Virtual Posters

The Polar Museum Education and Outreach programme aims to bring the research work of the Scott Polar Research Institute staff to a wide audience. This multi-disciplinary research encompasses not only the natural sciences, and ice in particular, but also our work on the indigenous peoples of the Arctic and the history and governance of the polar regions. We are developing a new strand of learning activities called The Cool Club. Aimed at children aged 7-11 year olds – it is a series of holiday activities that offer children the chance to meet a researcher and learn about what they do in a hands-on creative way.

The museum itself, with a theme of Exploration into Science, is an important means of public outreach for both the Institute and the wider University. Our aim is to inspire young minds by adding a live element to the public outreach programme, where children can go ‘behind-the-scenes and engage with on-going, ground-breaking polar research.

Currently, the Education and Outreach Officer is working with researchers at SPRI to develop each session, exploring key concepts, new discoveries and the wider significance of their work. Five different researchers offered to share their research with children, on a wide range of topics from the use of remote sensing data to documenting aspects of Inuit culture and governance.

First the researchers identify what they find exciting about their research. They single out hot topics and key concepts, and focus on research methodologies they use. Each session begins with a short slide show, based on ‘who I am, where I go, what I do and why’ and ends with a plenary where children share what they have discovered. To explore concepts and methodologies we develop a combination of simple hands-on experiments, interpretation of visual imagery, enquiry and open-ended creative activity. In some sessions we can try out the equipment and methods the researchers use in the field. For example, in Cool Club 2: Beyond the Rainbow, we used a radiometer to tell the difference between real and fake grass, and software to analyze 2 pieces of remote sensing data.

The pilot of Cool Club consisted five 1.5-hour sessions for around 10 children ages 7-11, developed with 5 different researchers, exploring a range of research topics and learning methodologies, using expertise, resources and facilities at the Institute. We aimed to register around 40 children, with the option for them to come to all five sessions. To evaluate we have planned a 360 degree evaluation, gathering qualitative feedback from researchers, staff at the Institute, educationalists, children, parents and carers.

Our question is whether we can find a sustainable way to offer an enjoyable, memorable, high quality learning experience to children closely linked to polar science and genuine on-going research projects. Our poster will detail the development and delivery of all five sessions, together with anecdotal feedback and evaluation material.