The College of Exploration
The College of Exploration (TCOE), a not for profit organization based in Virginia, has a well-established history of working with NOAA and with NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration. TCOE has a proven track record of designing, developing, and implementing engaging web-based teacher professional development workshops. TCOE has expertise in video, DVD and multimedia technologies, as well as a solid background in educational pedagogy and evaluation.
TCOE is in its seventeenth year working in collaboration with a wide spectrum of government agencies, informal and formal educational institutions of all levels, corporations and independent consultants, and individuals. Since 1995, when the World Wide Web was in its infancy, TCOE has been increasing its ability to bring nationally and internationally recognized experts’ research, knowledge, and experience to a wide range of professional development needs of educators.
TCOE has offered dozens of workshops to thousands of educators, on such topics as Classroom Exploration of the Oceans (with National Geographic), Ocean Exploration: HMS Challenger and Beyond (with NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration), Ocean Literacy (with NOAA and National Geographic Society), and Water in the Solar System (with NASA-JPL), among many others.
NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration
The College of Exploration would like to thank NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration for the grant to support the project.
The College of Exploration will work collaboratively with NOAA OE in all phases of the project. to:
- Select appropriate lessons for video production
- Identify master teachers (middle school and high school) who are very familiar with NOAA OE curriculum and experienced in teaching of ocean sciences
- Identify a NOAA OE liaison to work with and advise the master teachers and the video taping session and to advise in the development of the video guide
- Solidify partnerships with universities to integrate the curriculum in institutions of higher learning
- Support school district involvement in the pilot test videos for in-service teacher professional development
- To support the linking of the videos to the web site
Schools, Master Teachers and their Students
The College of Exploration is especially grateful to Connie Leverett from Wando High School, SC and Kurt Holland, Santa Monica Alternative School House, CA and their students and for their enthusiastic participation and support of the project through the videotaping of the lessons in their classrooms. Connie Leverett has also assisted in the development of a guide for use of the video for teacher learning.
Thanks to Carrie Ferguson of Santa Monica Alternative School House and Bill McElroy of Wando High School for their contributions and support.
Center for Ocean Science Education Excellence for the West (COSEE-West)
COSEE-West is the west coast hub for the National Science Foundation supported COSEE (Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence) effort.
The primary role of the COSEE network is a catalytic, multi-faceted collaboration to integrate ongoing research in the ocean sciences with K-12 education and outreach. Its goals are to increase awareness of ocean science; use ocean science as an incentive to increase general science literacy; and increase the number of students that choose science and ocean science careers.
The program is disseminated throughout the greater Los Angeles area, with exceptional impact on underachieving and under-represented minorities. COSEE-West works closely with districts in the Great LA area-Los Angeles Unified School District and Los Angeles County. The Los Angeles Unified School District operates more than 800 schools and educational centers, administers a budget of approximately 13.5 billion dollars, and provides educational services to over 750,000 culturally diverse students.
COSEE-West, in its partnership with the Greater Los Angeles School Districts, will coordinate a focus group for in-service teachers that will be based on the videos. COSEE-West will work with TCOE and NOAA OE to select the master teacher for the video lesson and the teacher leader for the in-service workshop and focus group. COSEE-West will develop and implement the in-service teacher workshop. COSEE-West will also support a compilation of a set of related resources on the science content of the video lesson.
Ashland University, Ashland Ohio
Over 26,000 classroom teachers enroll annually in Ashland University’s continuing education, professional development and certification programs offered in all of Ohio’s 88 counties. Ashland University will be a partner for several pieces of our proposed project.
Ashland’s Center for Educational Development and Research (CEDAR) Evaluation Services
Dr. Howard Walters of Ashland University will conduct the evaluation for the project through Ashland’s Center for Educational Development and Research (CEDAR). He served as analyst for the education study, which has now been published as Appendix 3 of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. He has also designed and implemented (with Dr. Bishop) a two-year impact analysis of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl (funded by NOAA/National Ocean Services and completed in April 2004), as well as a national study of online teacher learning (funded by National Geographic and NOAA/Ocean Exploration, completed in January 2004, and published in July 2004). Dr. Walters has an extensive background in the ocean sciences education community nationally, having served as the program evaluator for numerous state, regional, and national ocean science education projects funded through various agencies.
Ashland’s College of Education (Pilot Test Partner -- In-service and Pre-service Teacher Programs)
Students in one graduate course for current teachers will be part of the pilot test. Dr. Howard Walters will conduct this class. Students in a pre-service science education course will participate in a pilot test of the video lesson under the guidance an Ashland University College of Education faculty person.
Video Production Partners
The College of Exploration has been assisted in the video production by Phil Berardelli, Kip Evans Photography, Digital Media Enterprises, and Section 1 Films. Scott Tuddenham.
Web Design / Development
The College of Exploration has been assisted in the web design and Flash by Digital Media Enterprises. Allan James of DME composed/produced the music for the intro vide clip.
Home | Videos | Transcripts | NOAA OE Lesson Plans | Partners
Research/Literature | Discussions | Contact