COSEE-West, Community-based Ocean Sciences Education

在过去的5年里，COSEE-West成功地促进了南加州以社区为基础的海洋科学教育，吸引了来自13所大学和研究机构的教师，至少8个非正式科学教育中心的教育工作者，以及来自30个学区的350多名教师，其中包括美国第二大学区。COSEE-WEST的总体目标保持不变：1)提高公众对海洋科学的认识；2)利用海洋科学作为提高普通科学和海洋素养的激励；3)增加选择科学和海洋科学职业的学生数量。我们已经创建了一个由海洋研究人员、K-12教育工作者、非正式教育中心、学生和普通公众组成的强大和蓬勃发展的网络。2007-2012年，南加州大学、加州大学洛杉矶分校、探索学院、洛杉矶联合学区、卡布里略海洋水族馆和许多其他机构将在我们先前成就的基础上，扩大COSEE-WEST活动的影响和覆盖范围。我们将通过四个协同目标来实现这一点，这四个目标促进不同群体广泛参与海洋科学，并加强海洋科学教育的社区基础设施：[1]？n以可扩展的教育模式面向全国受众。开发示范节目，通过网络服务的新用途接触到更多的受众。我们将为教师、非正式教育工作者、从高中到大学的学生和普通公众提供在线服务，这些在线服务扩展了以前经过测试的远程学习教育模式，并利用本科生在外展教育中的作用，接触到更多的教育工作者，提供有效的指导。我们将在现有专业发展方法的基础上，通过利用我们成功的教师讲习班并将其制度化，在区域范围内接触到更多的科学教师。我们将通过招募大师教师来提供额外的专业发展研讨会，并通过展示地区资助的价值来创建可持续的海洋科学教师培训机制来扩大我们COSEE-WEST教师研讨会的有效性。[3]提高非正式科学教育的有效性。我们将通过促进与海洋科学家合作的机会，并以易于理解和实施的形式提供尖端海洋科学内容，加强我们非正式科学教育伙伴的外联和教育目标。我们将通过科学展览静修和非正式教育工作者的专业发展，为科学家、非正式教育工作者、学生和教师之间的密切互动创造机会。[4]扩大海洋科学的多样性。我们的最终目标是贯穿我们所有目标的一个中心主题：扩大具有海洋素养的人的多样性。我们的在线研讨会具有巨大的潜力，可以接触到广泛而多样化的高中和社区大学生受众，并有助于降低阻碍许多少数族裔学生考虑海洋科学专业的恐吓因素。与大学的少数民族支持项目合作，将进一步减少海洋科学领域平等纳入所有种族和民族的障碍。此外，更协调一致地努力通过非正式教育伙伴接触不同的公众受众，并让服务不足的少数族裔学生参加科学展览务虚会，也将推动我们在这一领域的目标。

Over the past 5 years, COSEE-West has successfully catalyzed community-based ocean sciences education in southern California, engaging faculty from 13 universities and research institutions, educators from at least 8 informal science education centers, and over 350 teachers from 30 school districts, including the second largest school district in the nation. We propose to build on this legacy of success through synergistic partnerships and entrepreneurial catalytic activities.The overarching goals of COSEE-West remain the same:1) Increase public awareness of ocean sciences;2) Use ocean sciences as an incentive to increase general science and ocean literacy; and3) Increase the number of students that choose science and ocean sciences careers.We have already created a robust and thriving network of ocean researchers, K-12 educators, informal education centers, students and the general public. In 2007-2012, University of Southern California, UCLA, College of Exploration, Los Angeles Unified School District, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and many other institutions will build on our previous accomplishments and expand the impact and reach of COSEE-West activities. We will do this through four synergistic objectives that promote broad participation of diverse groups in ocean sciences and enhance community infrastructure of ocean sciences education:[1] ?nReach a National Audience with Scalable Educational Models. We will develop model programs for reaching large audiences through new uses of online services. We will build programs to reach teachers, informal educators, students from high school through college levels, and the general public with online services that expand a previously tested distance learning education model and leverage the role of undergraduates in outreach education, reaching far more educators and providing effective mentoring.[2] ?nInstitutionalize Professional Development Programs. We will build on our existingprofessional development approach to reach more science teachers at a regional scale byleveraging and institutionalizing our successful teacher workshops. We will extend theeffectiveness of our COSEE-West teacher workshops by enlisting master teachers to provide additional professional development workshops and by demonstrating the value of district funding to create a sustainable mechanism for ocean sciences teacher training.[3] Improve the Effectiveness of Informal Science Education. We will enhance the outreach and education goals of our informal science education partners by fostering opportunities for collaboration with ocean scientists, and delivering cutting edge ocean sciences content in an easily understood and implemented format. We will create opportunities for close interaction between scientists, informal educators, students and teachers through science exhibit retreats and informal educator professional development.[4] Expand Diversity in Ocean Science. Our final objective is a central theme woven into all of our objectives: to expand the diversity of people with ocean literacy. Our online workshops have great potential to reach a wide and diverse audience of high school and community college students and help lower the intimidation factors that prevent many minority students from considering ocean sciences majors. Working with University support programs for minorities will further reduce barriers to equal inclusion of all races and ethnicities in ocean sciences. Additionally, a more concerted effort to reach diverse public audiences through informal education partners and engage under-served minority students in science exhibit retreats will also advance our objectives in this area.