Hi Peg, I'd be really interested to hear what people say about this. I would like to develop a substantive paleo field course and feel a real lack in that area. We have pretty good vertebrate field work but the opportunities for learning invertebrate field methods are very thin. At NPL we have begun using Xplore mapping tablets and ARCGIS in the field, tagging specimens, imaging in situ material and so forth, in an effort to make fossil collection more integrated with the whole geology. We have also tried, not terribly successfully, to use quadrats. I have added some comments and could go on at great length but I need to get back to shifting a collection! &gt; (1) What are the key practical skills that students should learn and &gt; develop to effectively conduct a field study in paleontology? Pre-planning of the project, maps, previous studies etc Health and safety issues Appropriate field gear, storage and labelling, note books cameras, field computer, GPS etc &gt; (2) What are the key paleontological concepts or knowledge that students &gt; can learn most effectively in a field setting? Modes of fossilization (raises a plethora of diagenetic and biological issues) Interaction between organisms (often excluded in pristine collection environments) Index fossils etc Evolution of faunae &gt; (3) What skills and knowledge does a field-based paleo project provide to a &gt; NON-paleontology student, e.g., a student interested in sedimentary geology, &gt; structural geology, or hydrogeology? The importance of the biota to the sedimentary environment