Contents I. Introduction
Field education is a fundamental component of many undergraduate geology programs, ranging from short day trips to immersive multi-week courses. Learning in the field is considered highly valuable for students, resulting in cognitive gains in critical thinking and higher-order thinking skills while preparing students for their professional careers [1] –[3]. However, field education is not without limitations. Large class sizes, budgetary constraints, inclement weather, and inaccessible field sites have led to the cancellation and discontinuation of field education opportunities. Although the benefits of field education are generally agreed to outweigh the limitations [3], virtual counterparts to in-person field opportunities [4] afford students a place to digitally practice field techniques, listen to lectures in context, and explore places they could not otherwise visit [5].
