What is Tundra Connections®?
Who can participate?
What does it cost?
What is the 2013 schedule?
What are the 2013 themes?
What is the targeted audience?
Who are the 2013 panelists?
What is the difference between a webcast and a videoconference?
What type of equipment do I need?
How do I join in?
How do I prepare?
What if I miss the broadcasts?
Are lesson plans available for teachers?
What is Tundra Connections?
Every fall, PBI conducts live, free broadcasts—both webcasts and videoconferences—from the tundra during the annual fall gathering of polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba. Each week focuses on a different theme, tapping into the expertise of our guest panelists. Viewers are able to ask questions and receive answers in real time. We also schedule special broadcasts in the Spring.
Who can participate?
Webcasts are open to anyone. Videoconferences require special equipment and must be prescheduled by contacting us at connections@pbears.org; they're open to school groups, green clubs, business and community leaders, and members of our Arctic Ambassador Center network.
What does it cost?
The broadcasts are completely free, although donations are always welcome to help support the program.
What is the 2013 schedule?
Our 2013 Fall programs for the polar bear migration will air in October and November. Our 2013 Spring programs are scheduled for April 9th.
We haven't set the Fall themes yet, but the Spring topics are:
- Polar Bear Tracker: Learn what scientists know about polar bear populations, tracking bears, and how we all can take action to help this species
- Livin' Large Like a Polar Bear: How big are polar bears and how do they get that way? Explore their unique adaptations to survive the arctic cold.
- Feast to Famine: Explore polar bear energetics throughout the year, from gaining mass and energy stores in the spring to avoiding the ill health effects of fasting.
What is the targeted audience?
Most broadcasts are aimed at a general audience, although we also plan special broadcasts for target age groups such as K-4 or university students. We strive to accommodate your institution's schedule and targeted audience, though, so there is room for flexiblity.
Who are the panelists?
Every year, leading scientists and educators with expertise on topics including polar bears, the Arctic, climate change, conservation education, and marine mammals take part. You can meet the 2013 Spring panelists here.
What is the difference between a webcast and a videoconference?
- A webcast is media distributed over the Internet using streaming media technology to distribute a single content source to many simultaneous listeners/viewers. A webcast may either be distributed live or on demand. When you join a webcast, you can see the panelists but they can't see you. Your audience will participate by submitting questions to the panelists through email.
- A videoconference is a telecommunications technology that allows two or more locations to interact via a two-way audio and video transmission simultaneously. You will be able to see the panelists and they'll be able to see you. Your audience will participated by asking questions directly to the panelists.
What type of equipment do I need?
- Computer with Safari, Firefox, or Internet Explorer browser
- Internet connection (high speed, fairly robust)
- QuickTime® Player (free download for both Mac and Windows machines from www.apple.com/quicktime
- E-mail account so that you can submit questions to the panel of experts at questions@pbears.org during the webcast
- Videoconferencing equipment (i.e., Polycom or Tandberg) if participating in a videoconference
How do I join in?
For webcasts, check the schedule for the dates and times, and then visit this link at the appropriate time. Videoconferences must be prescheduled by contacting connections@pbears.org. In addition:
- Be sure to have the most recent version of QuickTime installed on your computer prior to participating in a webcast. QuickTime is a free download from http://www.apple.com/quicktime
- Use questions@pbears.org to email questions during webcasts.
- Test the video connection for scheduled videoconferences at least one day prior to the event. E-mail connections@pbears.org to schedule a time to test IF you have a scheduled and confirmed videoconference. (If you are participating through a content provider, check its policy on testing prior to the scheduled event, and please conduct your test videoconference directly with the provider, not with PBI Tundra Connections.)
- Background information is important prior to participation in a PBI Tundra Connections event. Spend a little time at www.polarbearsinternational.org/about-polar-bears. It also helps to view archived webcasts to get a sense of what they're like.
- If participating with students, we recommend that they know something about how webcasts or videoconferences work and that they think of thoughtful questions to ask prior to the event.
What if I miss the broadcasts?
You can view archived webcasts here.
Are lesson plans available for teachers?
- Our online resources include Tools & Materials like PowerPoints as well as Units and Lessons with pre- and post-conference activities. These include two unit plans—Polar Bear Tracker and Livin' Large Like a Polar Bear—developed especially for our Spring 2013 series.
Our heartfelt thanks to our Platinum Sponsor, Frontiers North Tundra Buggy Adventure. Generous support has also been provided by explore.org, the philanthropic media organization and multi-media arm of The Annenberg Foundation, as part of its Pearls of the Planet initiative, a vareity of live feeds that aim to help people fall in love with the world again.
Special thanks also to Julene Reed, an Apple Distinguished Educator and PBI Education Advisory Council member, who directs the PBI Tundra Connections program, and also to Parks Canada and Tandberg, now part of Cisco Systems.
