Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Teaching Intervention in a Marine Biology Course: the Case of Greek Vocational Students

The aim of this study was (a) to estimate 24 vocational students’ knowledge on a specific principle of ocean literacy, which concerns the great diversity of marine life, before and after a 6-h teaching intervention, and (b) to examine whether and how the teaching intervention actually helped the students. A structured questionnaire was used, covering all nine fundamental concepts of the Ocean Literacy Principle 5 (OLP5). A teaching intervention concerning concepts of OLP 5 was developed for the age group of the present study, based on the Ocean Literacy Framework. The intervention helped students understand the concepts of OLP 5, which concern marine life while indicating that concepts regarding physicochemical factors and deep-ocean ecosystems should be further supported. Students’ fascination with marine life and their preference for the internet as a source of information should be thoroughly considered in an ocean literacy teaching intervention. The results of this study will help researchers and practitioners in their design and implementation of programmes concerning principles of ocean literacy, which can be integrated into their educational practice.