The course delivery and assessments are through computer mediation. The students use a Knowledgebase Package [CmapTools] and an online LAN-based Assessment System [ExamView] for their learning.
The skill & proficiency training is imparted by a PC-based networked Steam Propulsion Simulator running on dual fuel system [HFO & LNG Boil-off]
The course coverage, learning processes and some of the distinctive features are described below:
- The content coverage is shown in the following diagram:
Content is presented to the learners through graphical interfaces. An example of the same is given below:
Instead of top-down PowerPoint-based lectures, the learning sessions are conducted in an interactive manner. As an example the students created the following classification and content organization for Boiler Protection:
- The facilitator introduced the topic of boiler protection. Subsequently the students identified the important issues (subtopics) in boiler protection. Using CmapTools the students developed the graphic representations. Later the students added resources to these subtopics (documents, graphics etc), which further clarified the topic to the learners.
- The learning process could be seen as the deconstruction of the content and subsequent reconstruction with a graphical overview.
- The end result is a knowledge base, which is to be reused in future and thus these learning processes enrich the course content incrementally by each cohort.
- The following pictures shows one of the learning sessions at the Steam Simulation Lab, Singapore Maritime Academy with Mr Zulfiqur Husain, Maritime Port Authority Surveyor auditing the session. The bottom picture is screen shot of the steam propulsion simulator.
- The students were given 10 to 12 online assignments each week for formative assessment. The figure shows some these online assessments on the server:
- ExamView, the software suite used for online assessment development has 14 different types of objective questions. The following diagram shows a part of the development screen and a part of the question on turbine:
