Information Technology in Maritime Examination
Capt. Emad Islam, Mpil, Southampton Institute-U.K.
Arab Academy for Science and Technology (AAST)
Abstract
Assessment and evaluation are basic elements which determine the
performance and competency of a given system. The fact that maritime education is an
international activity that cannot be validated within national boundaries, initiated the
need for the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to engineer and outline an
international maritime education system; as was reflected in the International Convention
on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) of 1978; and
also to establish the IMO model courses which are internationally implemented by maritime
schools, institutes and colleges worldwide; thus setting solid grounds for global maritime
education. The only limitation - in this respect is that the STCW confined educational and
competency assessment to only examinations.
This paper highlights and analyses a number of examination procedures
followed by some countries, particularly written examinations; in an attempt to set
standard parameters for question setting and selection. The paper focuses, as well, on
computerizing the whole procedure of question selection drawn from a databank of questions
according to a set of proposed rules and regulations.
The implementation and objectivity of this proposed approach will
complement the IMO global concept of establishing a standard maritime education, setting
internationally recognized courses; and finally reaching a global assessment tool based
on: databank and a computer programme which determines questions and examinations
according to a pre-analyzed standard set of procedures which ensures reliability and
validity as well as security.
