A Depth Deficit: Rapport Building and Remote Field Instruction in University Classes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, major transformations in the practice of field instruction in universities were instituted. For field-based academic disciplines, remote field instruction, in the form of virtually corresponding with community and organizational partners through calls and emails, became an immediate alternative to fieldwork. Purpose: This research intended to explore how this dynamic shift affected field-based classes that sourced pedagogical strength from close engagements with stakeholders in physical spaces. Methodology: Data was gathered through semistructured interviews with 18 university students enrolled in remote field-based classes, consequently analyzed through two cycles of qualitative coding. Findings/Conclusions: Findings suggest that the nature of remote field instruction positively interrogated traditionally-held assumptions about the field as a learning space. However, it also revealed a weak rapport between classes and stakeholders caused by temporal, occupational, and technological challenges—referred to as a depth deficit—which hindered effective field instruction. Implications: The rapid transition to online learning during the pandemic highlighted a knowledge and skill gap on optimizing digital spaces to nurture meaningful interactions. The research recommends further scholarly and practical exploration of virtual engagement in field instruction in an increasingly hybrid postpandemic society.