A Study on Foreign Students’ Living and Training Conditions in the Training Ships
Abstract
The study performs a questionnaire survey of foreign maritime students who trained onboard the Mokpo National Maritime University training ships to determine the level of satisfaction on their living and training conditions. It covers the period from 2014-2016 with 21 respondents from four different nationalities. The questionnaire covers three main topics with different sets of questions: Personal life, Social life and Technical training conditions. 58% were fairly satisfied in their personal lives while 49% found their social life satisfactory. In the technical training conditions, 61% rated them very adequate. The English-language mode of teaching noticeably garnered the sole dissatisfaction overall at 57%. In the analysis, the study focuses on the “less adequate” responses because it is the ultimate aim of this study: to improve the living and training conditions of foreign students. It calculates the relationships between the three topics-variables and found that the satisfaction levels of foreign students are not affected by their conditions onboard. The results show that they are mostly moderately to slightly related. The training and social life has very negligible relationship.
Keywords:
Training ship, STCW, Campus life, Technical training, Personal life, Questionnaire surveyⅠ. Introduction
Mokpo National Maritime University has two training ships for the training of merchant and naval students. The training ships are used for on-the-job training and safety education in accordance with STCW (as amended) Regulations. Professors, instructors, officers and crews are onboard T/S Sae Yudal and T/S Sae Nuri to teach and train future maritime professionals. These training ships visit the major harbors and sail around Korean coasts, and also call on major harbors in the region-East and Southeast Asian countries. The training ships likewise trains maritime students from other countries in the region: China, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines.
The particulars of the two training ships are shown in <Table 1>. The data are for the 1st semester of SY 2016.
1.1 Background of the Study
Aside from the Korean maritime students, the university training ships host foreign maritime students onboard since 2006 (Philippine Merchant Marine Academy) (PH) and 2011 from Shanghai Maritime University (CN). Last school year (SY 2016), it has accepted four cadets from Maritime Academy of Asia and Pacific (MAAP), another maritime institution in the Philippines, National Kaohsiung Maritime University (TW) and Vietnam Maritime University (VN). They stayed in varying periods: PMMA cadets for one (1) year training while the rest, MAAP, SMU, NKMU, VMU cadets, attended only for one term, 6 months and 3 months only. Since the inception of this program, there are a total of 68 foreign students who had trained onboard the training ships.
There was a preliminary study of foreign cadets who served onboard the university training ships, Dimailig et al. (2014) and dealt only with former PMMA cadets. The topic was about the effects of their training on their professional lives where most of the participants of the survey declared beneficial their training at MMU. There are no other studies on any topic recorded about the foreign students training onboard.
<Table 2> tabulates the yearly and each department breakdown of foreign students onboard the training ships since its inception on 2006 until the SY 2016 2nd semester.
1.2 Purpose of the Study
This study aims to improve the living and training condition of foreign students while onboard the training ships. It focuses on the foreign students’ areas of concerns because these shall be the basis for improvement. This would be a preparatory study and in-line with the current thrust of the university to expand the number of foreign students onboard the two university training ships.
1.3 Methodology of Research
This study conducted a questionnaire survey of foreign students who had undergone shipboard training onboard the two university training ships. It covers only the students from SY2014-SY2016. It constructed sets of questions grouped into three (3) main topics. The topics are about ‘Personal Life Onboard’; ‘Social Life’ during their stay in the campus; and the ‘Technical Training’ skills and competency they acquired. Other sub-topics are also asked like their English-speaking proficiency and others. The respondents were also requested to give their objective opinions about the topics asked and other topics that they may wish to share. These comments were edited here for space and clarity.
The information gathered therefrom were graphed, tabulated and analyzed. It uses the non-parametric inferential statistics, chi-square (χ²) goodness-of-fit test and the Pearson-product correlation coefficient to describe the strength of relationship between the variables.
Ⅱ. The Survey Results
The survey questionnaire covers the school year periods of 2014/15 and 2015/16. There were four nationalities-respondents to the questionnaires: Philippines (PMMA and MAAP), China (Shanghai Maritime University), Taiwan (National Kaohsiung Maritime University), and Vietnam (Vietnam Maritime University) with the total of twenty-one (21) respondents. Three (3) of the respondents were invited and responded by e-mails while the rest (18) were asked and answered while still staying onboard at the later part of their training before they returned to their respective countries.
The respondents duration of stay onboard the training ships was tabulated in <Table 3>.
2.1 English Language Proficiency
The respondents were asked about their English speaking ability weighted by “Below Average”, “Average”, “Above Average” and “Excellent” The question was included because the university recognizes the importance of speaking in the universal language.
[Fig. 1] shows that 57% (12) of the foreign students classified themselves as average while 43% (9) as above-average. They admitted that it is a requirement for inclusion in their overseas program before they are sent to MMU.
The succeeding sections, 2.2-2.4, deal with each cadet’s objective assessments of their experiences during their respective stays onboard the training ships. There are sets of questions on each three main topics. To evaluate and analyze the responses according to their level of satisfaction and/or adequacy, each is ranked with their nominal weights shown in <Table 4>.
2.2 Personal life onboard
There are seven (7) questions asked in this topic and “other” for the respondents to freely give their personal observation. <Table 5> includes the ‘un-edited’ responses of the respondents shown in the “Remarks” column. This section deals with their personal day-to-day life onboard. The study selected the seven (7) personal life topics that would have the greatest impact to an alien’s daily life onboard when separated from his/her native land.
[Fig. 2] graphs the responses to the questions about their personal life onboard. As stated in Section 1.2, the purpose of the study is to pin-point the weak points, hence, the emphasis shall be the “Less Adequate” column.
Based on <Table 5>, the weakest points were the 1) “System and procedure of handling/dealing with your concerns or problems” (12 responses), 2) Handling of change of culture; weather conditions; language differences; etc.” (7 responses) and 3) “Treatment of foreign students other than Koreans” (5 responses). There were four (4) responses who have no opinion and 35 responses (24%) were dissatisfied (Less Adeq.).
2.3 Campus Social Life
This topic deals with the foreign students’ public life around the campus. Although the students were billeted onboard the training ships, they were allowed, ship’s rules considering, to roam around the university grounds. There are also university-training ships’ activities, like athletics, official tours, library visits, among others, that they can avail during their stay.
<Table 6> lists the questions pertaining to the students’ campus life. It shows that most foreign students were unaware of the university’s social activities for foreign students, 9. Six responses for each: “Treatment of other Korean students around the campus” and “Treatment of non-Korean students around the campus”
[Fig. 3] presents the total outcome of the social life. Twenty-seven (21%) responses were “Less Adeq.” However, 44 responds (49%) that overall were “Very Adeq.” of their social life around the campus.
2.4 Technical Training Onboard
This section deals with training onboard: the theoretical and the practical aspects of training. <Table 7> shows the questions, the responses and the respondents’ remarks. The <Table 7> shows that “Language mode of teaching” garnered the sole dissatisfaction, 57% at 12 responses. 52% were fairly satisfied (11 responses) on “Scheduled hours of training/classroom instruction” It means that they prefer a less classroom-based instructions. The remarks on this topic are most revealing and are mostly self-explanatory.
[Fig. 4] graphs the number of responses per level of satisfaction and/or adequacy and it shows that majority are very satisfied on the over-all adequacy of technical training onboard.
2.5 Miscellaneous
The “Miscellaneous” section gives the respondents a space for any additional topics they experience and/or learned during their stay. It is noteworthy to mention that they commented on the English-language inadequacy (column C, 10). In the over-all training, 5 responses on each “A”, “B” and “C” satisfaction rating.
Ⅲ. Statistical Analysis Results
The study focuses on the satisfaction level of the students in relation with their life and training conditions onboard. “Are the cadets satisfied with their life and training while onboard?” It tests whether the null hypothesis: the conditions onboard has no effect on the satisfaction of the cadets. Gathering the results of the main topics, Sections 2.2-2.4, the study applies the Chi-square (χ²) Goodness-of-Fit test due to its non-parametric (categorical) nature.
Chi-Squared (χ²) Goodness-of-Fit formula:
if χ²(obt) > χ²(cv) = Reject the NULL Hypothesis
if χ²(obt) < χ²(cv) = Accept the NULL Hypothesis
<Table 9> tabulates the satisfaction levels and the conditions onboard of the cadets in a 3 x 3 format.
The expected frequencies were calculated according to the following formula, example:
df = (R-1)(C-1)= (3-1)(3-1)
df = 4
alpha = 0.05
χ² (cv)(.01)(11) = 9.488 and χ² (obs) = 4.713
Using the chi-square test, the computed value (4.713) is much less than the critical value (9.488) at df of 4, and at 5% level of significance. This means that the satisfaction levels of the foreign cadets are not affected by their conditions onboard. They are not significantly related.
Establishing the relationships among the variable, personal life, social life and training, this study uses the Pearson-product correlation coefficient of three variables. To calculate the correlations between the multivariates, the paper utilizes only the number of responses in the “Very Satisfactory/Very Adequate” column to all the subjects covered in each variables shown in <Table 11>.
Calculation of partial relationship between multivariates.
A. Relationship between 2 variables:
1. Personal life (A) and Social Life (B)
2. Personal life (A) and Training (C)
3. Social life (B) and Training (C)
B. Partial relationship between 2 variables when 1 variable is fixed:
4. Personal life and Social life (Training is fixed)
5. Personal life and Training (Social life is fixed)
6. Training and Social life (Personal life is fixed)
Ⅳ. Conclusion
The foreign students rate their English-language proficiency as “Above Average” and “Average”. Personal life onboard: 58% were fairly satisfied, 48% very adequate and 35% saw their life onboard as less adequate. Social Campus Life: 49% (44) overall were satisfied while 21% (27) were less satisfied. 26 responded with fairly adequate living condition. Technical Training: the theoretical and the practical aspects of training overall has 61 responses as very adequate, 55 fairly adequate, and 42 less satisfied. In the particular question, “Language mode of teaching” garnered the sole dissatisfaction, 57% at 12 responses. 52% were fairly satisfied (11 responses) on “Scheduled hours of training/classroom instruction” This means that they prefer a less classroom-based instructions. In the “Miscellaneous” section the English-language inadequacy garnered the highest responses, (10). In the over-all training, equal responses, 5 each, were given on very satisfied, fairly satisfied and less satisfied satisfaction rating.
In the analysis, the satisfaction levels of the foreign cadets are not affected by their conditions onboard. They are not significantly related. The relationship between “Personal life” and “Social Life”, is moderately related. Personal life and Training has high relationship. Social life and Training has moderately related. Personal life and Social life (Training is fixed) slightly related. Personal life and Training (Social life is fixed) has moderate correlation and Training and Social life (Personal life is fixed) has very negligible relationship.
This study recommends that a more holistic and enthusiastic emphasis on the English language inadequacy be addressed whether in academic or social life onboard. The setting up of proper grievance unit where the students can air their concerns or grievances freely and objectively without fear is also recommended. It further proposes:
- 1. Providing a dedicated LIBRARY that contains the materials in English language like Culture and Life of the different countries in the region; wholesome movies: animated, drama, social or historical stories, etc. – that do not tackle on historical, ethnic, religious and cultural sensibilities; and collecting and/or subscribing to English maritime magazines (e.g. “Seaways magazine of The Nautical Institute” Society, etc, and/or other Engineering and Naval magazines) and/or other reading materials conducive to motivate students to read (Site-seeing, culinary, food, etc. that will spark their interests and other passions).
- 2. Conduct INTER-CULTURAL activities like games, shows and contests that focus also on other cultures.
- 3. Establishing “LANGUAGE-SCHOOL” onboard. This can be pursued in a non-formal setting and instructional methods to ease awkwardness among students and promote friendly ambiance by students themselves with supervision by the Professors and Staff.
- 4. Revising the onboard curriculum to include English language in its instructions.
- 5. Enhance the English-language usage either by PA announcement or bulletins of everyday routine activities and important information concerning (affecting) student’s life onboard.
The paper tackles the weaknesses in the condition of foreign students life and training with the aim to improve and develop a more conducive training conditions onboard the training ships. However, the immediate and long-term effects to the Korean cadets in terms of awareness and tolerance with other cultures, and improving their communication skills in the English language should, likewise, be taken into consideration. Further, the university stands to gain in prospering academic proficiency in technical matters and leads in the maritime education excellence.
References
- Dimailig, O. S., Shin, H. S, Im, M. H., & Oh, J. M., (2014), “Preliminary Study on the PMMA Cadets Training Program on MMU Training Ships”, Poster session presented on Kosomes(2014) Autumn Conference.
- IMO STCW ‘78, as amended, (2011), Chapter II, Standards Regarding the Master and Deck Department, Section A-II/1 and Table A-II/1 Functions, p254-314.
- IMO STCW ‘78, as amended, (2011), Chapter III Standards Regarding the Engine Department, Section A-III/1 and Table A-III/1 Functions, p350-394.
- MMU website: HOME> Affiliated Organizations (accessed date: 04 July 2016)
- MMU website: HOME> Affiliated Organizations>, Training Ship, http://www.mmu.ac.kr.
- MMU, International Relation Office data of SY 2016 1st semester.
- Mokpo National Maritime University(SY 2015 1st and 2nd Terms), Guide for University Life, Table of Curriculum, p219-270.
- Paler-Calmorin, L., Calmorin, M., (2004), Statistics in Education and the Sciences (With Application to Research), Rex Book Store, Manila Philippines, 9, 125~127, 133, 183~194, 298.