COLLABORATIVE LEARNING FOR COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT

Notwithstanding the remarkable progress made in the reduction of accidents involving ships, its personnel, shore facilities and the marine environment the accidents of disastrous consequences still occur with loss of valuable life and damage to property. One of the accident causation factors, as identified by safety investigations of accidents and aetiological research, points to the deficiency in the competence of shipboard personnel.

Although minimum standards of seafarers’ competence have been specified and internationally agreed through the implementation of International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch-keeping of Seafarers (STCW), there still exists a wide diversity in the global maritime education and training (MET) standards. While the convention gives some guidelines on the standards of necessary competence and its assessment, it is silent on the actual contents and the method of delivery of curricula. Prevailing methods of MET and its assessment engender conditions that do not promote appreciation of deep learning and comprehension of taught material.

This paper looks at various features of collaborative learning methods with a view to examine feasibility of its application to MET and possible advantages driven from its application to enhance competence of seafarers.