This study is a comparative analysis of traditional-based teaching methods versus technology-based teaching methods in collegiate aviation classrooms. Education is in a transformational period. Technology use in the classroom is a major part of this transformation. However, this change in pedagogy is not occurring as rapid as one might believe. Out of ten undergraduate professors in the United States teaching in higher education, fewer than two seriously use computers and other technologies in their classrooms. Of the ten, four to five professors never use the machines at all. The same is true in collegiate aviation classrooms; technology-based teaching methods and technology use in the classroom for instructional purposes are in the early stages.; This study was conducted at a Florida university. The population was aviation students enrolled in a Florida university Aeronautics Program. The sample consisted students enrolled in the technology-based teaching methods course in the spring of 2004. The same course was taught once with traditional-based teaching methods in the spring of 2003. Ex-post facto data was used from the spring 2003 course.; The main purpose of the study was to understand how technology-based teaching methods affect student's overall final grade performance in an aviation course, at a Florida university. In the study, the final grade averages of the traditional-based teaching methods course were analyzed between the technology-based teaching methods course. In the spring 2004 (technology-based) the students' perceptions of technology-based teaching methods were correlated with their final grades, and a correlation analysis was run between the students' final grade and their total flight time experience as measured in flight hours. The results of the statistical tests did not yield a statistic at the .05 alpha level or higher. However, perception survey question #5 did yield a .042 alpha level. The researcher concludes that technology-based teaching methods may not always improve a students' performance in the class but, it will not hurt a students' performance. The researcher also concludes that if a student perceives technology useful in learning school subjects, then that student will perform better in the specific aviation class than another student who does not believe technology is useful in learning school subjects. However, students' perceptions of technology need to be investigated further. The researcher is compelled to recommend that a qualitative and quantitative research study should be conducted to better understand the coursework performance of aviation students' before and after they become C.F.I.s in a collegiate aeronautics program.
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