Kultur och andragogik i militär flygutbildning : En studie om svenska flygförarelevers upplevelser av multinationella utbildningsmiljöer

Sammanfattning

This thesis investigates how Swedish military pilot students experience their flight training across four national contexts; Sweden, Germany, Italy and the USA. Addressing a scarcity of qualitative research about cross-cultural experiences of military education, this study aims to create understanding about how culture and adult-centered teaching methods affect students’ perceptions in different educational environments. Twelve students were interviewed for this study while undergoing flight training abroad towards flying helicopter, fighter and transport aircrafts. Guided by Hofstede´s cultural dimensions and Knowles´ theory about andragogy, the comparative theoretical thematical analysis highlights significant variations. Swedish flight training is perceived as Student-centered with high psychological safety and a deep learning focus. Conversely, the American and Italian environment are perceived as highly hierarchical and performance-oriented, prioritizing grades over knowledge. Germany is overall perceived as a compromise between the two sides. Results indicate that culture actively shapes educational methods, which influence motivation and stress. The study concludes that understanding these nuances is vital for optimizing military education in different environments and cultures, which could enhance interoperability within NATO contexts.