Conversion of a Senior Instrumental Analysis Laboratory Course to Online Delivery and Remote Learning

• Natasha M. Garner ^[1] ; Hans D. Osthoff ^[1]
  1. [1] University of Calgary

     University of Calgary

     Canadá

     
• Localización: Journal of chemical education, ISSN 0021-9584, Vol. 101, Nº 2, 2024, págs. 448-455
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • The global Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and associated restrictions on indoor gatherings posed considerable challenges to the delivery of courses that traditionally have relied on hands-on learning in their laboratory components. Here, our experiences converting a senior instrumental analysis course to remote online learning in the Fall 2020 semester are described. The main objective was the production of laboratory videos in lieu of in-person experiments that maintained a high level of authenticity. Videos of six instrumental analysis experiments were created. Experiments were performed and recorded using a headband or tripod mounted “GoPro Hero8” camera by a teaching assistant, providing students with a first-person perspective. The videos were edited in “Camtasia” software and posted on the course’s “Desire2Learn” (D2L) Web site for students to view on-demand. This allowed lectures to be coordinated with the experiment schedule, which permitted the discussion of theory (in the lecture) and experiments (in the online laboratory) to be tightly integrated. Student performance (assessed through summative oral exams) and student feedback from anonymous electronic surveys were generally positive, though course completion rates dropped. The laboratory videos were utilized when the laboratory returned to in-person delivery in the Fall 2021 and 2022 semesters. The availability of first-person videos was found to enrich the students’ experience, improve preparation, reduce anxiety, and foster a more inclusive environment by allowing for the scheduling of online makeup laboratories (in case of missed lab experiments), hence representing a valuable tool for student success.