Inquiry Group Has Innaugural Meeting 08/30/2011 | Catherine Cramer, (OCEAN) Tags: inquiry group, ocean literacy

The COSEE OCEAN Inquiry Group conducted its first conference call on August 23. Present were: Alan Friedman, Co-PI; Steve Uzzo, Co-PI; Lisa Craig Brisson, Coordinator; Vince Breslin, John Fraser, Katie Gardner, Sarah Schoedinger, Jerry Schubel, Steve Yalowitz, with Evaluator Carol Baldassari and Communications Manager Catherine Cramer.

Alan offered an overview of the project and the general charge that we are to “cast an intelligent eye on what is out there” in terms of materials and programs for public ocean literacy and how the COSEE networks are working to achieve that goal, and where there are holes the COSEE networks could help fill. Our mission is to look across the whole COSEE effort and beyond to see how ocean literacy is happening, or not. Our final product will be a report to be released early in 2013.
Alan shared the process for the CAISE Policy Study Inquiry Group, which is our model. Lisa and Jerry were also involved with that group.
Our first step is to begin to identify efforts toward ocean literacy in our various experiences and from individual informal discussions with colleagues. We will begin with a general discussion of the topic with a goal of dividing into groups about three months into the process. After that, groups will delve further into the topic and begin assembling a draft. We will gather for a two-day meeting when the report is fully assembled but still a rough draft. The final report will be distributed throughout the COSEE network.