Becoming a Seafarer in a digital classroom: A qualitative study of Maritime students’ professional identity formation in LMS-based learning environments

As Maritime Education and Training (MET) institutions increasingly integrate Learning Management Systems (LMS) and digital platforms, the processes through which cadets develop professional competence and seafarer identity under the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Convention are undergoing significant transformation. While LMS technologies provide continuity, flexibility, and structured knowledge delivery, they also reshape how students internalize seamanship, discipline, and professional belonging—core elements of STCW-based competency formation.This qualitative study investigated how maritime students construct their professional identity as future seafarers within LMS-mediated learning environments at The Concord Technical Institute, Inc. , involving 300 Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation (BSMT) and Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering (BSMarE) students from first to third year levels. Using narrative inquiry supported by semi-structured interviews, the study examined how digitally mediated learning influences learners’ motivation, sense of professionalism, and perceived readiness for shipboard duties. Thematic analysis yielded four interrelated themes: (1) evolving interpretations of what it means to be a “competent seafarer” under digital learning conditions; (2) LMS-enabled learning as simultaneously empowering and socially distancing; (3) tensions between self-regulated learning and institutionally structured discipline; and (4) the need for authentic maritime culture and STCW-aligned experiential learning within virtual environments. The findings demonstrate that LMS platforms do not merely function as content-delivery systems but actively shape the professional socialization processes through which cadets internalize STCW competencies, safety culture, and maritime professionalism. To ensure regulatory compliance and training effectiveness, MET institutions must therefore integrate LMS design with pedagogical strategies that reinforce experiential learning, instructor presence, and professional identity formation alongside academic achievement.