Is Dispatch school all memorization?

[LittleWing]

I've been surfing through the Flight Dispatch school websites, and from what I am reading, it seems like the focus of the schooling is about memorizing test questions.

Am I correct in this assumption, or am I completely off-base?

If I am off-base, what is the classroom experience like?

The reason I ask is because if I do choose this career path, I would prefer the Distance Learning path that Sheffield offers. I can discipline myself to study on my own, and saving money would really help.

Thanks in advance for every reply!

 

[BigFellor]

I've been surfing through the Flight Dispatch school websites, and from what I am reading, it seems like the focus of the schooling is about memorizing test questions.

Am I correct in this assumption

If you are correct, and all you do is memorize things briefly to pass a test, you are doing it wrong. Do yourself, and your future coworkers, a favor, LEARN the material, and the WHY behind it. If all you can do is memorize the answers to a few specific questions, and are unable to think for yourself, well ... I wouldnt want to babysit you. Do enough of that already

 

[ljg]

It's really a matter of being able to conceptualize the material, instead of regurgitating it. Dispatchers must think critically and act effectively. Sheffield's online course will prepare you well. However, it is challenging enough and probably too in-depth for rote memorization. Also understand that during the residency portion of the course you are being held to the same practical testing standards as all other candidates. Good luck to you.

 

[mission_aviation]

I've been surfing through the Flight Dispatch school websites, and from what I am reading, it seems like the focus of the schooling is about memorizing test questions.

Am I correct in this assumption, or am I completely off-base?

If I am off-base, what is the classroom experience like?

The reason I ask is because if I do choose this career path, I would prefer the Distance Learning path that Sheffield offers. I can discipline myself to study on my own, and saving money would really help.

Thanks in advance for every reply!

Do not do take the dispatcher course online. There is alot more to taking the dispatcher course than just memorizing for the test. I understand that its probably cheaper to do online, but your only setting yourself up for failure in the real world of dispatch. The purpose of being an instructor is to teach students based on experience. Thats what instructors will do. Learning how to be a good dispatcher is more important than just passing the test. Sure, you could probably pass the written, but the oral and practical part will hurt you if you isolate yourself from interacting with your peers and instructors by doing online. If you have prior flight experience or experience in dealing with FAA exaimers, I would say that you could get away with it, but attending a classroom setting for 5-6 weeks will help with developing critical skills such as CRM, DRM.

 

[SFCC/UND]

What is up with everything becoming online. Pretty much to pass any aviation written test is to memorize it.

 

[LittleWing]

If you are correct, and all you do is memorize things briefly to pass a test, you are doing it wrong. Do yourself, and your future coworkers, a favor, LEARN the material, and the WHY behind it. If all you can do is memorize the answers to a few specific questions, and are unable to think for yourself, well ... I wouldnt want to babysit you. Do enough of that already

I think I have mislead some folks reading my post into thinking that I am taking this training lightly. Actually, it is quite the opposite. My concern, and the reason for my original post, is because I hope training is more than an exercise in rote memorization.

Without going back through every school website I have been on, here are the two things that stuck out and raised the red flags I am asking about in this post:

* In some school course descriptions, it seemed to me that there was an emphasis on remembering the answers to test questions rather than learning a new profession.

(This may have been just poorly written course descriptions or this may be what a couple of schools actually do)

* The only book(s) I have seen for aircraft dispatch are the Gleim ATP FAA Knowledge Test Prep book...and reference to a PDF book on weather that Sheffield has posted.

(With so little published info on flight dispatch, and the only published info I find being a test prep book, that raised another red flag for me)

The bottom-line is that the profession of flight dispatch sounds like something I would enjoy doing for the rest of my career... I take learning the profession very seriously. I am not looking for short-cuts, and that's why I am asking questions here on this forum.

...I may ask some naive questions on this forum, but please understand it is because I am trying to be respectful about entering this profession with the best of possible intentions.

 

[BigFellor]

Delete

 

[BigFellor]

Delete

 

[BigFellor]

I think I have mislead some folks reading my post into thinking that I am taking this training lightly. Actually, it is quite the opposite. My concern, and the reason for my original post, is because I hope training is more than an exercise in rote memorization.

And I might have been a tad misleading also. I suppose how good the training is depends on where you get it, but also what you are willing to put into it. I took classes at a local community college (the Gleim book was basically divided into classes, one class per chapter) over the course of a year or so. There were instructors who were airline captains, safety experts, accident investigators, Air Force pilots and engineers, etc. Some of the best people I have met, and also were ALWAYS willing to meet before class, after class, weekends, days off, etc for questions and discussions. Thanks to them, I came out better prepared and more educated that I thought I could. The college also used my airline's stuff (FOM, MEL/CDL books, Ops Specs, etc), so that was helpful when I actually got to where I am.

My only point was, I have seen some people come and go. And the ones that have gone, seem to be COMPLETELY unable to think for themselves, and it seems as though they only memorized the test, and had no real clear understanding of what they were doing (clueless!). And I mean people I wouldnt let work on my bicycle, let alone have anthing to do with an aircraft. A. It's dangerous, and B. it pisses me off, as I take a wee bit of pride in my work.

 

[manniax]

I've been surfing through the Flight Dispatch school websites, and from what I am reading, it seems like the focus of the schooling is about memorizing test questions.

Am I correct in this assumption, or am I completely off-base?

If I am off-base, what is the classroom experience like?

The reason I ask is because if I do choose this career path, I would prefer the Distance Learning path that Sheffield offers. I can discipline myself to study on my own, and saving money would really help.

Thanks in advance for every reply!

Sheffield offers a good product, although I may be prejudiced because I went there. I think what you have to realize is that the material on the dispatcher written test is not that applicable to your actual work as a dispatcher...it's just a test you have to pass in order to get your license. So in a sense, yes, there is a lot of memorization for that part of the course. Granted, it's been a while since I took it, but a lot of the questions on the test were about things we didn't discuss in class (or that I have ever dealt with on the job, for that matter.) One example of this is the weight and balance questions.

Most of your coursework should NOT involve the dispatcher written, but rather learning about weather, regulations, and flight planning. None of my interviewers over the years have ever asked me how I did on the dispatcher written test, I'll assure you of that. It's something you have to pass in order to get your license, but the dispatcher PRACTICAL exam is a much better test of your abilities to be a good dispatcher than the written one.

 

[CrippleHawk]

If you are correct, and all you do is memorize things briefly to pass a test, you are doing it wrong. Do yourself, and your future coworkers, a favor, LEARN the material, and the WHY behind it. If all you can do is memorize the answers to a few specific questions, and are unable to think for yourself, well ... I wouldnt want to babysit you. Do enough of that already

Hey how's the supervising job treating ya?