How to Offer the Course
The framework of the courses is easily adapted to accommodate and emphasize a variety of educational and outreach needs, and thus they look different at each institution where they are offered. It is the centerpiece of the GK-12 program at the University of Oregon and is listed as a general science class at Stanford where it attracts mostly graduate students from 5 different departments.
Additional colleges and universities are invited to adapt and offer the Communicating Ocean Sciences (COS) and Communicating Ocean Sciences to Informal Audiences (COSIA) courses. The Communicating Ocean Sciences course was first taught at UC Berkeley in Spring 2004. In 2004-2005, the course was taught at UC Berkeley and at a number of additional institutions including the University of Oregon, University of California, Santa Barbara and Oxnard Community College. In 2005-2006, in addition to the sites above, the course was offered at Stanford University, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Rutgers University, Sonoma State University and others. In 2008-09, additional institutions offering the course include University of Hawaii and University of California, Santa Cruz. The University of Mississippi, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, San Francisco State University, and University of Michigan will be offering the course in 2009-10. Communicating Ocean Sciences to Informal Audiences (COSIA) is being taught at seven institutions, including the University of Southern California, Oregon State University, Hampton University, Rutgers University, Scripps Oceanographic Institution and UC Berkeley.
COS Instructors' Workshop @ LHS
UC Berkeley offers an Instructors' Workshop for colleges, universities, and informal science education institutions interested in offering these courses. If you want to know more about the courses or their implementation, please visit our frequently asked questions page.
The following components are helpful to have in place if you are considering offering the either of the courses:
- ocean scientist to sponsor and co-teach the course;
- an informal educator, master teacher or education faculty to co-teach the course;
- undergraduates and/or graduate students in ocean sciences-related majors;
- relationships with local schools close to campus and a commitment to provide outreach to local schools (for COS);
- relationships with a near-by informal science education institution for students to present activities (for COSIA);
- and, if possible, attend the 2.5-day instructor's workshop at UC Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science.
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