Tactical Project-Based Learning (T-PJBL) Model: A Pedagogical Engineering To Enhance Cadet Leadership at The Military Academy
DOI:
10.59888/ajosh.v4i7.705Published:
2026-04-29Downloads
Abstract
Contemporary military education positions high discipline as an operational foundation that not only ensures order but also serves as a crucial determinant of cadets' holistic academic achievement. This study aims to formulate an adaptive PjBL model, termed Tactical Project-Based Learning (T-PjBL), to enhance Cadet leadership competence. Employing an Explanatory Sequential Mixed Method, this study found that the low influence of standard PjBL on leadership (R Square 10.5%) was caused by external variables such as physiological fatigue and command culture rigidity. Through the integration of quantitative and qualitative data, the T-PjBL model was developed with five main phases: Mission Briefing, Tactical Planning, Command Timeline, Supervised Maneuver, and After-Action Review (AAR). The results indicate that pedagogical engineering through the T-PjBL model can synchronize academic activities with regimented service rhythms and mitigate Cadets' cognitive barriers. The study concludes that learning innovation in military environments requires contextual adaptation that respects doctrine and the learners' physical conditions.
Keywords:
Tactical Project Based Learning Military Leadership Cognitive Load Officer EducationReferences
Boe, O. (2015). Developing leadership skills in Norwegian military officers: Leadership proficiencies contributing to character development and officer competency. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 186, 288–292.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). Sage Publications.
Gnydiuk, O., et al. (2024). Physiological fatigue and its impact on cognitive performance in officer candidates. International Journal of Military Pedagogy, 12(1), 45–60.
Hidalgo, C., & Ortega-Sanchez, D. (2022). Implementation of Project-Based Learning in technical education: Technology integration and project planning. Education Sciences, 12(3), 180–195.
Kaushik, M., & Joshi, N. (2020). Project-Based Learning: A review of effective frameworks for 21st-century skills. Journal of Technical Education and Training, 12(1), 115–123.
Kokotsaki, D., Menzies, V., & Wiggins, A. (2016). Project-based learning: A review of the literature. Improving Schools, 19(3), 267–277.
Koba, O., & Koba, O. (2024). Leadership development in military academies: Theory and practice. Military Education Review, 22(1), 89–104.
Kozyar, V., et al. (2024). The effectiveness of PjBL in building professional competence and emotional resilience in officers. Journal of Strategic Leadership, 9(2), 201–215.
Ktitorov, S., & Puhach, S. (2024). Adaptive leadership in hierarchical structures: Challenges in modern military training. Journal of Leadership & Management, 31(4), 77–92.
Lavado-Anguera, S., et al. (2024). Institutional support and faculty competence in Project-Based Learning: A case study in engineering. European Journal of Engineering Education, 49(1), 33–50.
Lokyan, A., Baghdasaryan, S., & Hovhannisyan, H. (2025). Enhancing psychological training in military personnel: Modern approaches, systemic assessments and hands-on recommendations. Asian Journal of Psychiatry, 106, 104442.
Meerits, A., & Kivipõld, K. (2020). Leadership competencies of first-level military leaders. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 41(8), 953–970.
Osiel, M. J. (2017). Obeying orders: Atrocity, military discipline and the law of war. Routledge.
Roeva, B., G., & Andrei, A. G. (2024). The interplay between physical discipline and academic achievement in military education. Journal of Military Studies, 15(2), 112–125.
Santos, J., et al. (2019). Integration of ICT in military education: Perspectives from students and instructors. Computers & Education, 132, 110–125.
Stufflebeam, D. L., Madaus, G. F., & Kellaghan, T. (2012). Evaluation models: Viewpoints on educational and human services evaluation. Springer Science & Business Media.
Tayibnaspis, A. S. (2010). Evaluasi program dan instrumen evaluasi untuk kurikulum dan pendidikan. Rineka Cipta.
Tornero-Aguilera, J. F., Stergiou, M., Rubio-Zarapuz, A., Martín-Rodríguez, A., Massuça, L. M., & Clemente-Suárez, V. J. (2024). Optimising combat readiness: Practical strategies for integrating physiological and psychological resilience in soldier training. Healthcare, 12(12), 1160.
Widodo, et al. (2024). Environmentalism with Indonesian National Army: Urban revitalization and leadership dynamics. Cogent Social Sciences, 10(1), 2354975.
Williams, E. A., & McCombs, K. M. (2023). Understanding work-life conflict: Self-leadership responses and resource management. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 96(4), 807–827.
Winter, S. C., Mikkelsen, M. F., & Skov, P. R. (2022). Individual agency in policy implementation: The role of policy evaluation and self-efficacy. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 32(4), 781–794.
Yusri, et al. (2024). Trends in Project-Based Learning global education: A systematic review 2016–2023. Journal of Educational Innovation, 11(1), 12–29.
Zhao, L. (2020). Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) in military theory teaching: Opportunities and challenges. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 15(8), 210–225.
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Budi Harijanto*, Lukito Edi Nugroho, Subando Agus Margono, Ambar Teguh Sulistyani
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International. that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
