World leading Australian marine scientists feature in new online education resources

June 21, 2011 by Ocean Ark Alliance

Categorised in News, Resources, Science

What is ocean acidification?

What causes ocean acidification?

How does ocean acidification impact on coral reefs?

Are today’s conditions very different from the past?

Can we predict how ocean acidification will impact on coral reefs in the future?

World leading Australian marine scientists Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg and Professor Peter Harrison answer these and many other questions about corals reefs in two new series of educational video presentations both hosted by Dr ‘Kiki’ Sanford.

Created in collaboration with Education Services Australia, The Learning Federation, Specialty Studios and Plankton Productions, a total of nine insightful video modules with support materials aligned with curriculum standards for education in science are now available.

Enhanced by beautiful and, at times, confronting underwater HD cinematography by David Hannan and also animated sequences, the nine new instructional modules provide a clear introduction to coral reefs, coral ecology and the issues that confront them. Viewers will also learn what a coral scientist does and what it takes to become one.

The first series entitled Coral Reefs and Climate Change hosted by Dr ‘Kiki’ Sanford features Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg and covers four critical areas of concern:

  • Introduction to Climate Change and Coral Reefs
  • Ocean Acidification
  • Coral Bleaching
  • The Future of Coral Reefs.

The DVD version includes a detailed teachers guide and resources featuring an innovative group discussion format ‘Climate Café’ to encourage investigative research and student presentations.

A second series of five video modules entitled Exploring Coral Reefs: Reproduction and Survival features Dr Peter Harrison who explains how a suite of reproductive techniques including mass coral spawning may help corals overcome their current decline and covers:

  • The work of a coral reef scientist
  • Coral reef reproduction
  • Coral reef mass spawning
  • Coral repair mechanisms
  • Coral survival

Australian & NZ teachers, students and institutions can view the video modules via state and territory online education web portals from here: → www.thelearningfederation.edu.au/for_teachers/

Available in North America on DVD through The Video Project here:

Coral Reefs and Climate Change
→ www.videoproject.com/clchandcorec.html

Exploring Coral Reefs: Reproduction and Survival
→ www.videoproject.com/excorereands.html

About Prof. Ove Hoegh-Guldberg
Ove Hoegh-Guldberg is a marine biologist and Director of the Global Change Institute at the University of Queensland, Australia. His research for the last 20 years has focused on the impact of climate change on coral reefs. Several of his published works are among the top ten most cited works over the past decade in the area of climate change and coral reefs.
About Dr. Peter Harrison
Peter Harrison is Professor in Marine Ecology and Director of Marine Studies at Southern Cross University, Australia. He is internationally recognized as a pioneering researcher in coral reproduction studies. Dr. Harrison has been awarded multiple prizes for excellence in research and has a coral species named after him.
About Dr. “Kiki” Sanford
Kiki Sanford is a science educator and research scientist. Sanford is the founder and host of This Week in Science a weekly radio show/podcast broadcast from U.C. Davis. Sanford was awarded the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship in recognition of her work with her radio show.
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Ocean Acidification - The other CO2 Challenge