(NEWS) Dr. Darrell Fisher's Final Course at WMU

August

2014

Dr. Darrell Fisher's Final Course at WMU

After 21 years of collaboration with the World Maritime University as a Visiting Professor, Dr. Darrell Fisher delivered his last lecture at WMU on 25 July 2014.

Throughout his years at WMU, Dr. Fisher taught courses focused on maritime education and training, particularly the evaluation of teaching and curricula for maritime instructors. Together with WMU Professor Emeritus, Dr. Peter Muirhead, the two developed an interactive approach to teaching and learning which was summarized and presented at the 2002 IMLA Conference in Shanghai entitled Meeting the demands for MET Instructors in the 21st Century: The WMU approach to pedagogical training needs. In 2005, the first edition of their publication, Practical teaching skills for maritime instructors was released and is now in its third edition.

Dr. Fisher is the former Deputy Director of Curtin University’s Science and Mathematics Education Centre in Perth, Australia and currently serves on the Governance Board of the Engineering Institute of Technology. His major research interests include classroom and school environments as well as curriculum issues related to science, particularly curriculum evaluation. He has published and presented on these topics throughout the world. A Fellow of the Australian College of Education and the Regional Editor for Asia and Australia for Learning Environments Research: An International Journal, he is a world leader in learning environment research and co-author of the book published by World Scientific, Technology-rich Learning Environments: A Future Perspective.

WMU Acting President, Neil Bellefontaine, spoke at the close of Dr. Fisher’s final summer course and noted the exceptional contribution of Dr. Fisher with more than two decades of dedicated collaboration with the University. “It has been a pleasure to have Dr. Fisher at WMU over the past 21 years to contribute his knowledge and expertise to educate maritime experts around the world. We will miss his presence here in Malmö. We wish him well and look forward to staying in contact.”

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My research explored the theoretical foundations of governance, placing a particular emphasis on maritime governance. Going beyond mere theoretical frameworks, the study conducted a comprehensive examination of a crucial aspect within maritime governance—specifically, the implementation of International Maritime Organization (IMO) instruments, exploring the contextual factors that affect the implementation process. Applying the grounded theory methodology, the research aimed to understand these theoretical underpinnings, as well as firmly anchor insights in the practical context of maritime governance; unveiling the intricacies and challenges associated with the effective implementation of IMO instruments in the maritime domain. The selection of this topic was motivated by a personal interest that was cultivated during my Master’s studies in maritime law and policy. Furthermore, it was driven by the recognition of a scarcity of scientific research on this specific topic. This gap in the existing body of knowledge served as a catalyst for my exploration, underscoring the significance of contributing valuable insights to an area of maritime governance that has been relatively underrepresented in scholarly research.

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Embarking on my professional path, my foremost aim is to establish myself as an authority in the field of maritime governance. I aspire to leave a significant and enduring mark on the global maritime landscape. Beyond the academic sphere, my drive is fuelled by a passionate interest in pursuing diverse opportunities within the maritime domain and the broader educational sector and contributing significantly to positive transformations in the global maritime sector.

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