545

1 INTRODUCTION

Blended learning has been a trendy sound and

expression for last 15-20 years and many educational

institutions around the world have been

implementing the aspects of blended learning into

educational programs, with more or less success

along the way. As MET is following the global trends

in educational developments, lagging behind was not

an option.

But what is blended learning and how effectively

can we make use of it to increase the professional

standards, skills and competences of now day

seafarers who are already under heavy pressure from

recent developments in fields of data and electronic

navigation?

In the Handbook of blended learning (by Curtis J.

Bonk and Charles R. Graham, 2007) Professor Graham

refers to blended learning as follows: “The rapid

emergence of technological innovations over the past half-

century (particularly digital technologies) has had a huge

impact on the possibilities for learning in the distributed

environment. In fact, if you look at the four dimensions

(Space, Time, Fidelity and Humanness) distributed

learning environment are increasingly encroaching on

instructional territory that was once possible only in face-

to-face environments.”

2 THE PROBLEM

It is no longer the question to blend or not to blend if

we are to stay in the pace of the developments, but

how to do it in a most effective way, considering the

remoteness of the profession we are discussing. This

brings us to CBT (Computer-based training) which

has been a standard for the marine industry for odd

25 years preceded by famous Videotel (now KVH

Videotel) instruction video’s as firsts attempts to

distant (on the job) learning and training.

Industrywide there is a broad offer of CBT’s available

with Seagull being the most known one for the better

percentage of the seafaring population and the

offered programs cover most of the needs of the

A Suggestion of an Application of Blended Learning in

MET Through a Harmonized STCW Model

O. Pipchenko

National University “Odessa Maritime Academy”, Odessa, Ukraine

D. Kovtunenko

Kazakhstan Maritime Academy, Almaty, Kazakhstan

ABSTRACT: The article addresses the problem of modern maritime education and training in the perspective of

computer technologies development, especially the internet. Computer-based training is being a standard for

the maritime industry for almost 25 years, but there is still no unified approach on the use of this teaching

method in MET. Authors suggest to open a conversation on harmonization of standards regarding CBT in the

industry and wider implementation of this teaching method into STCW training process via a blended learning

approach, where theoretical part of the course may be taken online, while the practical part is taken in the

training facility.

http://www.transnav.eu

the

International Journal

on Marine Navigation

and Safety of Sea Transportation

Volume

Number 3

September 2020

DOI:

10.12716/1001.14.03.04

546

shipping companies if an employee is staying in the

same company for many years to come. But if not?

Figure 1. Worldwide supply and demand of seafarers.

Source: BIMCO Manpower Report 2015.

Recent studies have shown that the retention rate

of employees for the shipping industry has drastically

changed over last 15 years and company loyalty is no

longer the main factor for seafarer when choosing his

or her place of work. Salary, skills, flag, convenient

rotation schedules, secondary benefits, possibilities to

grow within the company, easiness to change from

sea to shore (and vice versa) are being pulled to the

front pages. At the same time, BIMCO manpower

report 2015 predicts a shortage of roughly 150.000

seafarers by 2025 and if we are not promoting careers

at sea and enhancing the levels of maritime education

and training worldwide, a serious blow to the global

economy is a real and thinkable scenario.

Noticeable enough, the various offered CBT

programs are not “compatible” when switching

companies and seafarer has to undergo the same or

similar skill training from the scratch from a different

supplier since the company rules dictate so. Also,

often this training has to be completed in “own” rest

time.

But do either the conventional face to face or the

online learning alone satisfies necessary competence

criteria outlined in STCW convention and required by

the industry?

The rapid growth of technologies, constant

aspiration to increase the level of automation,

strictness of regulations and operations efficiency

dictates the necessity to apply new methods which

will be able to bring together several sides of the

learning process, such as e-learning, conventional

classroom teaching, on-job learning in a harmonized

manner.

3 REGULATIONS AND TEACHING METHODS

Section B-I/6 of STCW code “Guidance regarding

training and assessment” mentions two options:

− in-service training and assessment; and

− distance learning (and e-learning),

as a part of mandatory STCW training, and provides a

simple list of requirements for implementation. It

contains guidance for training by distance learning

and e-learning stating that governments should

ensure that any distance learning and e-learning

programme:

− is provided by an entity that is approved by the

Party;

− is suitable for the selected objectives and training

tasks to meet the competence level for the subject

covered;

− has clear and unambiguous instructions for the

trainees to understand how the programme

operates;

− provides learning outcomes that meet all the

requirements to provide the underpinning

knowledge and proficiency of the subject;

− is structured in a way that enables the trainee to

systematically reflect on what has been learnt

through both self-assessment and tutor-marked

assignments; and

− provides professional tutorial support through

telephone, facsimile or e-mail communications.

Additionally, for assessing a trainee’s progress and

achievements by training by distance learning and e-

learning next criteria should be applied:

− clear information to the trainees on the way that

tests and examinations are conducted and how the

results are communicated;

− have test questions that are comprehensive and

will adequately assess a trainee’s competence and

are appropriate to the level being examined;

− procedures in place to ensure questions are kept

up to date;

− the conditions where the examinations can take

place and the procedures for invigilation to be

conducted;

− secure procedures for the examination system so

that it will prevent cheating; and

− secure validation procedures to record results for

the benefit of the Party.

On the other hand, IMO Model course 6.09

“Training course for the instructors”, specifies several

remote teaching methods, such as

− Computer-based teaching

− Distance learning/E-learning

− Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC)

However, neither STCW code nor any of IMO

model courses give guidelines on where exactly

computer-based learning can be applied as part of

existing IMO model courses, which creates certain

ambiguity on STCW courses flag state approval stage.

The “Competence” as per STCW consists of three

components: knowledge, skills, and experience.

Learning may provide a person with the first two

components: knowledge and skills, where experience

is gained via continual repetition of a certain task in

different circumstances.

In other words, we may name knowledge and

skills as software and hardware learning.

Where software learning implies work with

different forms of teaching media, such as book,

poster, video or electronic learning media, with or

without human trainer / assessor.

547

Hardware learning implies the practical

performance of certain tasks, which allow a person to

gain required skills, and which, considering modern

technologies, in some cases may be done with or

without human trainer / assessor.

Industry-related professional education and

training are usually divided into several stages:

− initial education (college, BA, BSc, etc.);

− post-graduate education (MSc, PhD, etc.);

− continuous professional development (CPD).

If the first two stages imply long term academic

credits when students choose to dedicate a big

amount of time to learning, CPD involves various

short-term courses on-demand as required by

industry in limited time amounts.

In most of the cases, the majority of software

learning may be implemented remotely, without the

physical presence of student and teacher in the

classroom or at the training site.

The situation is opposite with hardware learning,

especially when certain equipment and simultaneous

practical assessment are necessary to reach the

defined learning objectives.

Seafarers starting from their cadetship spend at

least half of their lifetime remotely not only from the

place of living, but they also may reside on

considerable distance from the available educational

facility, which makes even more expensive and

problematic to provide a classroom training, when

necessary. Therefore, with the help of the modern

technologies such training can be distributed, where

software part maybe mainly done remotely from a

convenient location within a given timeframe and

only hardware part is done in the classroom.

This approach is generally called blended learning.

As per IMO Model course 6.09:

“Blended learning is a kind of learning where a trainee

blends or mixes a range of methods involving instruction,

digital and online media learning.

− To combine or mix modes of web-based technology to

accomplish an educational goal;

− To combine various pedagogical approaches (e.g.

constructivism, behaviourism, cognitivism) to produce

an optimal learning outcome with or without

instructional technology;

− To combine any form of instructional technology (e.g.

audio, video, web-based training) with face-to-face

instructor-led training; and

− To mix or combine instructional technology with actual

job tasks in order to create a harmonious effect of

learning and working.”

E-learning is understood very differently, varying

from reading a pdf copy of a book or an html page

filled with text and pictures to a computer-based

training with high level of interactivity and high

demand for the user actions.

Also, e-learning may be provided in the form of

Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) or Webinar - it

is an online course aimed at unlimited participation

and open access via the web. In addition to traditional

course materials such as filmed lectures, readings,

and problem sets, many MOOCs provide interactive

user forums to support community interactions.

It is necessary to mention, that it is still may be

necessary to bring students together for short reviews

and discussion of theoretical part of the training. As

specified by Chen et al. (2017) compared with the

traditional face-to-face interaction, e-learning is still

lack of direct emotional communication, and team

learning environment.

Also, it works much more effective, when each

student studied the subject on his/her own pace and

passed a test assessment before meeting the other

students, as they may learn with different speed and

preliminary distant learning with assessment brings

students on the almost similar theoretical level. The

objective of the classroom session in this case is to

make sure that they all are sharing the same mental

model, and to minimize misunderstanding that may

be caused by individual learning. Such training

session may be done either in the classroom or via

webinar, or by mixing both methods.

Hardware learning (practical part) may also be

done differently. Depending on the course some

assignments may be completed:

− remotely, using appropriate software (such as

online simulators or remote desktops). It especially

efficient, when students are taking a course on

software usage, i.e. ECDIS or planned maintenance

systems;

− in a class on a simulator, i.e. bridge simulator,

engine control room simulator, lifeboat simulator,

etc. Examples are: ship handling, maritime

resource management, dynamic positioning;

− in a laboratory or at a polygon using training

equipment, i.e. switchboard, life raft, fire

extinguisher, etc. Examples are: majority of STCW

A-VI courses, BOSIET course;

− on a virtual reality (VR) simulator. VR

technologies are quickly developing and already

becoming the nearest future of the educational

process. The idea of bringing people from the same

bridge team who live in different locations on the

globe to the same virtual training room is not only

very exciting but also very cost-effective, reducing

both logistics and hardware costs.

Therefore, in our opinion, it is important to update

existing IMO model courses and develop unified

standards and guidelines for remote training,

considering:

− acceptable e-learning delivery methods (book,

CBT, webinar, etc.);

− development of online tests (time limits, number

of attempts, number of questions, etc.);

− knowledge assessment criteria (minimum pass-

mark, examination procedure, anti-fraud

procedure, appeal procedure);

− remote/classroom training ratio.

548

4 BLENDED LEARNING MODEL FOR MET

A simple blended training flowchart, which may fit a

vast majority of existing STCW courses is shown on

figure 2.

It is proposed to divide the training in 5

consequential stages. Where the first stage assumes

self-learning, when student works with the assigned

media and has to finish studying within the required

deadline.

Figure 2. Generic blended training flowchart.

On the second stage student has to take a test, and

it is up to administration or training provider to

decide, rather this test may be taken online or in

classroom and which level of supervision has to be

implemented.

Third stage is a pre-practice theoretical summary,

which also maybe mixed into fourth stage of practical

hands-on training in a form of exercise briefings or

workshops, also active learning techniques as

mentioned by Kunieda et al. (2017) may be more

applicable on this stage.

The practical assessment shall be the final and the

most important part of the blended training scheme,

where student shall actually demonstrate that gained

knowledge also allowed to gain a required skill to

approve competence.

This scheme was practically implemented by

authors during the last two years for non-mandatory

training, having many positive feedbacks both from

the students and from the industry.

5 CONCLUSIONS

We suggest to open a discussion and to harmonize the

standards for computer-based training among

different shipping companies by making use of far

advanced integration of blended learning where the

seafarer will be able to enhance his skills, improve his

knowledge level and understanding of what has

become a digitally demanding job and contribute to

enhancing of safety standards in the industry.

Big advantages of blended learning, is possibility

to work in your own pace, have access to a platform

for support (face to face through webinars or on site

while conducting practical components in the

simulator), being able to access the platform on ship

or on shore where instructors will facilitate the needs

of an individual or the company and cater to them

with greatest attention possible having only one

ultimate goal: professional, skilled and competent

seafarer for the industry.

This may be achieved by splitting conventional

training into the remote and classroom parts. Where

the theoretical material may be studied online and

practical part of the course and the final assessment

are taken at the approved training facility.

REFERENCES

Curtis J. Bonk and Charles R. Graham. 2007 Handbook of

Blended Learning: Global Perspectives, Local Designs.

Pfeiffer Publishing, CA, USA

STCW: A guide for seafarers, taking into account the 2010

Manila amendments. London: International Transport

Workers’ Federation.

STCW Consolidated Edition 2017

ICS, BIMCO Manpower Report 2015 Executive Summary

Michael F. Mascolo. 2009. Beyond student-centered and

teacher-centered pedagogy: Teaching and learning as

guided participation. Pedagogy and the Human Sciences, 1,

No. 1, 2009

X. Chen, X. Bai & Y. Xiao. 2017. The Application of E-

learning in Maritime Education and Training in China.

TransNavVol. 11 No. 2 - June 2017

Y. Kunieda, H. Kashima, H. Kido, K. Murai. 2017. Active

Learning in Maritime Education. Transnav Vol. 11 No. 1 -

March 2017

Garrison, D. R., & Vaughan, N. 2012. Blended learning in

higher education: framework, principles, and guidelines.

San Fransisco: Jossey-Bass.

IMO Model Course 6.09. 2017 Training course for the

instructors