Evaluation of Knowledge according to the Naval Professional Qualifications Standards of the Royal Thai Navy in Navigation and Ship Handling of the 5th Year Naval Officer Cadet in the Academic Year 2017

Abstract

So far the Naval Academy has not carried out an evaluation of the naval professional knowledge of Navigation and Ship Handling of the 5th year naval cadets before graduation, resulting in a lack of clear and concrete evaluation data on teaching and learning management. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the knowledge of Navigation and Ship Handling according to the naval professional standards gained by the 5th year naval cadets in the academic year 2017. The research tools were a theoretical test and a practical test which was taken via a navigational simulator. The tests were designed through studying and analyzing the contents of a total of 9 subjects in the curriculum of the Naval Academy covering Navigation and Ship Handling needed for naval officers in performing duties as a master of a ship, a navigation officer and an officer in charge of a navigational watch. The research process was divided into 4 steps. 1) Studied the operating conditions and then defined the knowledge contents in order to design a test table. 2) Designed a test and evaluation. The researcher and the expert created the test of the knowledge and the practical assessment model within the concept that corresponded to the learning behavior of the learners. With a total of 180 marks provided, the knowledge assessment was based on a 120-point scale, and the practical assessment was carried out through two simulation models, and they are worth 30 marks each. 3) Examined the quality of the theoretical test and the practical evaluation model based on expert interviews. 4) Evaluated the knowledge. The theoretical knowledge and the practical skill of the 5th year naval cadets in the academic year 2017 were assessed, and then the test results were statistically analyzed. The report showed that the cadets had an average score of 57.51 percent, and 70 percent of them failed to meet the criteria set by the Royal Thai Navy, which may be due to two reasons. 1) The results of this evaluation did not affect the cadets’ GPAs, so they did not review for the assessment. 2) The fifth year students lacked the skills of thinking and synthesis, especially of ship handling and navigation regulations.