COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS ON LAND AND SEA (Invited Presentation)

Opportunities to engage in “real” science, or as a second-best alternative, learn about discoveries from people involved, can provide effective strategies for creative lifelong scientific literacy and perhaps careers. The Earth2Class program at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University (E2C) provides one model for developing collaborative partnerships among researchers, teachers, and students. Monthly workshops help in LDEO seminar rooms, laboratories, and sample repositories enable scientists to share their discoveries more widely. Teachers and students not only learn about cutting-edge investigations, but also overcome the major gap between what is presented in the textbooks used in more courses and the authentic knowledge revealed through field and lab studies. A second effective approach toward collaborative partnership takes place through the onboard outreach programs aboard the “JOIDES Resolution” scientific drilling vessel and other ships in the International Ocean Discovery Program. Onboard Outreach Officers sail on the “JR” and observe shipboard operations. They also learn background science about the questions explored in the expedition. Their role is to translate the exciting science through blogs, videos, social networking, live ship-to-shore events, and development of educational activities. Scientists have been joined by classroom teachers, informal science educators, artists, videographers, writers, and others from many countries participating in the IODP. E2C and the “JR” outreach programs are two pathways to successfully bridge the scientist-teacher/students gap.