734 



48 



Appendix IV.I. 



Title: Operation Pathfinder: Oceanography and Coastal Processes for Elementary and Middle School 

 Teachers of Predominantly Minority Students 



Issue: Elementary and Middle School teachers desire and need enhanced knowledge relative to 

 oceanography and coastal processes. This study is also a form of recruitment for minority students in the 



Relevance: Since more and more people are moving to this coimtry's coasts, people in general need to be 

 more aware of the fragility and interconnectedness of this watery planet. Increased numbers of 

 minorities should be vital components of this multidisdplinary cirena. 



Backgrovmd and Approach: A two-week, three semester hour graduate course is being taught in six 

 different regions of the country. The content of these courses involves marine and estuarine pollution, 

 deep sea technologies, marine and aquatic habitats, plate tectonics, physical parameters, and marine and 

 aquatic resources. Each region may have a maximimi of twenty teachers of predominantly minority 

 students. Teachers are provided resource materials and must each develop a homework assignment on 

 each of the six topics. Six cooperative groups of three or four teachers design and implement a staff 

 development program which is presented in class and subsequently presented in his/her school district. 

 Guest scientists and field trips reinforce these content areas. 



Partners: US Navy (Office of Naval Resecirch, Oceanographer of the Navy, Naval Meteorology and 

 Oceanography Command, Naval Research Laboratory), Depeirtment of Interior's Office of Territorial 

 Affairs, Sea Grant Program, NOAA's Sea Grant Program, NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data 

 and Information Service (NESDIS), National Marine Educators Association (NMEA), and academia (the 

 program is hosted by an institution of higher learning in each region). 



Motivating Factor Teaching teachers and introducing increeised numbers of minorities to the sciences. 



Products: Teachers with augmented content knowledge teaching skills; students with enhanced 

 understanding of the species interconnectedness of the marine envirorunent; resource materials which 

 can be integrated within existing curricula; and minority recruitment stiategies. 



Impacts or Benefit The "multiplier effect" inherent in teaching teachers is usually cost and time effective. 



Lessons Learned: Success can be attributed to need and partners enthusiasm and vision in sharing costs 

 and meeting the educational challenges of the 21st century. 



