Shaping AAM Educational Methods: A Comparison of Traditional and Compressed Class Schedules in UAS Classes.

Abstract

Verbatim from Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons. Not paraphrased, not summarized.

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) is a paradigm shift in the versatility of the aviation industry. The obvious benefits of this platform will revolutionize a variety of aspects of the industry. One of the aspects in which the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has recommended research is the effectiveness of the traditional educational methods. Spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, online teaching methodologies have become widely accepted in aviation. In addition, the format of traditional, instructor-led courses have also changed. Compressed schedules (accelerated courses) have become an additional option in some programs. To better understand if there are statistically significant differences in testing results among these three methods (traditional semester, compressed semester, or online format), a comparison study of the small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Remote Pilot Course was conducted. The study examined Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Unmanned Aircraft – General (UAG) test results of two traditional face-to-face sUAS Remote Pilot Certificate classes, two sUAS Remote Pilot Certificate asynchronous online classes, and two compressed scheduled sUAS Remote Pilot Certificate classes. While there were subtle differences in the assessments and grading criteria in all three courses, the content remained the same. All students were required to take and pass the FAA UAG initial knowledge test to successfully pass the course. Preliminary results from this comparison study will be presented.

Authors

• McDonald, Collin D Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Siao, Daniel Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Corns, Kevin Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Keywords

• AAM
• Education
• Aviation Education
• Advanced Air Mobility
• Aviation and Space Education
• Educational Methods