Integration of National Security Interests in Select Military Education Institutions’ Curricula

Abstract

Education uses the curriculum as a means to achieve its aims. National security interests influence military education institutions’ curricula. This study contributes to filling the theoretical and practical knowledge gap on how the military education institutions integrate the national security interests in their curricula. It is an integrative literature review, where the literature is the data analyzed to generate a conceptual model that offers a new perspective on the topic. The data are mainly from Canada’s Royal Military College at Ontario and at Saint-Jean, Japan’s National Defense Academy, the Philippine Military Academy, and the Republic of Korea’s Air Force Academy, Military Academy, and Naval Academy official websites. The literature cum data are public materials. Limited voluntary key informant surveys were conducted for additional data and to substantiate the findings. Researcher triangulation adds rigor. The data revealed qualitative themes related to curriculum content, teaching and learning approaches, faculty enabling, and the role of the technological environment in the integration. The themes support the thesis that the national security interests are integrated in the Future-ready academic and military curriculum content via Outcomes-based teaching-learning approaches of Resilient and enabled faculty members in Technology-driven learning ecosystems, Guided by ideals for the excellent education and training of the cadets who, upon graduation, are future-ready as junior officers of the country’s Armed or Self-Defense Forces. The thesis is summarized as the “FORT-G Model of Integration” that can guide the MEI. Further studies are recommended for better understanding, applicability, and possible enhancement of the model.