THE IMPACT OF VIRTUAL REALITY TECHNOLOGIES ON CERTIFICATION TRAINING QUALITY IN MARITIME EDUCATION

Abstract

The seafaring profession takes years to learn and a lifetime to master. As technology and best practicesevolve, seafarers of all ranks and from all departments on board must work to keep their knowledge up-todateand improve their skills. Throughout his career, every professional seafarer receives many certificatesand qualifications. Most of these certificates must be physically carried on board the vessels he works, keptup-to-date and updated throughout his career. In turn, maritime certificates confirm a seafarer's practicaltraining, level of professional qualification, and knowledge of life and health on board. They are mandatoryfor joining a crew and working on a ship. Along with continuous certification training of seafarers, the current state of maritime education is still recovering from the post-covid crisis, which has given a significant impetusto the search and development of the most modern and effective means in the training and education of bothfuture maritime professionals and the training and certification of existing seafarers. The purpose of the articleis to substantiate the positive impact of virtual reality technologies on the quality of certification training inmaritime education on the example of virtual reality software developed by Optimum Maritime Solutions,a domestic private joint-stock company with limited liability. To achieve this goal, the following methods wereused: analysis of scientific sources; theoretical comprehension and generalization of the scientific foundationsof the problem under study. Research results. The quality of certification training significantly increases withthe preliminary passage of the training stage involving VR technologies. Based on the analysis of documents,publications of scholars, periodicals, and personal experience, the article substantiates the peculiarities of usingvirtual reality software, the specifics of immersion of a higher maritime education student or an active seafarerin virtual reality while performing exercises within the scope of certification training to confirm the requiredlevel of knowledge and the ability to hold a certain position on board a ship. In addition to the above, the realprospects for the widespread use of virtual reality technologies in maritime higher education are analyzed, inaccordance with the realities of wartime and distance learning. Conclusions. VR technologies have a powerfulpotential to significantly improve the learning process of maritime professionals, both future and experienced,who seek to improve their professional skills or prepare for certification training.