Beyond the Ice: The Arctic's Interconnected Mosaic - Fall 2025 Course

Course Structure and Meeting Information 5-week fall course, November 1 - December 7, 2025

This course is asynchronous over 5 weeks, with weekly coursework due dates.

Course Description

Embark on an illuminating 5-week journey into the rapidly evolving Arctic, a region at the forefront of unprecedented planetary change and intensified global challenges. This asynchronous, self-paced virtual course is designed for a diverse audience, including formal and non-formal educators, early career professionals, undergraduate students, advanced secondary students, and lifelong learners seeking to build a foundational understanding of this vulnerable polar region.

Beyond the Ice: The Arctic's Interconnected Mosaic offers an interdisciplinary survey that explores the intricate components of the Arctic climate system and their profound interconnectedness. Framed by the Polar Literacy Principles and the United Nations Sustainability Goal Learning Objectives, you will delve into:

• The Arctic as a Unique Environment: Discover its distinct geographical features, landforms, climate systems, and unique biodiversity—from the dynamics of its cryosphere (frozen ice, glaciers, permafrost) to the diverse life on cold lands and in cold waters. You will comprehend the Arctic's significance in regulating global climate patterns.

• Accelerating Environmental Transformations: Analyze the drivers and profound consequences of rapid environmental shifts, including melting ice and snow, glacier dynamics, permafrost thaw, pollution, and their impact on marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Understand their ripple effects on both local and global scales.

• The Central Role of Arctic Peoples: Gain insights into the rich cultural heritage and contemporary experiences of Arctic Indigenous peoples, examining how they are affected by change and how Indigenous Knowledges are actively woven together with Western science and research to provide a holistic and relational understanding of the region. This approach recognizes that learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, family, community, land, spirits, and ancestors.

• Global Interconnections and Informed Action: Understand the Arctic's critical role in global systems and the broader social, economic, and geopolitical implications of polar change, including widening inequalities. The course emphasizes applying this knowledge to real-world contexts, fostering informed decision-making and responsible actions that align with sustainable development principles and support environmental integrity for present and future generations. You will also investigate the scientific research, methods, and technologies used to study the region and understand changes.

With an expected completion time of at least 15 hours over 5 weeks, this introductory course requires no prior experience. It offers a flexible schedule, allowing you to learn at your own pace and gain a critical "Arctic Literacy" essential for navigating our changing polar world.

Target Audience

• The course is specifically designed for formal and non-formal educators, early career professionals, undergraduate students, advanced secondary students, and lifelong learners.

• Students must be 15 years old or older. International folks (outside of USA) are welcome to participate.

Course Prerequisite College reading and writing skills

Course Goals:

The course aims to:

• Foster a comprehensive and interdisciplinary Arctic literacy in learners, extending beyond scientific facts to embrace cultural, social, and geopolitical dimensions of the region.

• Cultivate critical thinking and informed decision-making regarding the unprecedented and accelerating environmental, social, and economic changes impacting the Arctic.

• Promote a holistic understanding of the Arctic by actively integrating the expertise and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples with Western science and research approaches.

• Empower learners to become responsible change-makers for sustainable development and environmental integrity in the Arctic and globally, recognizing the far-reaching impacts of polar change.

Course Objectives:

In this course, students will:

• Explore the foundational natural and human systems of the Arctic, encompassing its unique geographical features, climate components (including ice and ocean circulation), biodiversity, and the diverse human populations that inhabit it.

• Examine the interconnected drivers and consequences of rapid environmental change in the Arctic, particularly focusing on climate change impacts such as permafrost thaw, sea ice decline, and glacial dynamics, and their broader implications for global systems and local communities.

• Analyze the vital role of Indigenous Knowledges (IK) and cultural heritage in understanding the Arctic, demonstrating how IK systems, as articulated by the First Peoples Principles of Learning, provide unique insights into relational well-being, environmental observation, and adaptive strategies.

• Investigate current scientific research, technological advancements, and collaborative efforts aimed at monitoring, understanding, and addressing Arctic challenges, including the methods used for observation and the interdisciplinary partnerships involved.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Synthesize the complex geographical, climatic, and ecological characteristics of the Arctic, including the dynamics of its cryosphere and unique biodiversity, and explain their integral role in Earth's global climate and ocean systems.

2. Critically evaluate the causes and multifaceted consequences of environmental change in the Arctic, such as pollution, loss of sea ice, permafrost degradation, and altered ecosystems, articulating their social, economic, geopolitical, and global implications.

3. Integrate diverse knowledge systems, including Indigenous Knowledges and Western science, to develop a holistic and relational understanding of Arctic issues, recognizing the cultural heritage and contemporary experiences of Arctic Indigenous peoples and their contributions to the region's well-being.

4. Apply interdisciplinary knowledge of Arctic challenges to propose informed and responsible actions that promote environmental integrity, economic viability, and social equity, aligning with principles of Education for Sustainable Development and recognizing the consequences of actions for present and future generations.

Course Required Text

-       There is not a specific text for this course. All resources and web-based tools will be included in the course LMS.

Virtual Learning Hardware and Software - these tools will make your learning experience the most effective and pleasant:

• laptop or desktop computer

• ability to learn how to use Canvas LMS to access the course and submit all assignments

Course Work and Assignment Deadlines

• Participants are sent email communication 1 week prior to the start of the course with directions for logging into the course canvas website.

• All course assignments are to be completed by their stated weekly deadlines. No coursework is accepted after the last day of the course.

• The course has weekly deadlines that are required that students meet. Assignments submitted after the due date and time will incur an automatic 10% deduction per day late. This is intended to keep the class discussing and engaged in the material together.

Optional – Zoom Meeting Chats

Join any or all informal discussions with peers and instructor

• Nov. 13 at 12:00 pm MST

• Nov. 24 at 5:00 pm MST

Each Course Participant Receives

• Continuing Education Unit (CEU) Credits: Upon successful completion of the course with a grade of 80% or higher, each participant receives 15 hours of Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits directly from Wild Rose Education
  

• Optional Graduate Credit Hours Opportunity TBC: Participants are offered the option to earn 1 SCED graduate credit hour through Adams State University, although an additional fee of $55 per credit hour applies for these credits. TO BE CONFIRMED before course begins.
  

• Access to the Learning Management System (LMS): Participants are enrolled through the LMS (Canvas), which provides access to all course content, weekly coursework, announcements, and learning resources
  

• Opportunity for Live Discussions: The course includes optional informal Zoom Meeting chats where participants can engage with peers and the instructor at scheduled times