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TRADOC Pam 525-8-2
Table D-7
Instructor student ratio examples
Type of Instruction ISR Comments
Audience 1: audience Size does not matter. Passive,
one-way presentation.
Conference and discussion 1: 25
Large group instruction 1: 25
Small group instruction 1: 16
Facilitated problem centered
instruction
1: 8 (recommended) Groups work on their own
with faculty and/or instructor
support. Possible to work
with multiple groups.
Note: ISRs are lower after using Manpower Staffing Standards System calculations to compensate for
other types of instructor work hours, such as time required for development, preparation, student
assessment, grading, counseling, profession development, and publishing (for military education
institutions).
D-10. Faculty and instructor selection and development
a. ARFORGEN has a significant impact on faculty and instructor selection and availability.
Yet, the importance of faculty and instructors within the institutions requires noting. They are
the key to quality training and education. “The success of institutional education and training
depends on having experienced faculty who are leadership mentors, role models, and teachers.” 49
b. Challenges within PME today have produced a mixed quality of faculty and instructors.
The demands of war provide limited assignments or availability periods for the best military
faculty and instructors. Rewards have been limited although command and promotion rates for
military officer faculty continue in a favorable trend. A recruitment and retention issue for
civilian academic scholars in Army colleges is largely due to limited opportunities for scholarly
advancement (through workload and copyright restrictions) and term-limited appointments.
D-11. Distributed learning
a. dL leverages the power of information and communication technologies (such as,
simulation, interactive media instruction, video teletraining, e-learning, and others) to deliver
standardized training and education at the right place and time. dL may involve studentinstructor
interaction in real time (synchronous) and non-real time (asynchronous). It may also
involve self-paced student instruction without benefit of an instructor. Efficient use of resources
and return on investment for content identified as appropriate for basic dL (stable, high volume)
is one of the primary purposes of dL, while other high-end technology applications provide
returns in quality of learning based on fidelity, immersion, and motivation, among other aspects
appealing to learners. The primary importance to learners, however, is improved access and
opportunity and increased lifelong learning to benefit career development.
b. Challenges and problems with dL quality, development, and maintenance within the Army
have caused many negative perceptions to persist, while at the same time, enrollment in online
civilian universities has increased greatly. Development of Army dL has been plagued by
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