Archive of Spotlight Feature Articles

Marine education in urban settings

University of Southern California Sea Grant

Making A Difference

USC Sea Grant education programs enhance science and marine education in Southern California and create model programs for use in other urban environments. These have long been the goals of USC Sea Grant's education programs. Ensuring that minority students in urban areas have opportunities to learn about the marine environment is of major importance. Sea Grant is committed to providing educational opportunities, resources, and curriculum materials to teachers in the urban ocean community. Science education is an important tool for managing the impacts of urban populations on the environment.

The Island Explorers Program

Sea Grant's Island Explorers, a part of the USC Neighborhood Outreach Program, is a student-centered science curriculum aimed at increasing science literacy among urban elementary and middle school students. It uniquely focuses on Southern California and Catalina Island coastal environs to teach science in direct correlation with the California Science Framework. Island Explorers teaches marine science using hands-on activities, experiments, field trips, and distance learning to acquaint students with the methods of scientific investigation and to ‘turn them on' to the concepts of science using a multidisciplinary approach. Through the Island Explorers program, students:

• gain a better understanding of the many disciplines within science in general, and their applications;
• develop a more positive attitude toward science, especially traditionally unpopular science subjects such as physics and chemistry;
• become more aware of the academic requirements of science careers; and
• gain a sense of excitement and the spirit of discovery germane to any scientific discipline;
• develop interpersonal skills through group projects and field trip experiences.

Goals:

The primary goals of Island Explorers are to promote science literacy and to encourage interest and lifelong learning of the marine sciences, especially for minority students. In addition, the development of interpersonal skills through group projects and field trip experiences, and building an everlasting awareness of environmental problems, science applications, and community involvement are emphasized. The program is designed to introduce students to the varied careers available in marine science and related fields.

Teaching Educators to Teach Science:

Science literacy among students in public schools has recently come under increased scrutiny. Past attempts to improve science teaching have faltered as a result of the scientific insecurities of teachers, particularly in primary schools. Most often, these educators did not study science when obtaining their teaching credentials, and thus need to be encouraged and instructed to teach science. The Island Explorers curriculum includes a teacher training component that is used to familiarize teachers with the lesson plans in order to enhance their science teaching skills.

How is Island Explorers Unique?

Island Explorers is unique in several aspects: primarily, in offering stimulating hands-on science learning in a cohesive and exciting, well-planned curriculum. The curriculum is also unique in that it focuses on Catalina Island and the San Pedro Channel, and the special environment and resources of Southern California. Island Explorers is multidisciplinary and multifaceted, introducing students not only to marine biology, but also to other science disciplines that contribute to the study of the ocean environment, such as geography, geology, physics, chemistry, and ecology.

Curriculum Design

The curriculum is designed to conform to the California Science Standards and includes the following units:What is the Ocean?

1. What Lives in the Ocean?
2. How Do Organisms Interact?
3. Community Structures
4. Human Impact on the Oceans
5. Catalina Island Focus
6. Science Symposium

Catalina Field Trip

The Catalina Island Field trip is an overnight trip to the Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies (WIES) marine laboratory on Catalina Island. Students travel to WIES on a research vessel and participate in onboard science activities. Upon arrival at WIES, learning continues through such activities as waterfront studies, laboratory experiments, and island bio-geography excursions. Data is collected for individual and group research projects for which students have prepared during classroom time. The Science Symposium unit of this curriculum is intended as a follow-up to the research activities performed during this field trip. It serves to further students' understanding of the scientific process and reinforces concepts and ideas that they have learned.

Computers and Telepresence Enhancements

In collaboration with the Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies, a distance-learning component to Island Explorers is being developed to enrich the classroom exercises, familiarize students with the Worldwide Web, and enable them to ‘virtually' participate on the San Pedro Channel and Catalina Island field trips.

Using computers, video cameras, real time data collection (i.e., current and temperature readings, wind direction, etc.), and interactive audio (teleconferencing), students will be able to participate ‘virtually' on shipboard research projects, fieldwork excursions and laboratory experiments. This offers a ‘real-time' opportunity for students to put into context the lessons in biology, geography, geology, and other disciplines that are incorporated into the curriculum materials. Students onboard the vessel and at the island will collect data that can be transmitted back to the classroom for individual experiments (i.e., water depth and clarity, temperature, and plankton sampling). Students in the classroom will help to "produce" the telepresence component, interact with their peers and with scientists in the field, and use the transmitted data for their own projects. The program is truly groundbreaking, and will teach not only the basic science curriculum, but introduce students to 21st Century technology at the same time.

The USC Sea Grant home page currently offers several on-line activities catering to middle school students, but entertaining for anyone. Live photos from a garibaldi camera are available, as well as an interactive lesson about kelp.

In addition, USC Sea Grant is piloting on-line courses for teachers and students. Last year, "El Niño Online" attracted educators from around the county, and a few participants from Asia and Latin America. This year, Sea Grant will host an online workshop on Harmful Algal Blooms.

Parent-Child Education Program

The Parent-Child Education Program is a specially developed pilot study funded by the USC Neighborhood Outreach program. Working together in learning teams, parents and students are introduced to basic marine science concepts through selected Island Explorers activities, as well as to activities for developing life and learning skills, created by the USC Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. The Program focuses on environmental issues, social responsibility, communication skills, and self-esteem building. As a culmination of the learning program, parents and students participate in a two-day field trip to the Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island. Upon their return, they conduct a symposium to consolidate and share their experiences.

Other Programs

Another educational program offered by USC Sea Grant aims to empower teachers to develop programs in which students take direct action addressing their environmental concerns. A video entitled "Environmental Education: Making A Difference" documents a unique effort to integrate classroom education with hands-on activities for students, particularly students in urban areas of Southern California. The innovative "Adopt-A-Beach School Assembly Program," a cooperative effort of the Malibu Foundation for Environmental Education and the California Coastal Commission is highlighted in the video, which acquaints students with the problems of marine pollution and debris.

Urban Ocean Recreation

In an effort to increase public awareness about recreational opportunities and beach safety in the Southern California region, USC Sea Grant created the award-winning Guides to Los Angeles and Orange County Beaches for Los Angeles and Orange Counties. These multi-lingual on-line guides provide beach goers with information regarding boating, weather, and swimming safety, as well as facilities and habitat information, and traveling directions to coastal destinations.

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