Page 10: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (November 2021)

Training Tips for Ships

Tip #30

Breaking Down the

Training Silos © tashatuvango/AdobeStock ince the late 1990’s the training community has under- vent organizations from providing truly excellent training. I’ll stood the power of blended learning. Blended learning cover the ? rst one, integrated training, in this edition of Train- combines in-person and on-line training to produce bet- ing Tips for Ships.

ter outcomes and a higher degree of trainee satisfaction. Fundamentally, Integrated training recognizes that all train-

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While very successful, blended learning is in fact a narrowly ing experiences relate to one another and can bene? t from this focused technique which hints at a much more holistic and relationship. This has long been recognized in universities powerful training philosophy and practice, that of integrated or and colleges where integrated programs such as “Science 1” “end to end” training. What is integrated training? or “Arts 1” have been created to capitalize on this relationship

We typically think of (and operate) our various training ac- and generate extraordinary learning outcomes and experiences. tivities as mostly separate endeavors. Our mariners take their In these programs, instead of taking 4 or 5 separate introduc- courses when they are due, and they receive a grade. They trav- tory classes in (for example) Science, students participate in a el for simulator training when scheduled and receive a certi? - single, term-long integrated experience where instructors from cate when it’s successfully completed. Drills and exercises are different science disciplines work together to collectively ap- practiced on-board when required and participation is recorded. proach related science topics from their own distinct vantage

And all too often, these training experiences are undertaken as point. In Science, this means that a chemist, physicist and biolo- separate events, and are designed, organized, and conducted by gist might work together in a course to explain an evolutionary different people in separate sub-departments of corporate train- process from each of their three perspectives. Thus, rather than ing. Each is in its own silo despite the reality that training topics have one instructor teach one narrow aspect of a mechanism of and activities are never independent of one another. evolution, evolution is taught as a process composed of many

This “siloing” creates two missed opportunities which pre- integrated components, examined concurrently from multiple 10 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • November 2021

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