Education Opportunities Education Opportunities and Challengesand Challenges

Teaching About the Ocean SystemTeaching About the Ocean System

July 7, 2005July 7, 2005

Ed LaineEd Laine

Bowdoin CollegeBowdoin College

Inquiry Based InstructionInquiry Based Instruction

• Introductory Service Learning CourseIntroductory Service Learning Course

• New Oceanographic Buoy in Casco New Oceanographic Buoy in Casco BayBay

Introduction to Marine Introduction to Marine Environmental GeologyEnvironmental Geology

Geo/ES103Geo/ES103

• IntroductoryIntroductory

• Counts for Geo and Environmental Counts for Geo and Environmental StudiesStudies

• Inquiry into Natural SciencesInquiry into Natural Sciences

• Over 60% non-science majorsOver 60% non-science majors

Service Learning?Service Learning?

• Delivering part of traditional contentDelivering part of traditional content– Problems from community partnerProblems from community partner– Design an approachDesign an approach– Field observationsField observations– AnalysisAnalysis– Write-upWrite-up– PosterPoster

• Not, beach cleanup, brushwhacking, Not, beach cleanup, brushwhacking, etcetc

Typical projectsTypical projects

• Low DO in Quahog BayLow DO in Quahog Bay

• Stratification of Quahog BayStratification of Quahog Bay

• Sediment characteristicsSediment characteristics

• Primary productivityPrimary productivity

Typical Project SeptemberTypical Project SeptemberStudents review data from Friends of Casco Bay

FOCB has also provided a “Problem Statement”

Early SeptemberEarly September

Students write competitive essaysStudents write competitive essays– FOCB statement/visitFOCB statement/visit– LecturesLectures– ReadingsReadings– WebWeb– Field Site VisitsField Site Visits

SeptemberSeptember

• Faculty build student capacity Faculty build student capacity – Labs on TechniquesLabs on Techniques

•Everyone does WinklersEveryone does Winklers

•Everyone works with YSIsEveryone works with YSIs

– Field visitsField visits

– Lectures and readingsLectures and readings

Late SeptemberLate September

• Student Student groupsgroups write proposals write proposals– Discussed in a class – linkagesDiscussed in a class – linkages– Vetted by faculty/laboratory instructorsVetted by faculty/laboratory instructors– Ship time allocatedShip time allocated

OctoberOctober

• Field WorkField Work– Rite in the RainRite in the Rain– Two visitsTwo visits– ContingencyContingency– HelpHelp– FOCB visitsFOCB visits

NovemberNovember

• AnalysisAnalysis– ODV for someODV for some– Excel for othersExcel for others– GIS mapsGIS maps

• FOCB visitsFOCB visits

StratificationStratification

October 19, 2004

October 26, 2004

Structured Writing ProjectStructured Writing Project

• IntroductionIntroduction– Lab instructorLab instructor

• MethodsMethods– Writing ProjectWriting Project

• ResultsResults– FOCBFOCB

• DiscussionDiscussion– MeMe

Late November and early Late November and early DecemberDecember

• Final report to FOCBFinal report to FOCB

• Poster SessionPoster Session

• PresentationsPresentations

PlusesPluses• Immediate engagementImmediate engagement

• Ownership of dataOwnership of data

• Team approachTeam approach

• Writing intensiveWriting intensive

• NumeracyNumeracy

• Realistic view of scienceRealistic view of science

Group WorkGroup Work

• Requires “Community Building”Requires “Community Building”

• Monitoring and maintaining communityMonitoring and maintaining community

• Giving up some controlGiving up some control

• Classroom with a different feelClassroom with a different feel

What Students SayWhat Students Say

• The first time out on the boat the YSI The first time out on the boat the YSI broke and our trip to Card Cove was broke and our trip to Card Cove was 'unsuccessful'. 'unsuccessful'.

While this was frustrating, it made me While this was frustrating, it made me realize & appreciate the work that realize & appreciate the work that geologists and other scientists must do: geologists and other scientists must do:  data collection does not always go as  data collection does not always go as smoothly as one hopessmoothly as one hopes

More QuotesMore Quotes• My favorite aspect….was actually the My favorite aspect….was actually the

analysis analysis

• It was satisfying to have gone through It was satisfying to have gone through the whole process of designing, the whole process of designing, researching, and executing a new researching, and executing a new project project

• I particularly liked being able to I particularly liked being able to compare our Maine estuary to bays in compare our Maine estuary to bays in Chile, China, and Australia, as well as to Chile, China, and Australia, as well as to other marine areas in Maine, through other marine areas in Maine, through scholarly and secondary literature.scholarly and secondary literature.

Another StudentAnother Student• It was a huge sense of It was a huge sense of

accomplishment when the project accomplishment when the project was finally finishedwas finally finished

• I could finally explain what all the I could finally explain what all the data meantdata meant

• I knew that we had really learning I knew that we had really learning something that would be of use to something that would be of use to other members in the communityother members in the community

FinallyFinally

• When I was working on this project, I When I was working on this project, I felt like I was working as a scientistfelt like I was working as a scientist

Learn More About Service Learn More About Service LearningLearning

• Community Service Office on your campusCommunity Service Office on your campus

• Campus CompactCampus Compact– www.compact.orgwww.compact.org– Locate your state compactLocate your state compact

•www.compact.org/state/www.compact.org/state/

Oceanographic BuoyOceanographic Buoy

• MeteorologyMeteorology

• POPO

• Optical OceanographyOptical Oceanography

• Gulf of Maine Ocean Observing Gulf of Maine Ocean Observing SystemSystem– www.gomoos.orgwww.gomoos.org

Harpswell Sound, Casco Bay, Harpswell Sound, Casco Bay, Gulf of MaineGulf of Maine

Who?Who?

• Bowdoin CollegeBowdoin College

• Bigelow LabsBigelow Labs– Collin Roesler Collin Roesler

• St Joseph’s CollegeSt Joseph’s College– Greg TeegardenGreg Teegarden

Harmful Algal Blooms Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)(HABs)

• Lumbos’ (Lombo’s) Hole reporting Lumbos’ (Lombo’s) Hole reporting sitesite

• Expertise of Co-PIsExpertise of Co-PIs– Collin Roesler -- Bigelow LabsCollin Roesler -- Bigelow Labs– Greg Teegarden -- St Joseph’s CollegeGreg Teegarden -- St Joseph’s College

Buoy Site Adjacent to College’s Buoy Site Adjacent to College’s Coastal Studies CenterCoastal Studies Center

Buoy UsesBuoy Uses

• Science of HABsScience of HABs

• Marine economyMarine economy

• EducationEducation

For DiscussionFor Discussion

• How can we develop this facility so How can we develop this facility so that it has the greatest educational that it has the greatest educational impact?impact?

• What resources are needed to What resources are needed to involve “land locked” colleges?involve “land locked” colleges?