Scientist-Educator Partnerships to Enhance Rural Ocean Literacy

Annette deCharon & Medea Steinman University of Maine

Amy Holt ClineUniversity of New HampshireCOSEE – Ocean Systems (OS)

Overview

• Since 2005, COSEE-Ocean Systems has been creating & testing models of collaboration

• Goals include:– Reaching rural & inland audiences– Engaging ocean researchers– Creating transferable activities for maximum

impact

Rural & Inland Audiences

• Through its workshops, COSEE-OS has made strides reaching rural & inland audiences:– 48% of 125 educators from 25 states were rural

• Goal– Increase the capacity of scientists to efficiently

translate their research into compelling and relevant content for various audiences

• Methodology– Help deconstruct knowledge into concepts to

create “concept maps”– Thus far, trained 30+ scientists to concept map,– Recently, 66% said they use COSEE-OS tools

Engaging Researchers

Engaging Researchers

• Evolution of one scientist’s concept maps– Original:

• Digital version of original map:

Engaging Researchers

• Consensus map created with educators:

Engaging Researchers

• Who created this “consensus map”?– Dr. Fei Chai & three educators from rural areas:

Engaging Researchers

Engaging Researchers

• Educators felt concept mapping helped them:– Think through topics learned at workshop– Share ideas / communicate with scientists

Transferrable Activities

• The first activity you will do today is based on our recent publication:– Goal is to use physical sciences inquiry to connect

with ocean topics

Transferrable Activities

Let’s do the density activity!

Transferrable Activities

• Important to tie “hands on” activities to other background resources:

Another great resource - NASA Aquarius http://www.cosee.net/aquarius/education-outcomes.html

Transferrable Activities

• Important to tie “hands on” activities to other background resources:

Thank you!

• If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact us:– Annette deCharon

<annette.decharon@maine.edu>– Medea Steinman <medea.steinman@maine.edu>– Amy Holt Cline <holt.cline@gmail.com>

• Please check out our website:– http://cosee.maine.edu