EDO School Transitions to Modernized Delivery of its Basic Course Curriculum

PORT HUENEME, Calif. – Engineering Duty Officer (EDO) School graduated its last Basic Course class to use printed course books Feb. 7 before it transitions to a multi-platform modernized delivery system for its April 2020 EDO Basic Course.

“In the past, we provided each Basic Course student a four-inch binder consisting of over 2,500 PowerPoint slides,” said Capt. Scott Davis, EDO School commanding officer. “All of these students will now borrow a Chromebook and interact online through a Learning Management System (LMS).”

As part of today’s future leaders, EDO School students need to be critical thinkers, life-long learners, and savvy technologists. Incorporating Chromebooks is an example of the type of technology that the MyNavy HR Force Development domain is pursuing as training and other personnel systems are being overhauled through Sailor 2025.

“Today’s newer officers and Sailors grew up using this kind of technology in school or have long been using it in their personal lives,” said Davis. “This is the kind of transformation in training that our people deserve, as we make improvements to keep the Navy competitive with the civilian sector. This initial course for our EDOs sets the standard for the rest of their careers, and empowering our instructors and students with the latest in learning tools is the right investment at this point in time, especially for such highly technical fields that our EDOs operate in.”

This Chromebook effort, however, is more than just providing electronic versions of the course material. Instructors will now be able to receive real-time feedback on data retention with electronic, in-class quizzes and knowledge checks.

“With the use of Chromebooks and the LMS, we can track trouble areas and adjust our lectures accordingly to focus on critical objectives that need additional instruction,” said Cmdr. Vet Davis, an EDO Basic Course instructor.

Four January 2020 EDO Basic Course students opted to use the Chromebooks and their feedback was positive.

“The switch to electronics in the classroom not only reduced the amount of supplies given and made for students, but also allowed for instant collaboration on assignments and group projects,” said Lt. Nicholas Baily, a January 2020 EDO Basic Course student. “This change adapts to the learning styles and technology focused mindset of today's generation of Sailors.”

The modernized-delivery system will enhance student-instructor interaction.

“The LMS has a live-classroom stream that allows students to interact with their instructors after hours,” said Lt. Cmdr. Matt Williams, an EDO Basic Course instructor. “Since all students can see these exchanges, we expect greater knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer help.”

The system also has a calendar, share-drive space and chat feature, which allows students to collaborate and work on group projects.

“This system is truly designed to increase student-student interaction,” said Cmdr. Nicole Nigro, an EDO Basic Course instructor. “We fully expect the system to positively impact team cohesion and connectedness.”

The five-week EDO Basic Course provides the critical foundation for the two-year EDO qualification process focusing on research and development, design, acquisition, construction, maintenance, and modernization of ships and systems.

EDO School’s implementation of this state-of-the-art training system is part of the MyNavy HR’s Sailor 2025 initiative to improve and modernize personnel management and training systems to more effectively recruit, develop, manage, reward, and retain the force of tomorrow.