Date of Award

5-10-2026

Date Published

June 2026

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Professional Studies

Department

Information Management

Advisor(s)

John Jordan

Keywords

Curriculum-to-practice gap;Information systems education;Organizational learning and readiness;Sociotechnical learning systems;Technical workforce training alignment;Training transfer to workplace performance

Abstract

Modern military organizations increasingly rely on information-rich systems that demand both technical competence and adaptive problem-solving from their personnel. In the United States Marine Corps, recent doctrinal reforms articulate an ambitious learning philosophy centered on adaptability, conceptual understanding, and continuous development. This thesis examines how that doctrinal vision is translated into practice through the entry-level training of enlisted data systems technicians. Using an exploratory case study design, the research investigates how first-line supervisors interpret the alignment between institutional training at the Marine Corps Communication-Electronics School and the operational competence demonstrated by newly assigned Marines. Data were collected through surveys, interviews, and document review, and analyzed thematically using sociotechnical and organizational-learning lens. Findings suggest that while initial training provides foundational procedural skills, supervisors consistently observe gaps in troubleshooting, conceptual reasoning, and readiness for real-world system configurations. These shortfalls are not simply instructional deficiencies but reflect broader institutional constraints, including curriculum revision cycles, resource limitations, and the rapid evolution of operational technologies. Supervisors report that new Marines consolidate competence primarily through experiential learning, mentorship, and local adaptation once they arrive in operational units. These observations illustrate how doctrinal expectations become narrowed or reshaped as they pass through organizational layers, revealing a complex translation process in which doctrine, curriculum, and practice do not align seamlessly. The study contributes to scholarship on doctrinal implementation, competency-based education, and sociotechnical systems by showing how modern learning doctrine is enacted, adapted, and sometimes attenuated as it moves from institutional guidance to operational performance. Rather than evaluating training effectiveness in a prescriptive sense, the research offers a conceptual model that clarifies where translation challenges tend to occur and how they influence early competence development in a technologically intensive occupational field. The study concludes that improving alignment requires not only curricular adjustments but also institutional mechanisms that support greater responsiveness, conceptual learning, and integration between initial entry-level training institution preparation and operational realities.

Access

Open Access

Download

Share

COinS