A comparative study between outcomes of an in-person vs. online introductory field course

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many standard approaches to STEM
education. Particularly impacted were field courses, which rely on
specific natural spaces often accessed through shared vehicles. As
in-person field courses have been found to be particularly impactful for
undergraduate student success in the sciences, we aimed to compare and
understand what factors may have been lost or gained during the conversion
of an introductory field course to an online format. Using a mixed methods
approach comparing data from online and in-person field course offerings,
we found that while community building was lost in the online format,
online participants reported increased self-efficacy in research and
observation skills and connection to their local space. The online field
course additionally provided positive mental health breaks for students
who described the time outside as a much-needed respite. We maintain that
through intentional design, online field courses can provide participants
with similar outcomes to in-person field courses.