Ocean Literacy for All: A Tool Kit

This publication is made of two parts. The first part presents the history of oceanliteracy, and describes its framework made of 7 essential principles, and connectsthem to international ocean science programs that contributes to enhancing oceanknowledge and observations. Moreover, marine scientists and educators wereinterviewed to share their professional experiences on ocean literacy as well astheir views on its future. The last chapter of part 1 describes the existing challengesto marine education, as well as the path for the development of successful oceanliteracy activities in the context of the 2030 Agenda. One of the most importantfactors identified is related to the creation of multi-sector partnerships amongthe education, government, and private sector that have jointly built ocean literacyprograms for all formal educational levels from the primary school to the universitylevel as well as for non-formal learners. Worldwide examples of such programs arepresented.The second part, after introducing the methodological approach based on themulti-perspective framework for ESD developed by UNESCO, presents 14 activitiesthat could provide tested examples and support for the implementation of marineeducation initiatives. The aim is not to provide a one size-fits-all ready to usecollection, but rather to offer support and examples of what could be then adaptedfor different geographical and cultural contexts. The resources are designed to berelevant for all learners of all ages worldwide and to find their application in manylearning settings, while in their concrete implementation they will, naturally, haveto be adapted to the national or local context

Discovery of Estuarian Environments

This site has been created by the University of Rhode Island's Office of Marine Programs as part of the Narragansett Bay Commission's Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) project. The site serves as a portal to find large quantities of information about the Narragansett Bay Estuarian Region. The Teacher Resource Section contains suggested classroom activities, which span grades K-12. It includes sections on estuarine science, policy and management, history and culture, and a virtual field trip. Educational levels: High school, Intermediate elementary, Middle school, Primary elementary, Undergraduate lower division

Global Ocean Science Education for the Human/Ocean System

Most global citizens are not aware of how the state of the ocean and its resources affect their daily lives. They are also not aware of the extent of the services that the ocean provides, which are related to environmental, human health, economic, social, and geo-political factors. The importance of ocean science research in support of these services is critical to society, yet the arena of ocean science and related marine enterprises remain a mystery for a large portion of the global population. The global ocean system can’t be extracted from the Earth’s complex intertwined Earth systems nor can it be separated from human health, social, or cultural systems.The pressures of a growing human population, increased development and demand on natural resources, and climatic warming necessitate decision making in support of national, regional, and international goals. It is more important than ever for all citizens to be knowledgeable and aware of their relationship with the ocean, how it affects them, and the scientific research that is addressing pressing ocean-related concerns. This is the essence of ocean literacy (OL) - an understanding of the ocean’s influence on people and people’s influence on the ocean. The U.S. ocean science research and education community has worked together for over 25 years to expand and enhance ocean science education efforts. These efforts have included the national OL initiative, a collaborative undertaking of several U.S. organizations and institutions, which developed the Ocean Literacy Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts (OLPFC) for primary and secondary schools.Recent collaborative efforts by COSEE (Consortium for Ocean Science Exploration and Engagement) and the College of Exploration have striven to move beyond a single sector/single nation approach to ocean education and literacy through the engagement of multiple sectors connected to the human/ocean system, specifically the research, education, business, and policy sectors. This work, initiated in 2015 via the Global Ocean Science Education (GOSE) Workshops, is intended to move the dialog beyond the knowledge requirements of the OLPFC toward an understanding of anthropogenic impacts on the ocean and attitudes toward important ocean-related activities and behaviors. Systems thinking across nations, sectors, and natural systems is critical if the global citizenry is to become ocean literate. In addition, an understanding of the complex relationships in the ocean/human system is imperative in achieving the goals of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (Deacde; 2021-2030). The 2019 GOSE Workshop will provide a forum for the international, cross-sector ocean science community to plan for the upcoming Decade and explore connections between ocean and systems literacy. 

Implementing multiple digital platforms to effectively communicate research on underwater acoustics

The Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS) project has produced a comprehensive set of resources on underwater sound. Over the last 14 years, the project has increased the diversity of digital platforms used to meet its objective of communicating accurate, peer-reviewed science to diverse audiences. Since the DOSITS website (www.dosits.org) was launched in 2002, there has been a great increase in Internet accessibility, both in terms of number of people connected and bandwidth available. At the same time, a sea of change has occurred in website technologies making it easier to provide an incredible range of media and interfaces. In the last six years, the platforms, or methods, by which people can access digital media, and devices used to access that media, has greatly proliferated. As researchers strive to effectively communicate scientific results to specific audiences, such as the international regulatory community, it is necessary to address the diverse digital platforms available. The DOSITS team now uses many digital platforms, including websites, electronic books, live webinars, and online videos. The evolution of the DOSITS project to leverage multiple digital platforms allows different audiences to access DOSITS content in forms that best meet their information needs at a preferred time