Barriers To Learning

Barriers must be overcome in order for a student to be receptive to learning.

Barriers To Learning

Introduction to Barriers to Learning

  • Various conditions and events in life set conditions, or barriers, to effective learning
Barriers To Learning

Human Needs (PSSES)

  • Physical:
    • Food, rest, and protection from the elements
    • A hungry or tired student cannot be able to perform as expected
  • Safety:
    • Protection against danger, threads deprivation
  • Social:
    • To belong, associate as well as give and receive friendship and love
  • Ego:
    • Self-concept: how one pictures oneself
    • Most powerful determinant in learning
    • Self-esteem
    • Self-confidence
  • Self-Fulfillment:
    • Realizing one's own potential for continued development
Barriers To Learning

Defense Mechanisms (CPDFARRR

  • Defense against reality of unpleasant situations
  • Alleviate symptoms, not causes
  • May be conscious and/or unconscious

  • Compensation:

    • Disguise the presence of a problem by emphasizing a positive event

  • Projection:

    • Blame shortcomings on others
    • Blaming an instructor for being too unfair

  • Denial of Reality:

    • Refuse to acknowledge disagreeable realities

  • Flight:

    • Escape frustration by physical or mental flight

  • Aggression:

    • Get upset
    • Ask irrelevant questions
    • Refuse to participate in class activities, or
    • Disrupt activities

  • Rationalization:

    • Substitute excuses for reasons

  • Resignation:

    • May no longer believe it profitable or possible to work further
    • Occurs when student doesn't grasp fundamentals of earlier lessons

  • Reaction Formation:

    • Developing conscious attitudes to cover up just the opposite
    • Not caring how people think about them when they really do
Barriers To Learning

The Overconfident or Impatient Student

  • Instructors must present the necessary preliminary training step at a time with clearly stated goals for each step
  • Overconfidence soon results in faulty performance
  • Raise standard of performance for each lesson demanding greater effort
Barriers To Learning

Stress and Anxiety

  • Normal individuals react exactly and automatically to training emergencies

  • Normal Reactions to Stress and Anxiety:

    • Sweat
    • Increased heart rate
    • Blood pressure increase
    • Voice

  • Abnormal reactions:

    • Extreme over cooperation, painstaking self-control, inappropriate laughter or singing, and rapid changes in emotion
    • Changes in mood
    • Severe anger
  • Anxiety is brought on by stressful situations
  • Anxiety counters:
    • Treating fear as normal
    • Reinforcing student enjoyment
    • Teaching students to cope with fear
Barriers To Learning

Acquiring Knowledge Conclusion

  • Learning theory has caused instruction to move from basic skills and pure facts to linking new information with prior knowledge, from relying on a single authority to recognizing multiple sources of knowledge, and from novice-like to expert-like problem-solving
  • While educational theories facilitate learning, no one learning theory is good for all learning situations and all learners
  • Instruction in aviation should utilize a combination of learning theories
  • Neither this page or the Aviation Instructors Handbook will make you an expert however, there basics will guide instructors in becoming more effective while developing their students
  • The AOPA offers flight guides for instructors
  • Still looking for something? Continue searching:
Barriers To Learning

Acquiring Knowledge References