Many things can influence a student's success in a course. Previous research has shown that students are more successful when they complete the course reading, but students may not always comply with reading requirements for multiple reasons, such as other time pressures or financial costs. Issues with reading requirements may be compounded if an…

Due to the high risk associated with collegiate aviation programs, the need to increase safety is paramount. Previous research has established a link between safety culture and safety performance in industry as well as in collegiate aviation programs. This study sought to evaluate changes in students' perceptions of a university's aviation safety…

The aviation industry is currently recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and is forecast to continue to grow after returning to pre-pandemic levels of activity. As a result of retirements and growth, airlines are experiencing a large demand for qualified pilots. Collegiate aviation programs serve as a major source of training and recruitment, but…

Scope and method of study: The purpose of this national research study was to examine the effects that COVID-19 had on primary flight training at the collegiate level. This study was to determine how pilot production was affected by the pandemic and its associated lockdowns and mitigation measures to help see the ripple effects it caused and…

Engineering, aviation/aerospace, and nursing are top critical occupations in Oklahoma, meaning each area has consistent workforce shortages when compared to the notable industry growth projected over the next ten years (Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, 2023; Oklahoma Career Tech, 2023; OSRHE, 2021; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023). In higher…

This study investigated the relationship between undergraduate aviation student perception of instructor-student rapport and perceived student empowerment, as measured by the constructs of impact, meaningfulness, and competence. A survey comprised of the 6-item Professor-Student Rapport Scale- Brief (PSRS-B) (Wilson & Ryan, 2013) and the…

This dissertation examines the key challenges faced by collegiate aviation faculty members as they transitioned from in-person coursework to emergency remote teaching (ERT) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interpretive phenomenological analysis of semi-structured interviews profiled four collegiate aviation faculty members' experiences with the…

Three studies in this dissertation examined a topic centered around delayed flight progress in aviation pilot training. Study one explored the impact of nonconcurrent flight laboratory training on the academic outcomes of collegiate aviation students, while studies two and three explored virtual reality and artificial intelligence as potential…

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires that all pilots hold a medical certificate granted by an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME), or an equivalent exemption standard. Over the years, these aeromedical examinations have grown to include aspects related to mental health, as well as a number of other factors. There are several mental…

The collegiate aviation programs of higher education are seeking to adapt their capabilities and expertise toward educating a generation of airmen who will operate Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). The collection of studies presented in this dissertation address this interest as higher education programs investigate the value of modalities and…

A concurrent-embedded mixed method was used to evaluate observed outcomes of safety culture among multiple collegiate aviation programs in the U.S. A hypothesized model that measures the relationships between scales of safety management systems (SMS), safety motivation (mediator), and safety behaviors (safety compliance, safety reporting, and…

Three studies in this dissertation examined the career aspirations of collegiate aviation students: student motivation with respect to career aspirations, military aviation career aspirations, and student perceptions of career pathway programs. Findings from each of these studies are valuable to students pursuing careers in aviation and industry…

Student evaluations of teaching (SET) are commonly used to assess teaching effectiveness and influence personnel decisions in higher education. This quantitative study sought to determine if gender and years of teaching experience were related to SET ratings for collegiate aviation faculty. Constructs evaluated related to gender stereotypes and…

Minorities are underrepresented in the aviation industry. More than 90% of professional pilots identify as White males. While research has identified this phenomenon, little qualitative research exists to understand low retention's driving factors. This phenomenological study sought the experiences of minority graduates of collegiate aviation…

Demand is high for graduates entering the professional aviation and aerospace workforce with resilience competencies like adversity persistence, contextual awareness, being self-directed and autonomous, handling change, and ability to establish peer relationships. Research shows resilience competencies are particularly emphasized as essential…