The Changing Ocean Program (COP) is an education program that was developed in order to enlighten our students with real-world investigation into the dynamic nature of our planet's ocean.
We utilise Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) that were developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (N.O.A.A.) and the Smithsonian Institute to collect biological data from a variety of marine environments around the world. The biological data is supplemented by abiotic data collected by loggers during the deployment of the ARMS.
The long-term monitoring allows for a valuable collection of data for a true evaluation of marine science concepts.
Discover the Changing Ocean Program. The why's and the how's!
During fulfillment of the Changing Ocean education program, students establish a deeper understanding of marine science. Participants can investigate the settlement of sessile planktonic organisms in different regions of the Ocean that may display differences in the physical parameters of light intensity, water temperature and water current speed.
The variety of physical parameters can be used to highlight aspects of the changing nature of our Ocean. The Changing Ocean Program booklet is available for download below.
A comprehensive new book that has been developed to support participants in the successful completion of the Changing Ocean Program
Our first book explains how the Changing Ocean Program links directly to Unit 3 of the Australian Q.C.A.A. Biology Senior Syllabus; Biodiversity and the interconnectedness of life.
It places Topics 1 & 2 into a marine context and provides participants with the opportunity to complete three mandatory practicals and the student experiment (IA2).
A complete step by step 'how to' guide with explanations, links, examples and more...
Further editions planned for the future include:-
QCAA Senior Earth and Environmental Science
QCAA Senior Marine Science
...and other International Syllabus
The COP Teacher Resource provides an overview of the rationale and guidance for the successful completion of the Changing Ocean Program
Teacher COP Handbook V.1.0 (pdf)
DownloadThe data-loggers used for collection of abiotic physical data during the Changing Ocean Program are developed by ONSET HOBO MX2202 temperature/light logger and James Cook University - Marine Geophysics Laboratory water current meter.
The technical specifications for each sensor is outlined in the publications that are available for download below.