Building an educator community of practice through shared tall ship experiences

Session: Great Lakes Outreach and Education (2)

Anne Moser, UW-Madison, Wisconsin Water Library, [email protected]
Marte Kitson, Minnesota Sea Grant, [email protected]
Titus Seilheimer, Wisconsin Sea Grant, [email protected]
Cynthia Hagley, MN Sea Grant, University of Minnesota, [email protected]

Abstract

A network of colleagues supports Great Lakes educators in their quest for place-based examples to use with their students by providing exposure to new teaching methods and opportunities to learn about local issues. We have built a program of shipboard science, history and culture on a replica Great Lakes schooner that creates a strong connection between the participants, while also exposing them to hands-on Great Lakes science. The workshop is designed to addresses long-standing teacher needs for knowledge on priority topics including water quality, environmental responsibility, climate change, and aquatic food webs with the added benefit of developing and training mentor teachers. The program was initially based on the R/V Lake Guardian shipboard science workshops but changes were needed to adapt that workshop to develop a mentor model and to capitalize on the unique learning environment of the Denis Sullivan. Traveling on a replica tall ship provides a unique forum for mentor teachers to form lasting connections with their mentees, each other, and the Great Lakes. This program is designed around previous research that indicates intensive and sustained professional development activities have greater effects on teaching practices and classroom cultures than shorter term professional development activities. Avast, me hearties.