Royal Yachting Association courses - online survey

by Louise Nicholls/Sail-World on 15 Feb 2012 Have you been taking sailing lessons and have a view on what should be offered? By taking part in a survey for the Royal Yachting Association (RYA), which certificates, not only schools in the UK but in many parts of the world and also is held as a model for many, you could be helping to change the way sailing skills are taught in the future.

The RYA naturally wants to hear from you if you have ever taken an RYA approved course, but also if you haven't, and still have some opinions. You'll be asked such questions as how long you would like courses to run, whether in big chunks or spread over time, what you think about syllabi, new courses, format, recognising accredited prior learning etc.

Shape your own learning by helping to shape RYA training courses at http://www.ryainteractive.org. The survey is anonymous and is open until the end of April 2012.

Richard Falk RYA Training Manager explains 'We’re always looking at ways to improve the courses that we offer, and to ensure that we are delivering courses which suit people’s needs and which are delivered in a format that works for them.

The best way for us to ensure that we are doing this is to listen, which is what the survey is all about. 'The survey has been running since the beginning of January and it has been really interesting reading the responses that we have received to date.

'For instance, over 50% of the people who have completed the survey so far have said that they would prefer to take a practical course over a short, intense period of 3-5 days rather than a modular course taught over a longer period of time. Whilst we may think something like this is what people want, the only way we can be sure is to hear it directly from the customer.

So let us know what you want. Do you prefer to learn online or in the classroom?
Do you feel that the syllabus needs changing on some courses, or that the format of instruction is outdated?
Or are you happy with the range and delivery of RYA courses in their current form?
Fill in the survey at http://www.ryainteractive.org. If you complete the survey you can also enter the prize draw to win a selection of RYA publications
Louise Nicholls