Page 9 - i1052-5173-31-3-4
P. 9
terms required to adequately perform the Additional challenges that occurred due adapting this type of training and course
exercises; and (iii) Internet connectivity to the shorter timeframe in the field included delivery, it bodes well for demand for field
issues may have prevented students from (i) unfamiliarity with measuring fold axes courses run by field stations with fairly
hearing the entire lecture live. We addressed and using a Brunton compass in general; (ii) large year-round enrollments.
these limitations by lowering the workload unfamiliarity with actually measuring a Third, we believe demand for field-based
and setting greater flexibility on deadlines; stratigraphic section in the field; (iii) diffi- courses may actually rise. Of the ~250 stu-
cutting back on the introduction of new and culty in providing feedback via the virtual dents enrolled to take our field camps for
technical terminology; and recording lec- platform or scanned images to students as the summer of 2020, nearly 75% of them
tures and putting them and lecture material they worked on their maps and cross sec- canceled and deferred for a later date.
online the same day. tions (i.e., advised not to provide close face- Accounting for the students still in their
The 15-day field phase featured modules to-face feedback on projects); and (iv) hav- sophomore and junior years who plan to
on rock identification, Laramide orogeny– ing to schedule “office hours” rather than enroll in field camp during 2021–2022, this
related intrusions, and the metamorphic core students having full access to instructors could represent a nearly 4× increase from
of the Black Hills. The key observations of during office days as in a normal BHNSFS 2020. This scenario will require advance
this portion of the course included (i) the reg- camp. These limitations and drawbacks to planning to provide space for all of the stu-
ular four-day field mapping projects were the online and hybrid approach need to be dents who will enroll in field camp. This
challenging to scale down to two- to three- addressed by the field geoscience education rather optimistic scenario also agrees with
day–long mapping projects with the addi- community. other observations that “a field camp can-
tional health and safety requirements that not be run online” and that there is no sub-
were needed and in the absence of a day off OUTLOOK FOR GEOSCIENCE stitute for “in-the-field mapping” to train
each week as in the past (five days were pre- FIELD-BASED EDUCATION DURING students on field geology methods.
viously allowed to grade each project); (ii) COVID-19 TIMES
more time and lead time is required to do Like with science in general, our fields are CONCLUSIONS
nearly everything in the field camp due to never moribund. Based on our field-camp Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many
HS&E requirements, leading to longer days experience this year, many of our peers have field-based geoscience programs have been
for all involved; and (iii) it is more challeng- asked us to predict what will happen to field- temporarily suspended. The experiences
ing to deliver feedback in the form of grades based education over the next 5–10 years and described herein provide a benchmark for
and constructive criticism when there are no in the immediate short term. We feel that planning and executing hybrid field geology
days purely devoted to rest for the students while we are unable to make predictions, we
and grading for the instructors. can forecast three key scenarios: (i) an courses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While four days in the past were ade- increase in hybrid-type field courses with Our aim is to provide these observations as
quate to map structures such as the peak two phases similar to our trial course, which a way to facilitate constructive dialogue
near Elkhorn Resort, an asymmetric dome limits the amount of time spent physically in among the geoscience education community,
with an underlying intrusion just east of the the same location and thereby decreases the including students and faculty and stake-
Wyoming–South Dakota border, the lim- risk of an outbreak; (ii) a decrease in field holders alike, to continually hone, refine, and
ited time and necessary spacing of cohorts courses as universities accelerate online innovate the way we educate our next gen-
required careful logistical planning. teaching to accommodate the circumstances eration of earth scientists, many of whom
Additionally, flexibility was paramount. of the pandemic and increase global reach; will discover important energy resources for
Limited time meant that the students might and (iii) an increase in field courses due to an our world. We hope this contribution will
be able to identify rock types and get the increase in demand from the postponement, serve as a useful guide for universities and
structure correct, but for projects in the delay, and cancellation of courses since businesses planning to hold face-to-face
metamorphic core of the Black Hills, it early to mid-2020. activities during this time of uncertainty.
became exceedingly difficult to recognize The first scenario may become increas-
multiple Black Hills deformational events ingly common in the short term for the ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
in just two days of mapping. Second, the following reasons: (i) instructors now have This study could not have been possible without
enhanced HS&E protocols required longer abundant material that they can use to teach the support and data provided by the South Dakota
School of Mines and Technology and the Black
times to do nearly everything because they remote courses; (ii) the wear-and-tear of Hills Natural Sciences Field Station. In particular,
were accomplished by cohort, from break- travel is significantly reduced for the stu- we thank the late Dr. Alvis Lisenbee for his gener-
fast, to loading the vans, to turning in dent and instructor and requires much less osity of spirit in teaching us how to map the chal-
homework, to distributing field equipment, logistical preparation; and (iii) this scenario lenging terrain of the Black Hills. Dr. Lisenbee
including Brunton compasses and GPS can accommodate both those who learn best spread joy for the geosciences and his enthusiasm
for the thrill of discovery in field mapping is a key
units. However, one camp event that likely online and in the field, so it is more “equal” mindset instilled in all of us. We also thank all of
was made logistically easier during this in its delivery. the students and vendors (too numerous to name)
course was the evening virtual meeting to The second scenario may occur due to involved in creating successful field camps through-
introduce a new project or to review Black budget cuts, a change in curriculum, or a out the years. Thank you to D. Chiarella and an
Hills geology. Third, the feedback on stu- wholesale acceptance that field camp is no anonymous reviewer for their thorough and com-
dent projects necessarily needed to be longer required for an undergraduate geo- prehensive reviews of the manuscript that greatly
improved its readability and impact. JR also thanks
accelerated because there were no rest days science degree. We tend to disagree with the brilliant and talented Dr. Pooja Sodha for her
in the field portion of the course. all of these reasons. For many universities inspiration to this contribution.
www.geosociety.org/gsatoday 9