Designing Virtual Laboratory Exercises Using Microsoft Forms

Abstract

Chemistry educators around the world have had to introduce innovative approaches for engaging students through virtual chemistry laboratory exercises, both out of necessity and to complement traditional in-person learning. As new methods are explored, instructors strive to offer experiences that are engaging and accessible and that foster skills transferable to in-person laboratories. Here, we introduce a method for designing virtual laboratory exercises using existing survey platforms, namely Microsoft Forms and Google Forms. These platforms offer the ability to integrate media content (e.g., videos and images) and questions which allow instructors to scaffold experiments with targeted inquiries as well as to encourage students to make decisions by the incorporation of branching points where the outcome(s) of the experiment can vary based on the selections chosen by students. Additionally, they are accessible to both teachers and students and offer instructors the flexibility to customize their virtual experiences to support their course learning outcomes. These exercises can also be easily shared and modified between instructors and potentially complement future in-person laboratories.