When U.S. Naval War College (NWC) Provost Lewis M. Duncan took office a year ago, he began a discussion on the methods and practices the school uses to deliver education.

The potential changes Duncan is exploring at NWC are in line with Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson's directives on "high-velocity learning" Navywide.

One of Duncan's focuses has been to emphasize the use of technologies to better serve students and faculty, both on campus and through distance education.

"We have gotten support for developing a high-tech classroom that will be more of a laboratory for our faculty," said Duncan. "We are in the process of forming a group of faculty to oversee the selection of what equipment is brought into the room. By participating, the more than 300 faculty will become the front line innovators to figure out what tools can enhance the way that we teach that may involve simulation or modeling."

The new classroom will first serve as a place to learn improved ways to deliver education.

In his recent document, "A Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority," Richardson points to high-velocity learning as one of his lines of effort to keep the U.S. Navy the best in the world.

"This all fits in very directly to the latest charge from CNO for what he calls high velocity learning," said Duncan. "In some ways we anticipated that because what we are doing is looking at new ways to enhance what we do through innovation and experimentation."

Richardson's document describes high-velocity learning as applying "the best concepts, techniques and technologies to accelerate learning as individuals, teams and organizations."

Another of Duncan's top priorities is ensuring NWC continues to attract and retain high-quality faculty. He is working on bringing the NWC faculty policies and procedures in line with top civilian institutions.

"We are working to normalize the rules on travel, attending conferences, grants, contracts, working with outside entities, work-time reporting, and copyright to bring them in line with other schools," he said, "and to treat our faculty with the trust and respect that is appropriate for educational professionals.

"I continued to be extraordinarily impressed with the faculty and students, and now that impression has been seasoned with the chance to sit in a number of classes and a chance to teach an elective last semester. Everything has affirmed my first impression of this [Naval War College] being an exceptionally high-quality institution."

In another effort to better educational outcomes, Duncan began a program of bringing in educational experts to speak with faculty on new educational techniques that show promise. For example, a previous speaker addressed faculty about neurological processes. A future speaker will discuss competency based learning.

"Managing expectations to what changes we might have and when we might have them is important," said Duncan. "The academic process tends to be much more thoughtful, deliberate, and deliberative."

Duncan said he is focused only on improving an already excellent school.

"We are not trying to change direction of the school," he said. "We have tried to affirm and perhaps accelerate some of the things that we value most."

NWC is a one-year resident program that graduates about 600 resident students and about 1,000 distance learning students each year. Its missions include educating and developing leaders, helping define the future of the Navy, supporting combat readiness, and strengthening maritime partnerships. Students earn Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) credit and either a diploma or master's degrees in either National Security and Strategic Studies or Defense and Strategic Studies. Established in 1884, U.S. Naval War College is the oldest institution of its kind in the world. More than 50,000 students have graduated since its first class of nine students in 1885 and about 300 of today's active-duty admirals, generals and Senior Executive Service leaders are alumni.

For more news from Naval War College, visit www.navy.mil/.