The staff at the Field Station usually host a field trip every other spring for the Fisheries Biology class (BIO 429), but due to COVID-19, it was not possible to take the students out onto the water this year. Instead, the Field Station staff created a video using Go-Pro cameras to provide the students with a virtual field trip. The video introduced them to fish sampling techniques that are commonly used in fisheries management and showed these techniques being performed in our local waterways. The final product was streamed to the class through Blackboard and will also be used to support upcoming education and outreach objectives.
The new skills developed through this process will certainly have applications moving forward at the Field Station. Even without COVID-19, it can be difficult to get groups of students out onto the water because of weather, boat capacity, and numerous other factors. The Go-Pro cameras and editing software allow for the Field Station staff to create and share content with students who otherwise would not have been able to accompany the staff as they work to complete research projects. These new tools can now be used to offer even more opportunities to enrich the student education experience at Buffalo State College by providing digital content that is exciting and informative.
Image caption: A still image from a video field trip demonstrating electrofishing techniques. Common rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) being transferred to the livewell aboard the electrofishing boat.
