For Educators

Expanding Students’ Experiences Using Real Ocean Data

Educators are integrating real-time ocean data into undergraduate science coursework to expand students’ understanding of ocean processes and issues affecting the ocean. With real ocean data, students are building analytical and problem-solving skills and visualizing concepts through real-world examples. The following are some tools to help you get started using OOI data in your classroom.

Interactive Oceans

For nearly a decade, the University of Washington has provided students with the opportunity for hands-on seagoing research and discovery in its at-sea VISIONS learning program. Students participate in oceanographic expeditions to OOI’s Regional Cabled Array (RCA), where they work side-by-side with research scientists, learning how to use advanced oceanographic equipment and creating engagement products integrating what they’ve learned during their seagoing experience. These products and an interactive data portal, providing students and their teachers access to RCA’s data and visualization tools, are available on Interactive Oceans.

Ocean Data Labs

Another excellent resource for teachers and students is the OOI Ocean Data Labs Project. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the OOI Ocean Data Labs Project offers lesson plans and a series of free online interactive data visualizations using datasets available from the OOI. Each visualization provides a 15-20-minute activity, applying datasets to augment concepts commonly taught in introductory oceanography courses.

Project EDDIE

In support of data integration into classrooms, the National Science Foundation also funds Project EDDIE (Environmental Data-Driven Inquiry and Exploration), at the Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College. Project EDDIE offers a suite of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) flexible classroom teaching modules. The modules use large, publicly available datasets, including those available through OOI, to engage students in STEM and improve their quantitative reasoning. Project EDDIE also offers professional development ranging from webinars, to workshops to a mentoring network to provide educators with the resources needed to easily implement the teaching modules.