Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

TOP World International Polar Year Geography Institute  (TOP World (Teachers of the Polar World))

Outline
The Alaska Geographic Alliance, in coordination with the University of Alaska Fairbanks and with endorsements by the National Council for Geographic Education and the Canadian Council of Geography Educators, will sponsor an international geography educators’ conference for K-12 teachers. In the summers of 2007 and 2008, K-12 geography educators will be invited to participate in a week-long Geography of the Northern Polar Regions institute based in Fairbanks. The Institute will be organized with equally strong components in lecture and discussion, fieldwork, and technology.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Teacher education constitutes the major focus of this project. Teachers in the program will disseminate knowledge from the Summer Institute work to both their colleagues and to students. All of the teachers will come from Alaska, Canada, and Russia, thus ensuring information dissemination of the IPY knowledge within a large extent of the Polar North.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Most teacher participants will come from Alaska. However, small groups of Canadian and Russian teachers will be selected.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The locus of the Summer Institute will be in Fairbanks, AK where University of Alaska Fairbanks and the primary UA research facilities are located. Field trips will extend along the roadways to include research facilities within a 160-km radius of Fairbanks.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 07/07 – 08/07      07/08 – 08/08      
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
This project will need limited logistic support/facilities. The summer institute will utilize facilities of the U of Alaska Fairbanks including dormitories. Vans and/or a bus will be used to transport teachers to field research facilities.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Own support
Other sources of support

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Yes

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
Yes

This will be a new project of the Alaska Geographic Alliance, but a continuation of its history and vast experience in generating and offering professional development opportunities for K-12 educators.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The TOP of the World geography institute will be managed by the Alaska Geographic Alliance, which has an established management structure through two coordinators and a steering committee. AGA will receive support from the Institute of the North and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The target audience is the primary and secondary education community in Alaska, Canada, and Russia. This model follows the successful education model of the National Geographic Society’s “Alliance” program for educational training, which the Alaska Geographic Alliance has employed since 1988.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
This project will draw upon existing and on-going research and disseminate it to teachers through original reports, field studies, and newly developed teaching units. These materials will be made available through the AGA web site with reports through the NGS Alliance program, the CCGE, and the NCGE publications

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Grant applications will be made to the National Geographic Society Education Foundation.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Over the years, the Alaska Geographic Alliance has collaborated with the US Library of Congress, Public Broadcasting System, US National Park Service among other agencies and organizations. The Alaska Geographic Alliance is housed at the Institute of the North in Anchorage, Alaska.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Co-Coordinator Roger Pearson
PO Box 1354
Kenai, AK
99611
USA

Tel: 907-776-8304
Mobile: no
Fax: no
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation