Carolina Coastal Science

Educator's Guide

Inquiry Simulation

Interactive Photojournal

Inquiry Images

Coastal Research Technology
 
 

The resulting Web site, Carolina Coastal Science (available online at http://www.ncsu.edu/coast), contains five separate areas to engage students in different types of inquiry: 

1. An educator's guide with a variety of teaching suggestions to assist teachers with incorporating the Web site into primary and secondary school classrooms; 
2. An inquiry simulation in which students investigate the issues concerning the fate of the Shell Island Resort and then debate the future of this and other oceanfront structures threatened by coastal erosion; 
3. An interactive photojournal that students can use to construct their own set of inquiry questions to explore; 
4. A section of "Inquiry Images" which can be used as whole class-guided inquiry activities; 
5. A "Coastal Research Technology" section that students can use to identify the scientific instruments used by oceanographers and coastal geologists to collect data.

Shell Island Dilemma

Inquiry Images

Carolina Coastal Photojournal

Coastal Research Technology
 

The Carolina Coastal Science educator's guide offers science educators a selection of teaching suggestions for implementing the instructional system into a classroom setting. These include: 

• Using the "Shell Island Dilemma" as a JIGSAW II small group learning activity. Students work together in expert groups on an information seeking task. The groups are reorganized so that an exchange of ideas and information occurs by peer tutoring.

 
• Using the "Inquiry Images" as a whole class-guided inquiry activity. This Web site area can be used to generate discussion and debate on environmental issues.

 
• Using the "Carolina Coastal Photojournal" and "Coastal Research Technology" sections with students who wish to follow their own learning pathways.

The Shell Island Resort homeowners

The Wrightsville Beach town manager

North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission members

Coastal engineers

Coastal scientists

Members of the environmental advocacy organization, North Carolina Coastal Federation

The Shell Island Dilemma is an inquiry simulation, in which students investigate the issues concerning the fate of the Shell Island Resort and then debate the future of this and other oceanfront structures threatened by coastal erosion. As students engage in the investigation, they identify the social, political and scientific issues with which different stakeholders must deal. Students place themselves into the role of one of the stakeholders. Questions are used throughout the instructional system to focus student's thoughts during their exploration: 

"As you explore the resources, remember that you are in the role of a stakeholder. Think about the current North Carolina policies regarding the placement of hard structures in public trust areas such as the beach. How does the current coastal policy affect your vested interests as a stakeholder?" 

Students are first presented with a video clip that introduces the dilemma. After being introduced to the problem, students are to select their stakeholder role. The roles for this simulation include: 

• The Shell Island Resort homeowners,
• The Wrightsville Beach town manager,
• North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission members,
• Coastal engineers,
• Coastal scientists, and
• Members of the environmental advocacy organization, North Carolina Coastal Federation.

After students review the resources, they are to prepare a statement to decide what should be the next course of action regarding the Shell Island Resort. Students present their statement in a debate to decide the future of the Shell Island Resort. Each student also completes a "Position Statement Handout." After students have had enough time to review the resources and prepare their position statements, a class debate is held to decide the next course of action. When the debate is complete, students take a vote on the proposed solutions and conclude the debate when a consensus of 2/3 of the class agrees on a proposed solution. 

A "Student Record Sheet Assessment" is completed by each individual student at the conclusion of the debate. Both the "Position Statement Handout" and the "Student Record Sheet Assessment" can be easily adapted to be used with other controversial environmental topics such as solid waste disposal, water pollution, and air pollution issues. 

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