| NSF Org: |
OPP Office of Polar Programs (OPP) |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | July 24, 2015 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | July 24, 2015 |
| Award Number: | 1525541 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Elizabeth Rom
elrom@nsf.gov (703)292-7709 OPP Office of Polar Programs (OPP) GEO Directorate for Geosciences |
| Start Date: | August 1, 2015 |
| End Date: | July 31, 2019 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $83,801.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $83,801.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
100 CAMPUS CTR SEASIDE CA US 93955-8000 (831)582-3089 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
100 Campus Center, Alumni Visito Seaside CA US 93955-8001 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | Polar Special Initiatives |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.078 |
ABSTRACT
Improving Interdisciplinary Data Access and Communication: Through professional development and the creation of data tools, the PIs will reduce the logistical costs of bringing polar science to students and educators. The PIs propose to provide opportunities to build the capacity of polar scientists for communicating and engaging with diverse audiences. They will also create scalable, in-person and virtual opportunities for educators and students to engage with polar scientists and their research through data visualizations, data activities, educator workshops, webinars, and student research symposia. The desired product is a set of data rich instructional materials and customized professional development trainings that virtually expand access and opportunity to engage more educators and their classrooms in polar science.
Over three years, the PIs will: 1) Conduct three communication and diversity workshops for a total of 60 polar scientists and provide opportunities for scientists to practice and apply the information presented; 2) Develop a social media/web program dedicated to promoting polar research and education and outreach programs; 3) Develop activities that engage students with real polar data and a set of adaptable data visualization tools that allow students to interact with these data; 5) Develop and implement 10 online educational webinars and 3 in-person half-day educator workshops; 6) Conduct 4 weeklong educator professional development workshops; 7) Run 4 symposia nationally for approximately 1200 students to present their polar research investigations to polar scientists; 8) Foster the use of real polar data in undergraduate teaching through the Community College Undergraduate Research Initiative (CCURI) to increase students' data skills and knowledge of polar science; and 9) Create an asynchronous e-course that highlights polar science research and uses data in teaching for science educators.
This effort will improve the communication capacity of the polar science community. It will help bring real-world datasets, models, and simulations into the classroom and make scientific data from the poles and information about polar research widely available and useful to various audiences. The project will engage under-represented and underserved students in polar scientific research and many of the materials created and connections between scientists and educators are likely to be sustainable. This effort supports NSF/PLR goals to diversify the research community and improve access to information on polar research.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Polar Interdisciplinary Coordinated Education (Polar-ICE) sought to: 1) build capacity of polar scientists in communicating and engaging with diverse audiences; 2) create scalable, in-person and virtual opportunities for educators and students to engage with polar scientists and their research through data visualizations, data activities, educator workshops, webinars, and student research symposia; and 3) evaluate the outcomes of Polar ICE and contribute to our broader understanding of science education practices.
Scientists participating in Polar ICE programs:
- Learned strategies to communicate more effectively to diverse audiences by incorporating research-based communication strategies, including storytelling techniques and decoding interdisciplinary scientific knowledge, into their practices.
- Developed and engaged in strong scientist-educator partnerships and professional networks through the science communication professional development workshops and educator workshops.
- Practiced communication skills through interactive website features/social media, presentations at education conferences and webinars, or interactions with underserved and underrepresented students at symposia of the student research.
Educators participating in Polar ICE programs:
- Gained access to polar data, data activities, and lesson plans, as well as, short videos explaining science practices using polar examples.
- Developed skills in how to use real world scientific data in their classrooms and with their students.
- Utilized online data software tools to help students learn how to orient to data as well as interpret and synthesize data observations.
- Engaged in scientist-educator partnerships and networks through the scientist professional development workshops and educator workshops.
Students (grades 6-16) participating in Polar ICE programs:
- Conducted polar-related science investigations to enhance their comfort with using and analyzing data as well as presenting their results to broad audiences.
- Engaged in authentic experiences of the process of science that lead to positive identities in STEM, and ultimately contribute to the life-long trajectory of identity development as scientists.
Last Modified: 11/25/2019
Modified by: Corey Garza
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