Arctic Literacy Fundamentals

Arctic Literacy Fundamentals is an interdisciplinary survey course of the circum-arctic region during a time of unprecedented planetary change, intensified challenges, and exponential impacts in this vulnerable polar region.

Learners explore the Arctic as place and its geography, frozen land and seascapes, ocean and atmospheric circulation, biodiversity, subsistence life-ways, peoples, energy sources, and ways of observing Arctic phenomenon. This introductory course is ideal for educators, early career professionals, undergraduate students, advanced secondary students, and life-long learners.

The 7 course modules include: 

1. Earth’s Polar Regions
2. Frozen Ice
3. Movement and Circulation
4. Arctic Food Buffet
5. Arctic Climate and How it is Changing
6. Arctic People
7. Observing the Arctic

It is expected learners will take at least 15 hours to complete the course; though some participants may want to dive deeper into the materials and take more time.

The course is framed by the Polar Literacy Principles and United Nation Sustainability Goal Learning Objectives in addition to weaving together Indigenous people's perspectives and western science and research. Material used in the course is collected and curated from leading regional, national and international organizations, agencies, and institutions across the Northern Hemisphere.

This course is developed by Wild Rose Education for the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS).

© 2024, ARCUS