Collaborative Research - COSEE Florida: Water as Habitat

由于佛罗里达州拥有超过1350英里的咸水海岸线，该州为海洋科学教育卓越中心(COSEE)网络扩大其地理和方案覆盖范围提供了一个重要的、尚未开发的机会。我们拟建的中心，COSEE佛罗里达：水作为栖息地，将在全州范围内与佛罗里达州的海洋研究社区建立联系。该项目将为科学家提供职业发展机会，以提高他们向非科学受众传达其科学的价值和重要性的能力，并更好地理解他们在支持STEM教育方面的作用。COSEE佛罗里达州的创始合作伙伴是印度洋州立学院、皮尔斯堡的史密森海洋站、海洋研究与保护协会和佛罗里达理工学院。我们的内容主题“水即栖息地”对学生和公众具有吸引力，并将使我们能够将自然魅力的海洋生物和生态系统置于一个系统框架内，将物理、化学和地质海洋过程与生物多样性、海洋生态、气候变化、对人类健康的威胁和管理行动联系起来。COSEE佛罗里达州将通过实施三项战略举措提高海洋科学素养：1.科学家职业发展讲习班系列：海洋科学家将参加讲习班，以提高他们向非科学受众宣传其研究成果的有效性。COSEE的工作人员还将向希望开发高质量推广计划以扩大其研究影响的科学家提供帮助。每年将在全州范围内举办六次研讨会。2.为职前教育工作者设立一个新的海洋科学中心：位于福特郡的印度河州立学院的中学科学理科学士学位将增加以海洋科学为重点的教育内容。佛罗里达州皮尔斯。学生们将参加一系列的课程、研究机会和高质量的实践活动。该计划将在5.3年向更多的州立大学校园传播。COSEE佛罗里达海洋科学学习网络：这一倡议是将科学家、教育工作者和公众聚集在一起进行交流和合作的关键。水即生境活动将以海洋互动演示、教育工作者讲习班和在全州各区域节点继续参与的机会为特色。将开发在线交流工具，以促进会后协作和资源共享。该州将至少建立五个地区性学习社区节点。我们的工作将涉及来自佛罗里达州各地的一系列人员和组织。海洋研究人员、高等教育教职员工、非正规教育机构、教育工作者和普通公众将参加广泛的活动。通过我们的活动，我们将(1)每年让多达90名佛罗里达州海洋科学家参与有效的外联和教育，(2)在5年内扩大至少200名职前本科生、100名在职教师和100名非正式教育工作者的技能并加强他们的海洋科学内容，(3)提高3000多名佛罗里达州居民和游客的海洋素养，以及(4)学习全国COSEE网络中其他中心的工作并为其做出贡献。我们计划的海洋科学内容将借鉴佛罗里达州领先的海洋科学家(智力价值)的最新研究成果，并显著提高公众对他们工作的重要性(更广泛的影响)的认识。科学家还将更深入地了解当今STEM(科学、技术、工程、数学)教育面临的挑战(智力优势)，并通过将尖端研究融入K-16教育(更广泛的影响)，为提高佛罗里达州的教与学质量做出贡献。

Because the state of Florida has over 1,350 miles of salt-water coastline, the state represents a significant, untapped opportunity for the Centers for Ocean Science Education Excellence (COSEE) network to expand its geographic and programmatic reach. Our proposed center, COSEE Florida: Water as Habitat, will build statewide connections with Florida's ocean research community. This project will provide professional development opportunities for scientists to improve their ability to communicate the value and importance of their science to nonscientific audiences and achieve a better understanding of their role in supporting STEM education. Founding partners for COSEE Florida are the Indian River State College, the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, the Ocean Research & Conservation Association, and the Florida Institute of Technology. Our content theme "Water as Habitat" is engaging and appealing to students and the public and will allow us to place naturally charismatic marine organisms and ecosystems within a systems framework linking physical, chemical and geological ocean processes to biodiversity, marine ecology, climate change, threats to human health, and stewardship actions. COSEE Florida will advance ocean science literacy through the implementation of three strategic initiatives: 1. Professional Development Workshop Series for Scientists: Ocean scientists will participate in workshops to improve their effectiveness in communicating their research to non-scientific audiences. COSEE staff will also provide assistance to scientists who wish to develop quality outreach programs to broaden the impact of their research. Six workshops will be conducted around the state each year. 2. A new Ocean Science Concentration for Pre-Service Educators: Ocean science focused educational content will be added to the Bachelor of Science STEM Education degree for middle school science at Indian River State College in Ft. Pierce, Florida. Students will participate in a suite of courses, research opportunities and high quality practicum situations. The program will be disseminated to additional State College campuses in year 5. 3. COSEE Florida Ocean Science Learning Network: This initiative is the linchpin that brings scientists, educators and the public together to communicate and collaborate. Water As Habitat events will feature ocean-based interactive presentations, educator workshops, and opportunities for continued participant engagement at regional nodes throughout the state. On-line communication tools will be developed to facilitate post-event collaborations and resource sharing. At least five regional Learning Community nodes will be established around the state. Our work will engage a spectrum of people and organizations from across Florida. Ocean researchers, higher education faculty, informal education institutions, educators and the general public will participate in a wide range of activities. Through our initiatives we will (1) involve up to 90 Florida ocean scientists in effective outreach and education each year, (2) expand the skills and strengthen the ocean science content of at least 200 pre-service undergraduates, 100 in-service teachers and 100 informal educators over a 5 year period, (3) improve the ocean literacy of over 3000 Florida residents and tourists and (4) learn from and contribute to the work of other Centers in the National COSEE Network. The ocean science content of our programs will draw on current research findings from Florida's leading ocean scientists (Intellectual Merit) and significantly expand public awareness of the significance of their work (Broader Impacts). Scientists will also develop a deeper understanding of the challenges facing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education today (Intellectual Merit) and contribute to improving the quality of teaching and learning in Florida through the integration of cutting edge research into K-16 education (Broader Impacts).