Professional Skipper Magazine from VIP Publications

M AR I TI M E TR AIN IN G COMPETENCY BY LOUISE DEEHAN-OWEN, SENIOR LECTURER, NZ MARITIME SCHOOL M uch interest has been generated by the new set of Competencies describing the standards that need to be attained in order to be awarded the Skipper Restricted Limits, that replaces LLO and ILM. Most educational areas dealing in vocational professions have been embracing competence for many years now, but it is often misunderstood. So what is the difference between the older Syllabi and the new Competence Standards? Competence is focused on what you can do, not on what you know, measuring your ability to perform a task to a prescribed standard. To be able to do this you do need some knowledge, but the assessment or demonstration of competence through doing, integrates the knowledge within the task. It is often said that this underpins the ability to perform the task. The move to competence is really a product-based approach. It is based on a needs diagnosis of the industry or workplace. It defines the skills that you need to have to do the job, and to attain the outcome (Licence), you must demonstrate your abilities to the prescribed standard. This doesn���t mean knowledge is not required nor prescribed, as it is, but the emphasis is on proving a task-based outcome in a given context. This then demonstrates the application of knowledge by action. Competence based assessment then becomes a link between the learning and the tasks demanded by the workplace. Examples for comparison between the old knowledge based syllabi and the new competence system include the move from the > statement ���Describe the fuel filling procedure���, to ���Bunker/fuel the vessel under supervision���. This statement will also come with prescribed standards and underpinning knowledge. This means that the candidate has to know about the bunkering procedure and its hazards, understand the equipment needed for this operation and its use, but ultimately they have to be able to bunker the vessel safely without incident. To assist with the embedding of competence and task-based learning in the maritime industry, task books or evidence portfolios are used. These are testament that the learner has partaken in, or undertaken, a task or activity on the vessel. When this is linked to institution based training, much deeper learning is achieved and there is a greater transfer of learning back to the workplace. Competence is continued at an institution level, as just talking about doing, no longer holds validity. Pedagogical practice places much emphasis on student being engaged in ���doing���, at least 80 percent of the time that they are in a class. That ���doing���, has to produce outcome. One method is the use of simulators. These are used for both the deck and the engineering students, giving us the ability to place students safely in challenging situations they may not otherwise experience, and thereby raising their competence level, or their ability to perform the task. As with many changes there are challenges, but history has shown that the move to competence-based standards has only improved outcomes for the industries that have adopted them. We provide maritime training in the following areas: - Maritime New Zealand Licences Your ���rst choice in maritime training - Marine Engineering - STCW ���95 Basic Training - Mate and Master Yacht Licences. Maritime training designed to meet your company���s needs: - Customised training - Experienced lecturers - Flexible learning options including blended delivery for ���Inshore Launchmaster��� and ���New Zealand Offshore Watchkeeper��� Maritime New Zealand licences New Zealand Maritime School, Level 3, 2 Commerce St, Auckland on phone: 0800 744 722 email: maritime@manukau.ac.nz or visit: www.nzmaritime.com 2200 For a list of our 2013 courses or for more information, contact: VIP.WB13 13 3 - Maritime consultancy. January/February 2013 Professional Skipper 53

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