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Upcoming Aquaculture Inservices of Possible Interest to Agriscience and Science Teachers, Grades 7-14 Please note that The Council has completed all obligations for teacher inservice training in aquaculture previously supported with funds from USDA grants. The Council will continue to provide teacher training on an "as requested basis" through "Professional Growth Series" workshops organized at the state level by trained "Master Trainers" (see National Inservice Training Workshop below). The Council's Previous Aquaculture Training Efforts Between 1993 and 1998, teacher inservice training workshops were organized at 6 Regional Aquaculture Learning Centers (RALC) located at high schools with successful aquaculture programs in Washington State, Texas, Iowa, Indiana, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania. With funding from several USDA grants to "infuse aquaculture into the agricultural education curriculum," RALC staff (agriscience teachers) were provided with intensive training in aquaculture to supplement their existing knowledge and experience. In addition to teaching their own students and training other teachers, RALC staff served as members of a "National Task Force for Aquaculture Education" and pilot tested all new aquaculture instructional materials developed by The Council during the course of the USDA grant funded aquaculture education effort. Each year, the RALC staff planned, organized and conducted beginner and advanced level workshops for middle school, secondary and postsecondary agricultural education instructors interested in successfully "infusing" aquaculture into their instructional programs. Material covered in inservice workshops ranged from a "formal" overview of how to successfully teach aquaculture using The Council's instructional materials to more specialized topics including: construction, operation, and maintenance of classroom recirculating aquaculture systems; commonly cultured aquatic species (freshwater and saltwater); biotechnology applications in aquaculture; aquaculture as sustainable agriculture; aquaponics; and other topics designed to fit the needs of a particular region and/or audience. Information on the RALC aquaculture programs and future training plans (if available) can be obtained directly from staff members at each RALC or by contacting The Council.
Regional Aquaculture Learning Centers
Contact: Erwin Janszen
South Putnam High School, IN
Contact: Larry Bottorff or Chad Nunley
Linn-Mar High School, IA
South Bend Public Schools, WA
Contact: Steve Lazelle
Juniata Valley High School, PA National Inservice Training Workshop Additionally, one National Inservice Training Workshops was organized each year between 1992 and 1998 to introduce teachers experienced in teaching aquaculture to newly developed aquaculture instructional materials. One teacher from each state and territory was nominated to attend the national workshop by State Agricultural Education Supervisory staff. Workshop participants were trained as "master teacher trainers" and are expected to assist their home states in organizing and conducting aquaculture education teacher training workshops covering topics relevant to their training. In 1997 and 1998, National Inservice Training Workshop's were organized at Auburn University's Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures to introduce experienced teachers of aquaculture to The Council's most recently developed "How To" aquaculture instructional materials. It is anticipated that these Master Teacher Trainers will assist their home states in organizing and conducting aquaculture education teacher training workshops as part of The Council's Professional Growth Series.
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