Comparison of Student Learning and Flight Performance as a Function of the Method of Teaching – A Research Study

Student learning and retention as a function of the mode of teaching is analyzed in this study. Different groups of students receive information about aircraft flight operations either via lecture, through directed study or a combination of the two. Their level of learning is assessed by evaluating how well they fly an aircraft and perform a predefined mission using a flight simulator. Scores of different groups are compared qualitatively and quantitatively and students are surveyed after the flight. It is hypothesized that students that have access to literature beforehand and receive a lecture prior to the flight perform better than those that only review the literature or only receive a lecture before the simulation. Also, the efficacy of the handson learning in a laboratory environment is discussed.