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Building collaborative networks across disciplines: A review of polar educators international’s first five years

Part of: Celebrating IPY Education, Outreach and Engagement – 10 years on

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 March 2019

Heidi A. Roop ,
Gary Wesche ,
Patrícia F. Azinhaga ,
Betty Trummel  and
José C. Xavier
Heidi A. Roop*
Affiliation:
Climate Impacts Group, University of Washington, PO Box 355674, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
Gary Wesche
Affiliation:
Polar Educators International, Fairbanks, AK, USA
Patrícia F. Azinhaga
Affiliation:
Institute of Education, University of Lisbon, Alameda da Universidade, 1649-013 Lisboa, Portugal
Betty Trummel
Affiliation:
The Science Roadshow, Harwich, MA, USA
José C. Xavier
Affiliation:
Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
*
Author for correspondence: Heidi A. Roop, Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Polar Educators International (PEI) is a volunteer-based organization designed to build collaborative relationships between educators and polar researchers. Founded in 2012, PEI was created out of the networks formed during the International Polar Year 2007–2008. This paper explores PEI’s first five years (2012–17) of successes, challenges and opportunities that have led to the creation of an organization with over 1,500 members. Using a ‘level of participation’ framework for communities of practice, we examine the evolution of this educator-researcher network and focus on two key questions: 1) who has PEI reached and served over this time?, and 2) what are barriers to participation? Barriers include sustained engagement with researchers and establishing value within institutional frameworks that generally undervalue activities referred to as ‘education and outreach’ (EOC). EOC activities continue to be perceived as extra-curricular in both educator and researcher communities. Working to deepen collaboration with polar researchers and targeting a greater diversity of PEI’s membership to fill core leadership functions should be future areas of focus for PEI as it looks to continue to shape polar EOC. Advancing and enhancing polar EOC extends well beyond PEI and should be a priority for the broader polar science and education communities.

Keywords

Community of practiceInternational Polar YearPolar educationScience communicationScience education
Type
Research Note
Information
Polar Record , Volume 55 , Issue 4 , July 2019 , pp. 220 - 226
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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