Online teaching is different! But whether synchronous or asynchronous, I have found that it is still possible to create an engaging learning environment! There are opportunities to incorporate nontraditional resources (i.e. podcasts and streaming platforms) and introduce software to develop technical skills that otherwise wouldn't be addressed.

In my online volcanology course (300-level), student create professional isopach maps in google maps using location data and observations of tephra thicknesses to draw polygons. Later in the course, students participate in a volcanic crisis simulation to rapidly communicate volcanic hazards to the general public!

Resources & Best Practices

These resources allow me to stay informed about best practices and tools for teaching geoscience online. I have also participated in online discussions such as Community Discussion on Teaching Mineralogy/Earth Resources Online in an effort to learn and prepare for teaching a hand-sample based course in Mineralogy, Earth Resources, or similar topic in a virtual environment. The biggest thing I have learned so far is building community early in an online class is necessary and helps students learn from one another as well.

InTeGrate (Interdisciplinary Teaching about Earth for a Sustainable Future) focuses in sustainability education but also provides teaching recourses in the geosciences. InTeGrate designs and supports learning tools to assist students in development of scientific and systems thinking skills as they work with real data and associated social issues. Through this community, I am aware of the most critical aspects to successfully teaching online or hybrid courses, which are distilled into the 5 points below.

1. Clear Communication and a Sense of Community Among Course Participants

2. Make Content Relevant to Students' Lives ('the why should I care?')

3. Awareness of Coursework and Class Size

4. Information Literacy and Critical Evaluation of Sources

5. Employ Effective Management and Assessment Strategies

And for any virtual communication (teaching or otherwise)...

• Remember W.A.I.T: Why Am I Talking?! Focus on what is important, rather than on an argument for the sake of arguing.

• Separate the people from the problem: be hard on the problem and easy on the people. Speak for yourself/your organization and let others do the same.

• Treat each other with respect by listening to each other’s thoughts without interjecting comments, either verbally or through a chat (i.e. Zoom)

• If the chat function is not available, let the facilitator know when you would like to speak or ask a question. Speak again only after others who want to have done so.

-Modified from DS Consulting in Portland, OR