Annual Cohort

The Polar STEAM Cohort Experience

The cohort spans roughly a year. Within each annual cohort individual educators and researchers will be teamed up as collaborative partners. Initially, we will build community through cohort Zoom sessions and allow teams to develop the scope of their work as they continue their collaboration.

Our professional development focuses on using an integrated approach to science communication in the polar regions and explores key principles of STEAM: curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, and cultural sensitivity. 

Some teams will collaborate exclusively virtually, while others will initially meet virtually and then spend time working in the field together. As teams continue developing their educational resources, we have opportunities for shared feedback, showcasing, and potential opportunities to present their work together.

Below is an overview of major activities during the cohort:

Annual Cohort Model

Phase 1
Cohort Launch
  • Facilitated Matching Process
  • Virtual Sessions
  • Build Community and Knowledge
Phase 2
Learning
  • Share Expertise
  • Polar Literacy
  • STEAM Principles
  • Broader Impacts
Phase 3
Teamwork
  • Virtual Collaboration
  • Polar Field Experience
    • Field Preparation & Safety Training
Phase 4
STEAM Integration
  • Creativity
  • Collaboration
  • Critical Thinking
  • Cultural Sensitivity
  • Peer Feedback
Phase 5
Showcasing
  • Cohort Sharing Sessions
  • Public Sharing
  • Conference presentations