DBAT SUR LEDUCATION ET LA RECHERCHE DISCUSSION ON EDUCATION AND RESEARCH

Bulletin de lInstitut ocanographique, Monaco, n spcial 20, fascicule 2 (2001)

SUMMARY OF DISCUSSIONS ON EDUCATION IN AQUARIUMS

John NIGHTINGALE, Ph.D. President, ancou!er "quariu# Marine $cience %entre &ducation %o##ittee %hairperson ________________________________________________________________ The Committee members as of November 23r , 2!!! "ere# John NIGHTINGALE, ancou!er "quariu# Marine $cience %enter $ Chair%erson Michel HIGNETTE, "quariu# du M""', (nion )ran*aise des %onser!ateurs d"quariu#s, Paris J !en LANGE, Berlin +oo, Berlin Hi o"hi SA#URAI, ,o-.o $ea /ife Par-, ,o-.o A"hle$ SCI%YER, Mel0ourne "quariu#, Mel0ourne Di&ie THRON, Muse 'canographique, Monaco

INITIAL QUESTIONS The E &'ation Committee 'ame to (ona'o havin) 'onsi ere the basi' set of *&estions o&t+ine ,&st be+o" -'ir'&+ate to 'ommittee members via e. mai+/.The )oa+ "as to stim&+ate is'&ssion, an to %ermit o&rse+ves to hear the e0'e++ent %resentations in a ifferent +i)ht b1 havin) tho&)ht abo&t the to%i'a+ iss&es. 2ome of the basi' *&estions "e 'onsi ere "ere# 3e have is'&sse the %osition an ro+e, an the im%ortan'e of e &'ation in A*&ari&ms often before. 3h1 is it "e seem to nee to is'&ss it a)ain an a)ain4 3h1 oes it fee+ as if ED5CATI6N is not as inte)ra+ a'tivit1 in A*&ari&ms as is ta7in) 'are of the anima+s4 Do "e a''e%t the man ate that a++ A*&ari&ms sho&+ be re.orientin) to 'onservation o&t'omes4

Bulletin de lInstitut ocanographique, Monaco, n spcial 20, fascicule 2 (2001)

Do "e a''e%t that the best "a1 to a'hieve broa .rea'hin) 'onservation res&+ts is tho&)h %&b+i' a"areness, e &'ation an a'tion4 Does the +a'7 of tr&e &n erstan in) -or a''e%tan'e/ of o&r A*&ari&m8s stat&s as THE ma,or %&b+i' information 'entres on o'eans an a*&ati' environments have to o "ith# A +a'7 of forma+ man ate at the in ivi &a+ instit&tion +eve+4 A +a'7 of vision an 'ommitment b1 o&r )overnin) boar s4 A +a'7 of vision an (ana)ers4 'ommitment b1 o&r Dire'tors an 2enior

6r $ 'o&+ it be a +a'7 of be+ief that e &'ation is rea++1 as im%ortant as "e 7ee% sa1in) it is4 Is there a "a1 "e 'an 9,&st )et on "ith it:4 Is there a nee or a benefit to a forma+ e'+aration on e &'ation, "hat it is, "h1 it is im%ortant4 ;rom this Con)ress4 Is there somethin) e+se "e 'an o a'ross the A*&ari&m 9in &str1: to set o&r ver1 broa e &'ation man ate '+ear+1 in o&r o"n min s4 An <<< to em%hasi=e it as %art of o&r ima)e or o&r re%&tation4 DISCUSSIONS There "ere a n&mber of e0'e++ent %resentations &rin) the Con)ress that to&'he on these *&estions. ;&rther, there "as a )reat ea+ of informa+ is'&ssion &rin) the brea7 times, the evenin) events, an &rin) the more forma+ 'ommittee is'&ssion %erio s. John Ni)htin)a+e to&'he on man1 of the iss&es raise in his %resentation that 'ontaine man1 of the tho&)hts an i eas 'omin) from the E &'ation Committee %rior to the Con)ress. A itiona++1, s%ea7ers re%resentin) a++ is'i%+ines fo&n "ithin A*&ari&ms a resse e &'ation as an a'tivit1, an as an overa++ o&t'ome of "hat ha%%ens in an aro&n A*&ari&ms. ;orma+ E &'ationa+ Pro)rams

Bulletin de lInstitut ocanographique, Monaco, n spcial 20, fascicule 2 (2001)

It seems that most A*&ari&ms, if not a++ -"e 'o&+ thin7 of none that o not/, %ro &'e an o%erate some t1%es of forma+ e &'ationa+ %ro)rams for st& ents an other )ro&% a& ien'es. The s'o%e of these %ro)rams, "hen vie"e in a))re)ate is ama=in). The1 in'+& e '+asses, a "i e ran)e of intera'tive a'tivities in the A*&ari&m )a++eries, +aborator1 %ro)rams -"et an r1/, theater %resentations, s'hoo+ a)e vo+&nteer a'tivities, internshi%s an severa+ other t1%es. The1 &ti+i=e s'ien'e, +iterat&re, art an m&si', an other is'i%+ines "hi'h in s'hoo+ terms are 'ross.'&rri'&+&m. These %ro)rams are %ro &'e for a& ien'es ran)in) from %re. s'hoo+ to e+ er.hoste+ a)e &sers. 2ome instit&tions o%erate their forma+ e &'ation %ro)rams o&tsi e of their A*&ari&ms via mobi+e or trave++in) '+asses. 3hi+e these %ro)rams ta7e man1 forms, the1 are a++ '+ear+1 esi)ne to e+iver efine e &'ationa+ ob,e'tives or o&t'omes to the &sers. There "as a )reat ea+ of is'&ssion abo&t ho" these %ro)rams are eve+o%e , o%erate , f&n e , mar7ete , an abo&t ho" "e etermine s&''ess. >e'a&se s'hoo+ 'hi+ ren are often the +ar)est sin)+e a& ien'e b+o'7, most %ro)rams are tai+ore to the nee s of the s'hoo+ or s'hoo+ o%eratin) a&thorit1. Eva+&ation of o&r forma+ e &'ation %ro)rams "as an iss&e is'&sse informa++1 &rin) the Con)ress. There seeme to be a )enera+ 'onsens&s that there is far too +itt+e forma+ eva+&ation of +earnin) an the effe'tiveness of o&r forma+ %ro)rams &n erta7en b1 A*&ari&ms. There is even +ess %&b+ishe in an1 of the forma+ or informa+ +iterat&re. In is'&ssion, the Committee tho&)ht that this is a serio&s %rob+em be'a&se A*&ari&m e &'ation oes not often re'eive the 're it it is &e, an is often treate as an ?a .on? a'tivit1, an is most often not %art of the 'ore e &'ationa+ '&rri'&+&m. @emote E &'ationa+ efforts in forma+ e &'ation &sin) the Internet an 3or+ 3i e 3eb "ere a+so is'&sse . It is '+ear that a ra%i +1 )ro"in) n&mber of A*&ari&ms aro&n the "or+ are &sin) the "eb in the e0e'&tion of their forma+ e &'ationa+ %ro)rams. 2ome mar7et their %ro)rams, "hi'h the1 e+iver in their fa'i+ities, &sin) the "eb. 2evera+ A*&ari&ms &se Internet base re)istration s1stems %ermittin) tea'hers an other &sers to ?boo7? on+ine. ;e" A*&ari&ms seem to be eve+o%in) forma+ e &'ationa+ %ro)rammin) for e+iver1 &sin) the Internet or the "eb. Informa+ E &'ation for ?Norma+? A*&ari&m Aisitors 6ne 7e1 *&estion a resse b1 severa+ s%ea7ers &rin) the Con)ress "as ho" A*&ari&ms 'an sta1 attra'tive to both e0istin) an ne" a& ien'es. Jor i 2abatB8 note that the atten an'e )ro"th in A*&ari&m is 'omin) from the a ition of ne" fa'i+ities, not thro&)h )ro"th in atten an'e at the e0istin) ones. He note that atten an'e is basi'a++1 f+at "hen 1o& remove the im%a't of ne"+1 o%ene fa'i+ities. He as7e the %rovo'ative *&estion "on erin) ho" A*&ari&ms

Bulletin de lInstitut ocanographique, Monaco, n spcial 20, fascicule 2 (2001)

'an s&stain their %resent a& ien'es, an ho" the1 'an attra't ne" ones. His %resentation %rovi e a fo'&s for one of the 7e1 *&estions invo+vin) e &'ationC &oe" le' nin! con( i)*(e (o (he +'l*e o, (he +i"i( (o 'n A-*' i*./ The e+e)ates in )enera+, an the 'ommittee itse+f, is'&sse the %ara o0 atta'he to the iss&e of atten an'e. 3e 7no" thro&)h o&r o"n observations ba'7e b1 on+1 the most s'attere ata, that havin) ea'h %erson 'omin) a"a1 from o&r A*&ari&ms havin) a ne" vie" of a*&ati' nat&re, havin) +earne somethin), is one of the ma,or 'om%onents in visitor satisfa'tion. To %&t this another "a1, "e 7no" visitors fee+ s%e'ia+ an be+ieve the1 re'eive )oo va+&e for their a mission %ri'e "hen the1 have +earne somethin) ne" abo&t the anima+s or the environments "e is%+a1 an inter%ret. The %ara o0 is that none of o&r re)&+ar visitors -e0'+& in) even some e &'ationa+ %ro)ram &sers/ 'omes to o&r fa'i+ities to be e &'ate . Aisitors 'ome for en,o1ment, entertainment, f&n, a fami+1 e0%erien'e, an for other reasons not 'onne'te to e &'ation. Det it is the +earnin) the1 o "hi+e in o&r fa'i+ities "hi'h e+ivers a )oo %art of the va+&e the1 re'eive. The Committee be+ieves that informa+ e &'ation, the +earnin) that ta7es %+a'e in o&r )a++eries b1 o&r norma+ visitors, is a ver1 im%ortant bran'h of the e &'ationa+ "or7 "e o. 6ne 7e1 *&estion for a++ A*&ari&ms is ?ho" o "e %rovi e %ositive +earnin) o&t'omes to visitors "ho on8t 'ome to +earn?4 An , as "e strive to o so, ho" 'an the e0%erien'e be mar7ete as %ositive an an in &'ement to 'ome visit the A*&ari&m4 As "ith forma+ %ro)rams, forma+ eva+&ation of res&+ts has been a+most non.e0istent. 6&trea'h A*&ari&ms have ta7en anima+s o&tsi e of their fa'i+ities to s'hoo+s, te+evision stations an other +o'ations for 1ears. That 7in of o&trea'h, "e terme it %h1si'a+ o&trea'h, is 'ontin&in) a+tho&)h e0%ansion of %ro)rams seems to be re &'e , %ossib+1 &e to f&n in) shorta)es. 3e a+so is'&sse the )reat+1 e0%an e &se of the Internet an 3or+ 3i e 3eb to fa'i+itate the ra%i +1 eve+o%in) e+e'troni' o&trea'h. (an1 A*&ari&ms have "eb sites. (ost mar7et their fa'i+ities, an %rovi e a variet1 of more s&bstantive information. 2ome have ?+ive? 'ameras in %+a'e "hi+e others %rovi e on.+ine sear'hab+e referen'e servi'es. 6ne A*&ari&m is b&i+ in) an ?on +ine? environmenta+ ne"s servi'e, an severa+ have ?on +ine? ma)a=ines in the offin). There seems to be )enera+ a)reement that the e+e'troni' o&trea'h "i++ 'ontin&e to )ro" as A*&ari&ms s1n'hroni=e "ith the b&siness an e &'ationa+ "or+ s in &ti+i=in) the Internet an 3eb. E0a't+1 ho" this "i++ &nfo+ is not at a++ '+ear. Nor is the reven&e or finan'in) mo e+s "hi'h A*&ari&ms "i++ &se to %a1 for these efforts.

Bulletin de lInstitut ocanographique, Monaco, n spcial 20, fascicule 2 (2001)

Co++aboration, Deve+o%ment of Pro)rams for 6thers, an E &'ationa+ Pro &'ts for 2a+e or 5se b1 6thers

Deve+o%ment of

The Committee brief+1 is'&sse the iss&e of in'rease 'o++aboration, both amon) A*&ari&ms, an bet"een A*&ari&ms an other or)ani=ations or b&sinesses. Co++aboration bet"een A*&ari&ms seems to be )enera++1 informa+. There are some e &'ationa+ %ro)rams in the =oo "or+ "here one =oo "i++ e+iver a %ro)ram ori)inate b1 a %artner =oo. 3e 'o&+ thin7 of no '&rrent e0am%+e in the A*&ari&m "or+ , a+tho&)h it is '+ear that severa+ i eas are bein) is'&sse or %ro%ose . 3e be+ieve that 'o++aboration "i++ %robab+1 be eve+o%e thro&)h sin)+e instit&tion to instit&tion 'onta't, an their a)reein) to "or7 to)ether. The Committee "as &ns&re if there "as a ro+e for a ?'+earin)ho&se? or other attem%t at or)ani=in) 'o++aboration. The eve+o%ment of e &'ation.base %ro)rams an %ro &'es to be &se or %&r'hase b1 others "as a+so brief+1 is'&sse . As A*&ari&m sear'h for ne" reven&es to a&)ment their e0istin) f&n in), severa+ are e0%+orin) "hether there is a mar7et for their servi'es, %ro)rams an %ro &'ts. The 'onsens&s "as that this "as %robab+1 an are "here there "o&+ be )ro"th an 'han)e, b&t that it "o&+ o''&r one A*&ari&m or one %ro &'t at a time. E &'ation Committee @e%ort# Con'+&sions an @e'ommen ations The E &'ation Committee has fo&n that both the f&n'tions of "hat e &'ation is, an ho" it is vie"e , is 'han)in) in A*&ari&ms. 2%e'ifi'a++1, the efinition that e &'ation is the +earnin) o&t'ome of o&r A'tivities insi e an o&tsi e o&r fa'i+ities seem to be more "i e+1 a''e%te . That is, E &'ation is im%ortant on+1 as it res&+ts in +earnin) o&t'omesC the %ro)rams an a'tivities themse+ves are on+1 the means to that en . Li7e"ise, the Committee fo&n that both the 7in s an n&mbers of e &'ationa+ a'tivities an %ro)rams eve+o%e an o%erate b1 A*&ari&ms is )ro"in). 3e be+ieve the iversit1 of e &'ationa+ efforts is )ro"in) more ra%i +1 &e to the eman b1 the visitin) %&b+i', s'hoo+s, an 'omm&nit1 +ea ers.

Bulletin de lInstitut ocanographique, Monaco, n spcial 20, fascicule 2 (2001)

3ith the is'&ssions he+ at the Eth IAC aro&n the &se of ne" te'hno+o)1 an its im%a't on +earnin) for visitors an e &'ationa+ %ro)rams, it is '+ear that this )ro"th "i++ 'ontin&e. >e'a&se of the stron) interest e0%resse b1 %arti'i%ants at the Eth IAC# The E &'ationa+ Committee "i++ remain as a for&m for %resentation of e &'ationa+ tho&)hts an i eas, an as an e0'han)e bet"een the E th an Fth IAC. It is o&r intent to %ost interestin) an tho&)ht %rovo7in) arti'+es an other %ie'es of information to a 'entra+i=e "ebsite so that an1one "ishin) to ,oin the 9 is'&ssion: "i++ be "e+'ome to o so. The Committee is a+so +oo7in) for more members thro&)h "hi'h ire'te is'&ssions 'an be he+ .

A itions to the E &'ation Committee are "e+'ome. P+ease 'onta't the Chair via e.mai+ Ni)hti,Gvana*&a.or). It is e0%e'te that the Committee "i++ 'ir'&+ate is'&ssion %a%ers an other materia+s 'ontin&o&s+1 &nti+ the Fth Con)ress in (ontere1 Ca+ifornia in 2!!H.

Bulletin de lInstitut ocanographique, Monaco, n spcial 20, fascicule 2 (2001)