The Potential of Maritime-Scientific Numeracy Tasks for Developing Key Competencies of Seafarers

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-729-3_18How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Maritime education and training (MET); Numeracy Tasks; Key Competencies of Seafarers

Abstract

The digital transformation of the maritime sector creates an urgent need for seafarers to master advanced cognitive skills (reasoning, problem solving, critical thinking, data processing, and STEM application). This study examines whether numeracy tasks grounded in maritime scientific contexts can elicit those key competencies. Motivated by gaps in current MET curricula and the close link between numeracy and seafaring decision-making, we developed six tasks across four subcontexts (navigation, marine engineering, oceanography, maritime economics). Two domain experts rated each item using a competency-based rubric; data were analyzed with descriptive statistics (means, SD) and inter-rater reliability (ICC), complemented by general student feedback. Overall, findings indicate that the developed numeracy tasks successfully elicited key seafarer competencies, as evidenced primarily by expert evaluations and supported by general student perspectives. Specifically, STEM Knowledge & Application and Information & Data Processing were consistently and strongly elicited, while Problem & Conflict Solving showed moderate potential. Reasoning & Decision Making and Critical Thinking produced inconsistent expert agreement (low ICC), indicating rubric ambiguity and assessor variability. We recommend integrating maritime-scientific numeracy tasks, particularly data- and STEM-rich items, into MET mathematics curricula, along with rater-calibration sessions and expansion of rater and sample pools to improve reliability and validity. Overall, maritime-context numeracy tasks are promising dual-purpose instruments for both assessment and learning in competency-based maritime education.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Agus Dwi Santoso
AU  - Achmad Dhany Fachrudin
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/29
TI  - The Potential of Maritime-Scientific Numeracy Tasks for Developing Key Competencies of Seafarers
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference of Inland Water and Ferries Transport Polytechnic of Palembang on Law, Economic and Management (IWPOSPA-LEM 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 169
EP  - 176
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-729-3_18
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-729-3_18
ID  - Santoso2026
ER  -