Abstract
Professional military education for young officers within the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has since 1950 been vested within the South African Military Academy (SAMA), Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University. As an all services academy, the SAMA houses student from all four arms of service that constitute the SANDF, namely the South African Army, Navy, Air Force and Medical Health Services. With such a vastly different student body, the five schools within the SAMA correspondingly cover an extremely varied field of study ranging from military law and military management to military psychology all the way to more traditional military subjects such as military history and strategy.
The question must thus be asked – what teaching approach or teaching philosophy should the Military University Educators (MUE) of the SAMA utilise in educating their learners?
The answer, this paper will argue, lies in a reflective learning philosophy that is tailored to meet the requirements of the South African armed forces. This reflective teaching philosophy, shaped for the military environment, involves a thoughtful and iterative approach to instruction that emphasises critical thinking, self-awareness, and continuous improvement. This philosophy also recognises that military professionals operate in dynamic and complex environments where adaptability and the ability to learn from experience are crucial. A skill that the SAMA intends fostering within its student body of young military officers during their time spent at the SAMA.
Recommended Citation
Scherman, Jean Pierre Dr
(2025)
"‘Reflective Learning’ – Teaching the South African Military Academy Way,"
Journal of Peace, Conflict, and Security Studies: Vol. 1:
Iss.
1, Article 8.
Available at:
https://repository.rit.edu/jpcss/vol1/iss1/8