I don't feel that the Bristol Question bank devalues the learning process in any way, rather it is the manner in which the system is run that makes us revert to rote learning to get through and gives organisations like Bristol the opportunity to make a buck. If you have ever seen the learning objectives on the JAA.nl website then you will know just how huge a battle the schools have in trying to cram in everything that the CAA/JAA want. I got really keen when starting out on my ATPL's and made the mistake of printing them all out. I think they must have ended up being about 6 inches thick or so. Needless to say a cursory glance was all they got.
If the syllabus was cut down and made more relevant to todays commercial flying environment and the CAA actively audited the schools to ensure that the new courses were being actually taught then we might get somewhere. There is a huge difference between standing in front of a class and teaching rather than delivering a subject for the sake of it. I am sure we have all sat there in class and switched off at the shear boredom of something like flemings left hand rule wondering what the f*ck it has to do with flying an aircraft. Whereas in subjects such as flight planning I found that most of my mates were really getting into all the chart work and calculations that go with the subject.
But hey don't get to worried. Planes aren't falling out of the sky because you forget what type of fire extinguisher is used for wheel fires and I am sure that a lot of the pilots we fly with today took advantage of the Bristol website. I can't see the system changing and I learnt a long time ago that it is pointless bucking the system. Instead learn to play the system.