Promoting ocean literacy among students in Brazilian schools

Area of Science:

• Environmental Education
• Marine Science Education
• Ocean Literacy

Background:

• Ocean Literacy (OL) is crucial for societal understanding of ocean complexity and degradation.
• Educational initiatives are needed to promote OL among children and youth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail a year-long project promoting Ocean Literacy principles among 235 students (aged 8-15) in Rio de Janeiro.
• To evaluate the project's impact on student learning, attitudes, and engagement.

Main Methods:

• Integrated curriculum activities: theoretical lessons, lab experiments, field trips, reading circles.
• Project grounded in students' local context and school curriculum.
• Evaluation via questionnaires and focus group interviews.

Main Results:

• Significant learning gains and positive attitude shifts observed in students.
• Increased student engagement and participation reported.
• Revitalized school environment noted as a positive outcome.

Conclusions:

• The project successfully enhanced Ocean Literacy and engagement in students.
• The approach, integrating local context and diverse activities, proved effective.
• The project model is adaptable for different regions and audiences.