Ocean Inquiry Project (OIP), a non-profit organization in Puget Sound, WA, delivers inquiry-style marine science education using a hands-on curriculum while gathering research-quality data in Puget Sound for scientific partners. A collaboration between COSEE Ocean Learning Communities and OIP is bringing together ocean researchers, volunteers from environmental organizations, informal educators, and local youth groups for day-long field-research learning experiences on Puget Sound. These field experiences strive to give the diverse participant groups a better appreciation for the process of science, how oceanographic data is collected, and an increased understanding of the Puget Sound ecosystem and the role humans play in the ecosystem’s health
This collaboration has benefited the non-scientists and scientists alike. In this presentation, we will discuss our approach, and provide examples of the successes and challenges encountered during this collaboration.
Graduate students often enter marine sciences with disparate backgrounds and experiences. Understanding biological oceanography, because of multiple interactions among organisms and with the environment, can be daunting to new graduate students. We use concept mapping as a tool to allow students to better integrate information and turn it into knowledge by explicitly visualizing ideas.
Error is a given when trying to communicate the relationships among complicated science concepts. Communication research has identified at least 11 sources of error that the scientist needs to minimize: error due to the sender, encoding, the message, the channel of communication, the receiver, decoding, the audience, the physical environment, the social environment, the political and economic environment, and/or time.
COSEE-OS has developed a professional development model for scientists and online tools to minimize these eleven sources of error (not eliminate them because that is not an achievable goal). Particular attention is paid to minimizing the encoding and decoding sources of error through the use of online concept mapping tools which graphically communicate the scientist's logic of how they think, non-linearly, about the relationships among their various concepts of interest.
Ocean observing systems (OOS) provide a wealth of real-time data that can be put to use in classrooms and informal learning centers. This presents an exciting opportunity to connect students and the public to real-world science. Additionally, when students analyze real-time data in structured learning environments, it can help them improve their inquiry skills while exposing them to relevant ocean science topics to increase their level of ocean knowledge. However, building tools to help students, teachers and the public access and understand real-time data effectively presents many logistical and design challenges.
To address these challenges, a collaborative group of scientists, classroom and informal educators, education researchers, and data translators have worked together to develop several novel approaches to bring real-time OOS data to classroom and public audiences. This team was brought together by the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence Networked Ocean World (COSEE NOW), a virtual community of scientists and educators seeking to foster collaborations that will engage participants in the development of new products that promote the Ocean Literacy essential concepts.
