DIY ecology class: Transitioning field activities to an online format

Ecol Evol. 2020 Aug 14;10(22):12437-12441. doi: 10.1002/ece3.6656. eCollection 2020 Nov.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the transition of many traditional face-to-face classes into an online format with little time to prepare best practice guidelines. In this article, we share a case study of how we adapted a group field activity into an individual laboratory assignment that can be completed during shelter-in-place restrictions. We conclude with ideas for future applications while staying mindful of the ways in which this pandemic has highlighted the inequities of the classroom, especially at community colleges.

Keywords: COVID‐19; biodiversity sampling; ecology; online teaching; quadrat; remote instruction.