EARTH Workshops

At our annual EARTH Workshops, educators, scientists, and engineers work together to develop effective educational practices for access and use of near-real-time data in classrooms and informal education settings. Since 2006, MBARI has partnered with a variety of organizations across the country to host the EARTH workshop, bringing diverse science content and perspectives to the workshops.

 EARTH 2024 Workshop

Application Process

We strive to maximize engagement between workshop participants and the scientists who participate, and ensure that educators are able to work together in a variety of ways throughout the workshop. Because of this, we only have a limited number of spots available in each EARTH workshop and applications are required. The application process is outlined below. Workshop costs, including housing and food, are covered for all participants, and each participant will receive a travel allowance.

Applications are now open for the 2024 workshop. All application materials as outlined on the application page should be completed and submitted by February 12, 2024 at 0800 PST for consideration for the 2024 workshop.

Application Requirements

  1. Complete the online EARTH Workshop Application form and submit any additional resources as appropriate. Be sure your answers to the questions clearly express your experience, background, and/or interest in the topic of using real-time data in your educational environment. Any supporting materials can be emailed to earth@mbari.org.
  2. Before attending the EARTH Workshop, participants are required to try out one (or more) EARTH lesson in your classroom or institution, complete the online feedback rubric, and be prepared to discuss their experience teaching the lesson and present any adaptations, modifications, or extensions that were made for their audience. We are especially interested in feedback from our more recent lessons (such as the ones developed at the 2023 or 2022 workshops) so we can update, revise, and publish them. We understand that it’s not always possible to schedule the activity before the application deadline, so if you are unable to complete a lesson before submitting your application, please indicate which lesson you will be using and ensure that you complete it by the workshop.

Returning teachers who have previously participated in an EARTH Workshop can make their application stronger by demonstrating a commitment to mentoring colleagues (hosting an in-service or EARTH Satellite workshop in your area), enhancing the EARTH resources (testing out Lessons in Development and providing extensive feedback or new resources to enrich our website), or disseminating EARTH content (presenting about EARTH at a meeting or conference). Please contact us if you have any questions about the application process.

Opportunities:

Teachers involved in an EARTH workshop will:

  • Explore cutting edge marine science and technology, ocean observatories and the data that they collect
  • Examine current scientific studies that use oceanographic data and how that data has changed our way of thinking about the oceans
  • Develop new curriculum that uses real science and near-real-time data to teach science content and process and addresses their needs and the needs of their students
  • Be part of a program that integrates the use of near-real-time data and real science into classrooms at a national level
  • Experience a rich opportunity for professional collaboration and curriculum development

Objectives:

The purpose of the EARTH workshop is to:

  • Educate, excite, and engage teachers with the concept of using data in the classroom
  • Develop curricula enabling teachers and students to utilize near-real-time data
  • Increase awareness of the Ocean Literacy Principles
  • Create relationships between researchers and educators that can lead to future collaborations