Potential of technology supported competence development for Maritime Education and Training

Abstract

The ongoing technological advances are offering new avenues of exploration for maritime education and training domain. The increase in automation and digitalization is also correspondingly changing the operational profiles for the seafarers working onboard merchant ships and their competence requirements for various functions. The approach to prepare the future workforce of seafarers will require revisitation of the existing regulations regarding competence accreditation for the seafarers and identify the barriers and opportunities digital technologies present for the maritime industry stakeholders. The novel learning solutions facilitated by the information and communication technologies (ICTs) can allow the learning to be distributed and ubiquitous. However, the skills of both maritime students and instructors will determine how efficient is the adaptation and integration of technology. This thesis, through a series of individual research studies, investigates the potential of technology supported competence development for maritime education and training domain. The overall research questions which guided the thesis were: (1) What are the emerging competence requirements for the future maritime workforce and (2) What are the opportunities and barriers for technology integration in maritime educational settings? A total of four papers constituted the empirical investigation of the thesis. The papers examined the macro and micro contexts related to the competence development, technology integration as well as the professional development of the maritime instructors. Paper-1 of the thesis examined the suitability of the present STCW regulations for Officers in Charge of a Navigational Watch. The scope of the study was narrowed down to the Table A-II/1 pertaining to the navigation officers in an operational role. An Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) of the Knowledge, Understanding and Proficiency (KUP) items, as rated on their relevancy by a sample of maritime professionals (n=109) was carried out. Furthermore, additional technical and non-technical competences for a hypothetical Degree-2 autonomous operation were listed. The results showed a new factor structure that synthesized into 11 competence themes which were rated as relevant for the future autonomous operations. These themes were identified as - (1) Position fixing and watchkeeping (2) Inspect and report defects to cargo spaces, hatch covers, and ballast tanks (3) Prevent, control and fight fires onboard (4) Contribute to safety of personnel and ships (5) Use of RADAR, ARPA, and ECDIS to maintain safety of navigation (6) Application of leadership and teamworking skills (7) Ensure compliance with pollution prevention (8) Damage control and distress communication (9) Application of meteorological information in navigation (10) Reporting and communication (11) Manoeuvring and maintaining seaworthiness of ship. Additionally, five main novel technical competency themes emerged - IT skills, safety and security management skills, knowledge of engine room operations, electronic equipment, and system integration. With respect to non-technical skills, the respondents rated the ability to maintain situational awareness and leadership skills as particularly relevant for the future. The novel non-technical skills that could be relevant for future autonomous operations were listed as - non-routine problem solving, self-regulation capacity, critical thinking, mental readiness, systemic thinking, the ability to develop trust in teams, the ability to adjust to cultural differences, and negotiation abilities. The findings from the study could aid in the competence modelling efforts for the future maritime workforce. In paper-2 of the thesis, a survey study assessing the technology-proficiency of the maritime instructors (n=62), was carried out using a standard scale known as Technology Proficiency Self- Assessment for 21st Century (TPSA-C21). The results provided scores for the self-rated proficiency of the maritime instructors along six technical dimensions such as – Email, World- Wide Web (WWW), emerging tools, integrated applications, teaching with technology and teaching with emerging technology. Additionally, the data regarding the Level of Use (LoU) of various ICTs as per the Concern Based Adoption Model (CBAM) in maritime classrooms were collected. The findings indicated that the maritime instructors rated their proficiency relatively lower in using Web 2.0 tools (social media/wiki/blogs) compared to other general tools available to them. Furthermore, most maritime instructors rated their use of technology in the classroom at “routine” or “mechanical” levels against the higher levels on the scale expected from them. The findings hint at the reluctance to capitalize on Web 2.0 technology affordances by the maritime instructors and shed light on potential areas of improvement with respect to higher levels of technology integration in maritime classrooms. With regard to ongoing educational innovations, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is generally discussed as having significant potential to transform learning experiences. The primary argument given towards the use of AI is related to the reduction of redundant tasks for the instructors and improving the overall efficiency. The paper-3 of the thesis attempted to provide proof of concept for adopting and using artificial intelligence (AI) in maritime classrooms. For this purpose, a conversational agent or chatbot for training the Collision Avoidance Rules (COLREGs) was developed. The chatbot titled “FLOKI” was introduced to the 2nd year Bachelor in nautical science students (n=18), and data regarding its usability was collected through the standardized System Usability Scale (SUS). The chatbot FLOKI received a score of 73.72 on the SUS questionnaire, which indicates an above-average performance in terms of perceived usability. No significant differences were observed in the responses by the students who had prior experience with navigation or chatbot interaction compared to those who lacked these experiences. However, an important result from the paper was also with respect to designing a distributed learning solution and demonstrating the use of a constructivist learning approach through the AI Chabot. The study intended to stimulate discussions around the pragmatic use of AI by the MET stakeholders. Paper-4 of the thesis discussed the generic competence requirements for maritime students due to the impact of Industry 4.0 and digitalization. These skills are commonly referred to as the 21stcentury skills. The final study in the thesis was carried out to measure one of the critical skills as per the 21st-century skills framework for education, namely the digital skills for maritime students. The standardized scale known as the Youth Digital Skills Indicator (yDSI) was utilized for this purpose, and the digital skills of a sample of maritime students (n=234) from B.Sc. nautical sciences and B.Sc. marine engineering disciplines, were measured along four dimensions – information navigation and processing skills, technical and operational skills, communication and interaction skills, and content creation and production skills. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was also carried out for evaluation of the factor structure of the scale. The results indicated that the students had relatively lower levels of information processing and content creation skills compared to other dimensions. In the increasingly digitalized learning and working environments, the lower levels of digital skills in these dimensions could result in the limited capitalization of distributed learning modes by the students and presents itself as another avenue requiring targeted efforts by the MET stakeholders. Through a mixed method design and use of standard scales predominantly from the learning sciences discipline, the thesis provided empirical evidence related to the novel competence requirements for seafarers, the level of technical skills of maritime trainees/instructors, and the theoretical structure of measurement models where applicable. In conclusion, the thesis advocates revisiting the technical competence requirements for seafarers and evaluating the suitability of existing competence themes under the STCW regulations. The growing importance of nontechnical skills is also discussed. Furthermore, the role of distributed learning solutions that would be relevant to address the novel competence requirements is investigated. While discussing the technological affordances through digitalization, parallel consideration of relevant theoretical perspectives, such as the socio-constructivist view to complement existing practices, is suggested. The findings have implications for the maritime education and training stakeholders regarding contributing towards the ongoing discussions for the effective integration of technology in maritime classrooms and competence modelling for future seafarers. Based on the findings, areas of future research related to competence requirements for seafarers in different roles, alternative methodologies, and comparison of data from other geographical regions are suggested.