CFI (I-B)

The Learning Process

Objective

To ensure the applicant learns the the elements of the

learning process and can exhibit a clear understanding of the
factors which affect learning.

Purpose

Flight Instructors are continuously engaged in the learning

process, whether or not they consciously realize it. The
elements of the learning process affect all flight instruction
activities and learning about these elements can help aspiring
instructors to provide better, more effective instruction.

Schedule Equipment

● Ground Lesson: 15 minutes ● Whiteboard / Markers (optional)

● Student Q&A: 10 minutes

Student Actions Instructor Actions

● Ask any questions, receive study material for the next lesson. ● Deliver the ground lesson (below).
● Watch linked video. ● Answer student questions.
● Review listed references.

Completion Standards

● Student can explain the following concepts:

● Two Types of Learning Theory, Perceptions vs. Insight
● The Laws of Learning, Domains of Learning
● Levels of Learning
● Stages of Acquiring Skill Knowledge, Types of Practice, Scenario-Based Training
● Errors
● Memory and Forgetting, Retention of Learning
● Transfer of Learning, Positive vs. Negative Transfer

Prepared by: Ryan Binns (ryancbinns.com/flying), February 2020

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References

● FLY8MA.com Flight Training - “CFI ORAL EXAM: Part 1 | FOI”

○ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IxiQeh0FFI
● FAA-H-8083-9A (Aviation Instructor’s Handbook) - Chapter 2, Page X [The Learning Process]
● FAA-S-8081-6D (CFI PTS) - Area X Task Y

Ground Lesson Outline

● Learning Theory
○ Behaviorism, Cognitive Theory
● Perceptions and Insight
○ Perceptions, Factors that affect Perceptions
○ Insights - Perceptions grouped into meaningful wholes
● Acquiring Knowledge
○ Memorization, Understanding, Application
● The Laws of Learning
○ Readiness, Effect, Exercise, Primacy, Intensity, Recency
● Domains of Learning
○ Cognitive, Affective, Psychomotor
● Characteristics of Learning
○ Purposeful, Result of Experience, Multifaceted, Active Process
○ Learning Styles - Left Brain/Right Brain, Holistic/Serialist, Visual/Auditory/Kinesthetic
● Acquiring Skill Knowledge
○ Stages - Cognitive, Associative, Automatic Response
○ Depends on practice, learning plateaus
● Types of Practice
○ Deliberate - Focus on a skill, provide feedback
○ Blocked - Practice until skill is automatic, poor for long term
○ Random - Practice a variety of skills
● Scenario-Based Training
○ Good Scenario - Clear Set of Objectives, Tailored to Student, Uses Local Environment Effectively
● Errors
○ Slips vs Mistakes - Slips are errors of execution, Mistakes are errors of planning
○ Reducing Errors - Learning and Practicing, Taking Time, Checking for Errors, Reminders, Routines,
Raising Awareness
● Memory and Forgetting
○ 3 Types of Memory - Sensory (Precoding), Short-Term (30s, Coding, Recoding), Long-Term
○ Retrieval
■ Frequency, Recency of Use
○ Forgetting
■ Retrieval Failure, Fading, Interference, Repression/Suppression
● Retention of Learning
○ Usually not lost, just unavailable for recall
○ Aids to Retention
■ Praise, Association, Favorable Attitudes, Learning With All Senses, Meaningful Repetition,
Mnemonics
● Transfer of Learning
○ Use knowledge from one context to another
○ Positive vs Negative Transfer
■ Ex: Negative transfer is driving a car w/ steering wheel vs. How to taxi an airplane

Prepared by: Ryan Binns (ryancbinns.com/flying), February 2020

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Ground Lesson Content

● Learning Theory
○ Behaviorism - “Carrot vs. Stick”, Idea that behaviors are driven from past rewards and
punishments, i.e. Pavlov’s dog
○ Cognitive Theory - Idea that learning is change to the mind of the learner, actively constructed
by the learner over time
● Perceptions and Insight
○ Perceptions - Basis of all learning

■ Factors that affect Perceptions

● Physical Organism - 5 Senses
● Goals and Values - How important is the learning?
● Time and Opportunity - Is there ample time and opportunity to learn?
● Self-Concept - Need favorable self-esteem
● Element of Threat - Not effective
○ Insights
■ Perceptions grouped into meaningful wholes
● Acquiring Knowledge

○ Memorization - Rote learning, can recite definitions, etc.

○ Understanding - Understanding the details, can reason about the subject, etc.

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○ Application - Can apply the knowledge to real world situations
● The Laws of Learning
○ Readiness - Students must be ready to learn (i.e. needs met, properly motivated, etc)
○ Effect - Success or satisfying feelings promote learning, failure or disappointment hinders it.
○ Exercise - Students learn more when the items to be learned are exercised.
○ Primacy - The first item to be learned tends to be retained even if it is incorrect, and is hard to
dislodge.
○ Intensity - More intense experiences lead to more learning, i.e. learning an an airplane
observing a maneuver versus watching a lecture on it. Learning with more senses.
○ Recency - Things learned most recently tend to be retained.
● Domains of Learning

○ Cognitive - Knowledge, critical thinking

○ Affective - Belief, Values, Emotions
○ Psychomotor - Associated with skills
● Characteristics of Learning
○ Purposeful - Learning must be pursued deliberately
○ Result of Experience - Experience gives perceptions which lead to insights, and practice.
Students must experience things directly.
○ Multifaceted - Learning simultaneously involves the verbal, conceptual, effectual, etc.
○ Active Process - Students must actively participate in learning, reacting and responding.
○ Differing Styles
■ Students may have different styles - Right Brain/Left Brain, Holistic/Serialist

■ Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic

Prepared by: Ryan Binns (ryancbinns.com/flying), February 2020

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● Acquiring Skill Knowledge

○ Stages
■ Cognitive - Student knows how to perform the skill
■ Associative - Student can perform the skill with deliberate attention and correct errors
■ Automatic Response - Student can perform the skill without deliberate attention, allows
for multitasking
○ Skill learning comes from practice
○ Learning plateaus will occur and the learning of a skill may need to be given a break
● Types of Practice
○ Deliberate - Focus on a skill, provide feedback
○ Blocked - Practice until skill is automatic, poor for long term
○ Random - Practice a variety of skills
● Scenario-Based Training
○ Good Scenario
■ Clear Set of Objectives - Training objectives are stated clearly
■ Tailored to Student - Tailored to individual students strengths and weaknesses
■ Uses Local Environment Effectively - Takes advantage of unique or challenging
aspects of the local airport, airplane, environment, etc. For example, training in Florida
involves decision making regarding convective weather, etc.
● Errors
○ Slips vs Mistakes
■ Slips are errors of execution
■ Mistakes are errors of planning
○ Reducing Errors
■ Learning and Practicing - Frequent practice reduces errors
■ Taking Time - Taking time and working deliberately reduces errors
■ Checking for Errors - Checklists work
■ Reminders - Writing reminders, setting timers, etc.
■ Routines - Routines become habits and can prevent items from being missed.
■ Raising Awareness - Calling attention to possible areas for errors reduces errors.
● Memory and Forgetting
○ 3 Types of Memory

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■ Sensory - First filter, quick scan for importance, sends to short-term memory
● Precoding - Sensory register is primed to react to certain things
■ Short-Term - Memory for immediate use, some data sent to long-term memory.
Roughly 30 seconds only.
● Coding - Grouping into chunks for storage
● Recoding - Adjusting to match previous experiences
■ Long-Term - Memory for later use, can last indefinitely
○ Retrieval
■ Frequency - Frequently used items are easier to recall
■ Recency of Use - Recently used items are easier to recall
○ Forgetting
■ Retrieval Failure - Tip of the tongue
■ Fading - Disused items
■ Interference - Other memories may displace or interfere
■ Repression/Suppression - Memory pushed out of reach because it is uncomfortable
● Retention of Learning
○ Usually not lost, just unavailable for recall
○ Aids to Retention
■ Praise - Positive reactions can help students remember
■ Association - Items that are associated with other items can promote retention
■ Favorable Attitudes - Students having a positive attitude retain more
■ Learning With All Senses - Learning with all senses is more powerful
■ Meaningful Repetition
■ Mnemonics
● Transfer of Learning
○ Use knowledge from one context to another
○ Positive vs Negative Transfer
■ Ex: Negative transfer is driving a car w/ steering wheel vs. How to taxi an airplane

Prepared by: Ryan Binns (ryancbinns.com/flying), February 2020