1. The following powerpoint will show briefly how the course is intended to work.

2. Userid Password - Your user is assigned to you and you have a password which you can change. Your pasword is required to contain 1 alphabetic character, one numeric and one special character and to be at least 8 characters long with one uppercase character.

3. The 13 units are divided into sections and follows the recommended course description in the New Zealand Code of Conduct.

4. PAM unit The PAM unit called PAM Operations unit 10 is the only unit that deals specifically with PAM. The unit covers a much larger amount of information then any of the other units and has seven required assignments. This reflects the large amount of work required to cover this unit. Each unit has a forum which students should use to ask questions relating to that unit or to report any issues relating to that unit. Assignments must be completed to pass and a grade mark of 75% is required on each assignment. Marks received below this grade will have the assignment returned for re-work. But a maximum of three assignment returns are allowed in this module and the PAM module.

5. Understanding the symbols The course content uses symbols to display the content type. HTML or webpage, Excel spreadsheet, pdf, folder, assignment and forum are all shown here. Webpage Excel spreadsheet Pdf Folder Pdf Assignment Forum Powerpoint show

6. You may need to install Adobe Acrobat viewer for pdf files which is a free download from Adobe available at: http://get.adobe.com/reader/ Suggest you untick the McAfee or other offers unless you want this addtional free software. Installing security software when you already have other security software installed is not a good idea. Powerpoint viewer for ppsx files can also be downloaded for free if required from Microsoft at: http://www.microsoft.com/en-ie/download/details.aspx?id=13

7. Due dates for assignments The course is intended to be flexible so there is no specific dates for assignment completion. However you cannot do the practical element of the course until the online portion is complete. You have to finish the online course within 12 months of starting and must avail of one of three opportunities to do the practical element offered in Europe, or if practical to be held elsewhere this would be agreed before commencement. Userids will remain active provided they are used once a year.

8. All assignments are submitted online and marked. Assignment grades are available to each student in the Gradebook.

9. If you are an experienced MMO and PAM operator you may be able to tackle assignments with little or no background reading, especially those that require creation of a configuration file. You may be able to use this configuration file in your practical, though it may have to be altered if you find yourself using a different release of PAMGuard. Check with your instructor which release of PAMGuard is required for assignments before commencing.

10. The Recroding and Reporting unit (11) introduces the forms and there is in one assignment, these will be examined further in the practical. This module is an introduction to the practical. It contains all the information required to pass the examine and practical in combination with previous units. The Final Assessment is similar to previous assigment quizes you will do. The Final exam requires a pass mark of 75% and is graded automatically. You cannot do this exam until you are given an exam code and this will be done on the first day of the practical element. For the practical you are required to complete the New Zealand forms for the two days on board the vessel while on PAM and on watch. You will be required to operate PAM with your own configuration file and will be graded on this. Again you are required to correctly complete forms and PAM operation. It is anticipated that all students will get the opportunity to perform live localisation. No student who cannot complete these tasks can be passed, but assistance will be given, and those students who have completed the assignments should be successful. Practical numbers will be small and a maximum ratio of 1:6 is anticipated for instructor to student, and a ratio of 1:4 or 1:5 is expected.

11. Please note links to web pages are in green, as show below:

12. The End