 |
BBSR and the Institute for Talented Students
After-school Marine Science Program
BBSR and the Institute for Talented Students (ITS) began a joint initiative in 2003
to expose talented local students to the various fields of marine science that are studied at BBSR. This hands-on program allows students to interact directly with marine science researchers. The program spans the regular school year and consists of weekly after-school sessions and a Sunday field trip every month. The teaching model encourages student inquiry and initiative, with an emphasis on hands-on activities. The concept is to have the students replicate the research
conducted by the host scientist at BBSR, to learn scientific methods and gain an understanding of the key concepts in the field. The program is divided into units relating to the various fields of study at BBSR. Each unit is comprised of lectures, laboratory visits, hands-on laboratory work, individual research projects and field trips, all under the guidance of a host researcher. Each unit ties to a local habitat or ecosystem that will be the focus of field trip investigations. A set of focus questions guides the investigation in each field of study: • What question(s) do scientists in this field ask? • What experiments and research do they conduct? • What tools and technology are used? • What conclusions have been drawn so far? • What questions remain to be answered? • What is the importance of this research? • Who funds / supports this research? •
What is it like working in this field? What is a scientist's typical day? Tools for student assessment include a journal, a portfolio of field and lab notes, and a report on each unit. Students will write notes to document their investigations in a daily journal, which will also include field and lab records. At the end of each unit, students will use the BBSR computer lab for their final reports.
Whenever possible, students will share their information and research with other students and institutions online. In order to participate in this program, students must enroll with ITS.
