Case Studies
The Challenge
EUROCONTROL, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, has as its primary objective the development of a seamless, pan-European air traffic management (ATM) system that copes with the growth in air traffic, while maintaining a high level of safety, enhancing cost-efficiency and respecting the environment.
EUROCONTROL has a key role in educating air traffic management (ATM) personnel and, whenever possible, the general public on the impact of aviation on the environment and the role ATM can play in helping to mitigate this impact on a flight by flight basis as the global volume of air traffic grows. To help achieve their aims, EUROCONTROL needed to develop an e-Learning course for global deployment. Specific requirements included:
- An on-line interactive course (e-Learning) to provide an awareness of environmental issues affecting aviation.
- A course that would provide the general public with an understanding of environmental issues and provide more in-depth training for ATM personnel.
- Post-module quizzes to assess learners' competence and to act as a trigger to access the next module of the course
- Incorporation of a 'business game' to consolidate learning and test learner's application of the knowledge they had gained through the course.
"The EUROCONTROL Environmental Awareness e-Learning package is freely available and designed to give the public and all ATM staff a good understanding of general issues associated with environment, mobility and aviation, as well as indications of what role ATM can play to help mitigate the impact of aviation on the environment. It will play a key role in our environmental education strategy"
Bo Redeborn, Director ATM Strategies of EUROCONTROL
Bourne's Solution
Together with the subject matter expertise of the Aviation Environment Federation, Bourne supported EUROCONTROL in the design and development of the Environment Awareness e-Learning package. Key features include:
- A 15 minute 'trailer' of the course to provide basic awareness of environmental issues and related Aviation and Air Traffic Management challenges.
- Detailed modules providing an understanding of Travel and The Environment, Aviation and The Environment and The ATM Influence. Within these, the tutorial approach uses animations and custom-developed graphics to help illustrate key concepts and support knowledge retention.
- Deployment through the Internet (public access and also via the EUROCONTROL learning management system) to ensure it is accessible to ATM personnel and the general public.
- A granular structure to the course with a defined linear route through the material. Learner progress is monitored through quizzes at the end of each module.
- Links to further detailed information and case studies to provide an addition level of material for learners who want to gain a more in-depth understanding of general environmental concepts and issues.
- The Environment Challenge - a business game which places the learner in the fictional Europe Airport. A second runway is being built and learners' need to progress through a series of challenges to ensure they strike a balance between economic, social and environmental imperatives. They must also stay within their budget and keep the stakeholders happy!
"The combination of Bourne's e-Learning expertise aligned with EUROCONTROL understanding of the environmental and sustainability issues now impacting aviation and air traffic management has resulted in this innovative e-Learning package - the first of its kind in a critical area for the aviation industry.
We are delighted with the quality of the course that will be continuously monitored and regularly maintained to suit our stakeholders' growing requirements in the field"
The Environment e-learning packages are freely available through the EUROCONTROL website at www.eurocontrol.int/environment
Frédéric Riehl, Project Manager, EUROCONTROL