Connecting Arctic/Antarctic Researchers and Educators (CARE) is a professional development network managed by ARCUS, using online web meetings to support the integration of science research experiences into classroom curriculum. CARE brings together teachers and researchers to discuss field experiences, current science issues, content, technology resources, and pedagogy.
- The CARE Network is primarily made up of educators who have participated in polar teacher research experiences programs (i.e. TREC, PolarTREC, TEA, ARISE, IPY-ROAM, NOAA TAS, ARMADA.)
- We also welcome those who have not had the opportunity to participate in polar research but who are interested in bringing real-world polar science to the classroom.
- Polar researchers can join CARE groups and join the discussion as a regular CARE participant or be invited to present to one or more CARE groups.
- Joining CARE is voluntary and not a requirement of the PolarTREC program.
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Interested individuals can join CARE by filling out the CARE Registration form.
- Once the registration form has been received, you will be emailed additional information about CARE groups, upcoming meetings, and how to contribute to the learning resource pages.
- A CARE list serve is also available for further exchange between teachers and polar researchers.
- Participants are divided in to small groups with about 5-6 individuals per group.
- Groups are arranged by grade level and time zones. We use grade levels to bring together educators that might have similar teaching issues. We use time zones as a means of grouping participants for management purposes.
- Each group will have one teacher facilitator and one PolarTREC project manager to facilitate the meeting. The teacher facilitator is a teacher that has had prior polar research experience and has an interest in helping other teachers work together.
- Groups meet a minimum of five times a year between September and May for a one-hour. (Additional meetings can be arranged per group, if demand warrants.)
- Group meetings utilize an Internet platform (Wimba) that supports real-time online presentations, audio, and chat functions to allow for interaction between all the participants. Participation is free!
- CARE meetings will be closed and only for the group. These are not public meetings. However, each meeting is archived for downloading and viewing and any of the presentations from the presenter will be made public and available on our website.
- CARE participants also have access to the CARE email list for further exchange between teachers and polar researchers.
- CARE groups meet using webinars (online webconferences) through an Internet interface, called, Wimba. The Wimba interface allows presentation of PowerPoint slides over the Internet during a conference call, and includes other useful functions such as online chat and polling features. To take full advantage of the webinar you will need simultaneous telephone and Internet access or Internet access with a built-in microphone on your computer. If you do not have Internet access you can simply join the audio portion of the webinar via telephone. The call is FREE but you must be able to dial a 1-800 number from your telephone to connect.
- Instructions on preparing for webinars are sent out by the facilitator prior to each meeting.
- Each webinar will be archived online after the completion of the live session. Instructions on how to view an archived meeting are posted on the PolarTREC website and emailed to all registered participants.
- CARE meeting topics are determined by each group and based on their current needs. Topics are decided on at the first meeting and a schedule is set up for those topics and presenters are outlined for the upcoming school year. The reason for this is because assignments or tasks are given at the end of each meeting to provide a focus and starting point for the upcoming meeting.
- The first meeting for each group will be an introduction to each member of the group and scheduling future topics, and presenters.
- Some topics of interest are:
- Incorporating real data into everyday curriculum,
- Teaching about the impacts of climate change in a meaningful and educational way,
- Developing polar related lessons and units that include State and National standards,
- How to set up researchers visits to the classroom
- Incorporating scientific tools and instruments into everyday curriculum.
- Researchers will also be invited to present on current research and their work in the K-12 classroom during these meetings. If the researcher has worked with a teacher in the group, then the teacher and researcher will be able to co-present about the science.
- Here is a sample meeting agenda:
- Introduction to the group and presenter
- Short presentation about the chosen topic
- Round-robin from the participants on their assignment
- Short Power Point presentation by presenter
- Discussion about topic and presentation
- Next Topic and Assignments
- Adjourn
- In addition to the regularly scheduled CARE group meetings, we will host a series of public CARE Seminars focusing on issues that are of interest to a wider range of educators (e.g. clues from past climates, impacts of climate change on Arctic communities, cultural sensitivity and working with indigenous people, women and minorities of polar science.) These will be advertised separately than the regular CARE meetings and open to the public.
- By joining a broader learning community of educators and researchers, we hope participants can further their work to bring polar research into classrooms. The CARE groups offer the opportunity for participants to enhance their professional development through discussions of field experiences, current science issues, content, technology resources, and pedagogy. Through discussion these groups leverage the diverse experiences and expertise of the participants.
- We hope that participants will begin to form long-term relationships with other teachers and researchers that develop into long term partnerships for lesson plan development and help sustain CARE.
- Unlike other meetings, CARE is designed to be mindful of participants' needs. Agendas reflect the stated concerns of participating teachers and researchers.
- Participants have access to the CARE list serve for further exchange between teachers and polar researchers.
- Participants can contribute resources to the learning resources pages on the PolarTREC website, using their login and password.
- Each participant will receive a "Certificate of Participation" for the number of hours they participated in CARE.
- Email any questions or concerns to the PolarTREC Project Mangers, Janet Warburton, warburton@arcus.org and Kristin Timm, kristin@arcus.org. Or, feel free to call 907-474-1600.