Author Description

The Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) provides high school students with academic training and military leadership experience. The academic portion of the program consists of a 4-year naval science curriculum that includes these subjects: naval history, sea power, maritime geography, navigation, citizenship, oceanography, meteorology, military justice, astronomy, naval operations, communications, and intelligence. Approximately 10 years ago, a computer-based NJROTC multimedia instructional system (NMIS) was developed in the NJROTC program at Sanger High School, California, to enhance the delivery of the curriculum. The components of the NMIS are an instructor's computer, a large television monitor in front of the classroom, and individual computers for 28 students; all are connected via a local area network. The system is used in course lecture, for reading materials, and for tests. An evaluation of the system at Sanger and Lemoore High Schools was conducted during a 10-week period in 1995, using pretests and posttests, focus groups with 124 students, interviews with instructors, and observations of classes. The results of the data compilation indicate that the NMIS has a positive effect on students' academic achievement and a time-saving effect on the instructors' workloads. It was recommended that the system be replicated in other schools and more extensive research be done. (16 references) (KC)