REFLECTIONS ON THE EVOLUTION OF AN ONLINE ASYNCHRONOUS LAB COURSE IN PHYSICAL GEOLOGY

Technological advancements and an ever-changing student population have challenged most higher education educators over the past decade. This presentation will review the challenges, changes, and the effect on learning, in an asynchronous online physical geology lab course. Student engagement, hands-on labs and group dynamics will be emphasized.

Originally, this course was part of an online associate degree program filled with students savvy about online learning protocol. Many who enroll are senior engineering students from the nearby university, trying to finish that one last graduation requirement. The pandemic brought in a majority of students who struggled with the functionality of online courses. In addition, during this time, a dual-credit program brought in high school students who not only were not prepared for the pace of college learning, but who also struggled with the online learning management system and other course technology.

The initial course offering included a department-prepared lab kit with samples and tools that the students picked up on campus. Then budget constraints and staff reductions forced us to consider kits prepared by a commercial entity. The cost of these kits greatly increased the cost of the course, but students continued to enroll. To help reduce costs, we adopted an OER text for several years. The lack of interactive online learning tools, essential as a supplemental learning device when there are no scheduled course meetings, brought us back to a commercial eText and online homework system. Students have given positive feedback on this tool, despite the cost. We are currently considering creating our own kits again to help lower the course costs.

The preparation of students has improved over the past year. Students can take in-class courses if they are not suited to online learning, and the course continues to attract a diversity of students. Each semester brings challenges and changes to the course, but this author enjoys teaching geology completely online and would like to share some of the challenges and solutions from this experience to the audience, for further learning and robust conversation.