rce north east project

Dove Marine Laboratory
School of Marine Science and Technology
Newcastle university
Cullercoats
NE30 4PZ

Dr Jane Delany
j.e.delany @ ncl.ac.uk

Dove Marine Laboratory

1. To increase access to science learning to adult learners across the UK who cannot for financial, lifestyle, or academic reasons commit to a formal course or degree but who are passionate about marine environments and wish to engage further with the natural world around them. Our aim is to open up this provision to all educational abilities. In terms of financial sustainability, this course looks set to be a long-term viable project with income generated from fees of students supporting not only the administrative upkeep of the course, but also facilitating the introduction of ‘bursaries’ for those adult learners unable to meet the costs of the fees. In doing so, we hope to extend the availability of this educational provision to all.

2. The course is led by Newcastle University. Environmental professionals, stakeholders in marine environments and representatives from a range of organisations such as Natural England, Marine Fisheries Agency, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, the Natural History Museum contribute to the development and delivery of the five day field course, where students experience hands on study of the natural environment. Additional ‘partners’ include the adult learners themselves.

3. The students are exposed to leading scientists in their research fields and benefit from all that that entails. The model of education itself is being examined for improvement and as a future model of wider learning to be promoted and extended.

4. The participants benefit by challenging themselves to undertake learning in a new area, and benefit from interaction with professional scientists.

The course raises aspirations and builds confidence in adult learners who may otherwise have not formally engaged in education. It inspires a cross-section of society to view the marine environment in a new light.

From the first run of this course in 2008, we have already recruited a student onto the degree programme at Newcastle, and a number of other participants have expressed an interested in changing their careers and/or their lifestyles as a direct result of the challenges they have experienced.

Resources produced and teaching materials are disseminated via the web to students signed up to the course.

The course is widely advertised through : Trade Shows for the diving community; Divers magazines;

The Dove Marine Laboratory

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