Good Morning Everyone!

You made this powerful statement, “Students value their learning experiences the most when they have the chance to apply what they are learning in the field.” The rest of the video shows how you created amazing video content (using GoPros, Camcorders, etc) and other virtual interactive applications (Storymaps,etc) to give students a virtual field experience. So I have a few questions:

What was the impact on student learning? Did they feel like they did in fact have a chance to apply what they learned in the “field?”

And you mention that you hope the content you created will be useful across the learning spectrum. Could you say a bit more about how you will make this content available to different courses, educational settings, etcetera.

Finally, how might you continue to use these new technologies and teaching methods in non-virtual settings? Might they continue to be a beautiful adjunct to the classroom and the field?

Hi Justin and team,

Your video reminds us of how long Covid-19 has been with us.  You were funded after it closed down actual field work for students.

As Amy asked (above) will you be preparing protocols that other schools that do not have field stations can use to develop virtual field trips for their students, or case studies that others can use virtually.

I imagne that highschool teachers might be interested. Contact NSTA, https://www.nsta.org or the museum/aquarium/zoo world, contact CAISE https://www.informalscience.org

Hi Justin and team,

As someone who got their start in environmental education in a field setting similar to the ones captured in your video, I often wondered during the pandemic how so many of the outdoor or field schools were handling learning. I really like the use of the StoryMaps in your virtual modules, as they offer the ability to pair a sense of place with the science. While this certainly doesn't replace in-person field experiences, I wonder if that added context increases engagement as compared to other virtual offerings that do not. I am definitely curious to hear how these are received once you implement these programs and learn more as you collect data from the evaluations you have planned! 

My questions for your team are - (1) what specific aspects of your programs are you planning to collect feedback on with the evaluations and (2) Do you see your team using these virtual modules in conjunction with field experiences once we transition back to more *normal* settings?

Thank you for your comments and questions, Elizabeth! We like how the StoryMaps are georeferenced and how the background map moves as the learner goes through the tour - engaging and place-based. You can email the PI of this project - Dr. Justin Hougham at justin.hougham@wisc.edu if you are interested in learning the results of our evaluation!

Our evaluation tools will focus on learner "gains" - how student understanding of the pre-determined learning outcomes have changed after going through the module (i.e. content knowledge, connection to global issues, etc.). 

In more *normal* settings, we anticipate the virtual modules reaching audiences (e.g. high school science courses, undergraduate courses) that are not near the coast - expanding access to field experiences virtually. We also imagine that the modules could serve as assignments to complete or review prior to a day in the field. 

I love the ideas for how to use these modules once in person events resume! What a great way to increase access of coastal resources to non-coastal students! I'm interested to see (even if evidence is all anecdotal) if watching the modules before a field class increases student participation or the amount of content you can cover in a field program! Great stuff!! 

Are you doing any measures of nature connectedness that flow from these experiences. It would be interesting to know how these adaptations impact (positive or negative) nature values and beliefs. If there is any legacy impacts of COVID on nature connecteness.  

Thanks for sharing your project!  This is something we've also been thinking about at NCAR - how can we virtually bring people to our spaces or out onto field campaigns.  I think a lot of my questions have been answered in discussion already, but what are y'all thinking / strategies in terms of distributing your virtual field experiences to audiences that you may not have reached before?

I am late to the game: thank you for the video and the project. It brings up many questions around "second-best alternatives" to being in the field. The UFERN project and at least one NSF RAPID are also dealing with the question. What would you consider an advantage of a virtual field experience over an in-person one?

Field experience is crucial for advanced learning. Sharing the virtual outdoors with learners is valuable. This is perfect tool during Covid.