Transcript Strengthening STEM through Arctic Teacher-Researcher

Teachers & Researchers
Exploring & Collaborating
(TREC)
Strengthening STEM through Arctic
Teacher-Researcher Networks
Janet Warburton
Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS)
Presentation Outline
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What is ARCUS?
What is TREC?
Components of TREC
Future TREC program
Other Education
Programs at ARCUS
What is ARCUS?
 A non-profit corporation consisting of institutions
operated for educational, professional, or scientific
purposes
 ARCUS education objectives:
ensure high-quality information and
education in arctic science
enable interested students to pursue
scientific careers in the Arctic
ensure that the scientific and
technical workforce exists to meet the
challenges of arctic research
www.arcus.org
What is TREC?
 TREC - Teachers & Researchers Exploring and
Collaborating
 An educational research experience in which K12 teachers participate in Arctic research,
working closely with scientists, as a pathway to
improving science education through teachers'
experiences in scientific inquiry
Sponsors & Organizers
 ARCUS
 VECO Polar Resources
 National Science Foundation’s Office of
Polar Programs
TREC Website
www.arcus.org/TREC
Main Components of TREC
 Arctic Field Research
Experience
 Classroom & Public
Connections
 Professional Development
 Sustained Community &
Support
All supported through uses of emerging technologies
-- internet seminars, real-time presentations from the
field, online journals and photo albums, etc.
Arctic Field Research
 The Arctic as a dynamic laboratory -captures the imagination; a region
undergoing profound environmental and
socioeconomic changes
 Cutting-edge science -- research
projects at the leading edge of scientific
inquiry
 Teacher as integral part of science
team -- inquiry-based learning
 Focus on system-level,
interdisciplinary, climate change
science
Arctic Field Research
2004 Field Season
Ten projects, eight sites across the Arctic
Arctic Field Research
2004 Field Season
Arctic Field Research
2004 Field Season
 Research Topics:
 Pollution research in Alaskan streams
 Snow photochemistry on the Greenland
Ice Sheet
 River surveys in Siberia
 Historical climate change in Norway
 Ecology in Canadian Arctic archipelago
(Stacy Golden’s talk)
 Research skills
 Soil sampling, atmospheric chemistry,
data collection and analysis, vegetation
identification, etc.
Classroom & Public Connections
Overview
 Online journaling, live
calls and presentations
from the field connected
teachers & researchers
with classrooms and the
broader public
Classroom & Public Connections
Journals
Classroom & Public Connections
Journals
 Teacher’s Journal, Ask the Teacher,
Researcher Posts, Photo albums
Classroom & Public Connections
Live from the Field Webinars
 Internet presentations live from the field
Professional Development
 Subject matter -- teachers immersed in scientific
content through integration into arctic research
 Pedagogical practices -- teachers and researchers
working to bring science into classroom
 Professional and teaching standards -- online
“reflection tool” in development, focused on meeting
standards
Sustained Community & Support
 Post-field calls, webinars, e-mail listserv
 Curriculum resources
 Teacher peer-to-peer mentoring groups
Future TREC
 2005 Applications -- available this month on the
TREC website: http://www.arcus.org/TREC/join.html
 Announcements through various listservs
 Program developments -- increased attention on
professional development needs; strengthening
community
Other ARCUS Education Programs
& Ways to Get Involved
 TREC Participating
classrooms
 Arctic Visiting Speakers
 Arctic Alive!
 Alaska Rural Systemic
Initiative
 Education Listserv
 Education Survey
Thank You!
Questions,
Comments,
Suggestions,
Ideas?