Relationships Between Technically-oriented Secondary School Courses And A College Private Pilot Ground School

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine if there is a relationship between final grades received in secondary school technically-oriented courses and the final grade received in a college private pilot ground school course. Ninety-six first-year students enrolled in the ground school course comprised the sample, with data for 51 aviation pre-major students and 45 non-aviation pre-major students examined both as two separate samples and as a single sample. Final grades earned by these students in secondary school elementary algebra, geometry and advanced algebra, the mean of the three mathematics final grades, the mean of the secondary science final grades and the mean of the secondary English final grades were used as independent variables. The final grades earned in Technology 101, Private Pilot Ground School, were used as the dependent variable. From the analysis, it may be concluded that, when grades earned by aviation pre-major students and non-aviation pre-major students were analyzed as one sample, there was a relationship for all students between the private pilot ground school course and all of the secondary school technically-related courses. When the grades earned by aviation pre-majors were analyzed alone, there were relationships between only the ground school course and geometry and the mean of the final grades earned in secondary mathematics courses. The analysis of the grades earned by non-aviation pre-majors revealed relationships between the ground school course and all of the secondary school technically-related courses. There was no relationship between the ground school course and the mean of the final grades earned in secondary English courses for any of the three samples studied. This study suggests that secondary school mathematics plays a role in preparing all students for a college private pilot ground school course. Secondary school geometry appears to playa particularly Significant role in preparing pre-aviation majors who are taking a private pilot ground school course as an initial professional course.