Exploring Situation Awareness and Workload Levels of Operators' Decision Making in a Simulated Airline Operations Control Center
Abstract
This research study was conducted to examine the effects of workload on situation awareness levels as measured by directly reported aircraft maintenance events and scores on the Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique (SAGAT) tool at Middle Tennessee State University. The group of students who were studied included upper division collegiate aviation trainees enrolled in a capstone course. A causal comparative quantitative educational research design was used to evaluate student situation awareness through the use of the SAGAT scores and varying workload levels through the use of a statistical comparison (Analysis of Variance) and descriptive statistics. The research study supports that there is a significant difference in situational awareness levels with varying workload levels. Therefore, instructional designers must continue to calibrate their designs for workload where situation awareness begins to decrease, as part of their ongoing instructional design cycle. Finally, aviation trainers and governing bodies should continue to challenge aviation professionals with simulations that mirror reality, recognizing that there is no one solution for all trainees.
Subject Area
Education
Recommended Citation
Durant C. Bridges,
"Exploring Situation Awareness and Workload Levels of Operators' Decision Making in a Simulated Airline Operations Control Center"
(2016).
ETD Collection for Tennessee State University.
Paper AAI10119098.
https://digitalscholarship.tnstate.edu/dissertations/AAI10119098