Keeping environmental physiology education up and running during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic provoked a need for rapid adaptation of teaching strategies and learning environments. Thus novel approaches, predominantly based on online/virtual platforms are needed to minimize the negative effects of the pandemic on teaching (and learning). Herein we describe our recent web-based symposium series on environmental physiology and ergonomics initiative as an example of such a strategy. We outline the ideas behind this series and its implementation, which could serve as an example of a useful joint interactive virtual educational environment that could be applied to any physiology subspecialty. Based on the feedback received from all stakeholders involved in the process, we strongly believe that such an approach can provide an excellent platform for all educational levels from undergraduate students up to seasoned academics. Importantly, the unrestricted availability (free registration and publication of recordings and student handouts) is an important consideration for the democratization of science and the inclusion of financially less well-supported students and academics.