Aquarium Educator Training: an Instructional Design Project

The purpose of this instructional design project was to plan and develop an online instructional module for training volunteers regarding various marine biology topics at the Waikīkī Aquarium. The creation of a learning module to be completed by all appropriate volunteers provides consistency in content delivery, a higher level of accountability, a greater level of familiarity with pertinent information, as well as increased confidence with visitors. Waikīkī Aquarium Education Volunteers, known as Educators, are volunteers who specialize in the study of marine biology including ichthyology, invertebrate zoology, and so forth. Learning marine biology is an important part of providing a positive educational experience for Aquarium visitors. There was no formal online training program for Aquarium Educators, and educational technology serves to bridge this gap, helping learners who have grown up using technology to stay engaged and focused in challenging topics. The modules were created using Canvas, a learning management system, as well as a combination of tools including: Google Docs, Screencastify, and YouTube. A constructivist design approach combined with proven multimedia learning principles were integrated into the design.

This project may lead to further research in support of the effectiveness of online learning in the museum field when teaching specific content knowledge to volunteer educators.