Pole to Pole Videoconferences Connect Students and Scientists

Alaskan and Argentinean students as well as arctic and antarctic scientists participated in two International Polar Year (IPY) Pole to Pole Videoconferences in 2007 and 2008. The videoconferences involved elementary, middle and high school students as well as scientists from Alaska, Argentina, Colorado and Washington DC. Alaska students were located in Fairbanks, Healy, Shageluk and Wasilla while the Argentinean students were located in Ushuaia, Argentina, at the southern tip of South America. The purpose was to ask each other and the scientists about local environmental changes, seasonal indicators, and climate change, and how to study the seasonal indicators to determine whether they are being affected by climate change. The videoconferences were followed by web chats and web forums to allow more students in other countries including those in non-polar regions, to interact with scientists, and help students develop ideas for their research projects. These activities are part of the Seasons and Biomes Project that engages K-12 teachers and students in Earth system science investigations as a way of teaching and learning science. This project also provides professional development workshops to teachers and teacher trainers. Seasons and Biomes is one of the projects in the University of the Arctic IPY Higher Education Outreach Cluster Project that has been approved by the IPY Joint Committee. As well, it is part of the GLOBE program, an international hands-on, inquiry-based Earth and environmental science and education program for primary and secondary students in 110 countries. The videoconferences, web chats and forums generated much interest and enthusiasm among students and scientists, and have provided the impetus for student research project initiations and collaborations between schools.