education

Telling the Story of Plastics Visually /  by Lisa Tossey

In working on an issue of Chesapeake Quarterly focused on the science of microplastics in the Chesapeake Bay, there were several elements that needed a great deal of research. We wanted to create a comprehensive timeline on the history of plastics — a resource that we could not find online — as well as a clear infographic to show how plastics can break down in aquatic/marine environments. The resulting pieces are below.

We were short on space for the timeline in the print version of the magazine, as it had to fit in a two-page spread. However, we had more options online, so we expanded the piece into an image-rich ArcGIS Story Map, which made it engaging to explore as well as easy to share!

Breakdown of a plastic bag by photodegradation, physical degradation, and fragmentation. From this feature story.

Short & Sweet - Video recaps for multiple platforms /  by Lisa Tossey

Historically, our program has been known for long format documentaries. However, it was clear that we were missing out on opportunities to develop short format videos that can be used as event recaps or to illustrate unique happenings. Such video can be used in a variety of ways to reach a broader audience, from adding them to our YouTube channel, to embedding them in our blog posts, and sharing them across our social media platforms.

Here are a few I’ve shot and produced using footage from several basic cameras: a Nikon Z6 digital mirrorless camera, a GoPro, and my iPhone. Some use voiceovers to tell the story, while others use text on screen, which works well on social feeds.

#MDSGBackyardEcology - Educating from home during a time of telework /  by Lisa Tossey

As our program shifted to telework at the beginning of the pandemic, we struggled with how we could continue to connect our social media followers with their local watershed. We were all hunkered down in our homes, but our staff was spread across the state — from the Atlantic Ocean to the mountains of western Maryland. That allowed us to share a wide variety of images of seasonal changes in plants and wildlife from our own backyards to help others discover and learn about what they may be seeing in their own during a time of lockdown.

#MAMEA18 in Portsmouth, Va. /  by Lisa Tossey

I always enjoy the annual conference of the Mid-Atlantic Marine Education Association (MAMEA) - it’s full of useful sessions as well as a fun weekend to catch up with my peers in the region and see what they have been doing in their own institutions and organizations. This year was especially cool, as I was elected as president-elect for the organization, which means I get to oversee next year’s conference. I have some fun ideas!

I presented a session on the use of VR/AR/MR (virtual, augmented, and mixed realities) in science communication and education and had some enthusiastic participants who also tried out some of the apps and headsets at the close of the session. Here is the Prezi I used during the presentation, as well as links to many examples, resources, and gear.

Spinning Science in 360° - MAMEA 2018 Conference

Direct Prezi link for sharing >

And here’s a Google Doc of all the links below for download >

I’m always happy to answer questions!

Examples & Resources for Communicating Science

Virtual Reality (VR)

360 Video

Augmented Reality (AR)

Mixed Reality

Cameras & Apps

Google Cardboard Camera

FOV 360 camera app (Apple iOS only)

Panorama 360. Camera

Insta360 camera line

Ricoh Theta camera line

GoPro Fusion camera (Note: I haven’t used this one personally & have heard mixed opinions on it)

Others I’ve tried & have not been thrilled with compared to the first two: Nikon KeyMission, 360Fly

Viewers & Platforms

Google Cardboard viewer app

Smartphone-based viewers:

Standalone headsets:

RoundMe

Thinglink - Sign up for their e-news, as they may have another Black Friday sale!

Google Tour Creator

Both YouTube & Vimeo now support 360 video

My Examples

DE Sea Grant on RoundMe

Thinglink

Hulls, Hops, and Horseshoe Crabs /  by Lisa Tossey

I'm excited to get back to blog posting after Posterous broke my heart ... I'll start with this little highlight video I shot with my GoPro during a fun day with folks from the Mid-Atlantic Marine Education Association (MAMEA). 

On Saturday, June 8, educators from throughout the region came to Milton, Del., for “Hulls, Hops, and Horseshoe crabs” a MAMEA mini-conference organized by Christopher Petrone, education specialist at Delaware Sea Grant.

Participants took part in a guided paddle on the Broadkill River, enjoyed a tour of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery that highlighted the science and art of brewing beer, and participated in an evening horseshoe crab spawning survey along the shore of the Delaware Bay.

Links from #MAMEA12 Social Media Presentation /  by Lisa Tossey

Chris Petrone - @seaPetrone

Lisa Tossey - @tossey

Prezi presentation link

Options:

Bit.ly – link shortener with analytics: www.bit.ly

Researching hashtags - http://www.hashtags.org

Storify – curate content across platforms: www.storify.com

Keeping track of everything – management tools:

 For presentation use:

Best practices: http://www.socialbrite.org/2011/10/03/24-best-practices-for-nonprofits-using-twitter/

Oops! A misfire doesn’t have to be a disaster – think outside box & be creative

Example: Red Cross employee and resulting Dogfish Head Beer fundraiser

 Interesting and fun uses of Twitter