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TABLE 1. SUGGESTED CHECKLIST AND TIMETABLE FOR A SUCCESSFUL HYBRID ONLINE FIELD METHODS AND FIELD COURSE

Students Instructors Course leadership (director) Logistics
6 months until Evaluate camps to attend in USA Define objectives and scope of Advertise field camp; identify pre- Discuss with course leadership
course and internationally, and apply class for online and field portions; planning issues and challenges what is required for the camp
seek rules and regulations from pertaining to scholastic, ADA, and
government authorities (travel logistical needs
bans, virus testing requirements)
5 months until Register for field camp based on Brainstorm projects and generate Work with all stakeholders and Iterate scenarios and camp
course available opportunities risk matrix for evaluating projects state government to develop requirements with course
health and safety plan; oversee leadership; finalize what is
development of projects that serve required to run a safe field camp
the needs of the student
4 months until Take any remaining prerequisites Develop projects in line with Compile and finalize equipment Reserve vehicles,
course objectives; identify list of and requirements list from all accommodations, dining
necessary equipment for online stakeholders (i.e., what do they programs, based on information
and field courses need to be successful?) from course leadership
3 months until Complete pre-camp readings; Test projects and peer-review Guide project development; work Prepare site for field camp;
course continue to complete course among the instructors; reevaluate with all stakeholders to complete run-through of contingency
prerequisites the scope, goals, and deliverables tasks scenarios identified by
for each project leadership and instructors and
other governmental and health
authorities
2 months until Students acquire necessary Test online delivery; scope out Assess final peer-review of Work with instructors and
course equipment for course field areas for feasibility due to projects leadership to finalize a
changing environmental and contingency scenarios document
health and safety issues
1 month until Pack and final preparations for Finalize project preparation Final coordination with all key Final coordination of all logistical
course course stakeholders items including travel, vans,
dining, accommodations
Online course Attend course, learn, complete Deliver course lectures, Q&A Provide evaluations of course Final check and amendments due
delivery (Phase I) exercises as part of a team, sessions (for credit), exercises; content to instructors; continue to changing needs and last-minute
receive and implement feedback grade exercises; provide feedback to work with accommodations, alterations, if needed
on exercises to students and other instructors vehicles, dining to prepare for
regarding academic and logistical field-camp phase
challenges
Field camp Attend course, learn, complete Using health & safety guidelines Observe and evaluate the range Deliver on all items; maintain open
delivery exercises, receive and implement developed for this course, and variability in project outcomes communication with instructors to
(Phase II) feedback on exercises deliver course lectures, Q&A to compare merits, limitations, and see what works and what doesn’t
sessions, exercises; grade provide feedback to instructors
exercises; provide feedback to and key stakeholders
students and other instructors
regarding academic and logistical
challenges
Post-course review Implement new knowledge on Meet to discuss merits, limitations, Meet with all stakeholders to Meet with stakeholders to discuss
geoscience toward graduate pitfalls and suggestions and discuss merits, limitations, pitfalls, merits, limitations, pitfalls, and
school or career; provide written critiques for next learning event and suggestions and critiques for suggestions and critiques for next
and oral feedback on the course to next learning event learning event
all stakeholders

working in all parts of the country. This director alike consistently reminded the practices for students and instructional
online field-methods course required mod- students to use social distancing and quar- staff: (i) students and staff should have a
ules from five instructors and the director of antine measures and other health and safety pocket-sized card with the Center for
the BHNSFS, totaling ~80–200 hours of guidelines to limit the risk of becoming Disease Control (CDC) list of COVID-19
work per instructor to prepare, deliver, and infected with COVID-19 prior to arrival in symptoms for reference; (ii) students
complete grading for the online course exer- Rapid City. Students were encouraged to should be encouraged to practice respira-
cise. By the end of the 14-day online phase, drive to Rapid City, if possible. Students tory etiquette by covering coughs and 5
www.geosociety.org/gsatoday
the students had received 15 GB of data, and instructors who flew to Rapid City sneezes and wash their hands or apply
information, and exercises, constituting Regional Airport were encouraged to wear hand sanitizer afterward; (iii) members of
thousands of hours of analysis and a huge a face mask in transit to and from the air- the camp would maintain social distancing
scientific, technical, and economic value. port, during the flight, and while in the air- of 6 feet (2 m) while on campus and in the
port. Since there were no widely available field areas whenever practical and during
Pre-Trip Planning and COVID-19 testing kits at the time, no tests were admin- meals in the cafeteria or outside; and (iv)
Infection Scenarios istered prior to the field course. separate cohorts should not be around one
In the weeks leading up to the field-based The pre-planning and execution of the another or interact at any time throughout
portion of the course, instructors and the logistics and safety included general daily the duration of the course. The final part

6 GSA Today | March-April 2021