Opportunities for active learning in the course of marine English

Abstract

The necessity for higher education institutions to attach more importance to developing students’ skills of critical and creative thinking, communication and collaboration dictated by current circumstances, leads faculty members to implementing active learning and, thus, to becoming aware of its structural elements. The concept of active learning and importance of defining its structural elements for teaching Maritime English is dwelt on. Some peculiarities of using the active learning strategy at different stages of Maritime English course at a maritime training institution are touched upon in the article. Use of learning activities requiring high order thinking skills and development of students’ ability to reflect on the practicability of the activities done and the outcomes of personal learning are paid special attention to. It is noted that the research is based on observing the training process at the lessons by Maritime English faculty, comparing the activities used at different lesson stages with students of various years of study, analyzing lesson plans and conducting discussions with the Maritime English faculty as for possibilities of implementing the active learning strategy. Some barriers on the way to the systematic use of the active learning strategy as well as active learning methods used at practical lessons are characterized. Some of the major barriers listed can be classified as teachers’ personal attitude and educational environment characteristics as well as the inconsistency between the summative assessment of knowledge and understanding and modern trends aimed at developing students’ high order thinking skills. The author’s considerations as for possibilities of using active learning methods in the format of blended learning and peculiarities of reflective tasks in the Maritime English course are also presented. It is pointed out that the faculty who decide to implement active learning methods should come to their own understanding of this strategy in the conditions of a training course for specific purposes.