STUDENT READINESS AND CHALLENGES IN THE ONLINE MARITIME ENGLISH LEARNING: VOICES OF MANAGEMENT LEVEL SEAFARERS

Abstract

The increasing adoption of blended learning in maritime education and training has opened up new opportunities for students to learn, including in the area of maritime English. This study, involving 100 deck and engine officers enrolled in a management-level Seafarer Upgrading Program, aimed to investigate their readiness for online maritime English learning, identify the challenges they face, and their willingness for future online maritime English learning. A quantitative analysis of online learning readiness was conducted using a previously validated questionnaire. The results indicated an overall readiness level of 4.14 out of 5, which falls within the high category. Individual differences were further explored and analyzed. Qualitative analysis revealed four categories of challenges faced by learners: technical challenges, learning environment-related challenges, learning process challenges, and self-control challenges. While the highest level of readiness was found in learners' motivation for online learning, they still encountered frequent connectivity issues. The study provides insights for educational development to continue innovating in online maritime English learning. Participants expressed their willingness and positive perceptions of blended learning but emphasized the need for careful consideration of online and face-to-face instruction duration.