Learning and learning-to-learn by doing: An experiential learning approach for integrating human factors into maritime design education

This paper presents the findings of a study conducted to integrate Human Factors (HF) and Human Centered Design (HCD) knowledge into maritime design students’ educational platform and to motivate them to utilize this knowledge in their designs. Naval architecture students at the Australian Maritime College (AMC) were the participants in 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 5 HF-related activities during a 7-day voyage onboard the research vessel of AMC, MV Bluefin. The onboard activities provided the students with an opportunity to experience experiential learning, including all its key elements, based on Kolb’s experiential learning model. The findings prove experiential learning is a “paradigm of noteworthy learning” that supports multiple learning objectives of learners and shapes their knowledge through experience.