This research addresses a critical gap in environmental education: despite the ocean's vital importance to life on Earth, most countries show poor levels of ocean knowledge and awareness among their populations. The term "ocean literacy" refers to understanding both the ocean's influence on humans and our influence on the ocean, evolving into a framework that transforms ocean knowledge into sustainable action.
The study took place in Victoria, Australia, focusing on the Great Southern Reef—an 8,000-kilometer rocky reef system that forms a biodiversity hotspot along Australia's southern coastline. Despite its enormous environmental and economic significance (projected to contribute AU$100 billion annually to Australia's economy), this marine ecosystem remains largely unknown to the broader community, including the 70% of Australians who live within 50 kilometers of it.
Researchers collaborated with 13 educators from six primary schools located in Melbourne, the Surf Coast, and Bellarine regions. The participants included classroom teachers, teaching leaders, and education officers with varying levels of experience, though only two had received marine science training in the previous five years. Most joined the program to learn about their local marine environment, inspire student care for the ocean, and discover new teaching strategies.
The professional development program was designed using an interdisciplinary approach combining education, children's literature, and marine science. The comprehensive training included approximately 25 hours of contact time across three in-person sessions at Deakin University's Queenscliff Marine Science Centre, with additional classroom support visits available.
The program featured both theoretical and practical components. The theoretical portion introduced participants to ocean literacy principles, the Great Southern Reef's significance, and strategies for integrating marine education into existing curricula. The practical component included hands-on cross-curricular activities, field excursions to Port Phillip Bay for snorkeling and wildlife observation, rocky shore biodiversity studies, and laboratory-based activities like creating art with local seaweed and seagrass specimens.
Central to the program's success was a carefully developed educational resource package. Researchers created a comprehensive teacher's guide titled "Over and Under the Waves of the Great Southern Reef," featuring 21 core marine science activities and 5 educational games designed around six scientifically accurate children's picture books about the Great Southern Reef. These resources were specifically chosen to represent local marine life and habitats while providing age-appropriate, engaging content that teachers could adapt for different grade levels.
The picture books served multiple purposes: they provided accessible entry points for complex marine science concepts, offered familiar educational tools that increased teacher confidence, and created emotional connections between students and marine environments. Activities progressed from foundational ocean knowledge to specific Great Southern Reef concepts, including geography, ecological processes, species relationships, environmental challenges, and conservation solutions.
Data collection employed both quantitative and qualitative methods. Researchers administered pre- and post-program surveys measuring teachers' preparedness, teaching frequency, and familiarity with ocean concepts. Semi-structured focus group interviews captured deeper insights into participants' experiences, challenges, and changing practices. This mixed-method approach provided comprehensive evaluation of the program's impact.
The results revealed dramatic positive changes in teacher confidence and practice. Before the program, 83% of participants felt unprepared to teach marine science topics, and most taught ocean content only rarely or occasionally. After completion, 80% reported feeling very or extremely well-prepared, and most incorporated ocean topics frequently (once or twice weekly) across different learning areas including science, arts, mathematics, and English.
Teachers praised the program's relevance to their students' lives and its strong alignment with the Victorian Curriculum. They found the educational resources engaging and easy to implement, with activities that required minimal preparation while providing clear background information. The hands-on field experiences particularly strengthened teachers' understanding and appreciation of marine environments, helping them better relate to their students' learning experiences.
Student engagement showed remarkable improvement according to teacher observations. All participants agreed that students became more knowledgeable, sensitive, and motivated about ocean topics. Teachers reported evidence of engagement through increased classroom participation, peer discussions during breaks, knowledge transfer to families, and reduced distractive behaviors among typically struggling students. Students began choosing ocean-themed books for independent reading and writing original marine stories during free time.
The program's place-based focus on the Great Southern Reef proved especially valuable. Teachers noted how local relevance enhanced student engagement and learning, allowing students to make real-life connections between classroom concepts and their coastal environment. Five of six participating schools organized excursions to local beaches, strengthening these connections further.
Several schools extended learning beyond the classroom. Students created ocean-themed art displays, organized exhibition stalls for community sustainability events, and developed presentations about their beach studies using graphs and tables. These activities helped raise broader community awareness about the Great Southern Reef's importance.
Teachers also reported significant personal growth, describing how the program increased their own connection with marine environments and motivated them to share this knowledge with students. Many planned to continue integrating ocean topics in future school years, with one school creating an entirely new "Coastal Sustainability" curriculum unit running from Foundation to Year 7.
The study identified several key factors for successful ocean literacy professional development. Programs should:
1. Be facilitated by field experts who provide ongoing support
2. Include carefully designed localized educational resources aligned with relevant curricula
3. Encourage participation of multiple educators per school to foster collaboration
4. Incorporate immersive hands-on learning experiences
5. Be delivered during optimal school terms while avoiding peak commitment periods
The main challenges encountered related to timing constraints and the need for more in-classroom support. Teachers participating in the later program session found the end-of-year schedule particularly demanding, highlighting the importance of strategic timing for professional development initiatives.
This research demonstrates that overloaded curricula need not prevent ocean education integration. Rather than requiring additional learning areas, successful ocean literacy education involves rethinking how science concepts are communicated within existing frameworks. When provided with appropriate materials and curriculum-aligned resources, teachers can successfully weave marine education throughout their existing programs.
The study's focus on children's literature proved particularly effective, providing teachers with familiar tools that increased confidence while offering students emotional connections to marine environments. This approach helped students understand abstract concepts by relating them to accessible stories and characters, subsequently inspiring independent exploration and creative expression.
For environmental educators, this research provides a proven model for developing ocean literacy programs that can be adapted to different geographic and cultural contexts. The key lies in combining expert facilitation, high-quality localized resources, hands-on experiences, and ongoing support to transform teacher confidence and capability in marine education.
The Bottom Line
This study demonstrates how a specialized professional development program can successfully empower primary school teachers to integrate ocean literacy into their classrooms. Researchers developed and evaluated a comprehensive training program for 13 educators in Victoria, Australia, focusing on the Great Southern Reef through children's picture books and hands-on activities. Before the program, most teachers felt unprepared to teach marine topics and rarely included ocean content in lessons. After completing the training, 80% reported feeling very or extremely well-prepared, and most began incorporating ocean topics weekly across different subject areas. The findings show that when teachers receive proper training, curriculum-aligned resources, and ongoing support, they can successfully overcome traditional barriers to ocean education and create engaging learning experiences that connect students with their local marine environment.