Nearly three-quarters of the Earth’s surface is ocean. The ocean connects us and impacts on our lives daily. It is essential that we understand how it influences weather and climate, it produces much of the oxygen we breathe, it feeds us and not only. An ocean Literate individual is given the tools to better protect the ocean. As there can be no sustainable future without a healthy ocean, ocean literacy is essential for that purpose.
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission has been approached by Ocean School, a joint initiative of Dalhousie University, the Ocean Frontier Institute and the National Film Board of Canada created to engage the public, in particular students, to foster ocean literacy. Ocean School focuses on ocean science, technology and innovation – giving an insight into marine careers and the social, economic and cultural dimensions of the human relationship with the ocean.
The Ocean School’s mission is to provide learners, the next generation of ocean citizens, with the knowledge and tools to understand the vital importance of the ocean for our future. It offers a ground-breaking learning experience with the use of powerful storytelling techniques, immersive technologies, interactive media, and an inquiry-based learning model to advance environmental awareness and ocean literacy - the understanding of our influence on the ocean and the ocean’s influence on us.
