Ocean Sciences Education Research Articles

Co-design capacity development for the UN Ocean Decade

Effective ocean governance plays a critical role in managing and coordinating human activities, policies, and institutions to ensure the sustainable use and conservation of marine resources. Recognizing the importance of effective ocean governance, there is a growing awareness that new research approaches are needed to bring together actors from academia and non-academic sectors. Together they need to develop transformative science solutions for a more inclusive and equitable ocean governance system. Despite widespread interest in this collaborative endeavor, limited resources are available to provide structured support and training. This creates a pressing need to develop capacity and promote a shared understanding of collaborative research methodologies, such as co-design. In response to the need for capacity development in such methodologies, the “Co-design for the Ocean Decade” online training course was launched in collaboration with IOC-UNESCO in 2022, starting with a first pilot course in the African region. This first co-design training course under the Ocean Decade framework serves as a practical and research-backed model for future co-design training programs in other regions. The evaluation results of the course reveal its effectiveness in enhancing participants' knowledge and skills in key co-design areas, particularly in communication with stakeholders. The evaluation also highlights areas for improvement, such as the need for (i) monitoring and evaluation, and (ii) follow-up opportunities for practice and funding support. Based on the evaluation, for future research and training programs, we recommend: (1) to incorporate local and regional context into the training, (2) to integrate co-design training into ocean science education, and (3) to embed co-design of research and training into the capacity development program of the Ocean Decade.

Unravelling gender and ethnic bias in higher education: students’ experiences in access to ocean science education and career opportunities in Kenya

Unravelling gender and ethnic bias in higher education: students’ experiences in access to ocean science education and career opportunities in Kenya

Understanding women’s roles, experiences and barriers to participation in ocean science education in Kenya: recommendations for better gender equality policy

Gender equality is critical to achieving transformative action, policies and change towards sustainable ocean management. However, historically women have been largely excluded from ocean science and management programmes, including education. Recent commitment to promoting gender equality in ocean science, notably in the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, aims to ensure women have equal opportunity to engage in ocean science education, research, management and decision-making. This paper investigates the roles of women in ocean science education, the challenges they face, the root causes of these inequalities, and the existing interventions to advance gender equality in ocean science. Focusing on Kenya as a case study, the paper uses a feminist political ecology lens to explore staff experiences and perceptions of gender (in)equality in public universities. The data gathered through in-depth interviews revealed that women's participation in ocean science were limited by perceptions of their male colleagues who did not believe that women can do certain technical jobs. In addition, career progression of women was found to be slower than men's, women were more likely to be discriminated against during promotions and denied opportunities to develop their careers, faced sexual harassment and bullying, and experienced work-family conflicts. These factors adversely impacted women's participation and career advancement and thus their potential contribution to a sustainable ocean. This research also revealed some good practices that the universities had in place to tackle gender inequalities such as gender equality policies and staff given a specific gender equality role (gender focal points). In conclusion, we stress the importance of having gender-transformative policies, an effective implementation process, having women-specific support structures and having women in leadership positions as crucial for promoting gender equality and ocean sustainability.

A focus on ocean acoustics education

The clear need for ocean acoustics education led to two initiatives in 2023. In January, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) formed a committee to research the state of ocean acoustics education in the country and determine needs and opportunities for the discipline. In May, the theme of the fifth Global Ocean Science Education (GOSE) Workshop was ocean acoustics. The workshop brought together 70 participants from a dozen countries. These delegates, representing the research, business, policy, and education sectors, shared their knowledge on a suite of key topics in underwater acoustics and education. Delegates discussed the importance of integrating ocean acoustics into ocean education and ocean literacy initiatives, workforce development through an ocean acoustics microcredentials program, and addressing the needs of the global ocean acoustics community. The needs identified during the NAS study and the GOSE Workshop include the imperative to raise awareness of careers in ocean acoustics in pre-collegeeducation, as well as undergraduate education, more opportunities for training at the technician level, and easy to access educational resources, such as those found on the Discovery of Sound in the Sea website (www.dosits.org). Recommendations from the NAS study and the GOSE Workshop will be shared during this presentation.

Federal Support Fosters Ocean Workforce Diversity Through Programmatic Investments and Community Action

This article highlights efforts across four US federal funding agencies (National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and Office of Naval Research), each with differing, yet complementary, priorities and approaches to increasing and retaining diverse talent in ocean science education and workforce development. To understand the success and impact of our endeavors, we call attention to the need for meaningful evaluation of supported programs, which requires collecting and analyzing robust demographic data. Finally, we underscore the important role of federal agencies working alongside professional societies, national boards, and academic institutions in effecting cultural change and creating environments where the talents of all ocean sciences students, researchers, practitioners, and faculty can be fully recognized and supported.

CUREing Ocean Plastic Microbes: Positive Experience of Engaging Non‐traditional Undergraduate Students in a Hispanic‐Serving Institution

Early participation in research experiences is considered a high‐impact educational practice shown to enhance student engagement in STEM. This, in turn, can result in increased enrollment and retention of majors, as well as increased appreciation of science by nonmajors. However, traditional research opportunities such as summer internships are difficult to expand and are often limited to students already invested in STEM. Course‐based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) broaden the impact of student exposure to research by making it a required part of a course.We report the result of the integration of a CURE addressing microbial colonization of plastic in coastal Pacific waters in both non‐majors and major’s biology courses during a one‐year period. This CURE, a collaboration between a large private non‐profit university serving nontraditional students and a world‐renowned research‐oriented institution, received NSF funding in 2018 (NSF‐HSI #1832545).The CURE incorporates an existing research project, which explores the nature of microbial populations colonizing different types of plastic using metagenomic sequencing and traditional microbiology techniques. Students participate in field and laboratory research, and interact with research scientists and graduate students. Course level assessment involve surveys and focus groups to evaluate student engagement. Institutional assessment is planned to monitor biology degree retention.As of November 2019, students from four non‐majors and 2 majors’ courses (one lower and one upper division) have participated in the CURE. Students were asked fifteen questions related to knowledge of different aspects of the course, laboratory skills, plastic research, and appreciation of scientific research results. The questions were framed in an after/before format which allowed for a two‐tailed t‐test (alpha = 0.05) in the one‐group posttest only design. Results showed statistically significantly differences in all questions indicating improvements across all assessed areas (n=49). Student open‐ended comments about the experience were overwhelmingly positive. Future plans include assessing BS Biology majors’ retention using a longitudinal cohort model, and expanding nonmajors’ participation in the CURE to promote enrollment in the major.Due to the modular nature of the CURE, its framework can easily be adopted and modified to other courses and curricula. We anticipate that this CURE could be a widely applicable model for biology and ocean science education and disseminated to institutions serving nontraditional adults.Support or Funding InformationThis work has been supported by NU internal grants, as well as the NSF HSI’s new to NSF award #1832545

Creating and Implementing Ocean Science Education Kits in Rural Baja California Sur: An ASLO Global Outreach Initiative Program Progress Report

Creating and Implementing Ocean Science Education Kits in Rural Baja California Sur: An ASLO Global Outreach Initiative Program Progress Report

中学校・大学・NPO の連携による海洋科学教育実践の試み

中学校・大学・NPO の連携による海洋科学教育実践の試み

Message from the President: First Message to Members with Some Thoughts on Graduate Student and Early Career Scientist Professional Development

Message from the President: First Message to Members with Some Thoughts on Graduate Student and Early Career Scientist Professional Development

COSEE-AK Ocean Science Fairs: A Science Fair Model That Grounds Student Projects in Both Western Science and Traditional Native Knowledge

ABSTRACTWe have developed the traditional science fair format into an ocean science fair model that promoted the integration of Western science and Alaska Native traditional knowledge in student projects focused on the ocean, aquatic environments, and climate change. The typical science fair judging criteria for the validity and presentation of the science were expanded to include criteria for cultural and/or community relevance, and local and cultural experts were involved in judging. The Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence–Alaska (COSEE-AK) provided support for teachers to organize local and regional fairs and for student and chaperone travel to an ocean science “fair within a fair” at the Alaska statewide science and engineering fair. This approach engaged Alaska Native and rural students in science practice relevant to their cultures and communities and is being sustained by trained teachers and school districts. The results of interviews of 31 of 44 students participating in the 2013 COSEE-AK Ocean Science Fair at the state level suggest learner outcomes of (1) strong, positive feelings of self-efficacy in science; (2) comfort with being identified as a scientist; and (3) feelings of connection to the student's community and support in doing science projects. The ocean science fair can serve as a model for broadening diversity of participation in science by increasing the relevance of science to culture and communities in areas with ethnic groups and/or rural communities that are underserved by science instruction and resources.

Utilizing Interactive Media Layering (IML) to Enhance Science Teacher Learning

Since its inception at a meeting of ocean sciences researchers and educators at the University of Southern Mississippi in 2000, the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) program h...

Student engagement and education in underwater sound through the build-a-hydrophone activity

The hydrophone is arguably the most basic sensor used in underwater acoustics. In its simplest form, this passive device provides scientists, and users of all kinds, the ability to listen to and capture natural and anthropogenic sounds that occur in our aquatic world. As part of an array, this technology enables humans to perform such underwater tasks as tracking submerged targets to studying volcanic and tectonic processes. The concept behind the do-it-yourself (DIY) activity to build a hydrophone is not unique. A simple Internet search will reveal numerous design options geared toward constructing a functional hydrophone. The Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE), Technology and Engineering for Knowledge (TEK), at the University of Connecticut, has modified this activity to offer an alternative that is both affordable and functional, while minimizing the technical skills, tools, and time required for completion. The outcome has been the development of a hands-on student exercise that pr...

Cresting the Ocean‐Outreach Wave, AGU Signs Memorandum of Understanding

Time and tide wait for no one, not even science educators. With this in mind, AGU and the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE), recognizing our mutual interests and objectives, signed a memorandum of understanding in October 2012. The memorandum will serve to further AGU's strategic goals of informing society about the excitement of Earth and space science and building the global scientific talent pool.

Getting our hands wet: AGU participates in 2012 USA Science and Engineering Festival

At the 2nd USA Science & Engineering Festival, held in Washington, D. C., from 27 to 29 April, AGU's Education Division (http://education.agu.org/) joined the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE; http://www.cosee.net/) in presenting a series of hands-on activities for children. Titled “Get Your Hands Wet,” these activities were developed by COSEE and focused on chemical oceanography, climate change, ocean exploration/measurement, contaminants, physical oceanography, and marine biology. AGU education staff helped to run events such as making sand cards to illustrate the various stages of weathering of rocks and teaching a carbon cycle game, which allowed students to “become” carbon molecules and travel throughout the Earth system. AGU videographer Derek Sollosi captured some of the action at the COSEE/AGU booth on film, along with images of the rest of the festival (seehttp://youtu.be/oX8wPxYZj48). Other popular exhibits included models of NASA rovers, a jet from the U.S. Air Force, and remotely operated vehicles from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Celebrities from Mythbusters, The Big Bang Theory, NCIS, and other popular television shows made appearances on stage. For more about these and other exhibits and festival events, see http://www.usasciencefestival.org/.

Great Lakes Literacy Principles

Lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan, Ontario, and Erie together form North America's Great Lakes, a region that contains 20% of the world's fresh surface water and is home to roughly one quarter of the U.S. population (Figure 1). Supporting a $4 billion sport fishing industry, plus $16 billion annually in boating, 1.5 million U.S. jobs, and $62 billion in annual wages directly, the Great Lakes form the backbone of a regional economy that is vital to the United States as a whole (seehttp://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/downloads/economy/11‐708‐Great‐Lakes‐Jobs.pdf). Yet the grandeur and importance of this freshwater resource are little understood, not only by people in the rest of the country but also by many in the region itself. To help address this lack of knowledge, the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) Great Lakes, supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, developed literacy principles for the Great Lakes to serve as a guide for education of students and the public. These “Great Lakes Literacy Principles” represent an understanding of the Great Lakes' influences on society and society's influences on the Great Lakes.

The Trans-Atlantic Slocum Glider Expeditions: A Catalyst for Undergraduate Participation in Ocean Science and Technology

AbstractResults of Office of Naval Research (ONR)- and National Science Foundation (NSF)-sponsored collaborative coastal science experiments using underwater gliders were reported at the E.U./U.S. Baltic Sea conference in 2006. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recognized the parallel educational potential and issued a trans-Atlantic challenge—modify one of the coastal gliders and fly it across the Atlantic, entraining and inspiring students along the way. Leveraging the experience of the NSF Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence, a needs assessment process guided the development of a new undergraduate research program based on the cognitive apprenticeship model. The generalized model was applied to the specific opportunities provided by the trans-Atlantic challenge, involving students in every aspect of the missions. Students participated in the modifications and testing required to increase glider endurance and in the development of the mission planning tools. Scientist and student teams conducted three long-duration missions: (1) RU15’s flight from New Jersey to Nova Scotia to test the lithium batteries and ruggedized fin technology in storms, (2) RU17’s first attempt at the Atlantic crossing that provided the lessons learned, and (3) RU27’s successful trans-Atlantic flight a year later. Post-flight activities included development of new intuitive glider data visualization software that enabled students to analyze the glider data and compare it with ocean forecast models, enabling students to create their own new knowledge. Lessons learned include the significant gains achieved by engaging students early, encouraging them to work as teams, giving them the tools to make their own discoveries, and developing a near-peer mentoring community for increasing retention and diversity. The success has inspired an even broader vision for international glider missions, that of a glider-enabled global classroom to repeat the track of the HMS Challenger and its first scientific circumnavigation of the globe.

Online Tools Help Get Scientists and Educators on the Same Page

As part of its effort to foster substantive dialogue between scientists and educators, the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence—Ocean Systems (COSEE‐OS), a center in the COSEE network, has developed an applied concept‐mapping process and a related suite of interactive multimedia tools that focus on ocean and climate concepts. The resulting maps illustrate connections among concepts related to ocean and climate science. These tools, developed over the past 3 years, help scientists see and graphically display relationships among the concepts in their field, and help them communicate those concepts clearly and logically to educators and other scientists.COSEE‐OS research has indicated that concept mapping benefits scientists by identifying what they do and do not explain well to educators. Evaluation studies conducted by COSEE‐OS external evaluator Ted Repa include interviews with scientists and survey responses of the educators who participate in COSEE‐OS workshops. By continuously improving its workshop design and suite of interactive communication tools, COSEE‐OS strives to increase the levels of collaboration between scientists and educators by fostering peer‐to‐peer learning environments.

18–19 November 2008 Washington, D.C

18–19 November 2008 Washington, D.C

Supporting and Extending the SEACOOS Program: The Extension and Education Work Group

In addition to the observation, collection and analysis of data, Southeast Atlantic Coastal Ocean Observing System (SEACOOS) funding supported the development of a complementary Extension and Education (E&E) component. Extension activities were operated through the Sea Grant Extension Programs of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Education activities were channeled through the three Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence in the SEACOOS domain, and the University of Georgia Marine Extension program. E&E Work Group (WG) activities included identifying stakeholders and their needs, increasing awareness of SEACOOS and ocean observing systems in general, and developing concepts for potential products. This article is designed to describe (1) how education and outreach functions were developed with SEACOOS funding to E&E Principal Investigators, (2) the "lessons learned" from the many collaborations, and (3) "best practices" gleaned from the four years of activity funding. Best practices for E&E included defining clearly the target audiences, identifying information needs, providing products appropriate to the audience, designing evaluations with a strong feedback loop, and developing long-term relationships between audiences and providers. This article is one of seven published in this special edition of the MTS Journal to provide a forward-looking discussion of future development of the Southeast Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System (SE RCOOS).

Great Lakes Scientists’ Perspectives on K-12 Education Collaboration

This study reports the results of a baseline study for COSEE (Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence) Great Lakes’ attempts to facilitate collaboration between scientists and educators. To characterize Great Lakes scientists’ involvement in K-12 education and identify factors related to scientists’ potential for the role of education partner, marine and aquatic scientists were recruited to complete a survey at a conference on the Great Lakes in 2006. Three research questions guided the study: 1) how are Great Lakes scientists involved in K-12 education, 2) what barriers may deter their participation in educational outreach, and 3) which factors are related to scientists’ potential for the role of education partner. Through 94 survey responses, scientists reported their familiarity with terms in education, attitudes toward involvement, experiences, barriers and motivating factors in educational outreach. Regression analysis shows that four predictor variables account for a majority of the variance in explaining scientists’ experience in collaboration with teachers (a combined predictive ability of 42%): familiarity with terms in education, professional training (educational competencies and collaborative cultures), and age. Results imply that professional training programs for research scientists may be needed to improve scientists’ educational outreach capacity. Such information will be of particular value to programs such as COSEE Great Lakes whose focus is on facilitating scientist-educator interactions and improving scientists’ educational outreach capacity for ocean and Great Lakes science literacy.