Print PageBoat-based education programs in the Puget Sound region are interested in both educating participants about current local marine research and supporting local scientific research through data collection. These programs, with their regular access to marine waters and focus on the marine environment, are unique platforms for both data collection and marine science learning. In response to requests from boat-based programs, Washington Sea Grant and the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence – Ocean Learning Communities (COSEE-OLC) have convened two workshops to connect these programs with research scientists. With an interest in expanding its sampling network in marine waters, SoundCitizen was a logical research program for boat-based educators to engage with during the initial workshop, which was designed to engage boat-based educators as long-term design partners for SoundCitizen research projects. The second workshop connected boat-based education programs with two individual scientists studying plankton in Puget Sound. A public participatory rubric was considered in workshop design with the goal of expanding the potential of citizen science.
Results/Conclusions
The workshops successfully increased capacity for citizen science among boat-based educators. Evaluations demonstrated that partner attitudes and behaviors were impacted, and that use of the public participatory rubric supported workshop goals. More than 90% of participants reported an increase in their knowledge of the science content and more than 85% of participants reported an improvement in their ability to teach the science content to their own program participants. Follow-up evaluations will track whether these boat-based education programs change their curriculum to incorporate more authentic science and data collection. Future workshops are being planned to expand to include additional scientists, research projects, and citizen groups in citizen science collaborations.
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