Using Edpuzzle as a Method to Improve Student Engagement and Performance in the Introductory Biochemistry Laboratory

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Various engagement tools have been commonly used within biochemistry courses to increase student engagement and maximize student exposure to material within the time constraints of a class session. These time constraints also extend to the laboratory component of these courses which often leads to increased levels of anxiety for students. One method that has been used successfully in the past to increase student understanding and performance during laboratory experiments is the utilization of pre‐laboratory video lectures. While the use of pre‐laboratory videos has been shown to be beneficial for students, instructors often have no efficient way of assessing student understanding of the video content prior to the laboratory session. Edpuzzle is a free online service that allows for instructors to upload videos and incorporate questions into videos at various points within the video to assess student understanding. In an effort to increase student performance in an introductory biochemistry laboratory, edpuzzle was adapted to engage students with the material in preparation for the laboratory session. Prior to each laboratory session, students viewed an edpuzzle video and answered questions to assess their understanding of the experimental details and concepts that would be covered in the lab. Surveys were conducted to determine student satisfaction, learning outcomes, and level of anxiety associated with the laboratory as a result of using edpuzzle as a laboratory preparation tool. Students reported high satisfaction rates, increased confidence during laboratory experiments, and decreased anxiety about the laboratory overall. The results suggest that students viewed the edpuzzle application as a valuable component of their laboratory preparation routine. Due to the flexibility of edpuzzle, it can be adapted for use in other chemistry or biology laboratories at various levels. In addition, edpuzzle can also be used as a supplementary tool for expanding lecture content.Support or Funding InformationFlorida Southern College Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry, & Physics