Volume 57

The Cape Eleuthera Island School: Immersion, Involvement, Ownership, and Legacy as Principles to Enhance Education in Marine Science and Beyond


Authors
Danylchuk, A.J.; Bachanad, J.M.; Maxey, C. B.
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Other Information


Date: November, 2004


Pages: 983-990


Event: Proceedings of the Fifty Seventh Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute


City: St. Petersburg, Florida


Country: USA

Abstract

Developing a program that encourages students to connect with place can broaden the intrinsic value of an educational experience and ultimately create a passion for learning that transcends traditional classroom settings. Connecting to place is one of the primary goals of The Cape Eleuthera Island School – a semester-based, study-abroad program for high school sophomores and juniors located on Eleuthera, in The Bahamas. Our model applies four guiding principles to enhance the educational experience – Immersion, Involvement, Ownership, and Legacy. Research and outreach are two facets of our program that embody these principles. In both cases, students are immersed in their surroundings through place-based activities that focus on socioeconomic, environmental, and conservation issues important to communities on Eleuthera. Through research, students become involved in these issues by participating in projects that focus on topics such as the status of queen conch and Nassau grouper populations, coastal rehabilitation, and sustainable development. Students are involved in all aspects of their research project, from data collection and analysis to the presentation of their findings to local community members, government officials, and international scientists. In community outreach, Island School students are matched with students from local primary and middle schools. Our students apply and integrate their knowledge of local environmental and socioeconomic issues as they tutor school children in disciplines such as reading, writing, math, and computer skills. During research and outreach, our students develop a sense of pride and take ownership over their work (and interactions) because they are asked to address ‘real-world’ issues faced by local communities. Lastly, given that the research and outreach programs are ongoing and have long-term objectives, students become aware that they are contributing to a legacy that will continue beyond their time at The Cape Eleuthera Island School, further enhancing the educational experience. Students pursuing further learning opportunities in marine sciences and marine resource management is another form of educational legacy.

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