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How the ecology and evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic changed learning
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  • Marcus Lashley,
  • Miguel Acevedo,
  • Sehoya Cotner,
  • Christopher Lortie
Marcus Lashley
University of Florida

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Miguel Acevedo
University of Florida
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Sehoya Cotner
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
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Christopher Lortie
York University - Keele Campus
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Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic introduced an abrupt change in human behavior globally. Here, we discuss unique insights into the eco-evolutionary role of pathogens in ecosystems and present data that indicates the pandemic can fundamentally change our learning choices. This pathogen has indirectly affected many organisms and processes by globally changing the behavior of humans to avoid being infected. The pandemic also changed our learning behavior by affecting the relative importance of information and forcing teaching and learning into a framework that accommodates human behavioral measures to avoid disease transmission. Not only are these indirect effects on the environment occurring through a unique mechanistic pathway in ecology, the pandemic along with its effects on us provides a profound example of the role risk can play in the transmission of information between the at-risk. Ultimately, these changes in our learning behavior led to this special issue “Taking learning online in Ecology and Evolution.” The special issue was a call to the community to take learning in new directions, including online and distributed experiences. The topics examined include a significant component of DIY ecology and evolution that is experiential and but done individually, opportunities to use online tools and apps to be more inclusive, student-focused strategies for teaching online, how to reinvent conferences, strategies to retain experiential learning safely, emerging forms of teaching such as citizen science, apps and podcasting, and ideas on how to accommodate ever changing constraints in the college classroom, to name a few. The collective consensus in our fields is that these times are challenging but we can continue to improve and innovate on existing developments, and more broadly and importantly, this situation may provide an opportunity to reset some of the existing practices that fail to promote an effective and inclusive learning environment.
31 Jul 2020Submitted to Ecology and Evolution
01 Aug 2020Submission Checks Completed
01 Aug 2020Assigned to Editor
10 Aug 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
27 Aug 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
01 Sep 2020Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
17 Sep 20201st Revision Received
18 Sep 2020Submission Checks Completed
18 Sep 2020Assigned to Editor
18 Sep 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
25 Sep 2020Editorial Decision: Accept