ED018-02
COVID-19: Kick-starting a community-driven effort to build inclusive and accessible field experiences
Wednesday, 9 December 2020: 16:07
Virtual
Christopher L. Atchison, University of Cincinnati, School of Education and Department of Geology, Cincinnati, OH, United States, Kurtis C Burmeister, Dept of Earth & Enviro Sci, Stockton, CA, United States, Basil Tikoff, Univ Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States, Katherine Ryker, Eastern Michigan University, Geography and Geology, Ypsilanti, MI, United States, Laura K Rademacher, University of the Pacific, Department of Geological & Environmental Science, Stockton, CA, United States and Anne E Egger, Central Washington University, Geological Sciences and Science Education, Ellensburg, WA, United States
Abstract:
Work to broaden participation in the geosciences has been ongoing for more than forty years. Unfortunately, research suggests little growth in diverse representation during this time. However, during the spring and summer of 2020, the broadening participation needle took a huge leap forward, and it is likely that few even noticed. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the geoscience community quickly realized that opportunities for experiential learning – including traditional, field-based geologic courses used as capstone experiences for undergraduate majors – would need to shift to distance learning or be cancelled altogether. Suddenly, students faced the inaccessibility of field sites typically used to make the observations and interpretations of geologic relationships that reinforce the skills obtained in classrooms and laboratories. Indeed, the geoscience community had less than two months to develop effective instructional approaches to support thousands of students during the 2020 field season. Instructors had insufficient time to gain the expertise needed to develop and implement suitable online alternatives. The solution was a coordinated effort by over 350 field instructors, who shared expertise, best practices, resources, and universally designed field activities.
The broader impacts of this effort will continue long after the pandemic, and directly address the long-standing challenge of designing field experiences that promote inclusivity, accessibility, and equity for students commonly marginalized by traditional field-based experiences. These impacts include the creation and expansion of curricular tools and opportunities that can help students overcome barriers to participation (e.g., physical disabilities, financial concerns, cultural stigmas, or family obligations); help reduce the novelty space associated with field-based experiences; and ultimately allow students to build relevant skills and confidence before going to the field. This presentation will discuss the heroic community-focused effort to develop rigorous field experiences through distance learning in the midst of a global pandemic. This discussion will also include how a similar community effort could have an immediate impact on broadening participation efforts in the geosciences.
