Planning Grant for Snow and Ice Research Experience to Provide Professional Development with Emerging Technologies and Promote Teacher Retention

University Of Alaska Fairbanks Campus, Fairbanks AK

Investigators

Abstract

This planning proposal recognizes the constraints imposed on Alaskan schools by geography and small school populations while at the same time recognizing Alaskan opportunities for learning in context. The Renewal component will consider the constraints on -- and solutions to -- problems associated with having a distributed cohort of experienced teachers participate in a brief but intense field experience using those ubiquitous Alaskan commodities, SNOW and ICE. The Retention portion will consider the constraints and procedures necessary to involve small populations of novice teachers from Alaskan Districts in 137 hours of close mentoring using the snow- and ice-field work along with appropriate curricular materials (NSF supported GLACIER) to provide learning in context. The final planning activities involve determining through pilot work the adequacy of follow-up work in short 1-2 day workshops during spring breaks, etc. as times when teachers from distributed districts can come together.