In the spring of 2020, the COVID 19 pandemic forced the closure of countless institutions across the US and world. Notably, educational institutions such as secondary schools, universities, etc. were shifted into the online world and left scrambling to prepare for a different educational environment. These transitions and the response in later semesters present a fascinating opportunity to examine how we design chemistry education for the digital space. More specifically, how can we design for the online space in the future not only as a measure of preparedness but as an opportunity for the equitable development of education as a whole? Many issues that plagued the traditional learning environment were exasperated by the online space, but that may not be inherently true of online education. Rather, the lack of infrastructure (social and physical) for this mode of education may have heightened the disparities of students at all levels. As we move forward in the online space, we must create a new infrastructure and reimagine what it means to “Teach Chemistry” in the first place. In this talk, we first propose looking to the world of new media for the future of chemistry education. Second, we will share our experiences as students and educators in this space to discuss what it means to design for it, instead of rehashing a traditional classroom. Third, and most importantly, we will share with you comments from our students who would like their voices acknowledged regarding how they learn chemistry in an online space.

Learning across levels: A critical examination of online chemistry education in the secondary and undergraduate environment

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.