Tech-Driven Training for Today

Bridging the Digital Divide in Aircrew Training As an instructional systems developer, I witness daily the issues digital disparities cause in the learning environment within the ATS. The ATS community is represented by a wide array of individuals, from subject matter experts (SMEs) such as pilot and boom operator instructors to initial qualification students, reserves, and aircrew in deployed or remote areas. Each of these populations has special issues that exacerbate the digital divide within the aircrew training system. Dividing Factors I think the most significant dividing factors are disparities in digital literacy and the lack of access to training resources. The majority of our SMEs lack experience with modern digital tools such as VR, LMS/LCMS platforms, and collaboration technologies. This creates irregular delivery of instruction and inefficiencies throughout our courseware development. It's not that our SMEs lack the expertise in their subject matter areas, but rather t...

Introduction Hello. My name is Brad Buttry, and I am the lead of the USAF KC-135 TSSC Instructional Systems Development department. The ISD department is tasked with developing and delivering training courseware for KC-135 tanker aircraft initial qualification pilots (PIQ) and initial qualification boom operators (BIQ). These students are the entry-level population of our program, and they enter training with very little experience which requires basic skills to perform their jobs effectively. Although I am not employed in a traditional K-12 educational setting, my role does include designing instructional materials for adult learners and combining technology with good pedagogical practice to achieve effective training outcomes. Characterizing My Community For this course, I am focusing on the PIQ and BIQ students and their unique challenges as they navigate the transition into the aircrew training school. I aim to address how the digital divide impacts continuation training (CT) for ...