Learning Postdisruption: Lessons from Students in a Fully Online Nonmajors Laboratory Course

Abstract

Students and instructors bring varying levels of experience and expectations to online learning. This became even more apparent in March 2020 when the pandemic disrupted face-to-face instruction and required rapid conversion to remote teaching. In this study, mixed methods were used to understand how students perceived these instructional changes and to examine the effects of remote learning on their approach to subsequent coursework and faculty interactions. First, open-ended survey data collected from students enrolled in a summer 2020 nonmajors asynchronous laboratory course were analyzed to learn more about students’ spring 2020 remote learning experiences. The questions directly addressed remote learning experiences and emphasized study strategies learned, faculty communication modes, and students’ perceived ability at taking online courses. Second, four consecutive years of survey data—including both Likert-type scale surveys and open-ended questions—were analyzed to identify core themes and to measure variations between cohorts. These data present a unique opportunity in that they allow for critical analyses and document differences in online learning experiences for student cohorts pre- (2017–2019) and post- (2020) the COVID-19 disruption. The findings from the survey data can be used to inform how faculty may better focus their teaching efforts while promoting student learning and engagement during a time of continued teaching disruption and uncertainty. The overall results of this study are applicable to all levels of chemistry courses. In addition, the established nonmajors online laboratory course model presented in this study provides a strong example for others who are developing new online or hybrid chemistry courses.