Abstract
This report explores the various types of education at sea. It asks: What unique learning dimensions does education at sea offer, and what are the implications for the design of at-sea education? Why education at sea? What does it accomplish? I also attempt to understand the psychological and emotional experience as well as the character development influenced by the sea, its physical demands, the adventure and the danger that one is exposed to. I have used phenomenology for the experiential essence of learning at sea. To form my understanding and help define the term education at sea, the experience of the individual had to be related. My approach to this topic was a post-positivist mindset. I chose this approach because there are different kinds of education at sea for different kinds of people and goals. All of their realities are different even though it comprises experiential education at sea. Also, the sea is changing all the time, maritime regulations are changing, and the culture of the sea is changing through globalization. All of this affects our daily life at sea and the agency that defines, regulates and sets the industry standards. This makes one reality and one theory very fallible. To standardize a concept such as education at sea may be a different reality elsewhere, and is biased based on that researcher's reality. I have discovered five basic types of education at sea and the learning relationships between them. My research will be useful to education administrators, marine industry management, maritime education entities and industry regulators. The science education and character development communities will find it valuable to improve the quality of data and to continue the on-going process of experiential learning under challenging conditions.
Recommended Citation
Mooney, Orville E., "Experiential learning at sea" (2005). Capstone Collection. 350.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/capstones/350