USA Bronze Badge test.

[Thomas Knauff]

The Soaring Safety Foundation is updating the Bronze Badge written test. If
you have any suggestions, please contact me at:
or sign up for my newsletter at: www.eglider.org for
news about this subject.

[nyffeler]

In article t>, "Thomas Knauff" > wrote:
>The Soaring Safety Foundation is updating the Bronze Badge written test. If
>you have any suggestions, please contact me at:
or sign up for my newsletter at: www.eglider.org for
>news about this subject.

Is the current test on the net?
I couldn't find it on http://www.soaringsafety.org/

[Thomas Knauff]

No, the test is not published on the internet as that would defeat the
purpose of the test.


"nyffeler" > wrote in message
...
> In article t>, "Thomas
Knauff" > wrote:
> >The Soaring Safety Foundation is updating the Bronze Badge written test.
If
> >you have any suggestions, please contact me at:
> or sign up for my newsletter at: www.eglider.org
for
> >news about this subject.
>
> Is the current test on the net?
> I couldn't find it on http://www.soaringsafety.org/

[Malcolm Austin]

Hi, interesting comment about not publishing the tests. At our UK club
site we have a full set of questions for the UK Bronze tests. How else do
you give people the chance to look at the questions?

There are so many on the document its impossible to remember them all, and
it actually gets rather confusing. It al least gives you a real idea of
what you have to study.

Malcolm...


"Thomas Knauff" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> No, the test is not published on the internet as that would defeat the
> purpose of the test.
>
>
> "nyffeler" > wrote in message
> ...
> > In article t>,
"Thomas
> Knauff" > wrote:
> > >The Soaring Safety Foundation is updating the Bronze Badge written
test.
> If
> > >you have any suggestions, please contact me at:
> > or sign up for my newsletter at: www.eglider.org
> for
> > >news about this subject.
> >
> > Is the current test on the net?
> > I couldn't find it on http://www.soaringsafety.org/
>
>

[Bill Gribble]

Malcolm Austin > writes
>At our UK club site we have a full set of questions for the UK Bronze
>tests. How else do you give people the chance to look at the
>questions?

Ditto. In fact, we have two versions on our site. One with just the
questions, and the other with the answers. I'd guess your site has the
same. I'm finding both to be an invaluable study aid...

>There are so many on the document its impossible to remember them all,
>and it actually gets rather confusing. It al least gives you a real
>idea of what you have to study.

Printing out the pdf file produced 84 pages of A4. To be honest, I
disagree that it's too much to remember them all. I'm quite confident I
could learn the lot by rote in an evening or two. I probably will when
it comes to taking the actual test. But that isn't really the point.

The best thing about having all the questions and answers to hand is
that I can use them as the first point of study, and when I hit an
answer I don't know the reasons behind, I can go and find out.

Odds are with just an evening or two to cram the subject from the
questions alone, I'd be quite happy to sit the test before the end of
this week. With the test done and another three hours solo in my log
book (to make the requisite 10), I'd qualify for my Bronze, so with
weather permitting, it wouldn't be impossible for me to get it before
the end of the month.

But what would be the point? For all the difference it would make (ie.
not a lot) I'd only be cheating myself.

On the other hand, not having access to the questions and their answers
(or at least a sufficient collection of past papers) would make the
whole thought of the Bronze paper terribly daunting. But only because it
would be such an unknown factor and the difficulty that this would
present in preparing adequately for it.

In such an event, the concentration of prep would have to go into exam
and study technique as opposed to actual study of the subject itself.
Which would, somewhat, defeat the purpose of getting the badge.

--
Bill Gribble

/---------------------------------------\
| http://www.ingenuitytest.co.uk |
| http://www.cotswoldgliding.co.uk |
| http://www.scapegoatsanon.demon.co.uk |
\---------------------------------------/

[Clint]

In South Africa - the test for the GPL (Glider Pilot Licence) is given
in open book form. The student is given all the questions and then has
to find the answers on his own - no time limit but usually takes a
couple of weeks. It is amazing how many books one has to find and go
through to complete the test. Some clubs organise courses to help the
students get access to the material - and they might run the test in a
closed book format. I feel that any test that involves cramming the
answers is a waste of time - whilst the exercise involved in finding
the answers on ones own is immensely more valuable as far more reading
and thought work is involved. It is also fun and doesnt cause
unnecessary stress, it is a sport after all.

Clinton
LAK 12

[Malcolm Austin]

Hi,
Interesting method this. There has been some discussion recently
here in the UK that is a fact that we don't have just one or two books to
cover the syllabus? It seems strange that you need to buy 5 or 6 books to
find all that you need.

Some of the details on working out range for height with glide angle ect
seems very difficult to find for early pilots. There's a gap out there for
such a book I'm sure. And if we began to bring the syllabuses together that
would make it easier still. Mind you we are in the EU over here, and that
means we would have to have a 2000 page book (how to that visit to the
brewery first!) on. And you can be sure it will be written to suit one or
two particular countries....... I'd better stop about the EU, but I'll
love to sell it on....

Cheers, Malcolm...


"Clint" > wrote in message
om...
> In South Africa - the test for the GPL (Glider Pilot Licence) is given
> in open book form. The student is given all the questions and then has
> to find the answers on his own - no time limit but usually takes a
> couple of weeks. It is amazing how many books one has to find and go
> through to complete the test. Some clubs organise courses to help the
> students get access to the material - and they might run the test in a
> closed book format. I feel that any test that involves cramming the
> answers is a waste of time - whilst the exercise involved in finding
> the answers on ones own is immensely more valuable as far more reading
> and thought work is involved. It is also fun and doesnt cause
> unnecessary stress, it is a sport after all.
>
> Clinton
> LAK 12

[Leon McAtee]

"Malcolm Austin" > wrote in message >...
> Hi, interesting comment about not publishing the tests. At our UK club
> site we have a full set of questions for the UK Bronze tests. How else do
> you give people the chance to look at the questions

Years ago when I took Microbiology the instructor gave us a course
outline the first day that had test dates and a list of chapters
covered by those tests. He also said that there would be questions on
the tests not covered by this reading list. When asked what other
material should be studied he responded that there was no list and
that it was up to the students to independently prepare for the tests.
To get an A required preparation above and beyond the standard
reading list. Some students complained but those that had a true
interest in learning, rather than just passing the test, never had any
trouble with the "extra" exam questions as they took the time to do
the extra study neededm to fully understand the subject.

I can see the logic in not publishing sample test questions.
========================
Leon McAtee

[Bill Gribble]

Leon McAtee > writes
>To get an A required preparation above and beyond the standard reading
>list. Some students complained but those that had a true interest in
>learning, rather than just passing the test, never had any trouble with
>the "extra" exam questions as they took the time to do the extra study
>neededm to fully understand the subject.
>
>I can see the logic in not publishing sample test questions.

Doesn't that depend on what you're trying to achieve with the test?

And the grade of achievement the test is supposed to mark? For example,
an 'O' level student (16ish years school kid) would probably be led by
the nose through most if not all of the given subject that is likely to
be encountered in the upcoming exams by his teacher. By contrast, if
you're working towards your BSc (22ish years university student) then
you are going to be expected to take "the time to do the extra study
needed to fully understand the subject" and more.

And I'd suggest that the Bronze is more of an 'O' level in relative
terms to gliding than a university degree. If that.

Plus, you either pass or you don't. No grades A, B, C, merits,
distinctions, or honours to mark one claim as more deserving than
another.

Which suggests to me that the point of the whole thing is somewhat
different to, for example, the point of a school or college exam.

I confess, I quite like the South African open book idea. Fail in that,
I'll take the UK pre-publishing of the questions and answers. Regardless
of whether I have a Bronze or not, I doubt there is any Duty Instructor
in the land that is going to let me fly from their site without first
being personally satisfied that my flying skills are such that I'm not
going to embarrass people by becoming another accident statistic.

So it strikes me that despite the fact I have access to both questions
and answers, and despite the fact that I could easily just learn them
all by rote, getting the Bronze is as much about a personal achievement
as anything else, so I only really have myself to cheat by not doing it
properly.

Not that I'm attacking anybody's system here. Just expressing an opinion
for comparison. It's funny how different these things are across the
world, isn't it?


-Bill, UK.

[Martin Gregorie]

On Tue, 13 Jul 2004 16:12:28 +0100, Bill Gribble
> wrote:

>Malcolm Austin > writes
>>At our UK club site we have a full set of questions for the UK Bronze
>>tests. How else do you give people the chance to look at the
>>questions?
>
>Ditto. In fact, we have two versions on our site. One with just the
>questions, and the other with the answers. I'd guess your site has the
>same. I'm finding both to be an invaluable study aid...
>
The only real problem with the UK Bronze written test is that there
is, apparently, no published syllabus for it or a definition of what
you mark you need to get a pass. At least, I've not seen or heard of
either item.

The result is that you need to find a copy of the Bronze Confuser with
or without answers in order to work out what you need to study in
order to pass.


--
martin@ : Martin Gregorie
gregorie : Harlow, UK
demon :
co : Zappa fan & glider pilot
uk :