All day
Vestfold, Forskningsparken, auditorium F2-20
Amit Sharma will be defendeing his thesis for the degree of philosophiae doctor (PhD) in the National joint ph.d. Programme in Nautical Operations at the University of South-Eastern Norway.
The title of the thesis: Potential of technology supported competence development for Maritime Education and Training
You are welcome to follow the trial lecture and the public defence.
Summary
Investigation of new strategies for preparing the future maritime workforce
Amit Sharma will defend his PhD at the University of South-Eastern Norway, Campus Vestfold, with the title of the thesis “Potential of technology supported competence development for Maritime Education and Training.”
The maritime industry is witnessing rapid technological changes due to ongoing automation and digitalization. In his PhD thesis, Amit Sharma explores the novel competence requirements for seafarers and how technology can be utilized to innovate pedagogical practices in maritime classrooms. Taking the autonomous maritime operations as a case, the thesis proposes the technical and non-technical competencies that would be required to be incorporated in the educational framework to prepare the future maritime workforce. The successful integration and use of technology in teaching could promote efficiency and innovate the learning processes. However, a critical part of this process is the proficiency in digital technologies for maritime instructors and students. The research project, through the use of standard educational psychology questionnaires, identified certain areas for improvement in the skillset of maritime instructors and students, which should be addressed to realize the potential of digital technologies truly. In addition, the research project tested and presented a proof-of-concept of an Artificial Intelligence chatbot, which was developed to assist the Bachelor in nautical sciences students in learning the international regulations for preventing collisions at sea. The chatbot was tested and evaluated for its usability by maritime students. The thesis argues that developing and using distributed learning solutions such as these will be crucial for delivering 21st-century educational goals for the maritime industry.
Background
Amit Sharma has a background as navigation officer with 7 years of experience at sea onboard product tankers. He has a Bachelors in nautical sciences degree (2012) from IGNOU, New Delhi, India. He completed his Masters in maritime management with technical specialization in 2017 from the University of South-Eastern Norway, Campus Vestfold. He is a doctoral candidate in the Joint national PhD Programme in nautical operations and is mentored by Prof. Salman Nazir (USN) and Dr. Nalini Suparamaniam Kallerdahl (HVL). He is also a key team member for the Centre of Excellence in Maritime Simulator Training and Assessment (COAST) at USN.