REQUEST FOR EVALUATION OF SEA SEMINAR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP54-00216A000100040010-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 14, 2003
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: September 22, 1952
• Content Type: MF

Approves qr Release : 4 DP54-004WA000100040010-4
22 September 1952
MEMORANDUM FOR:
SUBJECT:
Request for evaluation of SEA. Seminar
REFERENCE; Memo of 28 August 1952
1. The following remarks must be properly qualified. The "reviewer"
was an infrequent student of the SEA Seminar--primarily, for reasons of
conflict with office assignments and to a lesser extend, but quite frankly,
for others which may be inferred from this critique requested by your
office.
2. This type of area program can provide valuable orientation for
first, those who have recently transfered to positions requiring analytical
skill in assigned areas, and secondly, those who though they may be experi-
enced in the analytical field are recent entrants into intelligence work.
As a group, these persons would benefit from a hood basic coverage of the
geographical areas and from discussions of current trends and developments
in each country. A program of entirely different proportions is required
to command the attention of an analyst who has been working for some time
on area assignments. Such a person is assumed familiar with the informational
approach and the substance of the basic concepts of the area; he is more
interested in a "speculative" type of seminar--one in which the encyUlopedic
groundwork has already been laid and in which personal theories and
ideas can be discussed, defended and evaluated--one in which the lecturer
becomes the prompter, the challenger of these ideas. The point made here,
to reiterate, is that "mass exposure", as you are aware but as assigning
officers may not always realize, will discredit one part of the group of
another. The recent seminar suffered from the problem of an audience of
extremely divergent experience and thus, interests.
This particular seminar was not of much value to me. As a new
analyst--one recently transfered to the field--this type of training was
a welcomed opportunity. The implementation of this particular program,
however, labored under considerable handicaps. The physical environment
was tot the least abortive element to profitable learning. A window-less
room with only small revolving fans in extremely warm weather was not
conducive to enthusiastic participation--either on thepart of the student
or the lecturer. The subjectmatter--and again I admittedly may have
attended on "off" days (attended at least two or three lectures by each
professor), left me with these impressions: (a) the information presented
about the countries of SEA was excessively generalized and specty was
"illustratively nailed" to the Philippine Islands; (b) a major portion
of the data presented was uninteresting either by virtue of the speaking
manner of the lecturer (discussed below) or by the sterotyped text-bookish
examinations of the subjects. Four instances can specifically be recalled
in which reversal of trends or statistics outdated the source quoted and
negated the very thesis presented by the speaker. Quite obviously, the
presentations (of three or four of the five lecturers) were not in tune
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with the interests or needs of the audience; this may have been due to
misunderstanding on thepart of the lecturers as to the requirements of
the Seminar members or to a lack of appropriate reorganization of their
materials. The oral aspect of presentations must be rated without exception
as extremely poor. Manuscript presentations are at best poor tools of
instruction and unfortunately, each professor in the Seminar read 80%-
90% of his materials verbatim. The one speaker who oommanded the largest
classes did so, I believe, because his first lecture was excellent and
his extemporaneous delivery much enjoyed. Thereafter, aside from wishing
for a similar presentation, the audience found that at least, his deviations
from manuscript revealed not only humor, but a personal zest to recount
valuable experiences in one of the SEA countries.
The subject matter and the method of presentation, and as important--
infrequent attendance by seminar members, were contributing factors to
the almost complete absence of discussion. The apathy of the group must
be considered, but the speakers could have employed a few teaching techniques
to spur the members to=questions and to an exchange of ideas.
Other avenues of training should be employed during the two hour-
periods of instruction. Films, slides, records, illustrative materials--
as difficult as it might be to find the right types--would enhance the
presentations and spark audience attention, especially during the latter
part of these sessions.
3. The negative aspects always seem those which one remembers most
readily and perhaps that is a partial rationalization for the foregoing.
The balance is brought into rightful equilibrium by an earnest endorsement
of the sponsorship of these area programs. A desire for increasing knowl-
edge of the area with which one is concerned and for constant development
and improvement of appropriate skills is felt by the majority of officers;
enthusiasm in our Divisbn has run high for participation in these and similar
programs. In the inception of this type of training, in your desire to
perfect curiculer, as evidenced by your request for critiques, and in
the constant adjustment to ohanging needs, you are performing an acknowl-
edgeably difficult task.
CONFIaENTIMI
Approved For Release 2003/11/19 : CIA-RDP54-00216A000100040010-4