Online teaching has been growing for many years, but the COVID19 pandemic has accelerated the process of change to Online learning/ Online teaching and so the teaching strategies used traditionally by sea schools have to change as well.
Teaching at sea schools comes with its own set of challenges, given the unique environment and circumstances. Whether you’re instructing maritime-related subjects, navigation, or other topics specific to sea schools, here are some tailored online teaching strategies:
Aspects to consider are:
Decide which form of online teaching you want to use
Different options are:
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- Pure online course where the students learn in self studies
- Hybrid online teaching: the instructor provides online lessons and combines them with other online material that has to be learned in self-studies
- Presential online teaching: the courses are held like classroom courses, only online, using a videocall platform and other online tools.
Find and utilize the right tools for your needs
Check what is on the market, use either existing online courses or develop your own online courses. Online software such as Articulate Rise is an easy-to-use tool that provides professional online courses for self-studies or hybrid online teaching.
Moodle is a well-known Learning management system (LMS) to present online courses, also giving the instructor a “back-end” function to control the learning processes.)
Presential online courses can use videocall applications such as Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, Webex or Microsoft Teams and many others.
Collaborate with fellow educators and identify specific needs to find and implement the best tools for your classroom.
Develop teaching strategies that fit into your teaching method and teaching tools
Different options are:
a) Interactive Simulations:
– Use maritime simulation software to recreate realistic scenarios related to navigation, boat handling, ColRegs and emergency situations.
– Virtual simulations can provide hands-on experience without the need for physical equipment.
b). Virtual Tours:
– Organize virtual tours or make videos of boats or marina facilities to give students a practical understanding of their future workplace.
c). Live Demonstrations:
– Conduct live demonstrations of navigation exercises, safety equipment, navigation tools, knots, or safety procedures using video conferencing tools.
– Allow students to ask questions and interact in real-time.
d). Case Studies and Practical Applications:
– Integrate real-life case studies and practical applications related to maritime operations.
– Discuss challenges and problem-solving strategies for scenarios encountered at sea.
e). Collaborative Projects:
– Encourage students to work together virtually to develop teamwork and communication skills.
– Foster a sense of community among sea school students through online forums, discussion boards, or social media groups.
– Encourage networking and collaboration beyond the virtual classroom.
f). Regular Check-ins and student support:
– Schedule regular one-on-one check-ins with students to address any concerns or questions.
g). Resource Accessibility:
– Ensure that course materials are accessible to students with varying internet connectivity and different hardware (PC, laptop, tablet, etc)
– Provide downloadable resources and offline access to essential materials.