Competency-Based Education in Aviation

Whether a trainee is studying air traffic control, piloting, maintenance engineering, or cabin crew, they must complete a set number of training 'hours' before being licensed or certified. The aviation industry is moving away from an hours-based to a competency-based training system. Within this approach, training is complete when a learner can demonstrate competent performance. Training based on competency is an increasingly popular approach in aviation. It allows for an alternate means of compliance with international regulations - which can result in shorter and more efficient training programs. However there are also challenges with a competency-based approach. The definition of competency-based education can be confusing, training can be reductionist and artificially simplistic, professional interpretation of written competencies can vary between individuals, and this approach can have a high administrative and regulatory burden. Competency-Based Education in Aviation: Exploring Alternate Training Pathways explores this approach to training in great detail, considering the four aviation professional groups of air traffic control, pilots, maintenance engineers, and cabin crew. Aviation training experts were interviewed and have contributed professional insights along with personal stories and anecdotes associated with competency-based approaches in their fields. Research-based and practical strategies for the effective creation, delivery, and assessment of competency-based education are described in detail.

'This examination of competency-based education ranges widely and is a helpful addition to the literature. Much depends on the questions it asks about the nature of competence and how it is acquired and maintained, questions of vital importance to the future development of international civil aviation.'

James Dow, Canadian nominee to the ICAO Air Navigation Commission from 2010 to 2014

'This is a well-researched book, and its message is clearly articulated. It addresses one of the most important emerging subjects in contemporary civil aviation in an informative manner. By building upon the history of training in different aviation professions it provides the context upon which issues and solutions for endeavours on competency-based education in aviation can develop. It is "must-read" material for aviation trainers and training organizations.'

Captain Daniel E. Maurino, safety consultant

Suzanne Kearns holds airplane and helicopter pilot licenses. She holds a Helicopter Flight Training diploma from Canadore College, a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Science and a Master of Science degree in Human Factors and Systems Engineering both from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and a Ph.D. in Education. She is an associate professor teaching in the Commercial Aviation Management students in the Management and Organizational Studies program at the University of Western Ontario in Canada. She maintains an active research program exploring aviation human factors, training, and teaching technology related subjects. Dr Timothy (Tim) Mavin began flying in 1983 at the age of fifteen. Since that time he has accumulated over 10,000 hours of flight time, primarily in multi crew jet aircraft. He has flown with four airlines, worked as a flight operations inspector with the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority, and worked as a simulator instructor with Boeing. Since the early 1990's he has been involved in classroom, simulator and flight instruction. He was awarded the University Medal for his Bachelor of Aviation degree, holds a Graduate Diploma in Education, Masters Degree in Adult Education and was conferred a Doctor of Education from the University of Queensland in 2010. Tim left flying in 2006 to follow his love of education and became an Australian high school teacher. He moved to Griffith University, Brisbane in 2009 where he currently holds a full time research position as an Associate Professor at the Griffith Institute for Educational Research, where he investigates learning and development in aviation and construction. He continues to conduct type-rating endorsements on the Boeing 737, and works closely with numerous civil airlines in Australia and New Zealand and the Australian military. Dr Steven Hodge has a background in education, training and philosophy. He has been studying outcomes-based education since the early 1990's when he was a high school visual arts teacher. Most of his career has been devoted to teaching, training and research in the area of vocational education. He is particularly interested in the ways occupational expertise is developed and how it is understood and represented in curriculum and programs of learning. Competency-based education and training is a powerful contemporary way of understanding and developing expertise that Steven has been researching for some years. He currently works at Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia as a lecturer and researcher, teaching in Griffith's Master of Training and Development program. He has recently published a Springer book on the educational implications of the philosophy of Martin Heidegger and is presently researching the relationship between temporality and learning.

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