ATC Simulation Lab Report

Before students took their simulation lab classes, the ATC knowledge students may have acquired was typically through reading, lecture, and multimedia presentations. They may not have had the opportunity to exercise ATC skill before their ATC simulation classes unless they had exposure to an air traffic control video game prior to taking the simulation courses. At this point, students would only have a basic theoretical awareness of the extent of ATC technology and the use of techniques by controllers to separate air traffic.
It therefore makes sense why students would on some level disagree they possessed the self-efficacy to perform ATC tasks and self-efficacy in ATC ability since they had not had the opportunity to try it for themselves in the ATC simulation lab. Since ATC knowledge and ATC …show more content…
While it may seem surprising that students did not report a higher level of agreement in their commitment to a career in air traffic control after they took their ATC simulation classes, one factor may be that 33% of the respondents were majoring in air traffic control, and 66% were in aviation majors unrelated to air traffic control.
As a result of taking the ATC simulation lab courses, students had the chance to put into context the ATC knowledge they had acquired from their reading, lecture, and multimedia presentations. This suggests why they agreed that they had ATC knowledge. The ATC simulation lab courses also gave students the opportunity to exercise ATC skills, become aware of ATC technology, and to use techniques required by controllers to separate air traffic. This researcher observed on numerous occasions the potential real-life experiences and stress that is possible to create with the use of simulation. During one episode observed, the class had been demonstrating a strong level of proficiency in basic communication and coordination between students acting as controllers, and separation of air traffic.