ed report 4 page cover - Arctic Research Consortium of the United ...

I N I T I A L A C C O M P L I S H M E N T S
In the interim between the workshop and the publication of this report, several science
education projects initiated or advanced at the workshop have produced positive results. A
few examples are described here.
Teachers Experiencing Antarctica and the Arctic. Teachers Experiencing Antarctica and the
Arctic (TEA) is jointly funded by NSF’s Office of Polar Programs and the Division of
Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education in the Education and Human Resources
Directorate. TEA has been placing science teachers with research teams in Antarctica since
1992 and in the Arctic since 1996. Workshop discussions encouraged full implementation of
TEA in the Arctic based on the 1996 pilot project. Three teachers worked on arctic research
projects in 1997; five went to Antarctica in 1997. Twelve teachers will participate in the
1998-99 field season, four in the Arctic and eight in the Antarctic. Teachers are regular
members of the research team while in the field. During their research participation, teachers
post daily journals and answer questions on a web site; after the field season, they share their
experience with other teachers, students, and the community. In particular, they develop
related classroom materials and mentor two teachers for 100 hours each over a three-year
period. TEA teachers may also continue to collaborate with the research team. Participating
researchers gain valuable insights by working with a teacher who will translate the polar
research experience into the science classroom in innovative ways.
NSF and the research community have identified several important differences between
implementation of TEA in the Arctic vs. the ongoing Antarctic TEA. There is no overarching
logistic infrastructure in the Arctic, and logistical support varies considerably depending upon
the location and type of research. Because people live in the Arctic, the range of research
experiences available to TEArctic participants is broader. One 1998 TEArctic teacher, for
example, will assist with an archaeological dig in Northwest Alaska. Research in the Arctic
can include exposure to unique cultures and requires sensitivity to cultural interactions,
which can be a meaningful aspect of arctic science education. Teachers, students, and
communities from the Arctic offer a valuable perspective to the program and benefit from the
connection to the larger scientific community. TEArctic has also involved one or two high
school students with each teacher in their arctic research experiences, offering exciting
mentoring and learning opportunities, particularly for students from remote arctic
communities; NSF is phasing out the inclusion of students in TEAntarctic. Workshop
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