Self-directed learning skills in air-traffic control; A cued retrospective reporting study

Abstract

Future changes in aviation technologies require Air-traffic Control (ATC) professionals to be able to adapt to these coming changes in their profession. To be able to adapt to new situations, professionals must be able to define learning needs, set learning goals and identify human and material resources (e.g. task selection) to fulfil these needs. These skills are called self-directed learning (SDL) skills. As a consequence, in ATC training, SDL skills should be developed in an adaptive training system. However, in order to self-direct learning, insight in to past performance is necessary. It requires a self-assessment from a present situation. Self-assessment can be seen as a part of self-regulated learning (SRL). Cued retrospective reporting (CRR) is a verbal reporting procedure based on a cue (e.g. gaze replay), in which participants verbalize their thought processes during task performance after completing the task. CRR not only provides insight in the participants’ thought processes during task performance, but it might support the participants’ regulation process too. This leaves the following first research questions to answer: first, is there a relation between learners’ SRL-skills their SDL-skills? Second, improves self-assessment and SDL after a CRR?