General Fellowship Questions
What may I be
required to do as a part of my fellowship
- Keep a detailed personal journal throughout your expedition
- Pursue press coverage of your fellowship and expedition
- Attend post-expedition regional recruitment events; represent
Earthwatch at education conferences held in your area; attend/present at donor
recognition events in your area
- Create a lesson plan or community action plan to submit to
Earthwatch
- Thank your award sponsor in writing
- Create a photo collage for your sponsor using photographs from
your expedition
- Submit a Volunteer Evaluation Form and Fellowship Evaluation Form
*Fellowship requirements may vary and will be detailed in award packages.
What will I do on my expedition?
Research tasks vary with each project, and are described in detail in each
Expedition Briefing (available for download on our website). You might count
fish on a coral reef or catch rainforest birds in mist-nets. You might map
watering holes with a handheld GPS unit or use a small paintbrush to brush dust
off ancient mammal bones. No matter the task involved, you do not need any
special skills. We will teach you what you need to do when you arrive in the
field, and you will undoubtedly find skills you never knew you had.
What
costs will a fellowship award cover?
An Earthwatch Educator Fellowship covers all costs
associated with your food and accommodations during the expedition, and will also
reimburse a portion of your travel to and from the research site. Fellows are
responsible for arranging their own travel. The details of each fellowship
award will vary and will be explained in your fellowship award package. For the most up to
date information visit our Educator Fellowship web page at www.earthwatch.org/educators/fellowships.
Do
I need any special skills?
No, you only need the willingness to learn. The scientists leading your
expedition will provide a thorough overview and guidance on how to collect data
for the project.
How
long will my expedition last?
Expeditions will vary but are generally between 10 and 14 days in length. If you are
awarded a fellowship, you will receive a full Expedition Briefing for your
assigned expedition.
Do I get to choose which expedition I join?
Due to our internal restrictions we are unable to guarantee placement on a specific
project, and all fellows are ultimately assigned to projects by Earthwatch
staff. While we are flexible in our placement and welcome you to list your
preferences and interests on your application, we are unable to guarantee any
direct requests for project placement.
I have
already reserved a seat on a project and just found out about your fellowship
program. Can I still apply?
We are unable to accept any applications from educators who have reserved a volunteer
seat on an Earthwatch expedition.
I have already received a fellowship. Can I apply again?
You are eligible for two total fellowship awards, in non-consecutive years over the
course of your entire teaching career.
Can I receive graduate credit or Professional
Development Points for my experience with Earthwatch?
Earthwatch can put you in touch with colleges or universities that will provide
you with graduate credit. If you would like contact information for those
institutions you must email our Fellowship Coordinators PRIOR to your
expedition at fellowshipawards@earthwatch.org. Earthwatch is accepted in many states as a provider of
Professional Development Points. Upon completion of fellowship requirements,
awardees are mailed a Certificate of Completion which will verify the project
name and duration.
How can classrooms get involved if I cannot join the expedition?
Any teacher and classroom can be involved through our Host Classroom Program.
If you are unable to venture out on an Earthwatch expedition, we can bring the
expedition to your classroom. Earthwatch will pair you with a field research
site and teacher in the field willing to partner with your classroom and
respond to questions via the web and teleconferencing.
May I travel with another volunteer?
Sometimes we are able to accommodate these requests. If you are interested in having a
family member, friend, or student's parent join you in the field, please note
this on your application. Please note that the expedition and travel costs
associated with additional volunteers will not be supported by Earthwatch.
How can I get my students into the field?
Students age 16 and up are eligible to participate as volunteers on Earthwatch
projects. We have a variety of Teen Teams available.
Competitive fellowships are available for some Teen Team expeditions. We also
offer the Student
Challenge Awards Program, which awards expedition scholarships to high school students. Group Teams for
teachers and their students are available as well.
How will I be connected to other educators as an Earthwatch Educator Fellow?
You may have the opportunity to connect and collaborate with other educators on
your expedition. Many of our Educator Fellows are placed on expeditions with
other educators. You will also receive our monthly Education Update email
containing the latest news on Earthwatch events, available resources, and
opportunities for educators and their students.
Live from the Field Questions
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What am I required to do as a part of my fellowship?
As a recipient of an Earthwatch Live from the Field Educator Fellowship, you
agree to:
- Maintain your Live from the Field Blog including discussion
prompts, lessons, video clips and other related content
- Teleconference and/or video-conference with your students from the
field
- Connect with your students from the field via satellite telephone
- Seek press coverage of your fellowship and expedition
- Create a lesson plan or community action plan
- Thank your sponsor in writing
- Submit a Volunteer Evaluation Form
- Serve as an Earthwatch ambassador by attending post-expedition
regional recruitment events, representing Earthwatch at education conferences
and donor recognition events in your area, etc.
* Fellowship requirements may vary and will be detailed in award packages.
As a Live from the Field fellow, how will I interact with my students?
Live from the Field fellows interact with classrooms and students online through daily journals,
interviews with scientists, photos, videos, audio clips, lessons,
activities, curricular material and live conferences.
What costs will a Live from the Field fellowship
award cover?
A Live from the field fellowship covers all
costs associated with your food and accommodations during the expedition, and a
portion of your travel to and from the research site. Some Live from the Field
awards also include a stipend for your school or district to cover substitute
teacher fees incurred during your absence. For the most up to date information visit
our Live from the Field web page at www.earthwatch.org/lff.
How long
will I be absent during the school year?
Expeditions vary in length and we work to schedule most Live from the Field expeditions to
coincide with weekends and school vacations. Excluding that time, you should
expect to be out of the classroom for 7-10 consecutive days.
What is a Host Classroom?
The Earthwatch Host Classroom Program provides the opportunity for additional
students to be involved with Live from the Field. You may be partnered with one
or more Host Classrooms, which means that a larger group of students will follow
your adventure! Students from Host Classrooms may post questions on your blog,
and when possible, speak with you during a brief teleconference. Before you
leave on your expedition, Earthwatch will put you in touch with the teachers of
your assigned Host Classroom.
Will I be assigned to a Host Classroom?
Not necessarily. Only select fellows are assigned Host Classrooms. Assignments are
based on the location of interested institutions, the background of the fellow,
and their assigned research site. Earthwatch prefers to connect Live from the
Field fellows with classrooms outside of their local communities, further
spreading the impact of their teaching. We will also take into account the
level of technical support available in your school, and your familiarity with
using technology in and outside of the classroom.
There is more than one Live from the Field fellow on my team. Can we work together?
Absolutely! Earthwatch will introduce you to the other Live from the Field fellows that
will be joining you in the field. Before you go, you can share your goals for
engaging students and also discuss the equipment you will bring. When you are
in the field, you can share ideas, stories and photos for your blogs.
What if my school blocks the blog?
We urge fellows to test their blogs both from school and home. This will hopefully give
you a sense for how easy or difficult it will be for your students. If you are
unable to access your blog from school, speak with your technology specialist.
There may be a firewall in place to protect your school's computers from
viruses and undesirable websites. If this is the case, the technology staff
should be able to ensure your blog will be accessible to students.
Can I borrow equipment from Earthwatch?
We do have equipment that you can borrow, but find that fellows prefer to use their own
equipment whenever available. If you need to borrow equipment you do not own,
please contact us at livefromthefield@earthwatch.org.
How do I use Blogger?
We encourage you to explore the Help sections on Blogger before contacting
Earthwatch for assistance.
How do I use the satellite phone?
The use of a satellite phone is very similar to a cellular phone. When you or your team
member receives the SAT phone from Earthwatch, there will be a set of
instructions included.
Can I post audio-blogs?
Some Live from the Field fellows have been successful using Gabcast to post voicemails on
their blog. We encourage you to explore Gabcast.com and decide if this option
might interest you.
Can't
find the answer you are looking for?
Contact us:
Fellowship Coordinator
Tel: 800-776-0188 ext. 268 or 978-450-1268
Fax: 978-450-1288
Email: fellowshipawards@earthwatch.org