There are certain myths that surround any industry, and the maritime industry is full of them. From the fact that it is bad luck to start a voyage on a Friday to the idea that flowers may be a bad omen when placed on a ship, there are many obscure and, in many cases, religious-based myths about the sea.
However, when it comes to maritime training, there is only one that perseveres, and that is the myth that using multiple choice questions within a training environment is an ineffective way to gauge true suitability to a life at sea.
Of course, it is easy to see why individuals would think this since much of the work carried out at sea is skill based. However, without the right knowledge to back up these skills, individuals are unlikely to be able to adapt effectively and safely to changing circumstances and unique conditions.
As such, those companies offering safety training for individuals working at sea may well be right to offer such multiple choice questionnaires during training. Of course, this is not the only approach that works, but it is certainly a very valid way to train individuals and therefore courses should be chosen based on the reputation of the company in question and not the choices they make in terms of training.
However, multiple choice will offer a far faster way for individuals to be graded and assessed and therefore may well speed up the process for companies, taking less time out of your schedule and ensuring that knowledge can be judged as quickly as skill can.