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www.marinelink.com 37and procedures which need to be taught. When these modules are entered into the LMS database, they are tagged with the positions, vessels or routes (or any combination of the above) to which they apply. Now, as described above, when a learner speciÞ es their position, vessel and route, the LMS software gathers all the relevant learning modules and, us-ing a ?framework?, assembles them into a customized training document which can be delivered to the trainee.Now perhaps the advantages to the training organization become more clear. First, in a ß eet of 50 vessels, it is not necessary to write a separate, complete training program for each vessel. In-stead, each procedure or piece of equip-ment to be trained is documented only once in one small module, and then that module is tagged to indicate which ves-sels, positions, etc. it applies to. There is no redundant work required.More importantly, maintenance of the courses is now very manageable. If a vessel has its ECDIS machine swapped out for another, all that is required is the changing of one tag in the LMS database to indicate which ECDIS machine now applies to that vessel. From that point on, training for that vessel will encompass the correct ECDIS machine. Likewise, if the training for one procedure or one class of ECDIS machine is updated to reß ect some new information or an im- proved training approach, only that one learning module needs to be updated, no matter how many vessels or positions that one module is relevant to. From that point on, all trainees in positions or on vessels to which that learning module applies will immediately have the im-proved training experience. It is in this way that deep vessel-speciÞ c training is made possible and practical by an LMS which supports adaptive learning. The BC Ferries PerspectiveAdaptive learning has been an impor- tant tool in the implementation of BC Ferries new approach to training called the ?Standardized Education and Assess-ment program?. According to Jeff Joyce, Director of Fleet Operations at BC Fer- ries:?The Standardized Education and As- sessment (SEA) program is a fundamen-tal safety enabler from both the training and employee engagement perspectives.Being able to easily tailor programs for each learner ensures relevant, precise and targeted teaching is taking place. This, coupled with equally surgical ex- amination questions and processes en-sures that the learner, upon successful completion of the multi-modal clearance process, is fully capable of safely car- rying out his or her duties and thereby provides real value to the greater team. Viewed from a different perspective, the Master looking at his or her teams on the bridge and at the mooring stations can be conÞ dent that all deckhands who have gone through this program have had equal opportunity to learn all req-uisite knowledge. The larger team also collectively knows that the SEA gradu- ates have proven to themselves and their shipmates that they have the knowledge (and equally important, the conÞ dence) to proactively participate in all evolu-tions, be they routine or unforeseen. The corollary beneÞ t of BC Ferries SEA program, which so ably leverages adaptive learning, is that the mainte-nance and upkeep of the program is actu-ally completed by the vessel subject mat-ter experts (SMEs), thereby sustaining the engagement of these employees on the deck plates - the SMEs are enabled to keep the material relevant and then reap the rewards of their efforts by working side-by-side with their shipmates who have completed SEA training. This process of quality training material be-ing delivered and maintained by SMEs results in conÞ dent, capable graduates. These new teammates frequently be-come engaged trainers themselves once they?ve honed their knowledge and skills with experience...resulting not only in an almost self-sustaining cycle of training success, but more fundamentally, safer operations and enhanced customer ser- vice.?ConclusionThe advantages of adaptive learning to maritime industry training cannot be overstated. Properly applied, it makes vessel-speciÞ c training not only pos-sible, but also highly practical and sus-tainable where previously it was neither. Given the importance of vessel-speciÞ c training in this era of ever increasing complexity of vessel systems and pro-cedures, this technique is one which is critically important now and will only increase in utility and applicability as time marches on. Murray Goldberg is CEO of Marine Learning Systems (www.Mari- neLS.com). An eLearning researcher and developer, his software has been used by 14 million people worldwide. Email: Murray@MarineLS.com Jeff Joyce is responsible for Fleet Operations and the SEA Pro- gram at BC Ferries. He is keenly interested in developing sustain- able learning practices in the marine industry. Email: Jeff.Joyce@bcferries.com MR #3 (34-41).indd 37MR #3 (34-41).indd 372/26/2013 4:25:13 PM2/26/2013 4:25:13 PM
