Beyond the Ice: The Interconnected Arctic Mosaic
Join us for an illuminating five-week virtual journey designed to foster a comprehensive understanding of the Arctic as a critical gear within our global climate stability. This asynchronous, self-paced course serves as an interdisciplinary survey exploring the intricate components of the Arctic climate system and their profound global interconnectedness. Framed by the Polar Literacy Principles and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Learning Objectives, the curriculum actively weaves Indigenous Knowledges with Western science to provide a holistic and relational understanding of the region.
Participants will delve into seven core modules:
- Earth’s Polar Regions: Defining the Arctic through geographical, climatic, and political lenses.
- Frozen Ice: Investigating the dynamics and ecological significance of the cryosphere, including permafrost, sea ice, and glaciers.
- Movement and Circulation: Analyzing how atmospheric and oceanic circulation, such as the Beaufort Gyre, govern global climate.
- Arctic Food Webs: Assessing the impacts of environmental stressors on biodiversity and subsistence life-ways.
- Arctic Climate Change: Evaluating primary evidence of change, including Arctic Amplification and its global ripple effects.
- Arctic People: Exploring the rich cultural heritage, contemporary governance, and resiliency of Indigenous communities.
- Observing the Arctic: Investigating advanced technologies—including satellites, drifting buoys, and subsea observatories—alongside Indigenous-led platforms like the social network.
This graduate-level professional development opportunity is specifically designed for educators, early career professionals, and researchers seeking to build a foundational Arctic Literacy essential for navigating our changing polar world. The course utilizes an action-oriented pedagogy, featuring a "Learning Activity Choice Board" that allows students to tailor their experience by developing community action plans, policy analyses, or research proposals.
Summer 2026 Term Details:
- Dates: June 13 – July 19, 2026.
- Registration Deadline: June 11, 2026.
- Format: 100% virtual and asynchronous with weekly deadlines, requiring approximately 15 hours of engagement.
- Credentials: 15 continuing education hours; optional 1 Graduate Credit Hour through Adams State University for $55.
- Registration Fee: Sliding scale of $150, $175, or $200.
As noted in our conversation history, this course is designed and instructed by Sarah Johnson, a PolarTREC Educator, climate action and solutions educator, environmental science professor, and Delegate Observer at UNFCCC COP26. Build your understanding of this critical region and gain the tools to become a responsible change-maker for sustainable development.
Learn More and Register: https://www.wildroseeducation.com/engage/beyond-the-ice.