Marine Science Experience

   The TOPS-Marine Science Experience ended regular activities in July 2005, but the website developed for this program is maintained by the TOPS Program at Occidental.  Additional data collected on board any of the local  educational vessels can be added to the tables by emailing it to tops@oxy.edu.  

     Occidental College’s Marine Science Experience (MSE) is part of the Teachers + Occidental = Partnership in Science (TOPS) program. MSE was funded by an Improving Teacher Quality State Grant from the California Postsecondary Education Commission.  With guidance by resource professionals, MSE offered an opportunity for science teachers and their students to formulate research investigations and use modern instruments and data collection techniques on board an oceanographic research vessel. Upon returning to the classroom, students analyzed their data and shared it with other MSE school sites via the Internet. Participants were invited to attend a celebratory research conference at Occidental College for project presentations.

     The Marine Science Experience hosted Summer Institutes for middle school and high school teachers. Key features of the Institutes included an opportunity for teachers to create their own marine science research study using observations and data collection experiences aboard an oceanographic vessel, to increase content knowledge, to work as a team with other science teachers, to improve educational leadership skills, and to change science teaching practices by including more emphasis on inquiry-based activities and research processes. Check the program description for more information on the Marine Science Experience