mon océan & moi

In France, the curriculum accorded in schools to the study and understanding of the ocean does not measure up to the surface that oceans occupy on our planet; to their role in a context of climate development or their importance for mankind.

Scientists of the Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche (LOV)/Observatoire Océanologique de Villefranche (OOV) have taken the initiative to develop an educational project dedicated to the oceans and associated research. Thanks to their initial commitment and with the active support of the county council and the help of the school board of the Alpes-Maritimes, more scientists, in close collaboration with teachers of the secondary school Rolland-Garros and web designers, are now actively involved in the project « mon océan & moi ».

One of the objectives of this project is to favor collaboration between the scientific and educational worlds in order to elaborate a teaching method for raising consciousness of school children to the marine environment. The first step is to develop a "prototype" teaching programme which will be tested in some local secondary schools of the Alpes-Maritimes (France). It is then envisaged to widen of the « mon océan & moi » community.

 First of all, « mon océan & moi » wishes to share certain aspects of the scientific research in oceanography and marine biology with the wider public and in priority with young children and students.

The project aims at an adapted dissemination of diverse themes concerning the oceans and wishes to arouse new interests and possibly new vocations. In addition, this initiative provides a certain number of resources including theme oriented files, quizzes and games, that allow the teachers and science mediators to prepare a priori diversified and attractive interventions.

An ambition shared by the participants of « mon océan & moi » is to raise awareness of the marine environment. This awareness will initiate a conscience of the role of the « Big Blue » in our daily lives and the respect it merits.