The Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) network has been successful at reaching its core mission of engaging scientists and educators to transform ocean sciences education for all. The network has achieved this by integrating the results of current scientific research into classrooms and informal education venues, giving thousands of scientists the opportunity to broaden the impacts of their research. COSEE activities have benefited tens of thousands of educators, K-16 classrooms, graduate students and the public, while facilitating new and innovative approaches to ocean science education.
More than 50 specific examples of COSEE accomplishments in 10 thematic areas are highlighted below. Each example includes contact information, in case you would like to learn more.
Constructing an appropriate Broader Impact Statement that satisfies the Broader Impacts criterion of a research proposal can be a daunting task. As a result, several COSEE Centers have developed educational programs or online tools to assist scientists in their creation. Additionally, collaborative efforts from the National COSEE Office and several Centers look to broaden the reach of COSEE scientists and provide an expert perspective on how ocean literacy can be further developed and enhanced.
The COSEE Centers look beyond their own organization to create additional networks of ocean science professionals in an effort to to further expand our collective capacity to disseminate knowledge, create broader public awareness of the role of scientific discovery in society, and enhance educational opportunities in the ocean sciences.
A COSEE tenet is to support efforts to increase ocean awareness, literacy, and opportunities for under-represented/under-served populations to participate more fully in the ocean sciences. The National COSEE Office and Centers use a variety of innovative approaches to reach diverse audiences: workshops, collaborative fellowships, webinars, college courses, and exhibitions at national conferences, to name a few.
COSEE's overall mission to "spark and nurture collaborations among research scientist and educators to advance ocean discovery and make known the vital role of the ocean in our lives" hinges on a researcher's ability to clearly and effectively convey his or her science. The COSEE Centers have long recognized the importance of training tomorrow's scientists in communicating and presenting their research to various audiences.
The overarching goal for COSEE was to increase and enhance collaboration and communications among ocean scientists, educators, and the general public. The highlights presented here showcase three important mechanisms that COSEE Centers have employed to teach and understand ocean science concepts; impart ideas, information, and resources to others; and connect with the general public.
The COSEE Network has played an important and evolving role in linking the ocean sciences research community with educators and the public outreach sector in an effort to disseminate knowledge, create broader public awareness of the role of scientific discovery in society, and enhance educational opportunities. Online tools from the National COSEE Office and several Centers help in this process.
As part of COSEE's commitment to "serve as a window to ideas, information, and resources that connect and celebrate ocean sciences teaching, learning, and scientific discovery at all levels", many Centers have developed training opportunities for researchers to help them better communicate their science.
The mission of the COSEE Network is to spark and nurture collaborations among research scientists and educators to advance ocean discovery and make known the vital role of the ocean in our lives. This mission is reflected in the multiple synergetic partnerships developed by the COSEE Centers between formal and informal education institutes and the scientific community, and the myriad ways each partnership strives to effectively integrate ocean science research into the classroom.
One of COSEE's goals was to significantly enhance ocean learning opportunities for all age levels (including adult and informal education) by incorporating the work of ocean science researchers into high-quality educational products and services. To this end, many COSEE Centers have developed and produced scientist-led presentations in a variety of formats for use by science educators in the oceanographic community.
The COSEE Network recognized early on the importance of linking the ocean sciences research community with educators and the public as a way to disseminate knowledge, create broader public awareness of the role of scientific discovery in society, and enhance educational opportunities. To this end, COSEE has provided formal and informal educators access to a variety of innovative research experiences ranging from placed-based and field-oriented initiatives to collaborative projects with nationally-recognized scientists.
