National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) Annual Conference

National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST)

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Strand 1: Science Learning, Understanding and Conceptual Change
Symposium: Collaborations between Scientists and Science Educators: The Grand Challenges and Great
Opportunities of the Centers for Ocean Education Excellence (COSEE)
4:45pm – 6:15pm, Grand Ballroom G
Presider: Ravit Golan Duncan, Rutgers University
Discussant: Gordon Kingsley, Georgia Institute of Technology
Presenters: 
Janice McDonnell, Rutgers University
Patricia Kwon, COSEE-West 
Judy Lemus, University of Hawaii
Phillip Bell, Learning Sciences, University of Washington
Andrea V. Anderson, Sound View Evaluation and Research

COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN SCIENTISTS AND SCIENCE EDUCATORS: THE GRAND CHALLENGES AND GREAT OPPORTUNITIES OF THE CENTERS FOR OCEAN EDUCATION EXCELLENCE (COSEE)

Abstract

The ocean is a driver in global climate, it fuels extreme weather, and it provides half of the oxygen on Earth. It is also changing- from the depletion of global fisheries, receding sea ice, changing sea level, and altered biogeochemistry. These changes have brought with them a resurgence of ocean science research and technology and have underscored the importance of a scientifically literate public that understands the ocean and its impact on our planet. However, concepts and topics about the ocean rarely appear in the K-12 curriculum materials or national standards. Moreover, we know little about the teaching and learning of ocean science concepts. Given this poor state of affairs the National Science Foundation has provided funding for a national network of Centers for Ocean Science Education Excellence (COSEE) to improve ocean literacy. A key characteristic of all these centers is the partnerships that they form between scientists and the science educators (researchers and practitioners). The goals of this symposium are twofold: (1) to introduce the COSEE centers to the NARST community, and (2) to present cases of partnerships among scientists and science educators and discuss their affordances and constrains in terms of the research and products generated.