FIVE KEY COMPONENTS TO SUCCESSFUL AND ENGAGING ONLINE GEOSCIENCE LABS

Prior to March 2020, very few geoscience lab courses were offered in the online format. For various reasons, including student engagement concerns and lab material needs, online geoscience lab courses have often been some of the last courses considered for the online format. The goal of this session is to confront this antiquated mindset to illustrate the value online geoscience lab courses provide to today’s student and to present a plan for developing, revising and facilitating successful online geoscience lab courses.

The presentation will identify the five key components found in successful and highly engaging online geoscience lab courses. Examples will be taken from a wide suite of online science courses offered at a two-year community college, including earth science and geology lab courses. Attendees will see specific examples of how the key components are incorporated into different online science labs and how each component creates an environment that promotes the understanding of science and the students’ success.

Following the presentation, attendees will be asked to reflect on the geoscience lab courses they design, teach or would like to design and teach and identify concrete ways they can incorporate the five key components into those online geoscience labs. Attendees will share their plans to utilize the information from the presentation with the group and will have time during the Q&A to discuss as a group, pose follow up questions to the presenter and ultimately leave the session with an action plan to create, update and facilitate engaging online geoscience labs.