In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the urgent need for ecology and environmental science instructors and faculty to offer virtual field learning, 50+ field stations and marine laboratories are working together with RAPID funding from NSF to create cross-site virtual field experiences that help instructors teach field observation and research skills to university students.
UFERN is partnering on this effort.
We are seeking six to ten faculty/instructors who are teaching virtually this summer to help pilot two cross-site virtual field learning resources:
1. Cross-site ecosystem exploration videos that help students develop observational skills. Students watch 3-min videos comparing multiple marine, terrestrial and freshwater habitats and take field notes comparing species relationships, adaptations, habitat structure, formative processes and human-environment interactions.
2. A live-streaming event with researchers at 3 field sites talking with students about multi-disciplinary approaches to field research.
The time obligation is:
- talk with us (15 min)
- view six 3-min ecosystem videos and provide feedback (1 hour)
- assign students to use virtual resources during your summer course:
- self-directed exercise to discover similarities and differences among habitats (1-hour student assignment)
- field research-in-practice live streaming event with researchers at 3 field sites (1.5-hour student assignment)
- give feedback on the educational value of assignments (30 min)
Your involvement will contribute to the development of meaningful virtual field learning resources available to you and field educators across the country as well as help develop a broader vision of learning opportunities at field stations and marine labs for the future. We thank your for your consideration of our request! If you are interested to help pilot these virtual field learning resources, please contact: Claudia Luke, Director Center for Environmental Inquiry, Sonoma State University. Deadline to express interest is June 10th, 2020.
