Inquiry-based components of ecology curricula can be valuable, exposing students to what it means to do science, from conceiving of a meaningful question to effectively disseminating results to an audience. Here, we describe two approaches for implementing independent, remote research for undergraduates enacted in the spring semester of 2020 at Reed College in Portland, OR, reporting case studies from an intermediate-level ecology course and an interdisciplinary environmental science course. We report on both the challenges as well as the novel opportunities for independent research projects in such a setting, the details of how projects were implemented, the tools and resources that may help facilitate such endeavors, as well as perceptions on the effectiveness of this endeavor by students. As institutes of higher education continue to operate in an online learning environment, we hope these materials help spark a discussion about how to engage in meaningful research experiences as part of coursework in the COVID-19 era and beyond.Simulation models are increasingly used by ecologists to study complex, ecosystem-scale phenomena, but integrating ecosystem simulation modeling into ecology undergraduate and graduate curricula remains rare. Engaging ecology students with ecosystem simulation models may enable students to conduct hypothesis-driven scientific inquiry while also promoting their use of systems thinking, but it remains unknown how using hands-on modeling activities in the classroom affects student learning. Here, we developed short (3-hr) teaching modules as part of the Macrosystems EDDIE (Environmental Data-Driven Inquiry & Exploration) program that engage students with hands-on ecosystem modeling in the R statistical environment. We embedded the modules into in-person ecology courses at 17 colleges and universities and assessed student perceptions of their proficiency and confidence before and after working with models. Across all 277 undergraduate and graduate students who participated in our study, completing one Macrosystems EDDIE teaching module significantly increased students’ self-reported proficiency, confidence, and likely future use of simulation models, as well as their perceived knowledge of ecosystem simulation models. Further, students were significantly more likely to describe that an important benefit of ecosystem models was their “ease of use” after completing a module. Interestingly, students were significantly more likely to provide evidence of systems thinking in their assessment responses about the benefits of ecosystem models after completing a module, suggesting that these hands-on ecosystem modeling activities may increase students’ awareness of how individual components interact to affect system-level dynamics. Overall, Macrosystems EDDIE modules help students gain confidence in their ability to use ecosystem models and provide a useful method for ecology educators to introduce undergraduate and graduate students to ecosystem simulation modeling using in-person, hybrid, or virtual modes of instruction.Restrictions on public gatherings in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in cancelation of in-person outreach programs offered by the Florida Master Naturalist Program and Natural Areas Training Academy, two successful University of Florida extension programs that provide natural history and resource management training to lay and professional audiences. In response, both programs rapidly transitioned to blended or 100% online educational methods to continue offering courses and maintain program operations. To assess participant responses to these changes, we used surveys and course registry data to evaluate and compare course enrollment, satisfaction, and outcomes among courses with new online formats to courses offered prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. click here We also examined logistical challenges and key programmatic elements that facilitated the transition of both programs to increased reliance on online education. Course participants responded favorably to classes offered online. Our results revealed an audience exists for online programming, that satisfaction with online courses was high and comparable to that measured for in-person courses, and that online approaches effectively transferred knowledge and promoted behavior change in participants. The transition to online programming required investments of time, energy, and in some cases, direct costs. However, this transition was greatly facilitated by the existence of well-defined program protocols, educational curricula, strong partnerships, and feedback mechanisms for both programs. Long-term investments in program structure, partnerships, and support systems enabled both programs to be resilient and adaptable and successfully implement online programming in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.There are many barriers to fieldwork including cost, time, and physical ability. Unfortunately, these barriers disproportionately affect minority communities and create a disparity in access to fieldwork in the natural sciences. Travel restrictions, concerns about our carbon footprint, and the global lockdown have extended this barrier to fieldwork across the community and led to increased anxiety about gaps in productivity, especially among graduate students and early-career researchers. In this paper, we discuss agent-based modeling as an open-source, accessible, and inclusive resource to substitute for lost fieldwork during COVID-19 and for future scenarios of travel restrictions such as climate change and economic downturn. We describe the benefits of Agent-Based models as a teaching and training resource for students across education levels. We discuss how and why educators and research scientists can implement them with examples from the literature on how agent-based models can be applied broadly across life science research. We aim to amplify awareness and adoption of this technique to broaden the diversity and size of the agent-based modeling community in ecology and evolutionary research. Finally, we discuss the challenges facing agent-based modeling and discuss how quantitative ecology can work in tandem with traditional field ecology to improve both methods.