Takes a virtual tour through the field station!

Check out our virtual tour (https://app.lapentor.com/sphere/teck) through the UBC – Teck Geological Field Station near the town of Oliver in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, Canada!

The virtual tour was created by Cynthia Liu in 2022, who was an undergraduate student at the time. It was funded by the Skylight Development Grant (including EOAS matching funds) and the Earth Science Experiential and Indigenous Learning Initiative (EaSEIL) supported by the UBC Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund and EOAS Department Funds.

Dr. Laura Lukes (Assistant Professor at EOAS; Project lead & manager, research and evaluation of the EaSEIL project) believes that the virtual tour provides students with an opportunity to tour the field station virtually and helps them prepare for learning by reducing the uncertainty associated with going to a new environment. By knowing what washroom facilities, sleeping accommodations, etc. will be like, stress levels can be reduced and the students can focus their attention and energy on learning the content.

The virtual tour has been used by instructors of several courses, including EOSC328, GEOS309, and CONS451, to help students prepare for field course experiences that involve staying at the field station.

“The virtual tour of the UBC – Teck Geological Field Station plays an important role in preparing our students for what to expect during the course.  The field station is their “home” for three weeks and the virtual tour allows the students to remotely inspect every aspect of the field station, from their Weatherhaven shelters where they sleep to the washroom/shower facilities, to the main building where they work and eat, to the kitchen area, and also the general environment outdoors.  We look forward to using the virtual tour each year going ahead.” –Dr. James Scoates, Professor, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Instructor for EOSC328

“The field station is the shared home for students and instructors for up to three weeks for EOSC 328 Field Geology. The virtual tour is a great introduction to the space in which students and instructors will be living and working. I have used the virtual tour to introduce students to the field station before they arrive on site. With the camp now in regular operation, I anticipate that the tour will be used and appreciated by both UBC and external users.  I am extremely grateful to the EaSEIL team for putting together this much-needed resource and for TELF and Skylight for funding this work among other projects that EaSEIL is undertaking.” –Dr. Joel Saylor, Associate Professor, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Instructor for EOSC328

“The field station VR is a really nice, simply designed closer-look at the field station. It has been really helpful in my own course for preparing students in advance for their living facilities and the field station environment, orienting students to the place. Nifty pop-up tips on accessibility features, and even how to approach or prepare for a day’s outing, were a plus.” –Dr. Nina Hewitt, Associate Professor of Teaching, Department of Geography at UBC, Instructor for GEOS309

“I really appreciated having the virtual tour available for our students. We view the tour together in class the week before the trip, and they enjoy seeing where they’ll be staying. They have a lot to prepare before embarking on a field trip, and knowing exactly what to expect at the station allows them to plan accordingly.” –Dr. Nolan Bett, Lecturer, Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences at UBC, Instructor for CONS 451

“It’s an absolute pleasure to see the UBC Teck Geological Field Station documented by this virtual tour. It captures the beauty of the area while providing a useful orientation to this professional and well-equipped field station, including notes on what to expect during field school. All that’s missing is the native plant garden in the front, the resident quails, and the amazing students, staff, and faculty that help make these field schools safe, supportive, and unforgettable experiences.” –Dr. Warren Cardinal-McTeague, Assistant Professor, Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences at UBC, Instructor for CONS 451