A Study of Student Perception of the Validity and Reliability in University Flight Training Assessment

Abstract

This paper examines the student perception of the validity and reliability of learner-centered grading in a university flight training program. The target university planned to implement a newly developed learner-centered flight training syllabus and was uncertain of its effect on the student population. The university’s existing flight training program utilized a traditional teacher-centered grading system and grade symbols with unknown results. The new system utilized a collaborative approach to lesson grading as well as objective, performance-based grade symbols. Using seven research questions, this paper sought to determine the student perception of the validity and reliability of each portion of the new grading symbols as well as the collaborative grading technique. The study revealed that student-instructor collaboration in the grading process as well as the addition of objective, performance-based grade symbols demonstrated statistically significant increases in perceived grade validity and reliability. The study produced four major recommendations. The primary recommendation was that the university adopt the learner-centered grading system described in the study.