Stars and STEM Stories
Canada Stretches for Success
Canada, a vast country covering nearly 10 million square kilometers and flanked by three oceans, has been spreading the word of GLOBE through years of local, provincial and territorial efforts.
Activities especially have been boiling in three regions as a result of the energy and commitment of Peter Hardy in the Arctic territories; Wendy Campbell, Bill Batycky and Mike Mappin in Calgary; and Ann Whalley and Dr. Leo McDonald in Nova Scotia.
For great national impact, Cate McEwen of Salt Spring Island, British Columbia has been appointed as Canada's first Country Coordinator. Ms. McEwen had an intense introduction to GLOBE: within four weeks, she attended the GLOBE Annual Conference, the Arctic POPs workshop and a workshop in Kananaskis, Alberta!
"In Canada the capacity of GLOBE is far reaching - merging the science of indigenous and euro-centric ways; employing the computer as a learning tool supporting other subjects; connecting people in remote, rural or northern communities with the rest of Canada, with the global world," said the Country Coordinator.
The Canadian activists connected a network of trainers and teachers so although separated by great distances and sometimes only reached by plane or boat, they can get support and guidance from GLOBE Canada. More than 20 educators were trained at two International GLOBE Workshops this past summer, bringing the total number of trainers in Canada to 35. The trainers, spread throughout Canada, are the strong foundation for new and existing GLOBE teachers, trainers and students.
"Working with GLOBE in the Arctic has been a pleasure because of the program's relevance, its communication tools and the quality of its experiential science that meet the needs of the Arctic's diverse peoples. GLOBE as a program has been embraced by northerners, excited students in schools, teachers, and administrators all the way to receiving substantial support from the federal government agencies and indigenous groups and First Nations," said Hardy.
This autumn saw a flurry of GLOBE workshops and presentations in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Newfoundland, Nunavut, NWT and Yukon. Partnerships are being explored with universities, research institutes, businesses, Parks Canada, EMAN, Ducks Unlimited, and more.
In Alberta, Wendy Campbell and Mike Tyler of Calgary, Alberta, have cross-linked the outcomes of GLOBE to K-12 science curriculum and efforts are underway to link GLOBE to Social Sciences and Languages and Arts. In the Yukon Territory, where a different school curriculum exists, GLOBE trainer, Bob Sharp, is busy making the GLOBE-curriculum cross linkage for teachers. Manitoba has linked GLOBE to its curriculum for consideration of a GLOBE pilot-project.
There are now over 250 GLOBE teachers in 133 GLOBE schools in Canada. As Cate said, "With a country coordinator and 35 trainers in eight of the provinces and territories, regional and national networks are now a reality - training more teachers, providing support to GLOBE teachers, and connecting more Canadians to their environment."
31 January 2002