4 minute read
ON COURSE FOR SUCCESS
Image: Paul Wyeth
UKSA’s MCA training manager, Gregor McGowan, explains the development of the charity’s online training since the start of the pandemic…
UKSA, a non-profit organisation which believes in harnessing the power of the sea to make a positive difference, delivers training both on-site and online.
Our senior lectures have been delivering bespoke preparation courses for students studying for their MCA certificate of competency oral exams for many years using online platforms such as Skype and Zoom.
When the pandemic first started, I decided to see if I could develop other courses which could be run online due to the closure of our site. UKSA had been delivering RYA training for navigation courses such as Day Skipper theory in this way, but we did not have approval to run any online training for MCA courses. I spoke to an auditor at the MCA and arranged a pilot course for our GSK module, which the MCA observed. After that course was approved, the MCA allowed UKSA to complete online training in a variety of other modules.
The RYA interactive website also delivers training online for courses, such as using a radio as well as elementary navigation, and we recommend that our students undertake this training as part of a long term training plan.
Course format Most online courses use pre-recorded presentations and exercises. However, UKSA delivers the online training in a ‘live’ format, with the instructor, using Zoom. In many ways it is the same as in-class teaching; you can ask/interrupt your instructor at any time. Or, if you have a question and you do not want to ask it in front of peers, you can send it as a private message to your instructor.
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The lessons are recorded and uploaded so students can review any challenging topics again at any time in the future. Students are also able to download other course resources as well as these videos. Online benefits Online learning, with continued restrictions in place, allows students to progress their learning and careers without the need to travel. The lessons are recorded, you can message or just ask the instructor any questions and get instant feedback. You can also email the instructor after the course with any follow-up questions, plus there are less distractions when you are studying online.
In the future UKSA will continue to deliver online training alongside classroom training, even after the restrictions are lifted. We have invested in three purpose built broadcast suites to deliver this training, and we are always looking at ways to increase not only the quantity of our training but also its quality. uksa.org
About Gregor Mcgowan Gregor has been involved in the marine sector since working on North Sea Trawlers whilst still at school. From the fishing industry he went on to become a Royal Navy Cadet before working in the superyacht sector and as a senior instructor at a sailing school in Sydney. When not at UKSA, Gregor enjoys sailing his classic wooden boat around the Solent as well as surfing around the Isle of Wight’s beaches. Gregor has skippered many offshore races.
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