Draw the Ocean

• In Event: Studying Ocean Literacy From Diverse Perspectives: Current Studies and Future Directions

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of the study was to develop a drawing instrument to measure ocean literacy. Ocean literacy is defined as “an understanding of the ocean’s influence on you and your influence on the ocean” (Carley et al., 2013). Similar to definitions of scientific literacy, being ocean literate is not simply a knowledge base, but includes the ability to apply knowledge in everyday life and decision-making.

Perspectives
The mental models framework provides the theoretical basis for this study. According to Norman (2014), “Mental models are what people really have in their heads, and what guides their use of things,” (p. 12). Mental models can affect problem-solving and behavior (Gentner & Stevens, 2014; Johnson-Laird, 2001). Understanding individuals’ mental models can help predict and explain behavior (Norman, 2014). Based in part on Draw-A-Scientist (Chambers, 1983; Finson et. al, 1995; Hillman et. al, 2015) and Draw-An-Environment (Moseley, Desjean- Perrotta, & Utley, 2010; Wee, Harbor, & Shepardson, 2006), a Draw-the-Ocean prompt was developed consisting of both a drawing and writing prompt to address the research question: What are students’ mental models of ocean literacy?

Methods & Data Sources
Methodologically, a two-pronged prompt was created
- Please describe how the ocean influences you, and how you influence the ocean.
- Next, please draw the ocean’s influence on you and your influence on the ocean.
and administered to sixty 12-17 year olds at the beginning and conclusion of an oceanography-based summer camp ranging from one week to three weeks in length. Some camps were day camps, others were residential. The Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts of Ocean Literacy (Carley et al., 2013) served as the coding scheme. Responses to both prompts served as data sources and were analyzed concurrently to establish common coding protocols. Presence or absence and frequency of Principles was recorded.

Results
Results indicate (97%) of responses included a reference to Principle 6: The ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected. Most principles were represented less frequently: 3% contained ideas about Principle 2 and 18% contained references to Principle 3 and Principle 4.

Findings indicate how these students believe the ocean influences them and they influence the ocean—as a source of food, as a place to relax and use for recreation, as it relates to commerce and jobs—but they are less frequently thinking about larger-scale ideas such as weather and climate. Findings are significant in supporting evidence from another study (Author, 2009), which used a qualitative analysis of questionnaire responses to uncover middle and high school students’ ideas about the ocean. The author found that students recognized the ocean as a source of food and commerce, and found interest in the living things that use the ocean habitat.

Scholarly Significance
This baseline study begins to uncover the mental models of some middle and high school students. Once we as educators better understand students’ ideas, we can better design instruction using a constructivist lens, that is, building on students’ prior knowledge and helping them to construct new meanings.

Author

• Diana L. Payne, University of Connecticut