A program of the Lawrence Hall of Science that seeks to increase ocean literacy through informal and formal education initiatives
Marine Activities, Resources & Education

Development & Design

MARE led a team of educators and scientists at UC Berkeley and the Lawrence Hall of Science to develop, test, and disseminate COS K-12 in 2004 through funding for COSEE California. They drew on the highly successful Communicating Chemistry/Physics/Astronomy series co-developed and co-taught by the Lawrence Hall of Science and the UC Berkeley College of Chemistry. In 2006, MARE at COSEE California received additional funding from NSF to develop and field test COSIA. Find out what institutions contributed to the development and field test.

These courses incorporate research on pedagogy, learning, and professional development described in current literature:

  • How People Learn (Bransford, Brown, and Cocking, 1999)
  • Taking Science to School (Duschl, Schweingruber, and Shouse, 2007)
  • Understanding by Design (Wiggins and McTighe, 2005) 
  • Designing Professional Development for Teachers of Science and Mathematics (Loucks-Horsley et al., 2003).

In both courses, students have opportunities to:

  • experience, discuss, and grapple with ideas and concepts through active “adult learning experiences” where they are placed in the role of the learner and are challenged to think deeply about ocean sciences concepts and science learning and teaching
  • participate in activities that illustrate scientific concepts and instructional methods introduced in the session, and that students can use in their field practicum
  • reflect on their own learning, now and in the future
  • practice their understanding of learning and teaching through the field practicum. Students teach learners about ocean sciences, first using lessons and activities that have been developed, tested, and refined by the course development team, and then using a lesson or activity that they designed throughout the semester.
    • COS K–12 students present six lessons in school classrooms.
    • COSIA students present two-hour activities on six separate occasions in ISE institution gallery spaces.