2027 Spring Alaska Studies Course

NEA-Alaska is partnering with UAA Professional and Continuing Education (PACE) to offer an Alaska Studies course for members in spring 2027.

Event Overview

• Dates: Tuesday, January 19, 2027 to Monday, March 22, 2027
• Location: Online
• Details: An asynchronous, 3-credit Alaska Studies course open only to NEA-Alaska members. Space is limited to 30 participants.

Course Title: ED 545K A: Alaska Studies for Educators: An Examination of Conflicting Perspectives

Course Description: This course provides a framework for understanding and teaching Alaska studies by examining conflicting perspectives on key events in Alaska Native history. Over nine weeks, participants explore Alaska’s five cultural regions; Alaska history told through Alaska Native and Western voices; boarding schools, the Molly Hootch case and the policies that shaped Alaska schools; subsistence, language and sovereignty; and Alaska Native ways of knowing. The course ends with a lesson plan that brings Alaska history into each participant’s own work with students.

Note: Some readings and films address difficult histories, including boarding schools. Content notes are included, and the most difficult material is optional.

Credits: 3 credits through UAA PACE, graded A–F. A grade of C or higher meets the State of Alaska DEED Alaska Studies requirement for certification.

Format: Fully asynchronous on the NEA-Alaska Learning & Leadership Lab (LearnUpon). Each week includes readings and videos, a forum discussion with classmates and an entry in a running reflective journal, plus major assignments in some weeks. There are no required Zoom sessions. Plan on about 15 hours a week.

Course Dates: January 19 to March 22, 2027. All work is due March 21.

Cost: $70 for 3 credits. The UAA PACE price is $119, and NEA-Alaska covers $49 for each member.

Instructor: Kevin Klott, Anchorage Education Association

Syllabus: Please read the syllabus to see the coursework expectations before signing up: Syllabus Link

Sign Up

Space is limited. Express interest by filling out the pre-registration form below:

Sign Up Today!

The deadline to pre-register is December 4, 2026.

NEA-Alaska will notify you by December 9, 2026 if we are able to offer you a space in the class. Accepted participants will receive UAA registration information.

Dates & Deadlines

• December 1: Pre-registration form closes.
• December 4: Notification of acceptance and UAA registration information.
• TBA: Deadline to complete UAA registration.
• January 19: Course opens in LearnUpon. Week 1 runs Tuesday through Sunday.
• January 19 to March 21: Weekly readings, discussions and assignments. Initial discussion posts are due Wednesdays, and other weekly work is due Sundays.
• March 21: All course work is due.
• March 22: Course ends.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Does it meet DEED’s Alaska Studies requirement?

  Yes. ED 545K is DEED-approved.

• Can it be used for initial certification or re-certification?

  Yes. It has the same DEED approval.

• Can it count toward district salary advancement?

  Yes, but check with your district. The course is listed as ED 545K from UAA PACE.

• Can it count toward a degree?

  No. Check with an advisor or UAA PACE.

• When are credits issued?

  UAA processes grades after the course ends on March 22 and credits are issued about two weeks later.

• Are non-classroom educators eligible?

  Yes. Counselors, librarians and other certified educators are welcome. The final lesson plan assignment has an option for educators who don’t teach in a classroom.

• Can someone join NEA-Alaska now and still qualify?

  Yes. Join here.

• How is the course accessed?

  Through the NEA-Alaska Learning & Leadership Lab (LearnUpon). Enrollment instructions are emailed to accepted participants.

• Can participants set their own pace?

  Within each week, yes. The course has weekly deadlines so participants can discuss the readings together.

• Are materials purchased separately?

  Two books: Ernestine Hayes, The Tao of Raven, and Harry Ritter, Alaska’s History. Purchase or borrow them from a library. All other readings and videos are free and linked in the course.

• Who created the course?

  Kevin Klott, a middle school ELA teacher and Professional Development Chair for Anchorage Education Association, built the course for NEA-Alaska from the UAA-approved ED 545K syllabus.