Practical Teaching
As part of my Air Law and Comms teaching, I conduct visits to ATC. While there we split into 2 groups, 1 does local (Tower) the other does area (RADAR room). My local ATC are totally onside and enthusiastic and therefore willing to discuss all aspects and explain what goes on, what problems they face, the importance of good communication, English language. What service they offer, how it works.
Whilst there, the students see the airfield layout, markings, signage, lighting and signals. A 2 hour visit paints a picture that even 10 hours of classroom work cannot reproduce.
For AGK, Mass and Balance, PofF, time spent in the hangar is valuable and covers a wide variety of lessons. In my opinion, more productive than CBT.
Even a visit to the local Air Museum as there are a variety of exhibits that are pertinent to training.
It all builds practical understanding and some enthusiasm for what they are learning and is a change of scenery from the daily 8-4 classroom sessions.
Teaching is not just a matter of passing on factual information, it is passing on knowledge, knowledge that will be useful to future pilots.
In my opinion, there is too much historical stuff in the syllabus and we need to move with the times. Yes there is a place for some historical, but we need to concentrate on what is relevant.
I did a course in IT a while ago and the examination system was electronic but what is known as "adaptive testing". This involves a Question bank that has differing values for questions. A student is asked a question of average value, if he answers correctly, then a more difficult question is asked and so on. If answered wrong, a lower value question is asked. An algorithm works out the scoring and the end result is a valid representation of the candidates knowledge. In theory the candidate will never achieve 100% but a level of knowledge is ascertained. The more difficult questions are diagnostic / delve deeper into the theory knowledge, the easier questions tend to be more factual. By passing more theory questions the student achieves a higher mark. It takes quite a system to set up, with each question being given a numerical value but as I've experienced, it is achievable. It also means that students don't get the same questions and are less likely to be able to succeed through rote learning or cheating.