DOCUMENT RESUME AUTHOR Allen, David TITLE A National Study of the Aviation Mechanics ...

807 Pages·2011·17.8 MB·English

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 044 531
VT 012 081
08
AUTHOR
Allen, David
TITLE
A National Study of the Aviation Mechanics
Occupation. Final Report.
INSTITUTION
California Univ., Los Angeles.
SPONS AGENCY
Office of Education (DREW), Washington, D.C. Bureau
of Research.
BUREAU NO
ER-5-0189
PUB DATE
Sep 70
CONTRACT
OEC-6-85-043
NOTE
806p.
EDRS PRICE
EDRS Price MF-$3.00 HC-$40.40
DESCRIPTORS
*Aviation Mechanics, Aviation Technology, *Core
Curriculum, *Curriculum Development, Curriculum
Evaluation, Data Collection, Feedback, Guidelines,
*Manpower Needs, Questionnaires, *Student Needs,
Technical Occupations
ABSTRACT
To meet the current demand for certified aviation
mechanics and satisfy student learning needs, a nationwide study
developed a core curriculum based on related technical knowledge and
skills. Endorsed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) this
5-year study modified a number of the emerging concepts appropriate
to vocational education an° integrated them with proven techniques
used in vocational curriculum development. The first phase of the
study involved the construction of a questionnaire and the
development of a system for gathering, storing, and analyzing
necessary data. The second phase, or testing phase, made use of a
bi-variate inversion method to determine the effectiveness of the
curriculum using as criteria student performance goals, levels of
instruction, and continuous feedback from students. Phase Three then
resulted in the development of the common core curriculum through the
efforts of 100 aviation mechanic instructors. Also resulting from
this study was the revision of the Federal Air Regulations, Part 147,
thus providing more specific guidelines for the certification and
operation of these schools. It was recommended that the FAL establish
a system to periodically survey this industry for the purpose of
updating this curriculum.
(JS)
FINAL REPORT
Project No. 5-0189
Contract No. 0E-6-85-043
A Notionol Study ol the
AVIATION MECHANICS OCCUPATION
DAVID ALLEN
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California 90024
September 1970
contract
with the
The research reported herein was performed pursuant to a
Office of Education, D.S. Department of Health. Education, and Welfare.
ontractors undertaking such projects under Government sponsorship are
express
encouraged to
freely their professional judgment in the conduct of
the project.
Points of view or opinions stated do not, therefore. necessarily
represent official Office of Education position or policy.
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COWIENTS
MECHANICS OCCUPATION
A NATIONAL STUDY OF THE AVIATION
Introduction
2
Objectives
3
Study Design
3
Chronological Review
11
Study Results
12
Recommendations
13
.1cknowledgements
15
National Advisory Committee
-
Appendix A
19
Survey Data Acquisition Technicians
-
Appendix 13
Appendix C
Phase I
Phase II
Phase III
Hi
A NATIONAL STUDY OF THE AVIATION MECHANICS OCCUPATION
Introduction
The alignment of curriculum and instructional processes with student learning requirements
and job demands (both for initial employment and vertical and horizontal movement after em-
one of the major tenets of vocational eduLation. Through the years, a number
ployment) has
been
of workable techniques have been used to attain this desired alignment. The degree of alignment
has varied among different curriculums within a particult.: school as well as among different
schools throughout the nation. Schools having active advisory committees and progressive
vocational administrators and instructors appear to have achieved greater alignment than
schools having tradition oriented individuals assisting in curriculum development.
Several new concepts in curriculum development have emerged in recent years; some have
already been utilized in vocational education. The processes implemented in this study modified
a number of the emerging concepts that were appropriate to vocational education and integrated
them with proven techniques used in vocational curriculum development. By using a computer,
research data was readily transposed into instructional content that was applicable to a number
of industrial categories within an occupational family and that indicated the depth of instruction
required for each topic.
In 1965, a study was undertaken in California for th..! purpose of developing a common core
curriculum for aviation mechanic programs in the schools of California. This common core
to meet both current job demands and student learning needs by
curriculum was designed
the necessary scope and depth of technical and manipulative skill instruction for
providing
becoming a certificated aviation mechanic. Prior to implementing the study, a questionnaire
was designed with the assistance of an advisory committee and refined through a series of
"dry run" contacts with industry.
the Federal Aviation Administration reviewed
Toward the conclusion of this Initial study,
preliminary findings and suggested that the study be extended on a nationwide basis. Discus-
sions were held with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Air Transport Association
of America (AT A), and the Aviation Technician Education Council (ATEC). With their endorse-
ment, a proposal was submitted to the United States Commissioner of Education who subse-
(c) of the Vocational
quently accepted the project for funding under the provisions of Section
4
Education Act of 1963. The results of this national study are retorted in this document.
1
phases, with the third phase containing two parts.
The national study consisted of three
contained in
and documented in the publications
Since each phase was thoroughly reported
overview of the total study.
Appendix C, the ensuing pages will provide only an
Objectives
the U.S.
for its continuation had to be submitted to
During the study, revised proposals
objectives. The basic
the restatement and sequencing of
Office of Education which required
conform
however, they were simply reformulated to
objectives of the study were not changed;
phases were as follows:
the study. The final objectives for the three
to the several phases of
Phase I
and manipulative skills required of aviation
To investigate the technical knowledge
1.
mechanics by the aviation industry.
for the training of aviation mechanics.
To identify a common core curriculum
2.
Phase II
and techniques that can help aviation me-
To determine instructional methods
1.
chanics learn more effectively end efficiently.
effectiveness between instructora trained in
To compare differences in teaching
2.
the new common core curriculum and
the use of prepared materials based foi
prepared instructional materials.
instructors untrained in the use of these specially
Phase 111, Part 1
modern instructional techniques for one
To provide teacher training embodying
1.
mechanic schools, using the methods
hundred practicing teachers from aviation
validated in Phase 11,
covering all topics in the training
To develop an updated common core curriculum
2.
subse-
the findings of Phase I and the
of aviation mechanics in accordance with
in-
curriculum development of Phase II, and to
quent experimental project In
guide for instruction.
corporate such material into a specialized
Phase Ill, Part 2
studied in Phase I for the purpose of
To resurvey 30 percent of the companies
1.
requirements for the
and manipulative skill
technical
identifying changes
in
aviation mechanic.
2
To develop and test a procedure for
2.
maintaining the common core curriculum
current with changes in the aviation industry.
Study DosIgn
Each phase of the study had its
own design; each design was developed with
the intent of
obtaining optimum results in relation
to the objectives for each particular phase.
The design for Phase I consisted
of a system for collecting the data
(a task inventory), a
system for compiling the data
in a form that identified the
common tasks within differing
industrial categories in the aviation
mechanics occupation, and a system for
analyzing the data
by a national advisory committee which
in turn recommended the curriculum
content and levels
of instruction necessary for training
certificated aviation mechanics.
In Phase II a bi-variate inversion
method was used to test the effectiveness
of an experi-
mental subject curriculum. Randomization
and replication were utilized
as fully as possible.
Through the findings of Phase 11, the
activities cf Part 1 of Phase III
were determined.
The design for Part 1 of Phase III
consisted of ten workshops for
one hundred aviation
mechanic instructors for the
purpose of developing a common core curriculum
as identified
in Phase I and including the instructional
format found to be effective in Phase II.
Each of the
first fie workshops was devoted
to one of the five major parts of the curriculum.
The second
group of five workshops replicated the subject
matter of the first five and refined the curriculum
materials developed during the first series
of workshops.
Chronological 124tylaw
The National Study of the Aviation
Mechanics Occupation required five years to complete,
from initial operating date to the submission
to the U.S. Office of Education of the final
report.
A chronological review of the study
activities is hereby presented.
The study was funded and staffed for
operation beginning October 1, 1965. As the initial
task, a fifteen-member National Advisory
Committee representing a broad spectrum of the
aviation industry was assembled. The composition
of the Committee was as follows:
repre-
senting airlines, two members; representing
large general aviation companiea, two members;
representing small general aviation companies,
two members; representing private schools,
two members; representing public schools, two members;
representing the Department of Labor,
one member; and
representing the
rederst
Aviation Administration, four members. (See
3
(who were replaced)
All but two Committee members
Appendix A for the names of the members.)
interest and support greatly
The Advisory Committee's
remained throughout the entire study.
the U.S. Office of Education,
'
study. This was also true of
to the success of the
contributed
for the first year and Mr. Larry
direction through Dr. Sidney High
which provided continuity of
Administration, from which
and of the Federal Aviation
Braaten for the remaining four years,
primarily by Arthur Elwell, Harry
throughout the entire study were given
support and guidance
Pickering, and Keith Teasley.
Committee meeting was held at the
1965, the first National Advisory
On November 17,
During this meeting,
Oklahoma.
Will Rogers Field, Oklahoma City,
FAA Aeronautical Center,
study and an additional ques-
questionnaire used in the California
refinements were made in the
the request of the Depart-
and recency of training was developed at
tionnaire to determine level
Phase
questionnaires were reported in the
representative. The findings from both
ment of Labor
I report.
six geographic areas. The
the United States was divided Leto
To begin the national survey,
in which the heaviest concen
determined by studying the locations
selection of these areas was
could be found. Concurrent with the
and general aviation companies
tration of airline stations
Technicians)
Data Acquisition
prepared to be used by six Survey
area selections, a manual was
the technicians were to
manual contained methods by which
during the collection of the data. The
informed of their progress,
keeping the research staff at UCLA
conduct the survey, a system for
visitation schedule.
and a preplanned routing and
session with a member
each had an individual orientation
Six technicians were recruited and
to acquaint the technicians
Appendix 13.) These sessions were designed
of the research staff. (See
procedures by all six technicians.
insure uniform use of these
with the survey procedures and to
collected and processed through
the survey data were
During the first three months of 1966,
analysis by the National
print-outs were compiled for
the computer. Preliminary computer
meeting was held at Purdue
National Advisory Committee
Advisory Committe.. The second
complete computer print-out
12-13, 1966. Copies of the
University, Lafayette, Indiana, on April
preparation for the establishment
Committee member for analysis in
were distributed to each
the Committee agreed upon a set
to analysis of the data,
of a common core curriculum. Prior
The Committee divided
when making their recommendations.
of rules for reaching consensus
and general. each
powerplant, airframe, electrical,
itself into four groups by subject area
Appendix C.
1970 survey reports found in
Analysts in the 1966 and
Referred to as Survey
1
4
atirMtVrZrikilyrr
group evaluated the pertinent tabulated data and developed recommendations. These recom-
mendations were then presented to the entire Committee, topic by topic, and a curriculum was
then formulated. The results of this part of the study were reported In A National Study of the
Aviation Mechanics Occupation. (See Appendix C.)
Perhaps the most outstanding facts substantiated by Phase I of the study were:
There does indeed exist a common body of tasks performed by all aviation mechanics
(I)
that requires similar levels of technical knowledge. This finding helped identify a common core
of activities that should be a part of the aviation mechanic's curriculum.
Seventy-three percent of the tasks require the aviation mechanic to have technical
(2)
knowledge and abilities that permit him to abstract principles from concrete situations and
apply them to new problems. This transfer of knowledge to new situations requires a high
degree of learning and id necessitated by the sophisticated equipment typical of the aviation
industry.
The aviation industry provides extensive in-service training, a fact that was substantiated
(3)
by the questionnaire requested by the Department of Labor Advisory Committee Representative.
With the completion of the report ni)ntioned above, the objectives of Phase I were met.
Two thousand copies of the report were printed: however, the number of requests was so large
an additional 2,000 copies were made available for dissemination. The publication has
that
now been distributed throughout the world and is used in many countries to determine subject
content for training aviation mechanics.
Phase H of the study began in September, 1968, and consisted of an experimental program
to test new training methods and curriculum for aviation mechanics based on the findings of
Phase I.
To investigate ways of creating an innovative :urriculum, a short experimental curriculum
was developed. The curriculum contained three major concepts) (1) student performance goals
(behavioral objectives), (2) levels of instruction, and (8) continuous feedback from students to
teacher.
The student performance goals provided a way for instructors to determine when pre-
determined observable changes occurred in each student's performance. Two types of objec-
tives were used in the experimental curriculum, one for overall instructional unite and another
various instructional segments making up the total unit. These segment objectives
for
the
helpe4 ensure that each segment of learning occurred within the total unit,
thereby permitting
achievement of the overall instructional objectives.
5
Levels of instruction which were deteemined by the National Advisory Committee from the
survey results, were designed so that the appropriate depth of training could be reached without
They also aid in determining the most prudent use of time in the
or under-training.
over-
instructional program.
The system for continuous feedback from the student to the instructor required a pre-planned
comprehensive listing of questions, problems, and activities that were consistent with the in-
struction and that were utilized at the time the instruction was given. Feedback was used to
solicit either a student's restatement of ideas or the performance of a task that he had just
learned. Further instruction did not commence until the instructor was satisfied with the results
of the feedback.
A bi-variate inversion was used to test the effectiveness of the experimental curriculum.
Twelve instructors were selected to participate in the experiment, six from private schools and
six from public schools. Two groups of six were formed. Each instructor presented two methods
of instruction to his students, One method was of his own choosing although the instructor was
given the overall behavioral objectives for the instructional area he selected. The other method
was the one in which the instructor received teacher training in the use of the experimental
curriculum. One group of instructors used their own teaching methods first, for a period of two
weeks; then they received training in the use of the experimental curriculum for one week and
taught this experimental curriculum for two weeks. The second group of instructors used a
reversed procedure in training and presentation of instruction. In all cases, the instructors
taught the Barrie class of students throughout the experiment so that a test could be made of the
hypothesis that teachers given specially designed instructional materials and assistance in the
use of these materials would have their students attain a greater degree of learning achieve-
ment than teachers not having specially prepared materials and training. The null hypothesis
stated that there would be no difference In learning achievement between the two instructional
methods.
When the teachers received their training in the use of the experimental curriculum, they
were given a teacher's handbook and a prepared student workbook. The teacher's handbook
contained behavioral objectives, key points for presentation, and feedback activities which were
directly related to levels of instruction. The teacher's handbook and student workbook ware de-
signed as companion books to be used ccncurrently by the teacher and the student. Ail vital
teaching points in the instructor's book were keyed to matching points of importance in the
6
student's book. This was done so that the instructor could work closely with each student to make
certain all essential information was covered. The student workbook also included step-by-step
diagrams of hydraulic components; It provided space for student drawing and notetaking; and it
listed comprehensive quizzes at the end of each section.
With the assistance of the Federal Aviation Administration, final examinations were de-
veloped with validated test questions. These test questions were selected after a review of the
statistical information recorded by the FAA which indicated how well each question related to
the student performance goals of the various instructional segments within the experimental and
control curriculums.
The examinations with validated questions were administered to experi-
mental and control subjects on the last day of the 60 hours of instruction for each group. There
were 144 students involved In the experiment.
Initial test results indicated a significant difference between the student& mastery of the
experimental subject (hydraulics) and their mastery of the control subjects. The same examina-
tion, with only the sequencing of question Items changed, was readministered to the 144 student&
after a 90-day period. Again,
it was found that there was significarttly greater learning and
retention of the experimental ..ubject than the control subject. A six-month follow-up was made
of these students to determine their success on the FAA mechanic certification tests. Data was
obtained for 98 of the 144 students who had participated in the experimetr. It was found that,
although hy:raolics was the second most difficult subject on the examination, these 98 students
scored 7.4 percent higher than the national average and Relieved higher scores in hydraulics
than in any of the other areas in which they were tested.
Althougi. caution must be exercised in makng definitive conclusions in light of the limcd
scope of this study, evaluation of the data indicates the following:
When student performance goals are clearly defined and are known by both the teacher
1.
and the student, the quality and the quantity of learning will improve.
When the levels of instruction are known and adhered to, more efficient instructional
2.
planning and, therefore, more efficient classroom instruction will take place.
When feedback checks for learning are prepared in detail prior to each lesson and the
3.
teacher utilizes these checks during instruction, student learning achievement increases.
When improved instructional planning and teaching methods are used, instructional
4.
time may decrease without a loss in learning.
7