Avionics Professor Featured Columnist in National Magazine
Published 01.22.2007
A faculty member at Pennsylvania College of Technology's Lumley Aviation Center will contribute a monthly column to a national magazine.
The first submission by Thomas D. Inman, associate professor of avionics in the college's School of Transportation Technology titled "Theory & Practice: Teaching Technicians to Think Beyond Troubleshooting" appears in the January issue of Avionics News. The magazine is the monthly publication of the Aircraft Electronics Association, which recently profiled Penn College in a four-page article on state-of-the-art technical training at AEA member institutions.
"The reputation of Penn College was a major factor in my ability to get this appointment," Inman said, noting that the monthly feature was born of a request for reprints of the August 2006 cover story featuring the college's comprehensive aircraft maintenance and avionics training.
His first column looks at the ways such as general-education courses that colleges and universities can stretch students' minds and heighten their mental agility.
"Usually, these... courses do not light a fire in the belly of a student who wants to work on aircraft. Instead, they tend to look at these courses as hurdles to jump, or even torture to endure," Inman wrote. "Still, in these classes, students are forced to analyze, define, compare, contrast and use some of the same thinking skills necessary to confront a difficult troubleshooting problem."
Inman received a bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University, a master's degree in instructional technology from Bloomsburg University and a leadership certificate from the Chair Academy. He recently completed a term as president of the Association for Avionics Education and serves as media chair for the National Center for Aircraft Technician Training.
Penn College offers a bachelor's degree in aviation maintenance technology, an associate degree in aviation technology and a two-year certificate in aviation maintenance technician.
For more about academic majors in Penn College's School of Transportation Technology, call (570) 327-4516, send e-mail or visit online.