Creative Education Utilising a Newly Built Training Vessel: A Proposal for PBL Utilising the Marine Research Equipment on Board the Training Vessel Wakashio-maru

Abstract

In March 2026, the Wakashio-maru, a new training vessel for the National Institute of Technology, Toyama College, was completed. Operating primarily in Toyama Bay, which features deep-sea areas exceeding 1,000 metres, the vessel continues a tradition of marine surveys and observation activities carried out for many years by its predecessor. Building on this tradition and past research, the new Wakashio-maru is equipped with state-of-the-art instruments for marine observation and research and is expected to further enhance educational and research activities. During marine surveys aboard the Wakashio-maru, students use observation equipment to collect actual data on water quality, ocean currents and marine life. By analysing and interpreting the data, they experience the entire process, from identifying issues to drawing conclusions. This practical learning environment is believed to contribute markedly to developing data science thinking and problem-solving skills and cultivating creativity – the ability to generate new perspectives and solutions to unfamiliar challenges. Furthermore, marine surveys in Toyama Bay can address topics such as marine-environment conservation, the ecology of plankton and small marine organisms, stock assessment of key fishery species, sustainable development of local fisheries and challenges faced by coastal communities. This study envisages implementing project-based learning centred on these regional and academic challenges. We propose specific project examples and report findings on how inquiry-based learning that uses real-world data as a form of creative education fosters students’ autonomy, deepens specialist knowledge, enhances problem-solving skills and cultivates creative thinking and the ability to generate innovation.