The best practices for science education and outreach in the Arctic has shifted dramatically over the past 30 years as “helicopter scientist” presentations to arctic classrooms have gradually been replaced by more thoughtful youth and community-centered approaches. This mini-course introduces you to principles of evidence-based, community-centered design of science outreach and education programming in the Arctic. Through concrete examples, the mini-course will demonstrate how instructional design theory and co-production of knowledge frameworks can guide and enhance outreach project development. Examples include projects from the NSF Navigating the New Arctic initiative and NASA Science Activation Arctic and Earth SIGNs project. You will leave with an outreach program planning guide incorporating the key considerations and evidence based design for their research in Arctic classrooms or communities.
Arctic Scientists in the Classroom: Principles for Designing Community-Centered Educational Programs
1. Introduction
Course Overview
Who is this for?
Arctic researchers who want to engage students and communities in their research.
Why take this course
Take this course to explore what good design looks like in Arctic STEM education and outreach—design that centers learner and community priorities, draws on evidence-based and culturally sustaining practices, and is rooted in the core values of Relationship, Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity, Representation, and Responsibility.
Collaborators
Rooted in collaboration, community, and shared commitment to Arctic education.
Supported By
The Navigating the New Arctic Community Office (NNA-CO) resources for collaboration and knowledge exchange within, between, and beyond the research projects funded by the National Science Foundation’s NNA Initiative.
Introduction to Evidence-Based, Community-Centered Design
In this introduction video, Dr. Katie Spellman and Dr. Elena Sparrow explore how to design community- and youth-centered science education experiences for Arctic classrooms. They discuss the importance of local knowledge, the role of elders, challenges like teacher turnover and limited resources, and the need to decolonize education by aligning classroom outreach with community values and priorities. The series models backward design and provides evidence-based strategies for creating meaningful, inclusive Arctic science engagement.
Designing Your Own Community-Centered Education and Outreach Activity: Classroom Skits
In this video, Dr. Katie Spellman and Dr. Elena Sparrow compare two approaches scientists can take when visiting Arctic classrooms. Through role play, they highlight how shifting from a lecture style presentation to an interactive, community centered discussion rooted in students’ own experiences creates deeper engagement and learning. The video emphasizes the value of storytelling, collaboration, and Arctic pedagogy in designing meaningful educational experiences.
After Watching: Take a Moment to Reflect
- What did you notice about the approaches the first and second version of the scientist visit to an Arctic classroom?
- Were there any other particular techniques the scientist in the second scene used to make sure that the visit centered on the students and the classroom beyond the story drawing activity?
2. How do we center learner and community priorities?
In this section...
You’ll be introduced to ways to learn about community and learner needs, assets, and priorities through pre-assessment.
Before You Begin: Take a Moment to Reflect
Take a moment to pause and reflect on your learning needs and priorities as you begin this course. Consider what you hope to gain, and jot down your thoughts in a notebook to help guide your journey.
Design Principles for Community-Centered Arctic STEAM Education
In this video, you will be introduced to a backwards design learning framework. Backwards design means that you start by planning the desired outcomes, and then work backwards to design the learning activities which lead towards those outcomes. Pre-assessment is an important way to gather input on what the community needs and want from a learning experience at the beginning of the planning stage.
Explore More
Universal Backward Design is an instructional planning approach that combines the clarity and goal-orientation of Backward Design with the inclusivity of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Educators begin by identifying desired learning outcomes, then plan assessments and instructional activities that support all learners in reaching those goals. This method emphasizes proactive planning for diverse learning needs by incorporating flexible materials, varied assessment options, and multiple ways of engaging students. The goal is to create accessible, equitable learning experiences from the start, ensuring all students can succeed.
3. Evidence-based design principles
In this section...
You’ll see several Arctic learning frameworks and be able to identify key components of both Arctic and academic science design principles
Before You Begin: Take a Moment to Reflect
- What values do you hold? What values do you bring to your work?
- How will you find out the values of the place or classroom you are working with?
Frameworks for Community-Centered Arctic STEAM Education and Outreach
In this video, we explore a learning model that blends traditional Indigenous knowledge and academic science. Central to any learning experience is to first determine the values that guide the outreach activity, considering the local community values, school values, and the values that you bring as a scientist. Our suggested blended learning model starts with listening to elders, local culture bearers, scientists, and students before moving into exploration, experimentation, explaining, and ending with action.
4. Core elements of Arctic Pedagogy
In this Section...
This section explores the core principles of Arctic pedagogy and its connections to place, community, story, observation, digitalization, and more. It also highlights how the 6 Rs of co-production guide education and outreach
Before You Begin: Take a Moment to Reflect
- What do YOU think are the core elements of Arctic STEM pedagogy?
- What are some good practices for scientists seeking to do Arctic outreach?
Core Elements of Community-Centered Arctic STEAM Education and Outreach
In this video, we share the core elements and principles of Arctic pedagogy including connection to place, community involvement, story, observation, and digitalization amongst others. We discuss how the ‘6 Rs’ of co-production research (Relationship, Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity, Representation, Responsibility) apply to education and outreach, too.
Explore More
Learn more about The Globe Program.
5. Applying Arctic Pedagogy Through Community-Centered Design
In this section...
In this section we’ll see several examples of community-based outreach from the Navigating the New Arctic initiative. As you view these videos, consider what the projects did well, what were the growth areas, what elements of Arctic pedagogy were included, and what would you have done differently?
Before You Begin: Take a Moment to Reflect
- What is the essential question of this outreach?
- What are the needs and priorities of this classroom?
- What are the values of the school?
- What are the learning outcomes you hope to achieve?
Designing Your Own Community-Centered Education and Outreach Activity
In this final mini-course video, Dr. Katie Spellman and Dr. Elena Sparrow show how to apply Arctic pedagogy and community-centered design through real project examples. They guide viewers in using backward design to create meaningful, culturally grounded learning experiences, emphasizing collaboration, reflection, and the idea that good design leads to good learning. View the analysis questions below that are referenced in the video.
Video Analysis Questions
- What did they do well?
- What were some of the growth areas?
- What would you have done differently if you were helping design these programs and projects?
- What elements of the 6 R's of Co-production research did you see?
NNA Flashtalk Series: Harmful Algal Blooms
Connecting Educators with Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Research - Research Cruise Outreach, Workshops, and Resources. Learn more about Harmful Algal Blooms here.
NNA Flashtalk Series: Ideas for Permafrost and Snow Teaching
Engaging Youth to Explore Snow and Permafrost in an Arctic Village. Speakers: Jana Peirce & Anja Kade, Ph.D. This video is part of the NNA Community Office Flashtalk series. Learn more about Ideas for Permafrost and Snow Teaching here.
NNA Flashtalk Series: Permafrost Gateway
Announcing the Permafrost Discovery Gateway: A new resource for scientists, teachers and anyone interested in big permafrost data in the Arctic. Speakers: Jen Moss & Anna Liljedahl. This video is part of the NNA Community Office Flashtalk series. Learn more about Permafrost gateway teacher RET here or contact jlmoss@alaska.edu.
NNA Flashtalk Series: Fresh Eyes on Ice
Observe river and lake ice with your students to contribute to winter travel safety and climate change research. This video is part of the NNA Community Office Flashtalk series. Learn more about Fresh Eyes on Ice here.
Now it’s your turn. Bring it into your classroom!
Ready to build your own backwards design? Use this template to get started!
Read More
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