The present study sought to explore the experiences of chemistry laboratory staff and undergraduate students engaged in chemistry laboratory exercises delivered online during the Covid-19 pandemic, using a qualitative research design. To ensure that students were able to complete their core chemistry laboratory course requirement while being barred from face-to-face labs because of the contagious nature of the novel coronavirus, virtual labs were used for the first time in the history of the chemistry department. The study, conducted at The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus in Trinidad and Tobago was completed over two semesters for the academic year 2020-2021. A total of 18 staff members (8 laboratory supervisors and 10 laboratory demonstrators) and 16 first-year undergraduate chemistry students completing a yearlong compulsory chemistry laboratory course were interviewed. The 16 students were participating in the CHEM 1070 course for the first time and repeaters were excluded from this study. The data collection for this study was done in semi-structured interviews and the thematic analysis method was used for data analysis. The themes of the importance of labs, unfamiliarity with online teaching and learning, lack of training with the online platform, lack of confidence in the process, issues with method of delivery and opinions on future use of virtual chemistry labs were prominently featured in this study. Recommendations were made concerning the emerging themes including formal training for all staff with the online platform, more interactive online chemistry lab software and improved high-speed wireless internet access on-campus for postgraduate students demonstrating chemistry labs.

Remote chemistry labs: Caribbean perspectives on virtual chemistry labs used during the Covid-19 pandemic

ACS Spring 2022

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