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ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION OUTREACH PROGRAM Final Report Submitted to: Ms. Jerrie L. Lindsey Program Manager for FACEE/DNR #71-91-92 Florida Advisory Council on Environmental Education Room 237 Holland Building Tallahassee, FL 32399-1400 Submitted by: Ad.JcLa ])O->'IJ L:J~~CL//(;- Andrea Davis, M.A. IngridlMcClellan, M.S. Education Coordinator Education Specialist Mote Marine Laboratory 1600 Thompson Parkway Sarasota, Florida 34236 (813) 388-4441 TABLE OF CONTENTS COVER PAGE TABLE OF CONTENTS i i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 CERTIFICATION OF COMPLETION FORM 3 PROJECT SUMMARY 5 DESCRIPTION OF DELIVERABLES 11 PROJECT EVALUATION 13 ANAL YSIS OF EVALUATION RECOMMENDATIONS 25 APPENDICES: APPENDIX I: SCHEDULE OF TOTAL PRESENTATIONS APPENDIX II: VERIFICATION APPENDIX III: MEDIA DOCUMENTATION APPENDIX IV: STUDENT ART WORK SAMPLES EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Mote Marine Laboratory's (MML) Outreach Program is designed to familiarize residents and/or visitors with a variety of concepts and concerns about Florida's marine natural resources. The program content currently includes the following: • Florida Marine Ecosystems • Adaptations of Marine Mammals, Sea Turtles and Sharks to their Ecosystems • Ecological Relationships (Interrelationships that exist in a marine ecosystem) • Ecological Concerns (Abuses of marine natural resources in Florida) • Marine Debris/Litter (Dangers and problems that shoreline pollution causes) • Conservation (Importance of marine resource conservation) • Mobile Mote Exhibit The Outreach Program took various aspects of marine ecology to schools and meeting places through a lively and interactive presentation. This education program was available for schools, senior groups and other adult organizations in a six-county area. The six counties targeted were Manatee, Hardee, Sarasota, DeSoto, Charlotte and Lee. Each county was eligible for two teacher in-service presentations (one elementary and one secondary), six student presentations (three elementary and three secondary) and two adult presentations. Hands-on demonstrations, group participation and cooperative learning activities combined with informative facts provide an exciting opportunity to become aware of the natural resources that exist within the marine environment of Florida. The Outreach Program was prepared and presented by experienced educators. Participants viewed the Mobile Mote Exhibit, an "aquarium on wheels," after the presentation. The Mobile Mote Exhibit is designed to take Florida's marine life and the work of MML scientists to Florida's neighborhoods. Curriculum aid packets designed to help prepare students for a productive Mote visit, along with the presentation's goals, objectives and activities, were provided for the teacher's use prior to assemblies for schools. One unforseen bonus of the program was the enhancement of our Junior Docent Program. Each presentation was conducted by one staff member and one volunteer. Because the large quantity of presentations necessitated heavy volunteer recruitment, MML's Junior Docent Program was utilized. The Junior Docent Program enables 50 responsible and motivated high school students to participate in stimulating, hands-on activities leading toward a 0.5 credit in a course entitled Community Service. The students benefit from training sessions about marine and environmental sciences, current marine affairs, teaching skills and the concept of community service as well as direct instructional experience with younger students. The junior docents began as essential stagehands but soon progressed to become actual presenters of segments of the program. The junior docents were able to apply their knowledge gained from the training sessions while providing community service in the Outreach Program. 1 Pre-assessments and post-assessments were given to students to determine if significant competency and attitudinal changes in marine ecology and conservation occur in students. As evidenced in the Project Evaluation, the striking contrast between the pre-assessment and post-assessment scores indicate the effectiveness of the program. Evaluations were completed by the school teachers or organization leaders after the presentations to determine the quality of the presentations and curricular materials developed to accomplish the objectives. These evaluations provided the feedback needed to help MML modify the program and continue meeting the educational needs of schools and the community. The Outreach Program made a total of 54 visitations (7 in-service, 36 student and 11 adult) which included a total of 143 presentations (10 in-service, 122 student and 11 adult). While our records indicate that a total of 24,987 people (316 teachers, 24,199 students and 472 adults), were served with the program, actually hundreds more were reached. Attendance figures were maintained on the presentations, but more students and adults were able to view the Mobile Mote Exhibit than participated in the presentations. Some schools scheduled only certain grade levels or science classes for the presentations but allowed all grades to view the Mobile Mote Exhibit, while hundreds of people viewed the Mobile Mote Exhibit at such events as the Bradenton Downtown Street Fair and the Florida Association of Science Teachers. Because of the enthusiastic response to the Outreach Program, MML is very interested in seeking the necessary funding to continue this program. Although every public school in Hardee and DeSoto Counties was serviced because each county only has six schools, the program could not reach all the schools in the larger school districts and many unscheduled schools were disappointed. Thus, we would like to visit additional schools in Manatee, Sarasota, Lee and Charlotte Counties as well as visit new counties. Many more adult organizations were interested in scheduling the program. Florida's marine environment provides recreation for residents, attracts tourists to the state and contributes to the crucial habitat of our aquatic wildlife. The preservation of Florida's marine natural resources depends on it being understood and appreciated by residents and/or visitors. The pre-post assessments and evaluations indicate that Mote Marine Laboratory's implementation of an Outreach Program in Sarasota County and the five surrounding counties raised public awareness and educated the pub 1 i c of negat i ve envi ronmenta 1 consequences. MML staff and volunteers worked to change the attitudes and habits that alter the health of the natural environment. Ethics of both conservation and economics were presented in the Outreach Program, along with their social and environmental consequences. Through education we can grow to love and conserve this precious environment that surrounds us in Florida. We feel that this Outreach Program has significant and lasting benefits for both students and the public because it entertains as well as instructs, capturing the audience's hearts as well as minds. This enthusiastic, imaginative and stimulating Outreach Program can influence values and behavior for a 1 ifetime. 2 SAVE OUR STATE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANTS PROGRAM Project Completion Certification Kumar Mahadevan, Ph.D. Mote Marine Laboratory GRANTEE: -------------------------------------------- PROJECT NAME: Envi ronmenta 1 Education Outreach Program As required by s. 216.349 F.S., the Grantee certifies under penalities of perjury that this project has been completed in accordance with the terms and conditions of Grant Agreement C~- 7 691 The Grantee further certifies that all invoices or outstanding payments due other parties resulting from services provided as a result of this contract have been paid. 11/27/92 Date 3 GRANT SPECIFIC AUDIT OR ATTESTATION STATEMENT As per the modification of DNR Contract #C-7691, the Grantee will be filing an attestation statement with the Auditor General by May 31, 1993 to allow sufficient time for the 1992 audit of the laboratory. The modification to DNR Contract #C-7691 reads, "All audits performed or attestation statements prepared shall be submitted no 1ater than May 31, 1993 and sha 11 be fil ed with the Aud itor General by the Grantee." 4 PROJECT SUMMARY Topics Addressed The Outreach Program is designed to familiarize residents and/ or visitors with a variety of concepts and concerns about Florida's marine natural resources . The program content currently includes the following: • Florida Marine Ecosystems • Adaptations of Marine Mammals, Sea Turtles and . harks to their Ecosystems • Ecological Relationships (Interrelationships th ~ : exi st in a marine ecosystem) • Ecological Concerns (Abuses of marine natural resources in Florida) • Marine Debris/Litter (Dangers and problems that shoreline pollution causes) • Conservation (Importance of marine resource conservation) • Mobile Mote Exhibit Target Audiences The Outreach Program took various aspects of marine ecology to schools and meeting places through a lively and interactive presentation. This education program was available for schools , senior groups and other adult organizations in a six-county area. The six counties targeted were Manatee, Hardee, Sarasota, DeSoto , Charlotte and Lee . Each county was eligible for two teacher in-service presentati ons (one elementary and one secondary), six student presentations (three elementary and three secondary) and two adult presentations. The program audience targeted included rural counties and adult organizations that have had limited exposure to environmental education programs. The Outreach Program made a total of 54 visitations