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  • How to Plan and Implement a SEPORT (PDF)
  • 2005-2006 SEPORT portals (Word)

What in the world is a SEPORT?

SEPORT is an acronym, standing for South East Portal to Ocean Research for Teachers. The SEPORT concept is an initiative from the Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence SouthEast (COSEE-SE) to develop an infrastructure through which new ocean sciences information can pass. The COSEE SE region, which includes Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, contains many, exciting informal education centers. Teachers bring their students to these facilities to see the exhibits and enjoy their educational programs. Thousands of people from the general public visit the facilities for many of the same reasons.

SEPORTs are partnerships among COSEE-SE, an informal education institution and the teachers. Four objectives of this effort include:

• Pathways in which ocean sciences information can reach an education, and even public, audience in specific locations;
• Local leadership opportunities for teachers; and introduction to ocean sciences education for teachers who are not able to attend a residential workshop;
• Support for local informal institutions in their efforts to provide exciting new ocean topics in their location;
• Opportunity for sharing among institutions, COSEE SE, teachers, scientists and others with programs of excellence.

History: The first SEPORTs were initiated based on their geographic distribution and nearest to participants at the first, Ocean Sciences Education Leadership Institute, held at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, June 22-27, 2003. Twenty-nine teachers and media specialists spent a week learning about ocean research and technology, integrated with methods in how to teach. Part of their requirements was to demonstrate leadership skills with local peers.

Small teams of Institute teachers were partnered with an institution to create a SE-PORT site. The objective was to design and offer a one-day ocean awareness day for middle and high school teachers in their area. 

2003-2006 SEPORT Sites

• University of Georgia Marine Education Center and Aquarium, Savannah, GA
• Fernbank Science Center, Atlanta, GA
• University of West Georgia, Carollton, GA
• Museum of Aviation, Warner Robbins, GA
• Crooked River Park, GA
• Sandy Creek Nature Center, GA
• ACE Basin NERR, Colleton County, SC
• NOAA Hollings Marine Laborary, Charleston, SC
• SC Aquarium, Charleston, SC
• SC State Museum, Columbia, SC
• Coastal Carolina University, SC
• Roper Mountain Science Center, Greenville, SC 
• Discovery Place, Charlotte, NC
• NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC
• Natural Science Center, Greensboro, NC
• NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher, Wilmington, NC
• NC Math Science Education Network, Greenville, NC
• East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
• Catawba Science Center, Hickory, NC
• Allison Woods Environmental Center, NC
• Sturgeon City Center, Jacksonville, NC

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