1998 Year of the Ocean Marine Science, Technology, and Research 



mathematical literacy for all. and technology educators are speaking of technology education for 

 all — instead of it being limited to students bound for the workplace after grade 12. The 

 revolution in science education requires the study of the interactions of science and technology, a 

 transdisciplinary approach. 



The oceans have an aesthetic appeal to humans and the study of oceanography is 

 inherently interdisciplinary. The oceanographic community has an opportunity to make the 

 oceans a major context in which to study the interactions of science, technology, and society, and 

 from which to learn basic science and mathematical concepts. 



Partnerships between oceanographers and educators with current perspectives on learning 

 are necessary. There are reciprocal benefits between the two cultures, oceanography and 

 education. The former focuses on generating new knowledge about the ocean. The latter focuses 

 on tying pieces of information into a whole picture that can be made relevant to other scientists 

 and to non-scientists. Together they can develop new courses. 



Oceanography is an ideal platform for education, focusing on the interaction offerees and 

 processes across a palette of disciplines, including biology, chemistry, physics and geology. The 

 ocean is also a wonderful arena for applying concepts in mathematics (everything from the 

 algebra of determining salinity, to the calculus of ocean currents). There are a handful of 

 initiatives throughout the country attempting to build curricula along these lines. The formal 

 educational community (including all components from kindergarten through graduate school) 

 would realize immediate benefit from partnering through the establishment of oceanography- 

 specific coalitions of educators. 



There exist too few pre-college teachers, specifically elementary teachers who have the 

 content, knowledge and confidence to teach science. This is one of the primary reasons that too 

 many elementary students perform poorly in the sciences. It is well documented that a key to 

 reversing the dangerous lack of scientific understanding being demonstrated by students is 

 through teaching the teachers. Successful workshops, and undergraduate and graduate courses 

 relative to marine sciences, should remain as an area of priority and be expanded at the local, 

 state, regional, and national level. When new technologies and/or advances in scientific theory 

 are developed, workshops and courses must be made available for teachers, thereby allowing 

 them to infuse this "new" knowledge and complementary methodologies/activities into existing 

 curricula, as advocated by the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996). New or 

 revised curricular materials may also need to be developed. Teaching/learning experiences to 

 assist with integrating these materials into classrooms would follow. The National Ocean 

 Sciences Bowl, initiating a nationwide high school level competition during this Year of the 

 Ocean, is precisely the kind of highly visible and exciting educational program that can re- 

 energize pre-college education with an oceans-related emphasis. 



New and/or extended partnerships need to be developed among the education community 

 and marine scientists in government, academia, and the private sector. These partnerships must 

 include, but should not be limited to, fiscal support, equipment, personnel, and/or resource 



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