Toward an integrated framework of ocean literacy: A Delphi-AHP approach

Abstract

A growing emphasis on ocean literacy has been mirrored in the global marine policy development. Many considerable investments have been made over the past decades by governments and non-governmental organizations to promote ocean literacy. While it is critical for policymakers to have timely feedback about the current status of the public’s ocean literacy, existing literature shows a lack of assessment tools that can provide comprehensive evaluations. This study aims to construct an integrated framework of ocean literacy which can embrace both the scientific and socio-cultural components of ocean-related issues. Experts in ocean sciences and social sciences were invited to participate in two rounds of the Delphi expert consultation to establish assessment criteria. Using the Delphi-AHP methods, a two-tier framework was constructed, entailing seven Tier 1 criteria and twenty-nine Tier 2 criteria with detailed descriptors. Questionnaires were then distributed for experts to rate the importance of the criteria through pairwise comparisons. Importance weights were ranked for each of the criteria using the AHP method based on the experts’ responses. The final framework can serve as a foundational reference to guide future endeavors in further incorporating ocean literacy into marine policies and regulations. It can inform policymakers, stakeholders, and marine educators to identify the relative importance when targeting the wide range of elements that ocean literacy comprises. By adopting the Delphi-AHP methods, this work makes an innovative contribution to research on ocean literacy assessment and marine policy making.