The Effects of Practice and Coaching on the Air Traffic Selection and Training Test Battery

The Air Traffic Selection and Training (AT-SAT) test battery is the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) recently developed computerized selection test for Air Traffic Control Specialists (ATCSs). Only one form of the AT-SAT battery was developed as part of the initial development and validation effort, meaning that all people who take the test receive the exact same items. The goals of the current study were to: (1) determine if repeated test taking improves performance; (2) determine if coaching improves performance; (3) identify specific tests within the AT-SAT battery that are most susceptible to practice and coaching effects; and, (4) determine the extent to which practice and coaching effects potentially impact hiring decisions. Study participants were not ATCSs; however, they had to meet basic requirements for the ATC occupation to be eligible for participation. They were recruited through a contractor and randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups. Group 1 received a one-day coaching intervention before taking the first administration of AT-SAT. Group 2 took the first administration of AT-SAT, and then received the coaching intervention before the second administration. Group 3, the control group, took AT-SAT three times without coaching. Test scores were compared both between and within each group using ANOVA with repeated measures. The results suggest that performance on the AT-SAT battery may indeed be influenced by both practice and coaching effects. More specifically, the results demonstrate that the composite AT-SAT score that is used for hiring decisions increases with repeated administrations, although the greatest increase occurs following coaching. In terms of selection decisions, it is conceivable that coaching could move an individual from a failing status into a passing status and even from the qualified category into the well-qualified category, without improving their ability to perform on the job.

• Record URL:
  http://www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/oamtechreports/2000s/media/0224.pdf
• 
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/57937
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This report was performed under Task HRR521.
• Corporate Authors:

  Federal Aviation Administration

  Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, P.O. Box 25082
  Oklahoma City, OK  United States  73125

  Federal Aviation Administration

  Office of Aerospace Medicine, 800 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20591
• Authors:
  • Heil, Michael C
  • Detwiler, Cristy A
  • Agen, Rebecca
  • Williams, Clara A
  • Agnew, Brandy O
  • King, Raymond E
• Publication Date: 2002-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 13p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air traffic; Air traffic control; Air traffic controllers; Aptitude tests; Contractors; Selection and appointment; Training
• Uncontrolled Terms: Coaching effects; Intervention
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Education and Training; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01039125
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT/FAA/AM-02/24
• Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jan 3 2007 10:26AM