"How to use polar science in your classroom"

Photo: Karl Thorstein Hetland
The International Polar Year (IPY), from March 2007 to March 2009, was a large scientific programme focused on the Arctic and the Antarctic.

IPY involved thousands of scientists from more than 60 nations in a wide range of physical, biological and social research. The IPY Oslo Science Conference (IPY-OSC 2010) will be the first major meeting of scientists to share results from IPY research.  

Education, outreach and communication (EOC) has been a central part of IPY and we would like to give teachers and other educators the opportunity to share their experiences. Teachers who have not been involved in IPY, but want to use polar issues in your classroom, are also selected. Participants automatically become a participant at the science conference during the rest of the week.

The introductory part of the teacher conference will take place at The University of Oslo June 6 and June 7 2010. The science conference lasts from June 8 until June 12. Teachers will attend the science conference and meet regularly during the week to share their experiences and ideas. Participating teachers will follow the science presentations and/or the presentations in Theme 6: Polar education, outreach and communication.

Programme

Saturday 5 June

Sunday 6 June

Monday 7 June

Who participates

Teachers and educators worldwide including pre-service teachers from all over world has been selected based on application/submitted paper and the following criteria:

• Quality of the abstract for EOC session or the implementation plan for use of polar science in an educational setting
• Quality of application
• Geographic distribution of participants
• Different educator categories

Photo: Karl Thorstein Hetland
If you are not selected for the conference, you can still participate at the IPY-OSC 2010. You will then have to pay full registration fee and accommodation costs.

Conditions for selected participants: Reduced registration fee of EURO 245 (full registration fee is EURO 490)

This fee covers accommodation from Saturday June 5 until Saturday June 12. The fee also covers two dinners as well as breakfast and lunch from Sunday to Saturday. Participants will also receive a copy of the new IPY resource book, Polar Science and Global Climate.

For more information, please contact the PolarTEACHERS coordinator Karl Torstein Hetland (Norwegian Centre for Science Education)

The PolarTEACHERS conference committee:

Sandra Zicus International Antarctic Institute, AU
Louise Huffman ANDRILL, US,
Miriam Hebling Almeida Colégio Puríssimo Coração de Maria (Rio Claro SP) /Colégio Neruda (Araraquara SP), BR
Khadijah Abdul-Rahman Sinclair YAWA (Yayasan Anak Warisan Alam), MY, 
Karen Edvards International IPY Program Office, CA,
Elena Sparrow University of Fairbanks/The GLOBE program, US,
Sandra Vanhove International Polar Foundation, Brussels, BE