02 Jun Campus do Mar and CIM bring Ocean Literacy to more than 500 schoolchildren in the province of Pontevedra

The aim is to raise awareness of the importance of caring for the oceans and to awaken scientific vocations.

Transferring scientific knowledge about the oceans, raising awareness about their importance and preservation, as well as highlighting the fundamental role played in this regard by the marine research centers of the University of Vigo, are the pillars that support the itinerant program Ocean Literacy in the classroom, funded by the Marine Research Center, CIM, and conceived and promoted by its deputy director of communication and outreach, Paloma Morán, who stressed the importance of organizing such initiatives aimed at increasing the awareness of children and their families about the care of the oceans.

The initiative is part of the Ocean Literacy actions of the Campus do Mar, coordinated by Kais Mohamed, and has the collaboration of the environmental consulting company Arenaria Coordinación. The objective is to promote a greater knowledge about the importance of the oceans in 12 educational centers of the province of Pontevedra, two of them of special education, involving more than 500 students of 3rd and 4th grade of primary education. The aim is for students to understand the relevance of the oceans and the impact that human activity has on them, providing them with the necessary tools to make informed and responsible decisions on the sustainable use of marine resources in the future.

7 basic principles of Ocean Literacy

Through multiple adapted materials, live experiments and interactive dynamics, children had the opportunity to learn about the seven principles of Ocean Literacy, understanding the essential role of the ocean in life and climate, its influence on ecosystems and humans, the need for its exploration and conservation, as well as society’s responsibility in its care.

The sessions combined five manipulative activities to encourage experiential learning, as well as scientific experiments to illustrate key concepts such as marine biodiversity, ocean currents, salinity and the impact of climate change on marine ecosystems.

An impact that goes beyond the classroom

“The youngest children have a great capacity for learning and, thanks to these activities, they can develop a greater sensitivity towards the care of the oceans, which can also awaken scientific vocations in the future,” explains the promoter of the initiative, Professor Paloma Morán. She also stressed the multiplier effect of this type of program, in the sense that “children talk a lot with their families about what they learn at school and this also helps adults to become aware of the importance of protecting marine ecosystems”.

For his part, the coordinator of this activity at the CIM and the Campus do Mar, Kais Mohamed, stressed that “bringing the knowledge of the oceans to society is a fundamental pillar of the knowledge transfer that we usually carry out from our center”. In this line, he also highlighted other initiatives led by the Campus do Mar as Scientists meet Artists, which relies on the synergy between Art and Science to channel scientific knowledge using innovative channels that appeal strongly to the emotions and thus bring this knowledge in a meaningful way to an increasingly diverse society.

Arenaria Coordinación also highlights the benefits of approaching ocean literacy at an early age, both at an educational level and in the formation of environmental values. “These activities awaken the natural curiosity of children, allow them to understand the scientific method through observation and experimentation and strengthen skills such as problem solving. In addition, they help to internalize sustainable habits, such as plastic reduction and responsible consumption.”

Activity within the framework of the Decade of the Oceans

This initiative is part of the Decade of Oceans for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), promoted by the UN to halt the deterioration of marine ecosystems and promote new opportunities for sustainable development. It is also aligned with UNESCO’s Ocean Literacy for ALL program, which seeks to increase global awareness about the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of the oceans, as well as with the European Commission’s EU4Ocean platform, focused on promoting Ocean Literacy.

Source: DUVI