Tip #60 - AI & Maritime Trainers ... "Watch Your Back ... " [Part II]
Training Tips for Ships [#60]Last month’s Training Tips for Ships discussed the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the future of maritime training. My thoughts on this were triggered by the recent headline in the Financial Times: “Andreessen Horowitz raises $7.2bn and sets sights on AI start-ups“. Andreessen Horowitz is one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent venture capital firms and they are seeing fit to deeply invest in the burgeoning AI revolution. Typically, this means change is upon us on a timescale that is now very meaningful to us. As I said in last
Tip #59 – AI to Maritime Trainers: "Watch Your Back …"
Last week’s headline in the Financial Times was startling to me: “Andreessen Horowitz raises $7.2bn and sets sights on AI start-ups“. Oh boy. Andreessen Horowitz is one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent venture capital firms with an eye for investing in the next generation of tech companies that will change our lives. Their new fund tells us that the people who know the science of AI now believe it is poised to make an outsized global impact. AI is no longer a “tomorrow” thing. It is a “today” thing. And it may not be long until we start to
ChatGPT & Maritime Training: Steps to Harness the Power
By now we have all heard about ChatGPT, an example of a “Large Language Model” technology which is remarkable in its ability to generate human-like responses to questions we ask of it. But is ChatGPT primarily a novelty, or can it provide real value in terms of its ability to create content? In my personal experience with ChatGPT, the answer is far closer to the latter than the former - but with some caveats. In this edition of Training Tips for Ships, we'll explore the steps required to harness the power of ChatGPT to generate engaging and effective maritime training materials. It is
Training Tips for Ships - Tip #42 - What’s the Point of Testing? (Part I)
We talk a lot about assessment and how to get it right. But in order to make good decisions about testing, we have to understand why we test in the first place - and the answer is not what most people think. This is a problem because knowing the answer is critical to designing an effective training and assessment program. It informs all aspects of testing from the length and makeup of tests to what we test, how we test, when we test, and whether a test needs to be proctored.When asked why we test trainees, most will provide an answer along the lines of “to see if they know the required knowledge
Training Tips for Ships: Choosing e-Learning Media ... It’s All About Outcomes!
In the previous edition of Training Tips for Ships we discussed the choice of media for learning materials and which media would lead to the best results. Is it text? Images? Videos? Interactive exercises and simulations? All too commonly it is claimed that interactive media with fancy (and expensive) graphics will produce better learning outcomes. The reality is not nearly so simple. So, how do we choose? It’s not hard.The first question we should be asking is not one of media choice, but instead is one of learning outcomes. Do we want the trainee to internalize some knowledge or a concept? Or
Training Tips for Ships #33: Excellent Training is Never an Accident
The principles of continuous improvement are well known in the arenas of quality and management. Yet very few training centers and operators apply these simple principles to the management of their training programs. Being deliberate and thoughtful about training quality requires very little effort, yet is one of the most impactful activities that can be undertaken. Even a modest program can result in a higher degree of employee professionalism, in better trainee satisfaction, and in improved, safer performance. So how do we apply the principle of continuous improvement to our training programs?Continuo
Training Tips for Ships: Are Mariners Knowledge Workers?
What is the difference between knowledge and skills? Which should we focus more on in our training, and how does one influence the other?When we think about the most important mariner quality, often the first thing that comes to mind is skill. Can the officer or crewmember safely perform the skills required of him or her? After all, if everyone performs their necessary skills correctly, what more is there?There is, in fact, much more. Let’s see what the experts have to say:“A study by the U.S. Coast Guard found many areas where the industry can improve safety and performance … the
Maritime Training Insights – MarTID 2021 Report Available
As trainers in the maritime industry, we benefit from the sharing of information. Understanding what training trends are emerging, how training budgets are growing (or shrinking), what training models are on the rise or decline, and how the world pandemic has affected training operations is all of great important to us. Having a global understanding of these questions and more allows us to improve based on best practice, and to prepare for the future in a way we could not possibly achieve in isolation.It is our belief in this basic truth that incentivized the World Maritime University, New Wave Media
Training Tips for Ships - Tip #24: For your Disaster Recovery Plan, Hope for the Best; Plan for the Worst
Very few people live day-to-day expecting a disaster. However, disasters do happen and a critical component of business continuity is ensuring that when disaster strikes, our critical systems are returned to normal operations as quickly and efficiently as possible. Last month’s training tips for ships discussed a catastrophic fire that occurred in France last month at one of the world’s largest data centres. This fire took millions of websites offline including the Learning Management System (LMS) for one of the world’s largest cruise lines. LMSs are business-critical in that
Training Tips For Ships - Tip #23: Is Your Training Technology Disaster-Ready?
A customer once told me that they had just completed a business continuity analysis and had identified their LMS as their second most mission-critical technology - second only to payroll! Take a moment to consider how much you rely on training technologies to sustain your operations and compliance. How long could you comfortably go without your employees having access to training? How long could you go without access to your compliance records or your employees’ certificates? Since training (and proof of training) is required for compliance and safe operations, the answer is typically “not
VIDEO: MarTID 2021 ... A Call to Action for Global Survey of Maritime Training Practices
The 2021 Maritime Training Insights Database (MarTID) survey is about to be launched. This is a unique and pivotal time in maritime training. The pandemic has forced us to adapt our training and has accelerated training innovations. This year’s survey is uniquely important for its ability to help us learn from these unprecedented changes to training practices. If we do not survey and document the changes resulting from the pandemic, we lose a unique opportunity to learn. Therefore, the industry needs you to take 20 minutes to complete the survey at www.MarTID.org. Your contribution will enable
Training Tips for Ships - Tip #20: Training in the Age of Data
As we greet 2021, it seems fitting to address a “big” topic - a topic that is ultimately going to change everything, including (and perhaps especially) training. The topic is “big data”. The goal of today’s Training Tip for Ships is to get us thinking about big data in training. If we understand it, we can lay the groundwork to take advantage of it.We are in the data age – and this is especially important for training. Everything we do can be done more efficiently and more effectively by understanding it more deeply. In the case of training, how do we understand
Training Tips for Ships - Tip #19: Assess Always
In last month’s Training Tips for Ships, we spoke about the value of creating a culture of learning. Even though many organizations have yet to achieve a healthy learning culture, the concept itself is not controversial. The value is self-evident and universally understood.This month, we go a little further to discuss a culture of assessment. And while some readers may bristle at the idea of near-ubiquitous workplace assessment, the idea is a natural consequence of implementing a culture of learning. How can a culture of learning be shown to be effective if we do not assess? It cannot be. Here
Training Tips for Ships - Tip #18: Creating a Culture of Learning
We all think about how to train to produce better outcomes – because better training outcomes mean better performance, safer operations, and employees who are more engaged and more satisfied. But there is a much “bigger picture” goal that only the most thoughtful of maritime organizations work to achieve. That goal is to create a “culture of learning”.It is a little hard to express a concrete definition for a culture of learning, but it is amazing how clear and powerful it is when you experience it. In an organization with a strong learning culture, personal and professiona
VIDEO: SkillGrader Takes Officer, Crew Skills Assessment to the Next Level
Systems introduces SkillGrader, a mobile application designed to enable vessel operators and training institutions to objectively evaluate officer and crew skills, and to generate instant reports on workforce insights.“SkillGrader completes the learning technologies picture," said Murray Goldberg, founder and CEO of Marine Learning Systems. "For some time now, we have had tools to help teach and assess knowledge – the Learning Management System, and tools to help teach skills – simulation, AR and VR. Now we have technology that allows us to capture reliable, objective
Marine Learning Systems Launches SkillGrader
For some time now, we have had tools to help teach and assess knowledge – the Learning Management System, and tools to help teach skills – simulation, AR and VR. Now, finally, we have technology that allows us to capture reliable, objective and actionable data on crew skills,” said Murray Goldberg, founder and CEO of Marine Learning Systems. “Operators will gain visibility into workforce trends and risks, allowing them to target training and address issues to improve safety and operational performance.”SkillGrader can help vessel operators and maritime training institutions
Training Tips for Ships Tip #17: Getting Serious About Assessing Skills
Ours is both a knowledge-based and skill-based industry. We know this. Yet our training does not address both aspects equally. And until it does, we are needlessly sacrificing safety and performance. There is more we can do.Maritime workers require a high degree of both knowledge and skills to perform efficiently and safely. Knowledge enables officers and crew to react intelligently to novel situations and to operate safely in challenging environments. Yet knowledge, while necessary, is not sufficient for safe and performant operations. In addition to knowledge, nearly every position on board requires
