OCEAN DEEP PROVINCE-WIDE

WHEN THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC BEGAN, the Faculty of Science‘s Department of Ocean Sciences saw an opportunity.

The department based in the Ocean Sciences Centre (OSC) in Logy Bay, N.L, investigated something it wanted to do for a long time: rework its successful and popular hands-on marine biology program for high school students to a remote delivery option.

Since 2013, the Ocean Biodiversity Lab has invited high school Biology 2201 students to become marine scientists for the day at the OSC. Annually, nearly 1,000 students take the opportunity to get up close and personal with the diversity of life in our province’s oceans.

“The program’s four components are delivered in collaboration with the Oceans Learning Partnership,” said Danielle Nichols, program co-ordinator and research marketing manager at the OSC.

“Experienced graduate students and staff guide the high school students as they discover the ocean in a whole new way, while learning hands-on lab skills and being exposed to career possibilities in marine research.”

The bio lab introduces dichotomous keys and how to use them to identify species/taxa. Students handle live invertebrates and conduct a fish dissection to learn about the circulatory, digestive and respiratory systems. The eco lab delves into ecosystem diversity and rhodolith bed habitat. Students discover how animals adapt to different ecosystems and why some habitats are so important.

The algae lab demonstrates how microalgae, such as phytoplankton, and macroalgae, such as seaweed, support life on earth while the aqua lab teaches lab techniques and aquaculture as students measure mussel meat yield and test water quality.

Of course, no visit to the Ocean Sciences Centre would be complete without a stop at the resident harp seal facility, where students learn about the seals and how they are cared for.

“Originally, marine biology and ocean sciences weren’t highlighted in any of the Newfoundland and Labrador school curriculum, particularly at the high school level,” said Ms. Nichols “So we looked for ways we could introduce it.”

Everything changed with the global pandemic.

“We spent the summer determining how to deliver the modules online and still be interesting to students,” said Ms. Nichols. “A big part of that was our amazing teaching assistants – our undergraduate and graduate students and staff – who are able to connect with participants on a level which, even though the program is remote, is still very engaging.”

She also says transitioning to remote delivery was a unique opportunity for the teaching assistants to be directly involved in curriculum development and delivery.

“It will look great on their CVs. Without their continued involvement, our program would not be a success.”

THE AVALON, AND BEYOND

The added benefit of creating an online version of the popular program soon became evident – not only were they able to continue offering it to the schools that have participated every year, but, for the first time, the department was also able to include schools off the Avalon.

In fall 2020, the department’s online pilot project included schools from Bay d’Espoir, Stephenville, Pasadena, Rocky Harbour and Grand Falls-Windsor, with plans to grow in the future.

“In addition to providing additional teaching assistant opportunities to our graduate students, it’s also a wonderful recruitment tool for the university, the Faculty of Science and the department,” Ms. Nichols said.

“At the moment, the program is externally funded, so growing the program also helps keep it valuable to our external partners and collaborators.”

This story is part of the Gazette’s Teaching Tuesdays series. Visit the Gazette at gazette.mun.ca to hear more about members of the Memorial University community who have adapted to remote instruction and how they are engaging students.

Teaching Tuesdays videos are available on the Centre for Innovation and Teaching and Learning’s Facebook page.