This is the final installment of a three-part series about teachers in Antarctica.
In part one (“Expedition to Antarctica: Overview,”) published in the Dec. 13, 2000, issue, Education Week previewed the teachers’ preparations for their stints on the frozen continent, and examined efforts to engage teachers in ongoing scientific inquiry as a way to generate students’ enthusiasm for science.
Part two (“The Great White Lab,”) published Feb. 14, 2001, showcased the experience of chemistry and biology teacher Kevin A. Lavigne, who participated in the National Science Foundation’s Teachers Experiencing Antarctica and the Arctic program, which sends teachers to the polar regions to participate in cutting-edge scientific research.
Assistant Editor David J. Hoff and Photo Editor Allison Shelley spent two weeks there with him as “media visitors.”
They were selected, along with journalists from the Los Angeles Times, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, National Geographic, and National Public Radio, by the independent federal agency to travel to Antarctica to write about NSF-financed research. The agency provided the journalists with transportation, outdoor clothing, food, and shelter while on the continent.
During its stay in Antarctica, the Education Week team also filed Web-only updates and photo essays on their experiences.
This last installment follows up with educators to describe how their participation in the NSF program has influenced their work in the classroom.
The entire series is available at //www.edweek.org/sreports/special_ice.htm.
