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| New on COSEE.net |
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| The COSEE China Planning workshop, held in March 2010 in Beijing, China, brought together ocean scientists, students, COSEE representatives and government officials to exchange information focused on ocean science education in the United States and China and to explore the possibility of establishing a Center for Ocean Science Education Excellence in China. View the workshop proceedings here. |
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| Network News |
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New NSF COSEE Program Officer
From Lisa Rom
Dr. Don Elthon, who has served as the National Science Foundation (NSF) COSEE Program Officer for the past four years, will complete his IPA assignment at the Foundation on August 20. He is planning to return to his faculty position at the University of Houston. I would like to thank him for his outstanding service to NSF and to the COSEE community. It has been pleasure working with Don, and his leadership and sense of humor will be greatly missed. Please join me in wishing him well as he returns to Houston.
We are fortunate in that Dr. Michelle Hall from Science Education Solutions, Inc. (SES, Inc.) has agreed to join NSF as the new COSEE Program Officer, and she will be starting at NSF on August 30. Dr. Hall earned her Ph.D. in Geophysics at the University of Arizona. She was a research scientist and faculty member at the University of Arizona from 1994-2004, and then she started SES, Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in STEM education. She has recently been working with youth to design and implement a teen Café Scientifique. This youth-led program engages scientists and youth in discussion and debate about hot topics in science and technology. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Hall to the COSEE community. Once she joins NSF, she can be reached at the main number for the Division of Ocean Sciences (703) 292-8580, and her email will be listed on the NSF website. [Photo: Science Education Solutions]
Educators’ Engagement with COSEE
From Chris Parsons
Following on the heels of the Scientist Engagement Survey (see CNN June 2010), the Evaluation Working Group (EWG) launched a cross-COSEE Educator Engagement Survey in May 2010. As with the scientist survey, we focused on characterizing educators engaged with COSEE during 2009; however, for this survey we expanded the survey to 40 core questions to ask about the form and results of that engagement. Following are highlights of the survey results.
Of the 1,982 individuals invited to take the Educator Engagement Survey, we received 904 usable responses, for a 46% response rate, which is very good for such a survey. Of those respondents, 795 identified themselves as educators/teacher/etc. and indicated that they had been involved with COSEE in 2009. We view this as an educator baseline number for a single year and look forward to tracking changes over time.
COSEE’s 2009 educators are an accomplished group. The majority hold Master’s degrees (55%) and 8% have doctoral degrees. Fifty-three percent hold degrees in science or consider it their specialty. Of those who taught at the postsecondary level, 35% are tenured. Most are mid-career professionals (40%), followed by early-career (23%) and advanced-career (18%) professionals. Eight percent identified themselves as volunteers. The vast majority of respondents were female (75%) and the racial background was predominantly white (86%). The educators worked for schools, districts, agencies, institutions and others in 37 states and 9 foreign countries.
Nearly two-thirds (64%) taught in or worked for a formal education setting, while 36% worked in or for informal education institutions. The respondents who worked directly with students or others (n = 500) taught a total of 889,020 learners - preschoolers through adults - during 2009.
Most educators were engaged with COSEE as participants (89%). Sixty-six percent participated in person only, 20% participated both in person and virtually, and 14% participated virtually only. In addition to being participants, educators provided resources (27%), were advocates/advisors (12%) and/or were partners (13%). Four percent considered themselves leaders within COSEE.
The primary opportunity educators cited that resulted from working with COSEE was the opportunity to learn from science researchers (cited by 80%). When asked how they engaged with scientists, 70% reported that they interacted with researchers in one or more ways. By far, the most common way was by learning about a scientist's research during a lecture or in the field (cited by 60%).
Educators reported that they had gained, on average, five skills/abilities as a result of working with COSEE. Most had obtained a better understanding and knowledge about the ocean (72%) and new ocean content to teach or share (73%). Others gained a greater understanding of how science works (40%) and confidence working with science researchers (30%). In terms of impact on their teaching settings, 40% indicated they had gained an ability to effect change in how science was taught where they teach, and 28% said they could effect change in what topics were taught.
As with the Scientist Engagement Survey, the EWG is pleased to present reliable, consistent and coherent network-wide data about educators’ engagement with COSEE during a calendar year (2009). We would not be reporting any results without the extremely professional and collegial efforts of all of the COSEE evaluators and PIs. We thank everyone who helped launch this survey and who responded to it. We are grateful to the National Network Evaluation team for collating and tallying the data. Our next step on the path of cross-COSEE data collection is to plan an annual encore performance. For more information contact Chris Parsons, COSEE NOW Evaluator. |
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| Working Group Updates |
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Scientist Engagement Working Group The second SEW-G case study, on Dr. Carrie Thomas (COSEE SouthEast, North Carolina State University), is nearly complete and ready for posting. This case study features pages describing Carrie's various outreach and research projects and includes beautiful photographs of Antarctica. In addition, it features an audio slideshow developed by Ari Daniel Shapiro, in which Carrie describes the efforts she and COSEE SouthEast make to engage culturally diverse audiences in ocean science experiences.
In July the Production Team spent two days in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, interviewing Dr. Crystal Johnson (COSEE Central Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana State University) in preparation for her upcoming case study. In response to concerns expressed by several Centers, the Production Team is focusing on each featured scientist's interactions with COSEE and how that contributes to the scientist's education and outreach activities.
Please view the SEW-G website. Suggestions and comments are welcome, and can be made by contacting SEW-G chair, Jessie Kastler (COSEE Central Gulf of Mexico, University of Southern Mississippi).
ENTS Sub-Group The Excellence in Networking Tools Sub-Group (ENTs) is working on developing upcoming Network-wide training webinars. Watch for announcements about these webinars coming soon. The first ENTs-led webinar (demonstrating online presentation tools) is archived and available on the Online Tools Guidebook. The Network is encouraged to propose additional requests for training. Submissions for the Tools That Work collection are also welcome.For more information contact ENTs co-chairs Catherine Cramer and Carla Companion.
Web Working Group This month the WWG completed their draft review of the new Blogs module, which will be moved to Staging this week for testing by COSEE Ocean Systems. Also discussed: featuring people on partner and working group About Us pages (due to launch shortly) and how to resize photos for display on the CMS websites. For more information, contact Annette deCharon, WWG Chair. |
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| CCO Update |
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| The Central Coordinating Office (CCO) continues to make preparations for the upcoming Evaluators' Workshop and Best Practices Work Session. The Evaluators' Workshop will take place from September 21-23, and the Best Practices Work Session will be from September 23-25. At the end of September, the CCO will be present at the annual SACNAS conference in Anaheim, CA. For more information contact Romy Pizziconi. |
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| Center News |
COSEE Alaska New calendar items, news items, and featured resources have been posted to the SEANET site.
COSEE California Scripps Institution of Oceanography and COSEE California present Perspectives on Ocean Science, a monthly lecture series filmed and broadcast by UCSD TV that is also available for online viewing and download. The next talk - Exploring Extremes of Earth's Magnetic Field - premiers August 11. Visit the program website for details. For those outside of the San Diego viewing area look here.
COSEE Coastal Trends Check out the Coastal Trends blog, which follows the 2010 Scientist-Educator Partnership Team.
COSEE Great Lakes Visit blogs following the Lake Michigan and Lake Ontario workshops. COSEE Great Lakes has also just completed the Great Lakes Literacy Principles brochure. A website to accompany it is in development, to match with standards and to offer resources for teaching each of the Great Lakes Literacy Principles. The Great Lakes Literacy Principles can be viewed on the Ocean Literacy Network website.
COSEE Pacific Partnerships The Community College Faculty Institute takes place August 23-27 at the Shannon Point Marine Center, Western Washington University, Anacortes, Washington.
COSEE Ocean Systems COSEE Ocean Systems recently provided input to COSEE Coastal Trends for their Scientist-Educator Partnerships program. COSEE Ocean Systems also hosted the first in a series of Research-Based Online Learning Event (ROLE) webinars featuring research scientists and educators who use concept mapping to develop and communicate ideas. The next webinar, scheduled for August 10, will showcase Harvard scientist Peter Guiguis and Louise McMinn, a high school teacher from Scofield Magnet Middle School in Stamford, Connecticut.
COSEE Central Gulf of Mexico COSEE Central Gulf of Mexico is pleased to announce that Drs. Jessie Kastler and Brian McCann (Mississippi State University), along with colleagues at the University of Southern Mississippi and Mississippi Public Broadcasting, have received an NSF RAPID grant to provide Responsive Oil Spill Education Based on Science. The group is beginning work on the grant immediately to produce three one-hour television programs that will address issues related to the oil spill via conversations with scientists who have received RAPID research funding. In addition, the grant provides for a web facilitator to develop and moderate an interactive website featuring scientist blogs, frequently asked questions with answers, invitations to ask questions that will be addressed on television programs, and an annotated bibliography of some of the best available oil spill education resources. For more information, please contact Jessie Kastler.
COSEE New England The New England Ocean Science Education Collaborative (NEOSEC) announces its bi-annual Ocean Literacy Summit, which will take place November 11-13 at the University of New Hampshire. Details and registration available here. NEOSEC has also received funding from NOAA for the program Summer Science in New England: Ocean Education Through Informal Science Centers. Not the typical camp experience, youth 14 years old and up are helping scientists monitor coastal diversity, gathering critical data from the New England intertidal zone. Campers and teen interns in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts are using the Census of Marine Life’s NaGISA protocol to take water temperatures, check salinity levels at various tides, and lay one-meter quadrats, identifying and counting inhabitants for the International Biogeographic Information System. Campers are also taking digital photos of specimens to submit to the Encyclopedia of Life, and will attend a Teen Summit in the fall to share their experience with peers. For more information, visit the Summer Science program page, or contact Pam DiBona. In addition, check out the new NEwswave blog, updated daily with information about ocean science education in New England. [Image: NEOSEC]
COSEE West Follow the COSEE West Colorado Collaborative Teacher Exchange on the project blog. |
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| COSEE at Conferences |
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Evaluation Working Group AGU Session Soliciting Abstracts
From Chris Parsons
The Evaluation Working Group (EWG) has had a session accepted for the 2010 AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco, December 13 to 17, titled, How Do You Measure Broader Impact Success? As many of you know, science researchers applying for National Science Foundation (NSF) funding must address this question: What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity? A "broader impact" can address one of several issues, such as education/outreach, broadening participation of underrepresented groups, enhancing infrastructure, disseminating research results broadly, and/or benefiting society. A high quality broader impact has a validated need, measurable objectives and a means to measure success.
During this session, scientists, educators and/or evaluators are invited to present the development and evaluation of broader impacts: how the audience and objectives were chosen, what the broader impact activity was, what the criteria for success were, how those criteria were measured, and how successful the broader impacts were (or weren't). We welcome abstracts from anyone who has measured broader impacts' success and want to share what they learned in the process. This isn't just a COSEE session - we want proposals from anyone who can broaden the discussion of evaluating broader impacts.
Abstract submissions are now being accepted. The deadline is September 2. We're excited about this session and invite anyone who has evaluated a broader impact project or program to please submit an abstract. For more information, contact Chris Parsons, COSEE NOW Evaluator. [Image: AGU] |
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| Announcements |
MATE International ROV Competition Results The Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center International ROV competition was held June 24-26 in Hawaii. For final results and photos, visit online.
ONR STEM Funding The Office of Naval Research (ONR) Long-Range Funding Opportunity Announcement for Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) for K-12 & Institutions of HigherEducation 10-023 has been announced. This announcement will remain open until September 30, 2011.
NOAA Funding for Formal K-12 Education Projects NOAA's Office of Education (OEd) has issued a request for applications for Formal K-12 Education Projects that advance inquiry-based Earth System Science learning and stewardship directly tied to the school curriculum, with a particular interest in increasing climate literacy. The deadline for pre-proposals (which are required) is 5:00 PM EDT September 8, 2010. For further information visit online. For automated updates on this funding opportunity, subscribe to the RSS feed.
National Ocean Policy Created President Obama has issued an Executive Order that creates the nation’s first comprehensive national policy to govern the ocean, coasts and Great Lakes. This landmark effort seeks to provide a comprehensive structure for managing multiple uses in the ocean, ranging from oil and gas extraction and exploration to recreation and much more. Read the White House statement.
NOAA Soliciting Comments for Next Generation Strategic Plan NOAA is seeking final public comments from stakeholders on its long-term strategic plan that will chart the future of the agency. The public comment period closes August 10, 2010. The final plan is expected to be released in early September. For more information on how to comment visit NOAA's Office of Program Planning and Integration's website.
Ocean Acidification Symposium A consortium of institutions and organizations from Monterey, California has successfully bid to host the third symposium on The Ocean in a High-CO2 World in autumn 2012. The symposium aims to attract more than 300 of the world’s leading scientists to discuss the impacts of ocean acidification on marine organisms, ecosystems, and biogeochemical cycles. More details online. |
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Contribute to CNN! Send news and announcements of interest to the COSEE Network community to the editor, Catherine Cramer.
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| COSEE Centers and Council Representatives |
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| COSEE Alaska (Nora Deans, North Pacific Research Board) |
| COSEE California (Craig Strang, UC Berkeley) |
| COSEE Central Gulf of Mexico (Sharon Walker, Institute for Marine Mammal Studies) |
| COSEE Coastal Trends (Laura Murray, U of Maryland Center for Environmental Science) |
| COSEE Great Lakes (Rosanne Fortner, Ohio State University) |
| COSEE NOW (Janice McDonnell, Rutgers University) |
| COSEE New England (Billy Spitzer, New England Aquarium) |
| COSEE Ocean Learning Communities (Phil Bell, University of Washington) |
| COSEE Ocean Systems (Annette deCharon, Darling Marine Center, University of Maine) |
| COSEE Pacific Partnerships (Jan Hodder, Oregon Institute of Marine Biology) |
| COSEE SouthEast (Lundie Spence, South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium) |
| COSEE West (Linda Duguay, University of Southern California) |
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