for the leadership role of a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. A rank where I will be entrusted with the responsibilities of a higher calling. I will mentor those who require guidance, I will challenge those who need challenging and I will be a hard charger whose knowledge of my profession knows no bounds.

This is … my last MCI.

After my proctor logged me into my test, I was quite ready to just get it done. Just as I had been with the six previous annoying “tests” of my knowledge. It isn’t a mockery, because I am more intelligent than the test or because it’s way too easy; quite the opposite. These “tests” are mockeries, because they’re incredibly difficult and no one in the military takes them seriously (I say no one but I am sure there is some gunny somewhere who swears by the Marine Corps Institute).

At any rate, I was ready. Mouse in hand I started clicking through questions, searching for any I could answer about "Fundamentals of Digital Logic.” I had no clue what digital logic even was, but seeing as how I had a background in computer science (and I had already done the easy MCI’s to fill up my requirement for corporal) I figured why not.

The MCI “Fundamentals of Digital Logic” is a doozy; 182 pages of nothing but technical gibberish about the ins and outs of logic gates, binary and basically what makes up computers at the most basic level. But I am not a masochist. I figured this would be easier to understand than the 188 pages of “Metal Working and Welding Operations.” I am quite sure for someone to fully understand metal working, they would need substantial periods of hands-on training. I also figured it would be more interesting than the 432-page “Semper Fit Basic Fitness Course,” which is almost a college semester worth of health classes for the everyday Marine.

No, I think I chose the easy one.

Of course, I finished quickly and went about my day. The few pieces of information that I had “learned” early on during practice quiz exercises of “Ctrl + F’ing” (essentially telling my computer to find the answers in the provided notes and spit them back to me) were bleeding out of my ears as soon as I sat down to check my E-mail. Test complete, now the Marine Corps thinks I am ready to pick up the rank of sergeant. I’m not complaining about advancing. I am complaining about the general waste of attempted education that is an MCI.

It is unfortunate that what could be a great tool for the leaders of tomorrow and a great incentive for the knowledge seeking enlisted community has been reduced to Ctrl + F.

I don’t like to Ctrl + F.

I would actually enjoy trying to learn the material, because I want a proper education from the Marine Corps. If it is going to see fit to put me through a battery of tests to pick up my next rank, I should probably learn something.

To get a grasp on the most basic needs of education, one need look no further than Neil Fleming, the designer of the VARK Model, a set of four predefined learning styles. Fleming pointed out that people, even on the most basic level of education, learn in one of four different ways; aural, visual, read/write, and kinesthetic. This model has been used for years to help develop more effective ways of educating a large group of diverse individuals.

Too bad the Marine Corps Institute didn’t take a look at the model first, because quite obviously today’s MCI format only really helps those in the read/write category.

In a time where smart phones and the Internet have seemingly ensured that our future generations will have the attention span of a goldfish, I think we are indeed due a change that will fit today’s standards of education.

Cpl. Jessica Queszada, an NCO steadily working throughout this past year to earn the rank of sergeant had this to say: "Basically, we just learn a lot different now. You can't throw a book at us and expect us to learn. Maybe it worked in the past but it doesn’t work with Marines today. They (the Marine Corps Institute) need to adapt."

The Marine Corps Institute does indeed need to change. There should be more MCI’s. More specifically, every MOS should have their own MCI (or set of MCI’s) that would be relevant to each job field.

MCI's should become more like college classes where each shop on a base or air station is responsible for teaching a certain number of courses per year. Not only that, but teach in a way that Marines will actually absorb information, incorporating all four VARK learning styles.

Imagine classes where food service Marines can learn how to weld through hands-on training and where the course completion sparks interest, but also completes an education credit.

In the way of leadership, I think a change like this would be welcome. Lance corporals would be required to take a certain number of MCI “credit hours,” while corporals and sergeants would be required to take and give these classes to pick up their next rank.

If we rethink the idea of MCI’s as a whole and supply Marines with the actual tools to learn rather than slapping them with a massive PDF, we could make “Ctrl + F” a thing of the past.

Until then, I will just be glad I didn’t decide to take the test on “Solid State Devices.” You should really check it out some time.

• Date Taken: 12.21.2015
• Date Posted: 12.30.2015 22:59
• Story ID: 185508
• Location: MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, YAMAGUCHI, JP