{"id":6800,"date":"2020-10-30T18:26:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-30T18:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/uscseagrant\/?p=6800"},"modified":"2025-01-23T21:38:56","modified_gmt":"2025-01-23T21:38:56","slug":"virtual-classroom-visits-to-catalina-island","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/uscseagrant\/2020\/10\/30\/virtual-classroom-visits-to-catalina-island\/","title":{"rendered":"Virtual Classroom Visits to Catalina Island"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n \n
\n \n
\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n\n<\/div>\n \n \n
\n \n \n
\n\n \n

Virtual Classroom Visits to Catalina Island<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n \n \n By<\/span>Linda Chilton, USC Sea Grant Education Programs Manager<\/strong>\n \n October 30, 2020<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n \n
\n \n \n Share\n <\/span>\n \n \n <\/svg>\n <\/span>\n Copy Link<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n \n <\/svg>\n <\/span>\n Facebook<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n \n \n\n<\/svg>\n\n <\/span>\n X<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n \n <\/svg>\n <\/span>\n LinkedIn<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n \n \n \n <\/svg>\n <\/span>\n Bluesky<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n \n <\/svg>\n <\/span>\n Email<\/span>\n <\/a>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n \n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n\n \n \n
\n\n \n

Coastal businesses, especially vessel-based and coastal outdoor education programs for the public and youth, have been hit hard by COVID-19 closures and restrictions. Over the past several months, USC Sea Grant has brought together multiple organizations to leverage expertise and resources in order to help one another not only survive but adapt during these closures and ongoing prescribed physical distancing. Together, the Coastal Education Collaborative was created and includes USC Sea Grant, Emerald Bay Outdoor Academy, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Office of Outdoor Education (OOEE), Los Angeles Maritime Institute, Mountains and Sea Education, Island Packers, and Long Beach Marine Institute. Many of the partners have joined efforts in providing in-classroom support for science, engineering, math and technology instruction, and afterschool enrichment programs. One such partnership within this Collaborative that has been successful in continuing at-home education created the virtual video product titled Wild Los Angeles: Catalina Island<\/em>, supported by the 2020 COVID-19 Related Rapid Response Funding.<\/p>\n

\"Photos
Photos taken during the production of the “Wild Los Angeles: Catalina Island” video.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Beginning in late spring, two of the partners, Emerald Bay Outdoor Academy and LAUSD OOEE, with support from USC Sea Grant, developed a virtual visit to Catalina Island and Emerald Bay for students. This video captures many of the wonders of the natural environment, the rich experiences for students at Emerald Bay, raises awareness about Marine Protected Areas and helps teachers in addressing student wellness. Burton Miller, Program Director of Emerald Bay Outdoor Academy shared, \u201cThe invaluable support of Sea Grant helped us connect with LAUSD and create a virtual resource that will support students during COVID-19 and beyond. The video resource not only highlights the beauty of Catalina Island but encourages students to think critically about conservation as well as their own emotional well-being.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over 1,000 classrooms in LAUSD have viewed the video and provided recommendations to the team, which were then incorporated into the video. Further, participating classrooms that provided feedback were thanked for their comments and opinions in the video\u2019s end credits. A finalized version of the video can be found at outdooreducation.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Feedback from teachers during this pilot trial has revealed that:<\/p>\n