### Objective Understand the characteristic of adult learners, aware of the basic elements of the communications and how to develop communication skills towards flight instruction. ### Resources - [[CFI ACS]] Section FI.I.A - [[AIH Ch2]], [[AIH Ch4]] ### Builds On None ### Schedule Ground 0.5 hr ### Lesson Elements 1. Teaching the adult learner 1. Adult Learner Characteristics 1. Motivated to learn primarily because they have a use for the knowledge or skills sought. *Learning is a means to an end, not an end in itself.* 2. Seek out learning experience due to life-changing events (marriage, job, etc.) 3. Autonomous and self-directed; *They want independent and self-control.* 4. Accumulated life experience and knowledge to draw from 5. Goal, relevancy oriented, practical, focusing on what is useful for them 6. *As do all learners,* want to be shown respect 7. Need to increase or maintain self-esteem is a strong secondary motivator 8. Want to solve problems and apply new knowledge immediately 2. What instructors should do 1. Provide an organized training syllabus with clearly stated objectives 2. Help learners integrates new ideas *with what they already know* 3. Clarify and articulate all learner expectations early on 4. Recognize learner's need to control pace and start/stop time; Formulate plan mutually with them. 5. Use frequent [[Scenario-Based Training]] 6. Self-direction learning should still involve [[Safety Pilot|other people as resources]], guides, etc. 7. Use books, programmed instruction and computers which are popular with adults 8. Refrain from "spoon-feeding"; Instead, setup a cooperative learning environment 2. Effective Communication 1. Definition 1. **Effective**: The similarity of the idea transmitted by the **source** and received by the **receiver**. 2. **Communication**: One person transmit ideas of feelings to another person or group. 2. Basic Elements: 1. **Source**: instructor, speaker, writer, etc. 1. The ability to select and use language is essential for transmitting meaningful symbols (ex. Don't use words like AD, ILS, TCAS to first-time learner) 2. Reveals information about themselves — self-image, their view of the idea being communicated and their feelings toward the receiver 1. Be confident; Illustrate the message is important and the receiver needs to know it. 3. Use accurate, up-to-date, and stimulating material 1. Old info loses you credibility; Boring info cause receiver's attention to be lost. 2. **Symbols**: Used to compose and transmit the message (words, signs and props, etc.) 1. Communication with symbols relies on perceptions, or channels: visual, auditory or kinesthetic. *Each learner may have different preference.* 1. ex. Instead of *telling* learners to trim the airplane, move the trim wheel for them and ask them to *feel* the difference on the control. 2. Instructor should constantly monitor feedback from the learner to identify misunderstandings and adapt presentation on-the-fly. 3. Instructor also should give learners feedback. Positive feedback builds learner's self-confidence and reinforces favorable behavior. *Negative feedback should be given in private and used carefully, be factual and nonjudgmental.* > [!tip] The balancing act > While positive feedback are helpful, as the learner's skill advanced to a consistent level. The positive feedback should scale back and move on to a new skill as well. Balancing when a positive feedback is helpful or becoming old is something that will take some time to get used. > > For example, when the student learned to taxi on the center line for the first time is definitely worthy of compliments but as it becomes an automatic response for them, a compliment at this point might come across as not helpful / inauthentic. 3. **Receiver**: learner, reader, etc. 1. **Desired**: *Receiver reacts with understanding and changes their behavior according to the intent of the source.* 2. Learner's ability needs to be determined 1. Their motor skills level, aviation background / familiarity should be taken into consideration. 3. Background, cultural difference, education could all affect their behavior (willingness to accept, resistance, etc.) 3. Barriers to Effective Communication 1. Lack of Common Experience: *Probably the greatest single barrier to effective communication* > [!example] > "Stall" does not only mean engine stopped in aviation, it could also mean aerodynamic stall but that would not be clear to learners. 1. Especially when the instructor, the learner or both use English as second language, the instructor should pay special attention to this. 2. Confusion Between the Symbol and the Symbolized Object 1. Word do not always mean the same thing to everyone. Instructor should make sure learner is on the same page. 3. Overuse of Abstractions 1. When words chosen is *too generic*: aircraft can mean anything from a glider to a jet. 2. *Avoid it in most cases unless necessary and useful.* 4. External Factors 1. Physiological external factors: Hearing loss, injury, physical illness, or other congenital conditions, etc. 2. Environmental external factors: Aircraft noises, especially noticeable in rotary wing aircraft; Use noise-cancelling headphones. 3. Psychological external factor: product of how the instructor and learner feel at the time the communication process is occurring. 1. If either one is not committed to the communication, it is impaired; Fear of mistrust disrupts it and severely inhibits the flow of information. 5. Interference 1. Occurs when the message gets disrupted, truncated, or added to 2. Either party can falsely believe the intact message has been sent and/or received. 4. Developing Communication Skills 1. Role Playing 1. ex. Learner plays the role of instructor and instructor plays the role of a student pilot. 2. Instructional Communication 1. The instructor should make use of their past experience to illustrate particular points. However, restraints should be exercised to not devolve into a *there was a time...* session. 3. Listening 1. Instructor needs to know their learners: by listening to them. 2. Learners needs to want to listen as well. 3. *Listening is "hearing with comprehension."* 4. Emotion can interfere with listening (such a strong fear of stalls / spins, etc.) 5. *Most people can listen much faster than people speak.* Listeners can try to repeat, paraphrase or summarize the words to retain more of the information. 6. Take notes: no one can remember everything 4. Questioning 1. Good question can determine how well the learner understand what is being taught. 2. Focused questions to drill in desired areas; open-ended ("why" and "how") questions to encourage full, meaningful answers using learner's own knowledge and perceptions 3. Instructor should also paraphrasing the question to confirm learner's understanding. 5. Instructional Enhancement 1. *Instructor never stops learning.* 2. While instructor can teach to a minimally satisfactory level if they had only the same training level as that being taught. *The deeper they know about an area, the better presentation they would be able to give*: better depth, better analogy, better confidence, etc. ### Completion Standards None ### Required Logbook Phraseology None ### Required Homework None ### Recommended Homework None *Return to [[~ CFI Lesson Plan|Table of Contents]]^*