A National Study of the Aviation Mechanics Occupation. Final Report. INSTITUTION California Univ., Los Angeles
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 044 531 08 VT 012 081 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 The research reported herein was performed pursuant to acontractwith the Office of Education, D.S. Department of Health. Education, and Welfare. ontractors undertaking such projects under Government sponsorship are encouraged toexpressfreely 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. U.S. Department of OtPA* ?Mt Tit OS MAMA ECKEC AMON Health. Education. and Welfare a wallow Of FittOE EDT/OATORT- 1141 DOCLUITO NES OMAI PAOMECtO t1ACT1I AA 'taws 11014 ENE Pt TWA OA Office of Education OADEANZA To011 010004 TAG ri PO WS OT 1tW00 mold Mott, bo DOT KU SAARI otan.. or took( On ct 01 to Pureau of RtscAtch c A nogposagyvOil POLK! 04.1140.1,....r. COWIENTS A NATIONAL STUDY OF THE AVIATIONMECHANICS OCCUPATION Introduction 2 Objectives 3 Study Design 3 Chronological Review 11 Study Results 12 Recommendations 13 .1cknowledgements 15 Appendix A-National Advisory Committee 19 Appendix 13-Survey Data Acquisition Technicians 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- ployment) hasbeenone of the major tenets of vocational eduLation. Through the years, a number 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 curriculum was designedto meet both current job demands and student learning needs by providingthe necessary scope and depth of technical and manipulative skill instruction for 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. Toward the conclusion of this Initial study,the Federal Aviation Administration reviewed 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- quently accepted the project for funding under the provisions of Section4(c) of the Vocational Education Act of 1963. The results of this national study are retorted in this document. 1 The national study consisted of threephases, with the third phase containing two parts. Since each phase was thoroughly reportedand documented in the publicationscontained in Appendix C, the ensuing pages will provide only anoverview of the total study. Objectives During the study, revised proposalsfor its continuation had to be submitted tothe U.S. Office of Education which requiredthe restatement and sequencing ofobjectives. The basic objectives of the study were not changed;however, they were simply reformulated toconform to the several phases ofthe study. The final objectives for the threephases were as follows: Phase I and manipulative skills required of aviation 1. To investigate the technical knowledge mechanics by the aviation industry. 2. To identify a common core curriculumfor the training of aviation mechanics. Phase II and techniques that can help aviation me- 1. To determine instructional methods chanics learn more effectively end efficiently. effectiveness between instructora trained in 2. To compare differences in teaching the use of prepared materials based foithe new common core curriculum and instructors untrained in the use of these speciallyprepared instructional materials. Phase 111, Part 1 modern instructional techniques for one 1. To provide teacher training embodying hundred practicing teachers from aviationmechanic schools, using the methods validated in Phase 11, covering all topics in the training 2. To develop an updated common core curriculum of aviation mechanics in accordance withthe findings of Phase I and thesubse- quent experimental project Incurriculum development of Phase II, and toin- corporate such material into a specializedguide for instruction. Phase Ill, Part 2 studied in Phase I for the purpose of 1. To resurvey 30 percent of the companies requirements for the identifying changesintechnicaland manipulative skill aviation mechanic. 2 2. To develop and test a procedure formaintaining 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 withthe intent of obtaining optimum results in relationto the objectives for each particular phase. The design for Phase I consistedof a system for collecting the data(a task inventory), a system for compiling the datain a form that identified thecommon tasks within differing industrial categories in the aviation mechanics occupation, and a system foranalyzing the data by a national advisory committee which in turn recommended the curriculumcontent and levels of instruction necessary for trainingcertificated aviation mechanics. In Phase II a bi-variate inversionmethod was used to test the effectivenessof an experi- mental subject curriculum. Randomizationand replication were utilizedas fully as possible. Through the findings of Phase 11, theactivities cf Part 1 of Phase IIIwere determined. The design for Part 1 of Phase IIIconsisted of ten workshops forone hundred aviation mechanic instructors for thepurpose of developing a common core curriculumas identified in Phase I and including the instructional format found to be effective in Phase II.Each of the first fie workshops was devotedto one of the five major parts of the curriculum.The second group of five workshops replicated the subjectmatter of the first five and refined the curriculum materials developed during the first seriesof workshops. Chronological 124tylaw The National Study of the AviationMechanics Occupation required five years to complete, from initial operating date to the submissionto the U.S. Office of Education of the finalreport. A chronological review of the studyactivities is hereby presented. The study was funded and staffed foroperation beginning October 1, 1965. As the initial task, a fifteen-member