Collaborative Research - COSEE Florida: Water as Habitat

由于佛罗里达州拥有超过 1,350 英里的咸水海岸线，该州为海洋科学教育卓越中心 (COSEE) 网络提供了一个尚未开发的重要机会，可以扩大其地理和项目覆盖范围。我们提议的中心“COSEE Florida: Water as Habitat”将与佛罗里达州的海洋研究界建立全州范围的联系。该项目将为科学家提供专业发展机会，以提高他们向非科学受众传达科学价值和重要性的能力，并更好地理解他们在支持 STEM 教育中的作用。 COSEE Florida 的创始合作伙伴包括印第安河州立学院、皮尔斯堡史密森尼海洋站、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“水作为栖息地”对学生和公众具有吸引力，并使我们能够将具有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 Florida 将通过实施三项战略举措来提高海洋科学素养： 1. 科学家专业发展研讨会系列：海洋科学家将参加研讨会，以提高向非科学受众传播研究成果的效率。 COSEE 工作人员还将为希望制定高质量推广计划以扩大其研究影响的科学家提供帮助。每年将在全州举办六次研讨会。 2. 为职前教育工作者开设新的海洋科学专业：以海洋科学为重点的教育内容将被添加到位于英尺的印第安河州立学院的中学科学理科 STEM 教育学位中。佛罗里达州皮尔斯。学生将参加一系列课程、研究机会和高质量的实习环境。该计划将于第 5 年推广到其他州立学院校园。 3. COSEE 佛罗里达海洋科学学习网络：该计划是将科学家、教育工作者和公众聚集在一起进行交流和合作的关键。水作为栖息地活动将以基于海洋的互动演示、教育者研讨会以及参与者在全州区域节点持续参与的机会为特色。将开发在线交流工具，以促进会后合作和资源共享。全州将建立至少五个区域学习社区节点。我们的工作将吸引来自佛罗里达州各地的各类人员和组织。海洋研究人员、高等教育教师、非正式教育机构、教育工作者和公众将参加广泛的活动。通过我们的举措，我们将 (1) 每年让多达 90 名佛罗里达海洋科学家参与有效的推广和教育，(2) 在 5 年内扩大至少 200 名预科本科生、100 名在职教师和 100 名非正式教育工作者的技能并加强海洋科学内容，(3) 提高 3000 多名佛罗里达居民和游客的海洋素养，(4) 向国家 COSEE 网络其他中心的工作学习并做出贡献。我们项目的海洋科学内容将借鉴佛罗里达州领先海洋科学家的最新研究成果（智力优点），并显着提高公众对其工作重要性的认识（更广泛的影响）。科学家们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），并通过将前沿研究融入 K-16 教育（更广泛的影响），为提高佛罗里达州的教学质量做出贡献。

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).