Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Aviation School in Kuala Lumpur

I stumbled upon a school in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia offering courses Part 66 modules.


It is offering review classes and examination. Checking the internet for "approved EASA examination center in Malaysia, 5 sites appeared...
- British  Council on behalf of CAAi and the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA).

- Nilai University College has officially received approval to be an examination second site ... No 1, Persiaran Universiti, Putra Nilai, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

- MIAT - Universiti Kuala Lumpur.

I cannot see "dviation dot com" as an approved center. That mean either they are approved but not listed or they conduct examination through a third party such as the British Council.

2. Approved EASA Training Center in Malaysia.
My next step is to check the list of approved EASA Training School.

The Google search shows the following:

Then again, the name Dviation was not included.


3. EASA List of Approved Foreign 147. This is the official list given by EASA himself.


 The only 147 approved training is by MIAT Universiti Kuala Lumpur.
note: all google search and webs were taken on 21 Jan 2015.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Developing eLearning Strategy for Aviation School

This is a short note of the learning strategy that can be applied to an education institution. To move to elearning has to be done with proper and detailed planing. The elearning has to be viewed as a subset of the total delivery mechanism. The implementation has to be done as a pilot project and the delivery system may be switched back to face to face method when facing problem.



1. Introduction
This document lays down a brief strategy to implement elearning at your selected education institution.

A. Objectives
The elearning may be used to achieve the following objectives..
-          To replace the lectures so that the lecturers may focus on other areas or subjects.
-          To complement the lecturers so that the student can learning easier and more effective..
-          To save cost – the total cost is lower compared to lecturer’s led classes (not included for this courses).

B. Development Model
The ADDIE instructional design model is used to explain the strategy. The plan is divided into four (4) steps:
a. A – analysis – or commonly known as TNA – Training need analysis.
                - It can be viewed in three sequential steps
                                                - Organisation needs – 
                                                - Departmental Needs – such as the Avionic Section
                                                - Individual Students – example first  semester student by the name of                                                           AAA

b. DD – Develop and Design. – The steps taken  to come out with the contents

c. I – Implementation – The process to enable the students to access and learn.

d. E – Evaluation – or assessment
                - Normally dome in two processes, the evaluation of the students learning and the othe is about the evaluation of the project.

2. Analysis
This process should provide the followings…
-          Who is the learners,
-          What program
-          Which courses
A. Organisation Level.
For example we can look at the programs the school is offering and the courses offered in each of the program.
Choose the course with maximum students. This is to improve the efficient of the elearning.
a. How to choose which course (Example Only)

Program
Course
EF1
Course
Physics
Course
EF2
Human
Factor
Composite
Computer
Prgm
Instrument
Engine
prgm 1
x
X
x
x
x
-
-
x
prgm 2
x
X
x

-
-
x

prgm 3
x
X


x



prgm  4
x

-
x

x
x
x

Based on the above hypothetical data, the Course EF1 is selected.

b. Selecting the Topics.
Example of subtopic in EF1 taken from module 3 topics are:
3.1 Electron Theory
1
1
1
Structure and distribution of electrical charges within: atoms, molecules, ions, compounds;
Molecular structure of conductors, semiconductors and insulators.
3.2 Static Electricity and Conduction
1
2
2
Static electricity and distribution of electrostatic charges;
Electrostatic laws of attraction and repulsion;
Units of charge, Coulomb's Law;
Conduction of electricity in solids, liquids, gases and a vacuum.
3.3 Electrical Terminology
1
2
2
The following terms, their units and factors affecting them: potential difference, electromotive force, voltage, current, resistance, conductance, charge, conventional current flow, electron flow.
3.4 Generation of Electricity
1
1
1
Production of electricity by the following methods: light, heat, friction, pressure, chemical action, magnetism and motion.
3.15 Transformers
-
2
2
Transformer construction principles and operation;
Transformer losses and methods for overcoming them;
Transformer action under load and no-load conditions;
Power transfer, efficiency, polarity markings;
Calculation of line and phase voltages and currents;
Calculation of power in a three phase system;
Primary and Secondary current, voltage, turns ratio,power, efficiency;
Auto transformers.

Selection of the sub-topic is made with reference to the elearning objective.
(i) Replace the lecturers – This mean that the lecturers will not be teaching this subtopic.
The subtopic selected should be an easy topic, thus the students can learn on their own.
As such the selected topic is ..”Static Electricity”
(ii) Complementing the lecturers – Select a topic that is difficult and have been causing problems to the students. Based on the experience in giving course assignment, the selected topic is.. “Three Phase transformer”.
B.  The Analysis of the Students. – The purpose is to identify the prior knowledge a student has before he attend the program.
It is assumed that the students have just completed SPM with a good credit in Physics and Mathematics.
B. Design and Develop.
Three areas can be developed in the area:
a. Competency development of the selected lecturers – There is the need a have a few instructional designers to guide the development of the contents.
b. Assets sharing – the developed contents and the elements and components to the courses must be stored and shared among the lecturers. Just like making a car, the ready made components may be used to assemble the car.
c. Working in team – The contents are better built using multiple brains.

C. Implementation – How do you fit- in the elearning into your total content delivery. It has to planned and checked.
 a. The course plan should include the subject of elearning.
b. For elearning intended to replace the lecturers, student must be informed in advance. A assessment strategy must be included to monitor and correct the issues well in advance.
c. For elearning intended to complement the lecturers, its delivery need to be planned in advance. It can be used as:
                (i)an introduction to the topic, e.g… “next week, we will be doing 3 phase transformer, please do the elearning be fore you come to the class, and we will do the short quiz before we start the class. “
                (ii) can be used as a post learning… e.g “ we have covered the topic on 3 phase transformer, I want you to reinforce your learning by doing the elearning and the quiz at your elearning site, The mark is included in your final mark”
D. Assessment Strategy – To be developed.