Play Your Way to an “A”: How to Avoid Zoom Fatigue and Engage Student Learning During COVID19

Abstract

Research has shown that utilizing active learning techniques in the classroom increases student engagement and performance. With the increased attention focused on active learning, professors are striving to find better ways to engage students in the classroom. Indeed, numerous studies have focused on investigating many different approaches to this topic. COVID 19 has mandated a rapid transition to remote learning and with this forced change has come what some students describe as “Zoom Fatigue” [1]. Many students have reported feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and disengaged by the dramatic increase in mandated distance education required by the COVID pandemic. Video conferencing has become the “go to” panacea for education during this time and students are spending unprecedented amounts of time in front of a screen where normally they would be in a classroom. This heretofore singular and unique approach to education coupled with decreased peer‐to‐peer interaction has caused a problem with student engagement [2,3].ProblemStudents engagement and performance have decreased during COVID 19 due to forced online learning and lack of peer interaction.HypothesisWe hypothesize that creating a non‐graded, fun, and relaxing physiology‐focused trivia night will increase student engagement and performance on summative assessments.ProposalUsing a master's level class progressing through the respiratory physiology module utilizing remote, synchronous lectures to deliver content, we will introduce a voluntary “pub trivia night” review session with teams randomly assigned to increase interaction amongst peers and review respiratory physiology material. Questions will be provided in rounds and at the end a “winning team” will be awarded a $100 gift card.Expected ResultsWe expect students who attend and participate in the “pub trivia night” will perform better than their peers on summative exams as well as report increased engagement with their classmates over the course of the unit.Analysis of test scores of those who competed and those who did not will be compared. All students in class will be surveyed concerning peer engagement and results compared.Literature Cited Reinach Wolf C. Virtual Platforms are helpful but can add to our stress. https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the‐desk‐the‐mental‐health‐lawyer/202005/virtual‐platforms‐are‐helpful‐tools‐can‐add‐our‐stress Active Learning: Cooperation in the College Classroom. Edina, MN: Interaction Book, 1998.Goodman BE, Barker MK, Cooke JE. Best practices in active and student‐centered learning in physiology classes. Adv Physiol Educ. 2018 Sep 1;42(3):417‐423. doi: 10.1152/advan.00064.2018. PMID: 29972063.