Institutions and Partner Organisations

• Atlantic Technological University Galway
• Marine Institute
• Galway Childcare Committee
• Galway Atlantaquarium
• The Arts Council

Description

Context

Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4): Quality Education specifically SDG 4.7 has set a target that by 2030 all learners will have the knowledge and skills including education for sustainable development and sustainable life skills.

The BA in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) programme at Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Galway offers a direct entry programme for early years educators to upskill to degree level. Most of the students are currently working in ECEC settings. With 40% of the Irish population 1,9 million (BIM) living within 5 km from the sea, as educators we see the shore as a rich natural environment for learning. This project aims to raise BA ECEC students’ awareness of ocean literacy and support the implementation of their learning with children in ECEC settings in line with SDG 14 life below water.  Equally, The inter governmental Oceanographic Commission (
IOC) of UNESCO (2020) states that “we need to join forces ands integrate social sciences and civil society as well as change humanity`s relationship with the ocean”(Eriksen et al, p.,4,
2024).

Description

Developing Ocean literacy in early childhood was initiated by Galway Childcare Committee and Galway Atlanaquaria in 2018/2019. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an eLearning programme—Exploring the Shores and accompanying resource guide were developed. In 2023-2024 funding from NTUTORR supported BA ECEC students to engage with the Beach School eLearning programme and accompanying lecture content. Nine ECEC students brought the seashore into their early year’s settings using an inquiry-based learning approach. They shared and applied their knowledge through play-based experiences, scaffolding children’s learning as they explored their wonderings and inquiries about the ocean and shore life. A total of 30 students, children, and families visited Galway Atlantaquarium, followed by a beach play day. The aim of the programme was to ignite BA students’ interest in ocean literacy and to explore how this interest could be shared in ECEC where they worked or were on placement.

In 2024 – 2025, digital cameras and microscopes for children were purchased. Sixteen students engaged with the eLearning programme and brought their learning into the preschool settings. Dr Noirin Burke Galway Atlantaquaria collaborated with three ECEC settings, reaching 66 children. Twenty students visited the Atlantaquaria and there were 150 children and families at the exploring the shores clean up and play day.

Academic year 2025 – 2026. A new pilot, funded by the Marine Institute, twenty ATU students are undertaking the Explorers Education teachers training programme, with classes taking place on Ballyloughane beach. Students are also working with JD Whitman educator, artist and ocean advocate, the ATU Arts Council artist in residence. The students will explore socially engaged art as a medium to raise awareness of plastic pollution, macro, micro and nano.

 The aims of the project

• To ignite BA Early Childhood Education and Care students’ interest in ocean literacy.
• Explore how this interest can be shared in Early Childhood Education and Care settings.

Significance

Total, 70 Early Childhood Education and Care students engaged.

Approximately 300 early years settings, children, families, communities engaged in one of four beach play days.

20 students engaged in the Marine Institute: Explorers Education teacher training programme.

48 ECEC students from Galway, Mayo engage with Artist in Residence programme

Collaboration, Partnerships & Student Participation

Students

This project is embedded in students learning with a focus on the outdoor education module.    Students connect theory to practice bringing the shores to the children in ECEC settings, advocating and highlighting how the ocean influences us and how we influence the ocean.

Most students are staff in ECEC settings, their learning and knowledge is further enhanced when the marine biologist works in their setting, empowering them to support children’s learning and answer their questions about ocean its plants and creatures.

Following student feedback for more specific knowledge, the students are the first group of ECEC students undertaking the  Marine Institute Explorers Education teacher training programme, which is only offered to primary teachers and children age 8-11 years.

External partners

The external partners include ECEC settings where students work.

Galway Childcare Committee, through the organisation, promotion and running of the beach clean up / play day events.

Galway Atlantaquarium  support the beach playdays, visits to the aquarium and promotion.

Marine Institute are funding the Explorers Education teacher training programme 20 hrs training with a marine biologist.

Parents , children and extended family members who attend the beach play day.

The Arts council are funding an Artist in residence to support this programme.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students;

A pre and post ocean literacy

A separate questionnaire  baseline survey on the pollution crisis has been completed with 20 students. A post evaluation will follow.

Students assessment for the module includes planning a beach play day activity where they will be evaluated on, planning, engagement, reflection and learning of the ocean literacy principles and the outdoor curriculum.

Students have to take their learning from the Explorers Education programme and  engage the children in the ECEC setting on a project and complete a learning story on the experience.

Engagement with the artist on the socially engaged large scale installation which will be exhibited in June 2026 will provide further evaluation together with the  findings of the questionnaires and focus groups of student feedback.

Each week during the project students reflect on their learning and two  focus groups discuss challenges and opportunities.

Feedback from parents at the beach playdays and clean up days. There are two days planned for 2025/2026.

Evaluation will also come from children’s art work, voice, photos using the digital cameras available to the students to take into their ECEC settings.

Feedback from the Marine Scientist, Artist, lecturers, external partners will support evaluation. Feedback from previous iterations have supported the format in 2025 / 2026

Teaching and Learning Approach

Provision of an autonomy supportive learning environment.

Recognition of students prior knowledge & experience.

Rich learning environment on the beach with access to classroom space.

Students learn through independent and  peer learning.

The project is embedded in two modules, outdoor education and research with children

Assessment is embedded, this is not extra work.

Student directed assessment

Student empowered to  plan for the play day

Students take the lead on the play day, taking specific responsibilities.

Students engage and collaborate in partnership with parents and external agencies.

Students voice is heard through focus group and reflection after each session on the beach and in the art studio.

Students are empowered

A playful pedagogy

Assessment Strategy

Both groups are assessed on the Ocean Literacy project.

Both set of students year 2 and 3 are required to bring their learning from the on the shores Explorers Education programme into their practice in the ECEC setting where they work or are on student placement.

Year 3 students undertake a learning story, year 2 undertake a piece of pedagogical documentation.

The learning from this element of the assessment will then be used by students to plan and undertake the beach play day.

Student Engagement

• 2023 -2024 30 students
• 2024-2025 20 Students
• 2025-2026 20 Students
• Overall reach 70 students to date

Impact and Outcomes

Feedback from students to date, highlighted the need for more concrete knowledge.

• Feedback from parents at the beach play day

• • This is fantastic bringing families together.
  • To day shows you can go to the shores in any weather and have fun.
  • There is so much to do here, and there is no problem with the children, they love being outside.
  • We should be doing more of this, we need to be outside with the children and the beach is close.
• Feedback from children on the beach
  • “ I saw a closed shell, a crab came out of it, it might be a pearl”
  • “ I learnt about eels and I stood on one”
  • “ Do not litter”
  • “ I learnt about whales, crabs and rock pooling”
  • We picked up rubbish, the fish will get stuck in it.
  • There is water under the sand.

Students understand how the ocean impacts us and we impact the ocean. Learning has impacted their practice.

ATU BA ECEC programme are the first University to focus on ocean literacy in early years.

The Explorers Education programme is a programme for children age 8-11 years. This is too late to raise awareness.

Vision; specific Explorers Education teacher training programme for children age 0-8 years resourced

Discipline

Education

Programme

BA Early Childhood Education and Care Programme ATU Galway

Best Practices & Resources

Top Tips

Persevere, many students do not want to get outside of their comfort zone out on the beach regardless of the weather. There is no such thing as bad weather just bad clothing. Document as you go.

Useful Resources

https://www.marine.ie/site-area/areas-activity/education-outreach/explorers-education-programme https://www.galwaychildcare.com/childcare/elearning/Ocean-Connections/index.html#/ Ocean Literacy for all: a toolkit – All Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance

Funding Details

€5000 funding from NTUTORR 2023-2024-2025.
Arts Council Artist in Residence 2025
Marine Institute Explorers Education teachers training programme 2025