The%20University%20of%20the%20Sea%20and%20the%20benefits%20to%20learning%20of%20active%20participation%20in%20a%20research%20cruise

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The University of the Sea and the benefits to
learning of active participation in a research
cruise
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• Kelsie Dadd
• Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
  GEMOC, Macquarie University
• Elaine Baker
• UNEP Shelf Programme Regional Office, School of
  Geoscience, University of Sydney

• With help from
• Geoscience Australia
• Students and staff with University of the Sea
  program
• Crew of the RV Tangaroa

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University of the Sea

• A partnership between
• Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of
  UNESCO
• University of Sydney
• Australian National University
• University of New South Wales
• Macquarie University
• University of Technology Sydney
• University of Tokyo
• Korean Ocean Research and Development
• Institute
• Tongji University China
• Partnership for Observation of the Global Oceans
  Canada
• National Institute of Oceanography Goa
• Indonesian Research Centre for Marine Technology

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University of the Sea

• has operated since 2004
• research cruises have investigated problems in
  the Coral, Arafura and Tasman Seas
• research problems have ranged from sea level
  change to gas hydrates and benthic habitats

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University of the Sea

• young local scholars are able to address specific
  regional problems through research on marine
  issues
• working with senior researchers from the region
• University of the Sea program, places the
  students in the role of a researcher

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experiential learning

• common component of Earth Science programs eg
  field work
• is learner-centred, active and related to the
  life and experiences of the student
• often seen as the most effective way for students
  to learn
• recognises that learning takes place in settings
  other than within formal institutions
• most effective if the project has a problem-based
  aspect

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personal and practical involvement in the
learning situation

• Personal involvement
• development of a number of personal skills
• empowerment
• becoming conscious of ones needs and desires
• student must make their own decisions and
  experience the results of these decisions
• program inspires the student involved and others
  they come in contact with at their home
  institution

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personal and practical involvement in the
learning situation

• Practical involvement
• greater student motivation
• provides students with new oceanographic and
  scientific skills
• learning environment that engages their full
  attention
• instils a deeper understanding of the subject
  content

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University of the Sea2007 participants and survey

• 2 x 3 week cruise with research scientists from
  GA
• Students apply and are selected based on ability
  and the need for a spread across participating
  countries and universities
• 40 undergraduate
• (final year)
• 60 postgraduate
• Respondents 50/50
• male/female

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Evaluation of program
Following slides look at the students perception
of their experience aboard the Tangaroa from a
survey completed at the end of each leg Likert
scale SA strongly agree A agree N neutral D
disagree SD strongly disagree
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Evaluation of program
Questionnaire had 15 likert-scaled questions and
9 open-ended questions What were the best
aspects of the cruise? In what ways could this
cruise be improved? With what aspects of the
cruise did you have difficulty, and why? What
extra support would have helped you during the
cruise? Do you feel more confident to apply
marine science theory after the cruise? Why?
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Evaluation of program
What were the main objectives you had when you
enrolled for this cruise? How has the cruise
fulfilled these objectives? Did you require more
information or support before going on the
cruise? Please feel free to make any other
comments regarding the cruise.
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Clear aims and objectives

• UoS has an introductory talk that covers many
  items
• aims may not have been clearly enough defined
• may benefit from a handout that better outlines
  the aims and objectives given out before the
  cruise

Clearer objectives and expectations Better
information on objectives and conditions
beforehand (eg what the opportunities might be,
what resources (books and equipment) would be
available)
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Work was structured to assist my learning

• Student projects are left to the students,
  supervisor and staff to organise once the cruise
  is underway
• Students may benefit from a more structured
  project framework that is integrated with their
  studies

Increase the number of lectures and lectures
about the methodologies used Clearer direction
as to what was expected and what we could do to
learn
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Valuable for my learning

• The UoS program was seen as valuable

Being on the boat at sea, meeting new and
different people, seeing sampling equipment in
action Diversity of research and abundance of
opportunity to learn completely different fields
of science
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Helped see application of theory into practice

• UoS students had varied backgrounds and not all
  saw the cruise objectives as being closely
  related to their area

Put all the theory I have learned in the last
few years into practice now that we have had
the opportunity to do what we have learned in a
classroom we have a better understanding of how
things work at sea
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Sufficient one on one instruction to develop my
skills

• Although UoS students generally felt they had
  reasonable one on one instruction, some felt that
  more was needed

More direction in what I was required to
do advice and support from xxxxx which are
very valuable and of great help
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Sufficient technical support to resolve
difficulties

• The staff/student ratio on the UoS cruise was
  excellent
• senior students may expect more detailed and
  focussed technical support

• staff may be too busy at times to offer
  sufficient help

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Sufficient technical support to resolve
difficulties
More experience in weak areas such as deep sea
biology since we were doing a lot of deep sea
sampling Recording and processing of the
sonar bathymetry because only the information
technology specialist is involved Diversity
of scientists and technicians with different
backgrounds and perspectives provided an
interesting and well balanced learning
environment (lots of videos and good food was
also very welcome)
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Encouraged to reflect upon skills and abilities

• Students felt they were not encouraged to reflect
  upon what they had learnt
• This could be helped by asking the UoS students
  to present results part way through the trip

Perhaps having regularly scheduled discussion
periods for information sharing and learning new
material would have been more productive the
irregularly held talks were very appreciated
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Content and skills developed are relevant to my
future

• UoS students self-select and are interested in
  marine science

have practiced my marine skills over trip in
species ID etc More training is required for
post-processing techniques
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Helped to inform me about career opportunities
Diversity of research and abundance of
opportunity to learn completely different fields
of science I have experienced what kinds of
information has led to the development of
conclusions/theories in other science fields
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Experiential learning was an effective learning
experience

• Almost all students indicated that the cruise was
  an effective learning experience

The hands-on experience gained The opportunity
to pursue a small project and report on my
findings gave me more confidence in my marine
science knowledge
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Recent research findings were explained

• There was plenty of opportunity on the UoS cruise
  to talk with the students about recent research

• The UoS students were also familiar with research
  and had a good understanding of their subject
  areas

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Alternative points of view were presented

• UoS students were likely to enter discussions
  that brought up alternate viewpoints
• Interesting that this is not higher
• Students may benefit from readings given prior to
  the trip

Background materials should have been made
available weeks in advance
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Enough opportunities for communicating with staff

• Students thought that they had sufficient
  opportunity to talk with staff

Research staff also very open and encouraged
involvement It would have been good to have a
student supervisor on both shifts as I felt this
was missing from night shift
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Opportunity to enhance interpersonal skills

• Working in close conditions on a 3-week cruise
  appears to have been effective for enhancing
  interpersonal skills

Being on the boat at sea, meeting new and
different people Able to work with other
people with different backgrounds difficulty
in understanding different accents
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Opportunity to enhance team-work skills

• Students were able to work with others and share
  tasks

Working as an integral part of the formal
research team Research staff also very open and
encouraged involvement
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Conclusions

• Benefits to the student
• Learning by doing increases the chances of
  understanding
• Exposure to research in action
• Learning environment is free of most distractions
• Learning to negotiate a team work environment
• Development of coping mechanisms due to isolation
  from peers
• Empowerment through decision making
• Learning to cope with the unexpected and to
  become adaptable
• Development of generic skills

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Conclusions

• Benefits to the university
• Exposure of the university in a research setting
• Prestige in having a student chosen for the
  program
• Returning student brings back enthusiasm for
  science and research
• Benefits to the community
• Exposure to the program and the research by more
  people via interaction with the student
• A community member with better life-skills