WHOI’s professional development workshops for teachers are a window into the rapidly-changing world of ocean research and engineering.

The WHOI Information Office, the Woods Hole Sea Grant Office, and the WHOI Education Office offer professional development workshops for middle school teachers, held twice a year at the WHOI Exhibit Center. During the workshops, WHOI scientists and engineers speak to and interact with teachers about their work and the related exhibits at the Exhibit Center.

The workshops are a way for teachers to hear about exciting current ocean science and engineering topics, first-hand, from the scientists who do the work. Teachers also learn about the WHOI Exhibit Center and how to use it effectively with their classes as a learning center. Attending teachers receive certificates to use toward professional development points, in the general area of "Topics in Ocean Science". We offer a range of topics including biological, chemical, geological, and physical oceanography and engineering for work in the sea.

We can accommodate 30 teachers in each workshop. Presenters give talks to the entire group, so that each teacher attends two different talks during the afternoon. There is a question/answer period after each talk, though presenters encourage interaction during the entire talk. The talks are videotaped and archived for later use at the Exhibit Center. After the talks there are demonstrations of selected classroom activities related to the subjects covered. Each teacher receives a binder containing background on the topics, articles by the presenters, classroom activities, and a list of web-based resources for further information.

Interested educators can receive registration information for upcoming workshops by sending name and contact information to Stephanie Murphy, samurphy@whoi.edu, 508-289-2271, or Kate Madin, kmadin@whoi.edu, 508-289-3639.