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AOC’s educational materials will be based on peer-reviewed science. The materials will meet the learning objectives of state-based standards for use by both K-6 and informal educators.
The audiovisuals will be integrated with the educational components to present a cross platform learning experience targeted to grades 3-6.
Successfully distributed to large format theaters and The Ocean Project’s partner institutions, America’s Ocean Challenge will deliver program content to millions of people, targeting the following distinct audience channels:
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Theaters: Large format film patron
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Theme Destinations: Museum, aquarium, & zoo visitors
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Schools: Teachers, parents, and students K–12 across the U.S.
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Mass Media: Internet, DVD, television, radio, and other media audiences
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NGOs: Partner organizations and the communities they educate
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Government Agencies: Existing materials and distribution channels.
Education and Outreach Mission
America’s Ocean Challenge seeks to minimize the long-term effects of human resource demands on ocean and coastal ecosystems by educating youth, adults, business leaders and policy-makers about: the functioning of ocean and coastal ecosystems; the nature and extent of human impacts; and, the role that they play through their choices, practices and policies.
America’s Ocean Challenge seeks to foster changes in:
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individual choices and practices that reflect an understanding of the importance and functioning of ocean and coastal ecosystems, as well as human dependence upon them; and,
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institutional policies and practices that reduce detrimental impacts and work toward restoring the diversity, health and functioning of ocean and coastal ecosystems.
In order to influence individual choices and practices, AOC’s education and outreach program will:
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foster appreciation for America’s ocean heritage and build awareness of the vulnerability of ocean and coastal ecosystems;
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cultivate a well-informed American public that is knowledgeable about: ocean and coastal ecosystems; the interactions and dependence of individuals and human society on these systems; and, the role and choices that must be made by individuals and human society to sustain diverse, healthy, and fully functioning ocean and coastal ecosystems;
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inspire and provoke further learning about ocean and coastal ecosystems;
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involve individuals and communities in dialogue at local, regional and national levels that leads to informed policy decisions; and,
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motivate individuals, as consumers and members of society, to make sound choices that are based on knowledge and understanding of ocean and coastal ecosystems and the implications of environmental health.
In order to encourage changes in institutional policies and practices, AOC’s education and outreach program will:
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foster appreciation for the influence of institutional policies and practices on America’s ocean heritage and the vulnerability of ocean and coastal ecosystems;
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cultivate a body of well-informed decision and policy-makers who have the knowledge of institutional practices that can be adopted as a means toward restoring the functioning of ocean and coastal ecosystems;
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involve institutions in planning efforts at local, regional and national levels that lead to informed, broad-reaching policy decisions; and,
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motivate institutions to implement sound, long-term programs and practices related to economics, human and ecosystems health, and public policy.
The America’s Ocean Challenge program identifies four core target audiences: youth, the general public, institutions (specifically, representatives of business, industry, government, and universities tasked with making decisions about policies and practices), and policy-makers.
For the first three audiences, long-range goals, implementation goals, perceived value to the audience, recommended program materials, implementation partners and distribution mechanisms, and evaluation strategies—front-end, formative, and summated—have been established.
While the audiences are wide-ranging, the vision for the AOC education and outreach plan remains focused on one overarching goal: the cultivation of an environmentally literate American public that has the knowledge, skills, and willingness to change behavior in order to improve ocean health.
The educational materials shall use best practices from the fields of environmental interpretation, environmental communication, and environmental education/environment-based education, and community-based social marketing. These best practices reflect the recommendations identified by such organizations as Cultural Logic and the FrameWorks Institute; namely, that to maximize meaning and encourage careful thought among audience members, conservation issues need to be framed by familiar concepts and values that allow the receiver to assign meaning to new information.
It is imperative that the process of designing, pilot-testing, and implementing any new material or program is the result of thoughtful planning, recognition of the changing needs of classroom teachers, respect for cultural diversity, and ongoing collaboration with regional and national AOC/TOP partners.
The AOC education team will develop sample materials to be assessed through formative evaluation studies with youth in both classroom and after-school settings. This process will determine both the ocean and coastal ecosystem content that is most interesting to youth audiences and the educational efficacy of the draft educational materials.
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