UGA Marine Extension is now accepting applications for the 2016 Georgia Shore Program. The intensive two-week summer residential program will provide up to 16 K-12 teachers and graduate students an opportunity to explore and conduct research on Georgia estuarine and barrier island systems, including Wassaw and Ossabaw Islands.

To be held at the Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Island from June 5-19, 2016, the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education course accepts Georgia teachers of all subjects and UGA graduate students who are studying science education.

Since 1996, UGA Marine Extension educator Maryellen Timmons has applied for and received funding for this summer teacher and graduate student workshop in coastal Georgia, which has served over 300 teachers to date. For the 2016 program, Timmons and fellow educator Mary Sweeney-Reeves received $50,409 from Georgia’s Improving Teacher Quality State Grants Program.

The Georgia Shore Program provides opportunities for current and future teachers to step outside of the classroom to conduct in-depth studies of marine and environmental sciences and cross-disciplinary subjects. Participants will be introduced to the coastal ecosystems of Georgia via laboratory work as well as boat and field experiences emphasizing “hands-on” methods for the classroom.

One program highlight will be the opportunity to create and conduct individual research projects within the marine environment. Teachers will develop and share classroom curricula based on strategies learned while conducting this research.

Instructional technology will emphasize the educational use of the Internet and mathematical and computer applications in science education. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of multidisciplinary research and will be better prepared to assist students and other teachers in science fair projects.

Participants will stay at the UGA Marine Extension dormitory on Skidaway Island throughout the workshop. Teachers will earn six graduate education credits or ten PLUs.

Additional partners for this program include Georgia Sea Grant, Georgia Southern College of Education IHE and UGA Marine Sciences. UGA Marine Extension is a unit of the Office of Public Service and Outreach.

For more information on the Georgia Shore Program, please contact Maryellen Timmons at mare@uga.edu.