Teachers and researchers interested in learning more about participating in PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) are encouraged to participate in an informational webinar (web seminar), scheduled for Tuesday, 3 September, at 3:30 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time (4:30 p.m. PDT, 5:30 p.m. MDT, 6:30 p.m. CDT, 7:30 p.m. EDT).
The informational webinar will give an overview of the PolarTREC program, its goals and objectives, program components, the application process, and will address frequently asked questions. The webinar is scheduled to last one hour, but PolarTREC Project Managers will stay online to answer all participant questions.
Participation in the webinar is free of charge, optional, and is not a prerequisite for applying to the PolarTREC program. Anyone interested in participating in the webinar should register at:
FOR RESEARCHERS: http://www.polartrec.com/researchers/webinar
FOR TEACHERS: http://www.polartrec.com/teachers/webinar
Instructions will be sent to all registered participants, and the webinar will be archived and available online afterwards.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
PolarTREC—a program of the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS)—is a professional development program for educators, which pairs teachers with researchers to improve science education through authentic polar research experiences. The program integrates research and education to produce a legacy of long-term teacher-researcher collaborations, improved teacher content knowledge and instructional practices, and broad public interest and engagement in polar science.
PolarTREC teachers will spend three to eight weeks in the Arctic or Antarctic, working closely with researchers in the field as an integral part of the science team. PolarTREC teachers and researchers will be matched based on similar goals and interests, and teachers will be trained to meet the program requirements prior to the field season. While in the field, teachers and researchers will communicate extensively with their colleagues, communities, and students of all ages across the globe, using a variety of tools including online journals, photos, other multimedia, and web-based seminars.
Teachers and research projects will be selected and matched to fill the approximately 12-14 openings available. All major expenses associated with teacher participation in PolarTREC field experiences are covered by the program and program partners, including transportation to and from the field site, food, lodging, and substitute teacher costs.
The application period for teachers and researchers to apply to participate in PolarTREC begins on Monday, 26 August 2013 and end Monday, 16 September 2013.