engleski

From Comfort Zone to Growth Zone in the Context of Maritime Education and Training

When former seafarers become educators after years of navigation they leave what became their familiar environment and expose themselves to new levels of stress. At sea they have skills in their particular job they are trained for. However, those who become educators now have a different role where they impart their knowledge to a completely different audience. This is where seafarers-educators challenge themselves and go beyond their comfort zone. They have to develop a new set of skills and competencies in order to become "appropriately qualified for the particular types and levels of training or assessment of competence of seafarers either on board or ashore", as set forth in the STCW Code Part A. On the other hand, teachers of English for specific purposes (ESP) have a very difficult task of teaching subject-specific Maritime English. The role of ESP teachers is to provide students with a powerful means that will help them grow in their career. Hence, ESP teachers have to be competent to bestow on students the knowledge of general and maritime English. Against this background, it is a venture for seafarers to enter the world of teaching and for English language teachers to enter the world of maritime education and training. For both sides this implies leaving their comfort zone, and if they want their educational engagement to carry great weight then they will propel themselves into the growth zone with their constant professional development. This article gives an overview of responses provided by WMU educators on the topic of education and training in MET institutions. The data were collected by means of a questionnaire. The main focus was on IMO Model Courses, educators‘ training and qualifications. This paper brings to light the most important conclusions and recommendations supported by the findings.

seafarers-educators ; ESP teachers ; STCW ; IMO Model Courses

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