An Exploration of the Theoretical Foundations of Onboard Seafarer Training: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

: At the core of the shipping enterprise is the competence of the crew of the ships. For this reason, the international community (particularly as represented by the International Maritime Organization (IMO)) has always endeavoured to ensure that seafarer education and training is as optimal as can be achiev ed by the glo bal community of nations. A variety of elements are normally associated wit h such education and training. They include educational elements conducted ashore in maritime education and training institutions (classroom-based lectures, laboratory exercises and simulators, for example) as well as training conducted on board a ship in service. It has been well recognised that one of the most effective means of practical training for seafarers is the training conducted on board ships, so-called “onboard training”. There is, however, a wide range of approaches taken by different jurisdictions in their application of specific strategies for onboard training. The approaches may differ in timing (at what stage of the educational process onboard training is conducted) a nd duration (how long the training is carried out), for example. These diff erences exist even though onboard training itself may be argued to universally derive its primary philosophical basis from the learning theories of situated learning and cognitive apprenticeship. To identify the rationale and factors informing different approaches to the implementation of onboard training from a theoretical perspective (establish a theoretical framework), and thereby to set the stage for the interrogation of how thes e approaches will address the challenges of the future (arising, for exampl e, from the acceleration of technologically-mediated education and training), it is necessary to, first of all, examine how apprenticeship and on -the-job training have been perceived in the theoretical literature inside or outside the maritime domain and h ow the different approaches are informed by these theories. This paper, therefore, employed a systematic literature review to identify the theoretical foundation of on-the-job training and apprenticeship. Objective: To explore theoretical foundations of apprenticeship/on-the-job training and how they may apply to onboard training in the maritime industry. Methods: The authors conducted an electronic literature search wit h specified selection criteria for inclusion/exclusion using two databases - EBSCO