Teaching Science Methods Online During COVID-19: Instructor's Segue into Online Learning

Abstract

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation’s universities and colleges required online learning and shelter-in-place/stay-at-home protocols for the end of Spring 2020 semester. This new reality resulted in the fact that my undergraduate elementary science methods course would not be held in our Title 1 urban elementary professional development school (PDS); so unfortunately, March 3, 2020 was the last time elementary science methods students (SMSs) and I met in person. Moving immediately from a class environment where SMSs were able to co-plan and co-teach several science lessons in the PDS classrooms to an online learning environment was a challenge I embraced. This paper reports on three different learning management systems employed during two specific life science class sessions. Initial coding of the 30 SMSs’ video experiences indicates content learning with exploration of outside environments as doable during pandemic shelter-in-place conditions. Initial findings suggest repeated, purposeful observation and exploration of outdoor environments lessen fears of the natural world. Findings also suggest continuing positive outdoor exploration and research experiences in face-to-face or online learning environments to increase future teacher’s abilities to conduct experiences in their future classrooms.