November 7, 2008

Susan Ware HarrisNational Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

NOAA Education, Training and Outreach

2

Why NOAA Invests In Education

• NOAA can fulfill its statutory responsibilities only if the public is educated about its role in the environment

• Society will reap the full benefit of its substantial investment in NOAA’s science if the public understands how to use the information provided

• NOAA needs a highly skilled workforce, including meteorologists, oceanographers, cartographers, and engineers, to achieve its mission

• NOAA’s marine protected areas provide excellent venues to explore real world connections between science and the environment

• NOAA leads the nation in many aspects of Earth system science and is a valuable education resource

3

New NOAA Education Authorization

NOAA has a mandate to educate!

America COMPETES Act provides broad education authority for NOAA! “The Administrator of NOAA shall conduct, develop, support, promote, and coordinate formal and informal education activities at all levels to enhance public awareness and understanding of ocean, coastal, Great Lakes, and atmospheric science and stewardship by the general public and other coastal stakeholders, including underrepresented groups in ocean and atmospheric science and policy careers. In conducting those activities, the Administrator shall build upon the educational programs and activities of the agency.“

4

NOAA Education Review

The Task:

Role of NOAA: What are the unique assets that NOAA can bring to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)* education? What role should NOAA play?

Goals and Objectives: Are the goals and objectives in NOAA’s 20 year education plan appropriate? How well are they reflected in the overall portfolio of activities?

Effectiveness: What is currently known about the effectiveness of NOAA’s education portfolio and the individual programs? What additional data are needed to determine its impact?

Portfolio Composition: What kind of balance should NOAA strive to achieve in its overall education portfolio (e.g., type, reach, intended audience, substantive focus, strategies, and capabilities)? What should be the agency’s short and long-term priorities in education?

Evaluation: How should NOAA conduct evaluations at the program level? What recommendations can the committee offer about an effective and scalable evaluation strategy?

* NOAA’s definition of STEM education includes both earth system science and environmental education

5

NOAA Draft Education Plan

The NOAA Education Plan (in draft): • Goal 1: Literacy - An environmentally literate public

developed through improved lifelong education in “NOAA-related” fields

• Goal 2: Workforce - A future science, technology, engineering and math workforce, particularly from underrepresented groups, in disciplines critical to NOAA’s mission

NOAA Science Advisory Board conducting review

6

NOAA Mission GoalsLiteracy Focus

Ecosystems: A well informed public that acts as a steward of coastal and marine ecosystems

Climate Climate-sensitive sectors and the climate-literate public effectively incorporate climate products into plans and decisions

Weather & Water Enhance environmental literacy and improve understanding, value, and use of weather and water information and services

Commerce & Transportation: Build public understanding of the science and role of the environment through outreach, education, and industry collaboration

7

NOAA Education Assets

• Observations and monitoring (collection of real-time data)

• Data management and display (transmission and display of data through maps, charts, etc)

• Research (interpretation of data and generation of new scientific understanding)

• Modeling, predictions and projections (insight into the future)

• Resource management (stewardship, mitigation and response)

• Partnerships (States, Non-Governmental Organizations, Free Choice Learning Institutions...)

• More than 600 fulltime educators, extension agents, communicators and outreach specialists, and researchers, resource managers, etc

8

Target Audiences

•A NOAA Assets

9

Major NOAA Education Programs

Major NOAA Education Programs• Education Office - Leads the Education Council and provides competitive

grants, student opportunities and support for minority serving institutions

• National Sea Grant Program - Provides educators with insight into marine issues and research through a network of 31 university-based programs

• National Marine Sanctuaries - Enhances understanding of sanctuaries and marine environments through a network of 14 National Marine Sanctuaries

• National Estuarine Research Reserves - Promotes education linked to research and stewardship through a network of 27 estuarine areas

• National Weather Service - Brings weather expertise into the classroom through a network of 122 Weather Forecast Offices

• Climate - Advances climate literacy through coordinated climate education programs (e.g., climate literacy principles) and support of graduate education

• Ocean Exploration - Connects teachers to ocean exploration expeditions

• Teacher at Sea - Send K-16 teachers to sea aboard NOAA research and survey ships to work under the tutelage of scientists and crew

10

NOAA DefinitionsFor Education

Formal Education: Learning that takes place within a structured educational system in which children or adults are required to demonstrate proficiency, i.e., tested and graded, in the process of reaching a certain level of achievement, degree, certification, continuing education credits, etc.

Informal Education: Learning outside the established formal system that meets clearly defined objectives through organized educational activities. This mode of education may be voluntary, self-directed (e.g., a museum or aquarium exhibit), or systematic and guided (e.g., a field trip).

Outreach: Opportunities designed to build awareness, develop relationships, and inspire action (e.g., pursuit of further learning opportunities, behavioral change). Involves information exchange between provider and target audience. Frequently designed to reach diverse audiences, but can be personal and interactive, designed to identify and appeal to an individual’s personal interest or motivation for information.

11

What’s Not Defined

Training & Technical Assistance conducted as integral to the Program

Regional Training Desks

RANET

Capacity Building (ie: GEO/GEOSS)