3,000+ primary school students to learn about our ocean wealth

3,000+ primary school students to learn about our ocean wealth through the Explorers Education Programme™

New centres join Explorers Education Programme™

The Marine Institute’s Explorer’s Education Programme is growing and is now available in Galway, Clare, Mayo, Cork and Waterford delivered by centres including Galway Atlantaquaria, Loop Head Summer Hedge School, Redrose Developments, Lifetime Lab and Oceanic Surf School and Marine Education Centre. The centres will be introducing marine based education modules to more than 3,000 primary school children during the next school term (October – December 2016), promoting the importance of our ocean through saltwater aquariums in classrooms, seashore safari's, marine projects, marine workshops and special science and art projects. 

Dr Peter Heffernan, CEO of the Marine Institute congratulated the centres on their success in joining the Explorers Education Programme™ highlighting “Their expertise and  enthusiasm for our oceans provides  an important platform for teaching marine themes in the classroom and helps  to support and reconnect teachers and their students with the marine environment”.

“As an Island nation with a seabed territory ten times greater than the size of the island of Ireland (approximately 880,000km sq.) it is fundamental that we realise the value, opportunities and social benefits the ocean provides us.  On a daily basis the ocean produces over half the oxygen we breath, provides us with food and supports the tiniest microscopic plants to the largest animals on earth.   It is therefore essential that we learn about the influence the ocean has on us and the influence we have on the ocean,” Dr Heffernan said.

As part of the development of the Explorers Education Programme™, Galway Atlantaquaria has been contracted to provide professional development training and workshops for teachers in schools as well as assist with workshops for trainee teachers at DCU – St Patrick’s introducing marine themes into the curriculum. “Recognising the unique position teachers have to inspire their students, the Institute welcomes the opportunity to help teachers generate curiosity among their students to learn more about our ocean wealth as well as realize some of the amazing marine career opportunities,” said Cushla Dromgool-Regan, responsible for the strategic development of education at the Marine Institute.

Details of the Explorers Education Programme™ modules and the centre contacts are available at www.explorers.ie.  Booking to take part in the modules is essential and teachers should contact the relevant outreach centres via www.explorers.ie.

Centres selected to represent the Explorers Education Programme™ was completed in line with the public sector procurement guidelines.  The Explorers Education Programme™ is supported by the Marine Institute, and is funded under the Marine Research Programme by the Irish Government.

ENDS