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Learning and Learning-to-Learn by Doing: An Experiential Learning Approach for Integrating Human Factors into Maritime Design Education

There is a growing awareness in the marine industry that human factors need to be considered in ship design if seafarers are to operate ships and systems safely and effectively. However, according to literature, the ship design practice today does not show explicit consideration of the end-users. This is mostly due to the ship designers’ lack of awareness and understanding about Maritime Human Factors (HF), Human Centred Design (HCD), and the operational issues that ships’ crew are facing during their sea time. This lack of knowledge can be traced back to the current educational system, which does not provide knowledge on HF, HCD approach, and maritime HF issues. 
  
The authors conducted this study aiming to integrate HF and HCD knowledge into maritime design students’ educational platform and to motivate them to utilise this knowledge in their designs. Naval architecture students at the Australian Maritime College (AMC) were the participants of this study. Firstly, a classroom survey was conducted to determine the students current level of awareness and understanding of maritime HF and HCD. Then, an onboard survey was conducted after five HF-related activities during a seven-day voyage onboard MV Bluefin, which is the research vessel of AMC. The onboard activities provided the students with an opportunity for experiencing experiential learning including all its key elements based on Kolb’s experiential learning model. 
  
The findings demonstrate how students’ onboard experiences influence their learning process by doing, discovering, reflecting, and applying. Students’ understanding of HF issues and the importance of the HCD approach was influenced during the onboard activities. They learned HF theoretical knowledge as an essential addition to their undergraduate curriculum. The results further highlight the experiential learning as a “paradigm of noteworthy learning” that supports multiple learning objectives for learners, including shaping their knowledge through experience.  