Becoming cabin crew: a situated learning approach to training and workplace experience

ABSTRACT

This paper provides a perspective on learning in which training and situated learning complement each other in developing cabin crew competence. Traditionally, airlines have approached cabin crew training from a competency-based, behavioural perspective with limited engagement in the actual work context. This ethnographic study builds on contemporary learning theoriesto argue that participation in social practice is essential for developing cabin crew competence. More importantly, it was found that learning arises in the frictions and negotiations between identity, knowledge, and values fostered in training and the workplace experience of the cabin crew. These findings contribute to the situated learning literature by expanding the notion that training may also have characteristics of social practice. Likewise, understanding learning arising from the negotiation of different contexts offers a broader perspective of situated learning. These findings in the learning processes of cabin crew may contribute to the improvement of the airlines’ training programmes and potentially to other contexts of high social interaction, such as hospitality and healthcare.

KEYWORDS:

• Situated learning
• cabin crew training
• competency-based education
• workplace learning
• social practice

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Maria F. Larrea

Maria F. Larrea is a PhD candidate at the School of Education and Professional Studies research, Griffith University. Maria has extensive experience in aviation training and higher education in tourism degrees. Her research interests are related to learning and competence development in service-sector jobs, particularly in aviation and hospitality.

Steven Hodge

Steven Hodge is a senior lecturer and Deputy Head of School (research) at Griffith University. Steven researches vocational education and training (VET) and allied areas and has a long-standing interest in competency-based training and alternative curriculum models for VET.

Timothy J. Mavin

Timothy J. Mavin is an associate professor at Griffith University. Tim has combined his academic qualifications in education with over 10,000 hours of airline flight experience. His research focuses on performance assessment and learning across aviation, construction, and healthcare.

Yoriko Kikkawa

Yoriko Kikkawa is a research fellow at Griffith University with expertise in qualitative research. Yoriko conducts cross-cultural, cross-sector, and cross-disciplinary research in teaching, learning, and simulation-based training.