SUBJECT: Welcome Letter to AJPME Students

On behalf of the faculty and staff of the Joint Forces Staff College (JFSC), I’d like to congratulate you on your selection for Advance Joint Professional Military Education (AJPME).

I would like to take a moment and give you an overview of the AJPME course and what you can expect. AJPME is a 40-week-long blended course that combines periods of distance learning (DL) with in-residence, face-to-face (F2F) instruction.

• —   DL-1: The first 12 weeks are DL where you will work primarily with the courseware and the instructor. DL-1 enables you to become comfortable in the online environment and the content sets the foundation for all that follows.
• —   F2F-1: Week 13 is a 4˝ day F2F session typically conducted at JFSC in Norfolk, VA (if it is planned for another location, you will be informed prior to registration). This block introduces you to your seminar colleagues and immerses you into the joint environment.
• —   DL-2: The next 24 weeks are a DL period that is highly interactive. You will be engaged in threaded discussions, case studies, and practical exercises with your peers and instructor and will prepare products that you will use in your final F2F.
• —   F2F-2: The final block of instruction is a culminating 15˝ day F2F session at JFSC. Like F2F-1, it could be held at another location, but that is a decision that would be made before the class starts.

During the two DL periods, you will be expected to participate online for a minimum of four hours per week, with additional time spent on readings and assignments. There are also two formal writing requirements in AJPME. We have allocated eight weeks, spread throughout the course, for research and writing.

Depending on the enrollment numbers for your class, you may either be assigned to a seminar immediately or be part of one large pool seminar that will be divided to ensure optimal Service and specialty mix prior to F2F-1. It is critical to note: Responsibility for orders to attend each F2F is between you and your sponsoring command or RC; JFSC does not produce orders. You will see your assigned seminar and instructor when you log into the Blackboard learning management system. Instructions are listed below.

Your online classroom is located in the Blackboard (Bb) Learning Management System. Please go to the Bb webpage at http://ndu.blackboard.com. (A link to Bb is also available from the “Course Access” page in the RC JPME webpage.) Click the "Login" button and enter your user ID and password in UPPERCASE letters. The naming convention for your user ID is the first three letters of your first name, the first three letters of your last name, plus the last four of digits of your social security number. Your password will be the same. For example, John Smith, with an SSN of 123-45-6789, would enter "JOHSMI6789" as his user ID and password (case sensitive). Once you are logged into Bb, you may change your password through the “Personal Information” link in the Tools menu.

Finally, this course incorporates a significant commitment on your part, in terms of time, dedication, and self-motivation. It is important for you to assess your family responsibilities, civilian employment conflicts, or forecasted military duties, in terms of successfully completing the course. If you find that you cannot fulfill the stated requirements, inform my Operations Officer, RC_JPME_Admin@jfsc.ndu.edu, (757) 443-6232 or DSN 646-6232 immediately in order to disenroll from the course. For technical-related issues, please contact the help desk at Blackboardhelp@jfsc.ndu.edu or call Monday through Friday 0830-1730 at (757) 433-6532 or DSN 646-6532.

//Original Signed//
Director, RC JPME

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Last update: 29 October 2008