SEREAD (Scientific Educational Resources and Experience Associated with the Deployment of Argo profiling floats in the South Pacific Ocean) is an educational program and resource that provides regionally relevant and focused ocean science that is built upon Argo data in a format that fits directly into existing curricula of Pacific Island schools. SEREAD teaches basic scientific fundamentals in a hands-on approach using examples that build on Pacific students' everyday observations and experiences. The ease of access to Argo data makes it an ideal real world database for an educational program that aims to excite students and inspire them to study and understand the physical world around them. The program facilitates interactions and discussions between today's ocean and climate scientists, teachers and students, and tomorrow's leaders on the important connections between the ocean, land and climate of the Pacific Island Region.

Management and Support

Direction and oversight for the SEREAD Program is provided by the SEREAD Steering Committee, including experts from inside and outside the Pacific Islands region (SOPAC, UNESCO, IOC, Scripps, NIWA and others). The Program is presently managed by Dr J Hall (NIWA/NZ). Two teachers, K Hartle (Dargaville High School, NZ) and C Young (Auckland University, NZ), have been responsible for development of the teaching and resource materials and for conducting teacher training workshops in the islands. Support for SEREAD has included contributions from SOPAC, UNESCO, IOC, IOI, NIWA, and POGO.

Implementation

SEREAD will eventually consist of 5 teaching units tailored for the requirements of existing primary and secondary school curricula in Pacific Island nations. The units developed so far are: (1) What is Weather  for lower primary school, (2) What is Climate  for upper primary school, and (3) Oceans Rising  a unit on sea level for lower secondary school. The two additional units, both for upper secondary school, will be developed, one on the role of the oceans in the climate system, and one on ocean-related hazards to society (storm surge, tsunami, climate change impacts such as tropical cyclone intensification, etc.). The upper secondary school units will promote familiarity and usage of internet- available ocean datasets in the region, including Argo.

SEREAD is being introduced into the Pacific Island school systems through cooperative arrangements with the local Ministries of Education. SEREAD teacher training workshops have already been conducted in the Cook Islands and Samoa, with a follow-up workshop held in Samoa and follow-up visits to teachers in the Cooks. Initial SEREAD workshops focus on training of teachers. Follow-up activities are for training of island- based teacher-trainers and for assessment and feedback on results of SEREAD units. It is planned to introduce SEREAD into the Fiji school system in 2006. Most SEREAD funds are spent on staging the workshops and for transportation and expenses of local teachers to attend.