COVID-19 Attitude Correction: Rather than Crash in the Crisis, the Author Corrected Attitude and Began to Fly

Indiana University. 107 South Indiana Avenue, Bryan Hall 203B, Bloomington, IN 47405. Tel: 317-274-5647; Fax: 317-278-2360; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/jotlt

Y

8

College Faculty; Teacher Attitudes; Attitude Change; Educational Change; Aviation Education; Aviation Mechanics; Online Courses; Electronic Learning; Curriculum Development; Web Based Instruction; Educational Benefits; Teacher Student Relationship; COVID-19; Pandemics

2165-2554

he author, an assistant professor in an aviation maintenance technology (AMT) program, teaches future aviation maintenance technicians at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA). Certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the AMT program is a pathway to becoming a licensed aviation maintenance technician and offers an AMT Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree as well as three certificates. The AMT program's FAA certification requires an FAA-approved curriculum (subjects and learning objectives) as well as adherence to regulatory standards for teacher--student contact hours. The university's AMT program consists of a combination of didactic and hands-on teaching/learning styles, including student performance of aviation maintenance tasks (e.g., aircraft inspections and engine overhaul). The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic required UAA faculty to convert courses to a suitable online delivery format and change the curriculum of an entire semester of courses. The author's initial response: It would be impossible to accomplish the conversion and still maintain FAA requirements. Canceling the program until after the pandemic was discussed. This was not an option, as current students would lose FAAmandated credits and hours, and the AMT program could be closed permanently because of state funding issues. So, the complicated conversion began, and online learning commenced midsemester. As the semester progressed, the author began to embrace the online modality and champion an effort to complete conversion of the entire program. Through this experience, the author realized the tremendous benefits of online teaching: a greatly improved learning and lifestyle experience for the students as well as economic benefits to a financially challenged institution. The online program creates a learning environment that more closely matches the students' future technology-driven careers and increases the knowledge and skills they will gain. Pandemic gathering restrictions have limited the number of students allowed in labs and field activities. Though this was initially a concern, students have benefitted through increased student--teacher contact and learning opportunity during these activities.

As Provided

2021

EJ1294547