SUGGESTION NO. 1702

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00832A000200100005-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: November 17, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 20, 2000
• Sequence Number: 5
• Content Type: SUMMARY

Approved For Reel ase 2000/08/15 :CIA-RDP80-00832AQ,a0200100005-9
GIA INTERNAL USE ONLY
Suggestion No. 1702
A. Summary of the Suggestion:
The time the agency can devote to each training course is
neces-:-ari..ly limited. The average duration of any one course is
abota three weeks; only a few courses go as long as five weeks.
c shoxtness of the courses results in three weaknesses:
_ The courses become "cram" courses, wherein the student is
thrown a bewildering array of facts or techniques in rapid. succession.
Many st Icnts never catch up;. the course is over before they have
me:.i,.ally adjusted to the subject matter. (All instructors will
attest to this phenomenon, which often exists even where the student
makes pas',ng grades, subject by subject.
2. Desirable background. material is often ommitted. It may
exist as a section of the outline or study guide but is not in
practice giv-ri. All emphasis is on facts, procedures, or techniques
for which there is immediate need. The reasons for these are minimized.
3. The span of the course does not permit sufficient repetition.
It has been proven by many tests that the length of time the mind
retains an impression is directly related to the length of time it
took to form the impression and the number of times the impression was
repeated.
The obvious solution to these problems would be to lengthen all
courses to twice or three times their present length. I1owever, this
is not entirely feasible, and it is believed that the courses can be
in effect lengthened by institution of the following:
1. That for each course there be established a reading list
as a prerequisite to the course. This list would be included in the
catalog.
2. That the materials on the list be made available it- a
"package" which the student or his Training Officer could cix~.
(pr.?eferably upon telephonic request) from the OTE library.
3. That either the individual or his Training T_.:.:L .>on Officer
be required to certify that all reading w . i we bed prior to admission
to the course .. rT ,, - , ald ? severly limited.
4. That a study guide be provided with the pa..ke.L. The guide
would indicate to the student what paragraphs, topics, or thoughts were
considered .specially
Approved For Release 2000/08/15 : CIA-RDP80-00832A000200100005-9
 Approved Folease 2000/08/15 : CIA-RDP80-008300200100005-9
CIA INTE'2tNAL USE ONLY
Suggestion No. 1702 (Cont'd)
Some of the material night have to be of a classified natulre, but
for every course now in existence there is a substantial body of
knowlecd4;e printed in unclassified publications. For example, such
divers_ subjects as coi.miunism or budgeting are very well eQverE'd.
Also t,: a great degree is basic tradecraft. Furthermore, some:
items now considered classified could be declass tfied to the point
where they could be taken home for study, by abridgment, r?ephrasin.g,
or deletion of isolated and unimportant facts.
The advantages would be substantial.
1. More material could be added without increasing the length
of the courses, by (a) providing supplemental new material, and (b)
in son.(_ cases by permitting the instructor merely to make:: ',a brief
refer use to material now covered in some detail.
The students would have a "feel" for the material before
instra,tion began. (This is to me the most important point.)
3. The increased time span and the repetition would immeasurably
increase'the students long-terra retention of the materials
B. Evaluation of Concerned Offices :
Chief, Intelligence School stated:
"This suggestion has some. merit but for various '' reasons is
only applicable to a limited number of courses . The, practice:
of supplying reading materials in advance is followed by the
course on World Communism, the students drawing a kit of un-
classified reading matter about a week before the course begins.
For other courses offered by the Intelligence School, there is
either no material suitable for advance reading or the nature cf
the course, being one of working on projects and exercises, dOE.:s
not require such advance preparation."
Chief, Operations School stated:
A good idea if PDP students had more time available than
required by the course itself. Reading is integrated into
most of our operations courses.
lc^Y' T. of Plans & Policy Staff stated:
"The plan is feasible from library viewpoint granting
necessary restriction on the inclusion of certain classified
materials.
"Catalog notation should be limited to the fact' t'.-at the.
readi :~ 'i:,.LLtcrials can be drawn in advance by stucleiats and fror_
ho?i but not be bibliographic in nature due to consta_::Et
Approved For Release 2000/08/15 : CIA-RDP80-00832A000200100005-9
 Approved Fdelease 2000/08/15 : CIA-RDP80-00800200100005-9
CIA INTFTtNAL USE (ONLY
Suggestion No. 1702 (Cont'd)
"Study guide concept will impose an additional pla coning
burden on all instructors. Perhaps this should be a later
step.
"Material should be distributed. only to bona fide
registrants certified t.,; by hegistrar so that a person
cannot "take" a course in this manner rather than by
attending."
Chief, Basic School stated:
"The content of this suggestion is not new, since the
practice of distributing reading materials in advance of
training courses has been tried in a few instances in 0711.
However, it. does contain some novelty and as few new slants
on the subject, and hence can he considered as making an added
contribution.
"It is recommended that the suggestion be recognized by
a token award df perhaps $2.00, but that the extent. and rate
of implementation be left up OTN. The suggestion, will
apply to only a limited number of general courses, and will
necessarily require the gradual develrrpi.i,ent of apprupriate
materials and procedures."
C. Recor.xoendation of the executive .Secretary :
it is recor.,,i.rended that the type and amount cf award be
determined by the Ccmriittee., after a verbal report by the OTR
member summarizing extent of current implementation of suggestion
and itip value,
Approved For Release 2000/08/15 : CIA-RDP80-00832A000200100005-9