Oceanscape Network
The Oceanscape Network is an online resource currently under development by the Oregon Coast Aquarium which will connect kids and teenagers with the ocean.
About The Oceanscape Network:
The Oceanscape Network is a new project being developed by the Oregon Coast Aquarium that will promote marine conservation, scientific inquiry and a sense of stewardship for our planet’s oceans among older children and teenagers. The project is funded by grants and contributions from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, Pacific Power Foundation, Robert and Jeannette Hofer Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation, Swindells Charitable Trust, Collins Foundation, Dave & Christine Vernier, Doris Scharpf, Oregon Coast Bank and many others.
The Oceanscape Network will contain innovative features that will enable teachers and students from all around Oregon and the world to better understand and appreciate the life-sustaining role oceans play in our daily lives. Teachers will be able to download classroom lessons, videos and resources; or create online “student communities” to help facilitate the scientific exploration of aquatic habitats. Students will be able to access educational modules that will help them understand and appreciate the natural world while earning science credits toward their high school diploma.
But the Oceanscape Network is intended to be more than just an educational website. Over the last few decades especially, American youth have become both technologically savvy and physically sedentary. One of the major goals of the site will be to encourage youth to head outdoors to experience, investigate and appreciate aquatic habitats with technology serving as the catalyst.
Through the Oceanscape Network website, young visitors will have the
chance to experience the Oregon coast in three unique ways:
EXPLORE: From north to south, online features allow visitors to see the
coast based on geographical locations, including towns, parks, waysides,
historical sites, major landforms, waterways, beaches and forests.
From sea to summit, visitors can also explore the coast by elevation
based on life zones and major ecosystems. This would encompass both
aquatic and terrestrial environments from the ocean floor to the top of
the coastal mountain range.
EXPERIENCE: Particularly unique to the Oceanscape Network will be the
features that motivate young visitors to experience the coast and nature
firsthand. Such features will offer fun, practical and engaging ideas
on how to enjoy nature – from taking great wildlife photos, to learning
how to surf, to finding the best nature trails along the coast.
EDUCATE: This part of the website is designed specifically for classroom
teachers and will offer resources and projects on scientific inquiry. A
sophisticated infrastructure will allow teachers to create user
accounts and student communities, to supervise the progress of their
students’ inquiry-based projects, and to access classroom resources
ranging from videos to podcasts to lesson plans.
Help us build the Oceanscape Network by making your donation online today!
Oceanscape Network Goals:
- Enable scientific inquiry;
- Stimulate interest in marine conservation;
- Facilitate outdoor and hands-on experiences for young people;
- Provide teachers with resources, networking and the ability to track the progress of student users;
- Provide a regional focus on Oregon, but with materials that can be adapted to anyone regardless of their geographical location;
- And build a sense of stewardship for our oceans among future generations.
What is “scientific inquiry” and why is it important to the Oceanscape Network?
Inquiry is the process people have used for thousands of years to investigate and understand the natural world. In fact, it’s safe to say that every major scientific discovery ever made is due to someone somewhere engaging in inquiry. It is an important learning tool because it challenges young people to make discoveries through directed action and critical thought.
These are the basic steps of scientific inquiry:
1) ask a question; 2) conduct an investigation; 3) think critically about your evidence; 4) draw your conclusions; 5) explain your conclusions to others.
The Oceanscape Network will be using scientific inquiry as the basis for all its educational components. The website will not simply be a Wikipedia-style encyclopedia which requires no independent action from the user, but rather a medium by which kids can engage in science in the natural world around them.
What is “Ocean Literacy” and why is it important to the Oceanscape Network?
The Oceanscape Network embraces the mutual goals of the Oregon Coast Aquarium, local school districts and the national agencies in making students more aware of the role oceans play in their daily lives – from the food they eat to the water they drink to the weather that surrounds them. This understanding of the ocean’s influence on the individual and their influence on the ocean is commonly known as “ocean literacy.”
The Oceanscape Network will help build an ocean literate population by enabling youth to:
- Understand fundamental concepts about the functioning of the ocean;
- Communicate about the ocean in a meaningful way;
- Make informed and responsible decisions regarding the ocean and its resources.
When will the Oceanscape Network be online?
Our goal is to launch the site in Summer 2013.
How can I find out more about the Oceanscape Network?
Visit this page on the Oregon Coast Aquarium’s website for updates and additional information as the project builds and expands. Updates will appear in chronological order below.
You can also contact us by email at oceanscape@aquarium.org.
- January 28, 2012: The Oceanscape Network preview page is now online. You can visit that page to sign up for our free email news service or connect to our Twitter feed. Both of these features will highlight information and topics of interest to young adults.
Oceanscape Network Videos
Want to see more videos? Visit our YouTube channel.
