Oceanscape Network gets new focus - Newport News Times

Oceanscape Network gets new focus - Newport News Times

Oceanscape Network gets new focus - Newport News Times

Posted: 28 Jan 2020 05:32 PM PST

NEWPORT — Season trackers, surfing, brown pelicans. Reclaiming an island from invasive plants. You can almost believe you're exploring the outdoors when you visit the Oregon Coast Aquarium's Oceanscape Network website.

The aquarium launched an updated version of its Oceanscape Network website in late January, following a soft launch in November, and aquarium Manager of Education Innovation Marsh Myers is excited about the result, "an online educational program designed to connect youth and educators to nature and conservation topics while facilitating their personal exploration of the natural world."

Access to the Oceanscape Network is free — and free of advertisements — and is geared toward the 14- to 21-year-old age group, as well as to educators.

"Oceanscape is what is beyond the walls of the aquarium," Myers said. "It's the next step.

"Anyone is welcome to use it, regardless of their age," he added. "We hope it facilitates them to explore their area, even if they're not in Oregon."

The Oceanscape Network is not new to the aquarium — it was launched in 2014 as a distance learning site after about three years of development. Pointing out that the aquarium is far from urban centers, Myers said, "It was a way to connect people to our message.

"Since then, the aquarium has focused on a different message," Myers noted, adding that distance learning has taken off in the last five years at zoos, museums and aquariums, following the Oregon Coast Aquarium's lead. "We were on the cusp of that trend. We now have a much greater emphasis on climate change and plastics pollution, and on getting young people involved in outdoor education and having a voice on topics that protect the ocean and its greater ecosystem."

Myers said the website is continually updated, and offers an online calendar and virtual explorations. An email newsletter is also available.

"We work year-round to add new things," Myers said.

Myers, who was hired to create the distance learning program and find ways to connect with teens and young adults, has been with the aquarium for almost 10 years and built the first Oceanscape website. Its early emphasis was regional, but they quickly found that even though its main focus was on oceans and the Oregon coast, people were using the site from a much larger area, including all of the U.S. and abroad.

Now the site sees about a 50-50 split, with half of its visitors from Oregon.

Some of the content is created by youth correspondents, but all of it is vetted in house, and where appropriate, by scientists and researchers.

The website has always focused on teens and young adults.

"There's a lot of people in that age group, and they're inheriting big challenges," Myers noted. "And we recognized that this audience is very connected to technology. It makes sense to reach them where they are."

Myers is particularly proud that Oceanscape involves teen volunteers in creating content. Known as youth correspondents, the group of 14 to 18 year olds works in a journalism format to produce Oceanscape content. "We teach them journalism skills, provide them with cameras and give them the opportunity to do stories," Myers said.

Noting that one of the aquarium's goals is to have teens talk with other teens, Myers said the youth correspondents work both in front of and behind the camera. Last summer, they worked on a large project regarding plastics pollution and how it migrates; they produced a video news magazine that will be out in April.

The correspondents come from throughout Oregon. The aquarium can work with a maximum of 10, with seven volunteering currently.

"They've done a great job," Myers said, noting four are currently attending college while continuing to volunteer.

Russell Stone, of Albany, has been a youth correspondent at the aquarium for about four years. Now a student at Linn-Benton Community College, he continues to volunteer with the program while attending school and working.

"My parents suggested I take a look at the program, and it sounded great to me," he said. "I had an interview with Marsh, and that's how I got started. The ocean is a huge part of it for me, but what's really cool about Oceanscape is that it's more than that — it's wildlife and other things. I've learned a lot."

Following in his father's footsteps, Stone obtained his scuba-diving license, and as part of his work as a correspondent, he was able to dive in one of the aquarium's tanks and feed and pet a sturgeon.

Although Stone plans to study visual arts in college, he enjoys the projects he's been involved with through Oceanscape and likes the idea of working with his peers. And he's learned about endangered species, interviewed a wildland firefighter and visited Crater Lake with the program.

Asked what he would say to a teen considering the program, Stone said, "I would say 100 percent look into being a correspondent. You learn a lot. There has not been a project I was not interested in. For anyone interested in the ocean and wildlife, it's really the best program you can get into, and a really good experience."

Students ages 14 to 18 interested in the correspondent program can contact the aquarium's volunteer department. The program runs year-round.

Stone concluded, "Oceanscape is really cool. I'm happy that more word is getting out because it's really amazing, and it's ahead of its time."

Oceanscape also offers Coast Connections, developed by the aquarium's teacher programs manager, Sara Shaw Roberts, who worked with the Lincoln County School District to develop professional development applications for teachers.

Myers said the original Oceanscape site had curriculum that could be downloaded, but was rarely used. They learned that teachers did not want a prepackaged curriculum but instead sought ways to enhance their own curriculum.

Now, with Coast Connections, different modules are posted on the Oceanscape site on a variety of conservation topics for teachers to build on.

Myers said the site's virtual explorations are one of its most popular features and are a way to work with other organizations, using the internet as a technological bridge to highlight ocean research — and to connect both youth and teachers with scientists in the field.

For example, Oceanscape correspondents producing a video exploration of the effort to remove invasive plants from Hayden Island are working directly with an Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife scientist.

That fits in nicely with the bottom line for the site — connecting youth to science, nature and conservation.

The Oceanscape Network website can be reached at www.oceanscape-aquarium.org or from www.aquarium.org.

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