Professional Development

The Ocean Exploration professional development offerings are designed to engage teachers and other educators in learning more about ocean exploration. Opportunities are offered both in-person at our Alliance partner sites around the country and online via a partnership with the College of Exploration.

Onsite workshops focus on how educators can use the mathematics, science, and technology associated with exploring the oceans in their classrooms to help increase awareness and understanding of the ocean world. These offerings are designed to introduce educators to premiere ocean scientists/explorers and their research and explorations, and at the same time, provide exemplary tools and resources to engage students in ocean exploration by bringing the classroom closer to the ocean than it has ever been before.

Online workshops target specific subject areas for more in-depth study over a longer period of time. The series of online courses started in 2009 highlights NOAA’s new ship, the Okeanos Explorer. Through workshops on why we explore, how we explore and specific expected (or unexpected) exploration findings, participants will join us as NOAA begins a new era in ocean exploration and education.

Webinars are virtual meetings that allow us to introduce the science behind upcoming expeditions and the associated Education Expedition Module, lesson plans, and classroom resources to enable teachers and students to participate in the expedition online.

Educator newsletters are sent out each month. The NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research offers a newsletter for educators that provides dates and locations of Professional Development Programs and online offerings, notifications of upcoming NOAA Ocean Exploration Expeditions and associated lesson plans, and information about the OceanA.G.E. (Another Generation of Explorers) ocean career offerings. Here you will find an archive of past editions in PDF format.

Because science teaching methods are rapidly changing, technology plays a central role in all ocean exploration professional development in order to help educators teach about the oceans in new and exciting ways. Through these opportunities, educators discover new tools and resources and learn how to effectively use them in the teaching of state and national standards.

Onsite Workshop Archives
Online Workshop and Course Archives

Looking for past opportunities? See the archive of previous sessions.