How might a curriculum be designed to effectively teach recreational scuba divers techniques to identify fish?

Background

The Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) is a non-profit dedicated to protecting biodiversity and ocean life by actively engaging and inspiring the public through citizen science, education, and partnerships with the scientific community.

The Volunteer Fish Survey Project (VFSP), REEF’s most well-known initiative, empowers recreational SCUBA divers and snorkelers to document the fish species they encounter.

Surveyors document estimates of the species they see using the “roving diver technique”. After their dive, they enter the data into the largest marine sitings database in the world, where it’s used to affect policy change and further scientific research.

In an ongoing project, I am working with REEF’s citizen science program manager to redesign the thirteen fish identification curricula used in their Volunteer Fish Survey Project.

Meet THE USERS

The curricula are used primarily by three user groups with
distinctly unique needs based on age and experience.

Curriculum teacher: Dive instructor

I’ve worked at a dive shop for years now. I like to help my dive students “make their dives count,” as REEF says. Digital tech isn’t my strong suit; the only tech I like messing with is my BCD and reg.

Student: Longtime diver

I’m a steadfast member of REEF. Like most other members, I’m an older adult with a history of diving experience. I’m retired and dedicated to contributing to marine conservation. I’d rather not engage with unfamiliar technologies.

Student: New diver

I’m eager to learn anything and everything about marine conservation. I just wish the programs weren’t all so outdated! It’s hard to stay engaged when there are so many non-user-friendly processes.

Additional team members: Janna Nichols, Citizen Science Program Manager (content aggregation and review).