Didactic possibilities of low-fi simulation in virtual bridge-team ...

Didactic possibilities of low-fi simulation in virtual bridge-team communication exercises I M E C 2 6 , 7 – 1 0 J u l y, 2 0 1 4 M a r i t i e m I n s t i t u u t Wi l l e m B a r e n t s z , Te r s c h e l l i n g , T h e N e t h e r l a n d s Alison Noble, A n t w e r p M a r i t i m e A c a d e m y, ( B e l g i u m ) Pe t e r B j ö r k r o t h , N o v i a U n i v e r s i t y o f Applied Sciences (Finland) Pe t e r J o h n , J a d e U n i v e r s i t y o f A p p l i e d Sciences (Germany)

Aims and objectives

1.

simulate bridge team interaction in a low-fi simulation

2.

begin collecting a corpus of Maritime English for further analysis (make use of SMCP measurable!)

3.

investigate didactic possiblities empirically (i.e. measure effect of briefing on relevant SMCP phrases)

Part I: Low-fi simulation exercise

Cadets in Belgium, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Portugal, Slovenia and Sweden assessed a traffic situation ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢

as a bridge team on board a ship in the Dover Strait in mixed nationality groups, in writing, on-line (via the Adobe Connect Pro software), anonymously.

Part I: Low-fi simulation exercise

Participants: ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢

a total of 212 cadets, distributed to 77 bridge teams, 17 different mother tongues, age range 18 to 38 years, of mixed gender.

Part I: Low-fi simulation exercise Scenario: One of the vessels, MV Autobalt, on which the bridge team is navigating, is ➢ ➢

in the process of overtaking a hampered vessel and also encountering a vessel crossing from port. The participants’ vessel may thus be considered both a stand-on vessel and a give-way vessel.

Part I: Low-fi simulation exercise The exercise consisted of three slides showing how the traffic situation evolved. Each slide was shown for 10 minutes, and the students were instructed to assess the situation, agree on their next maneuvre and express it, e.g. INTENTION: I intend to decrease speed and turn ten degrees to port.

Part I: Low-fi simulation exercise Scenario (fig 1):

Part I: Low-fi simulation exercise Scenario (fig 2):

Part I: Low-fi simulation exercise Scenario (fig 3):

Part I: Low-fi simulation exercise

➢

➢

➢

➢

Communication: 54,453 words in total mean = 714 words in 30min exercise (SD=374), i.e. 2.5 words per team and second. Very similar to communication recorded in full-mission simulation High degree of fidelity: ”anyway I still think our vectors will cross” (team 2)

Part I: Low-fi simulation exercise

➢

The different bridge teams were all on M/V Autobalt,

➢

no roles such as master, mate, pilot were assigned,

➢

➢

in some teams no instructions were given as to the language to be used while others had received a brieding on relevant SMCP prior to the exercise, Leading to two different samples analysed: briefed and non-briefed

Part II: Data collection & analysis Group A, briefing on

...

Group B briefing on

SMCP markers terms to describe positions correct use of numbers other relevant terms (fairway, give way, stand on, etc)

Part II: Data collection & analysis Group A (non-briefed)

132 cadets 43,465 words in total x=329 per participant

Group B (briefed)

80 cadets 11,559 words in total x=144 per participant

Mann-Whitney-U test (non-parametric) p=0.09, significant at α=0.1

Part II: Data collection & analysis

Part II: Data collection & analysis Group A (non-briefed)

132 cadets 12,654 key words in total ratio=0.29113

Group B (briefed)

80 cadets 3,367 key words in total ratio=0.29129

Mann-Whitney-U test (non-parametric) p=0.2, null hypothesis accepted

Part II: Data collection & analysis

Part II: Data collection & analysis Findings of group comparison: ➢

no significant difference in key word use

➢

no significant difference in grammar diversity

➢

BUT: significantly higher word production without briefing

Part III: Pedagogical opportunities Low-fi simulation as a constructivist teaching method: ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢

active, democratic, inter-active & student-centred.

It provides ”interactive, complimentary activities that enable individuals to address unique learning interests and needs, multiple levels of complexity and deepen understanding” (Hannafin & Land, 1997)

Part III: Pedagogical opportunities Low-fi simulation is an inexpensive tool half way between: ➢ ➢

a classroom environment, a full-mission simulation.

Low-fi simulation offers a sufficiently realistic environment for practising maritime communication.

Part III: Pedagogical opportunities ... and it opens opens up new perspectives for empirical research.

Future waypoints Participation of Maritime Universities in low-fi simulation. Offer a Corpus of Maritime English for future research, development of teaching materials and assessment.