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Introducing Underrepresented Minority High School Students To An Aeronautical Technology Program At Purdue University (2002)
BibTeX
@MISC{Sterkenburg02introducingunderrepresented,
author = {Ronald Sterkenburg and David L. Stanley},
title = {Introducing Underrepresented Minority High School Students To An Aeronautical Technology Program At Purdue University},
year = {2002}
}
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Abstract
The Purdue Aviation Technology Department developed an introductory aviation course for students participating in the six weeks Upward Bound rising sophomore program. Upward Bound is a pre-college preparatory program providing academic support, personal counseling and cultural enrichment for eligible low income and potential first-generation college participants in the East Chicago, Gary, Hammond, and the Lake Station target area. The goal of the introductory aviation course was to interest young people in the aviation industry, which is traditionally underrepresented by minorities. The students were exposed to all three components of the Aviation Program: Flight training, maintenance technology and business management. They were introduced to aerodynamics, propulsion, airframe structures and aircraft systems. A qualified pilot taught them the basics of flying a B-727 full motion flight simulator, and they made a flight in a light aircraft. As a final hands-on project the students built an aluminum winglet section. Last summer the faculty organized field trips to a major air carrier maintenance facility and an Air Force museum. The authors will discuss in this paper the unique challenges of developing a curriculum that attracts young minority students and the teaching strategies to overcome the cultural differences between minority students and faculty.
Keyphrases
purdue university minority high school student aeronautical technology program introductory aviation course aviation industry lake station target area last summer light aircraft upward bound week upward bound teaching strategy b-727 full motion flight simulator aluminum winglet section unique challenge interest young people flight training purdue aviation technology department academic support final hands-on project personal counseling field trip young minority student cultural enrichment cultural difference pre-college preparatory program aircraft system minority student aviation program east chicago potential first-generation college participant major air carrier maintenance facility maintenance technology business management qualified pilot eligible low income sophomore program airframe structure air force museum
