Vital Features

The following vital features have been incorporated into the TMI-BITS Distance Learning Programme to ensure continued efficacy and superior quality.

1 Continuous Evaluation of Student Progress

Monthly reporting by students on work assignments completed is used to assess the students' comprehension of study material and mastery of skills. A more traditional form of bimonthly tests complements this in order to evaluate the students' overall level of achievement.

2 Student - Faculty Interaction

Evaluation of student progress goes well beyond a mark or grade. Faculty members send detailed comments to students on their monthly journal submissions and test answers, identifying mistakes and suggesting appropriate supplemental tasks, material review or repetition. Additionally the students are expected to meet faculty to discuss problems and progress. For this purpose,TMI has faculty stationed in each of the major metropolitan Indian cities. Software developed for TMI-BITS will, in the near future, enable the Internet to be used achieve an even higher level of interaction.

3 Programmatic Courseware

The students are guided by carefully designed courseware (study material) that prepares them for the tasks and responsibilities that normally would be assigned to them at that stage of their progress on ships. However, there is adequate flexibility to permit the desired integration with actual shipboard responsibilities in case of variances. This is key to leverage work and study, thereby enabling each activity to provide the best results without the physical presence of a traditional teacher.

4 Customisation of Academic Semesters

The need for study and work to be integrated necessarily requires the student to pursue studies only when onboard. However, it is unrealistic to expect that a seafarer will study only when onboard. It is also unrealistic to expect that a seafarer's onboard period can exactly coincide with any fixed academic semester system based on a calendar. Therefore the semesters under the Programmes are individually customised for each student in terms of commencement date and duration.

5 Continuous Review of Courseware

Taking cognisance of technological developments and feedback from students, the faculty regularly review and update the courseware to maintain comprehensiveness and improve effectiveness.

6 High Quality Reference Materials

The TMI-BITS Distance Learning courseware is supplemented with prescribed additional study material sourced from globally recognised and respected institutions like the Nautical Institute, UK.

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