How COVID-19 Is Affecting Undergraduate Research Experiences

Sloan, Valerie; Haacker, Rebecca; Batchelor, R. L.; Garza, Corey

doi:10.1029/2020eo145667

Cited by 16 publications

(13 citation statements)

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“…Research experiences help students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills while actively engaging with current scientific challenges (1)(2)(3). During the COVID-19 pandemic, physical distancing and inaccessibility to laboratories led to the cancellation of numerous undergraduate research programs globally (4,5). These circumstances motivated educators to develop innovative ways to provide research experiences.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of the Organonitrogen Biodegradation Database: Teaching Bioinformatics and Collaborative Skills to Undergraduates during a Pandemic ^†

Robinson

Biernath

Rosenthal

et al. 2021

J Microbiol Biol Educ.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of the Organonitrogen Biodegradation Database: Teaching Bioinformatics and Collaborative Skills to Undergraduates during a Pandemic ^†

Robinson

Biernath

Rosenthal

et al. 2021

J Microbiol Biol Educ.

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“…Unfortunately, in 2020, the COVID‐19 pandemic canceled numerous undergraduate research internships across the U.S. Valuable career‐advancing research experiences disappeared, and many students lost their summer income and housing in the midst of the worst economic recession since the 2008 financial crisis (Sloan et al 2020). Knowing the longstanding lack of participation of URM students in the sciences, in all likelihood these changes disproportionately affected URM students.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Same Program Different Delivery: Adapting the Woods Hole Partnership Education Program for a Virtual Era

Price¹,

Luis

Price

et al. 2020

Limnology & Oceanogr Bull

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The Woods Hole Partnership Education Program (PEP) has provided a 10-week residential summer internship program for underrepresented minorities since 2009. Six weeks prior to the planned 2020 residential program, the gravity of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the unanimous decision of the PEP leadership and staff to deliver a virtual program. However, this decision engendered a new set of considerations for a successful undergraduate research program. In this article, we discuss how PEP and its partner institutions galvanized around PEP's overarching goals and guiding principles to rapidly adapt its course, research projects, and supplementary activities for a virtual environment. Based on the insights and feedback from multiple sources, we offer insights and lessons learned for other summer internship programs adapting their programs for a virtual delivery. 1 Holistic review refers to the consideration of a broad range of candidate qualities, including "non cognitive" or personal attributes (Kent and McCarthy 2016). 2 Critical mass ensures that underrepresented students are not isolated, with isolation being one of the greatest challenges that underrepresented students face in STEM fields (Allen-Ramdial and Campbell 2014).

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“…Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic that occurred unexpectedly in the middle of the 2020 spring semester at most United States and international universities abruptly terminated plans for in-person, on-location fieldwork, field courses, and undergraduate research experiences for the foreseeable future (Sloan et al, 2020). Many students were already enrolled in a summer field course for 2020, and a significant percentage of those students needed field-course credits to graduate.…”

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Creating virtual geologic mapping exercises in a changing world

Whitmeyer

Dordevic

2020

Geosphere

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Fieldwork has long been considered an essential component of geoscience research and education, with student field experiences consistently valued for their effectiveness in developing expertise in geoscience skills and cognitive abilities. However, some geoscience disciplines recently have exhibited a decreasing focus on data collection in the field. Additionally, some students have been disinclined to pursue a geoscience career if physical fieldwork is perceived as necessary for the completion of their academic degree. More recently, travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic have restricted access to field locations for many students and geoscience researchers. As a result, geoscience educators are developing virtual field trips and exercises that address many of the learning objectives of traditional in-person field experiences. These virtual field trips and exercises use a variety of online and computer platforms, including web-based and desktop versions of Google Earth (GE). In this contribution, we highlight how educators can create virtual geoscience field trips and exercises using web GE, desktop GE, and a web-based tool for generating oriented geologic symbology for GE. Examples of methods and approaches for creating virtual field experiences in GE are provided for a virtual field trip that uses a web GE presentation to replicate a typical class field trip, and for a geologic mapping exercise that uses a KML file uploaded into web or desktop GE. Important differences between web and desktop GE are discussed, with consideration for which platform might be most effective for specific educational objectives. Challenges and opportunities related to virtual field trips are discussed in comparison with traditional in-person, on-location field trips. It is suggested that in a post–COVID-19 world, a combination of in-person and virtual hybrid field experiences might prove the most effective approach for producing a more inclusive and equitable learning environment, and thus strengthening the geoscience workforce.

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How COVID-19 Is Affecting Undergraduate Research Experiences

Abstract: Limitations on summer research internships imposed by the pandemic are impeding students’ engagement in geoscience education and preparation for careers. The community is acting quickly to adapt.

Cited by 16 publications

References 0 publications

Development of the Organonitrogen Biodegradation Database: Teaching Bioinformatics and Collaborative Skills to Undergraduates during a Pandemic ^†

Development of the Organonitrogen Biodegradation Database: Teaching Bioinformatics and Collaborative Skills to Undergraduates during a Pandemic ^†

Same Program Different Delivery: Adapting the Woods Hole Partnership Education Program for a Virtual Era

Creating virtual geologic mapping exercises in a changing world

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How COVID-19 Is Affecting Undergraduate Research Experiences

Abstract: Limitations on summer research internships imposed by the pandemic are impeding students’ engagement in geoscience education and preparation for careers. The community is acting quickly to adapt.

Cited by 16 publications

References 0 publications

Development of the Organonitrogen Biodegradation Database: Teaching Bioinformatics and Collaborative Skills to Undergraduates during a Pandemic †

Development of the Organonitrogen Biodegradation Database: Teaching Bioinformatics and Collaborative Skills to Undergraduates during a Pandemic †

Same Program Different Delivery: Adapting the Woods Hole Partnership Education Program for a Virtual Era

Creating virtual geologic mapping exercises in a changing world

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Development of the Organonitrogen Biodegradation Database: Teaching Bioinformatics and Collaborative Skills to Undergraduates during a Pandemic ^†

Development of the Organonitrogen Biodegradation Database: Teaching Bioinformatics and Collaborative Skills to Undergraduates during a Pandemic ^†