Replicating Lab and Studio Courses

Laboratory and studio-based courses advance student learning through a variety of hands-on experiences and specialized equipment that promote problem-solving and critical-thinking skills development. Student engagement and participation are especially critical in these courses, and so present a unique challenge during disruptions to on-campus classroom instruction. While it may be impossible to fully replicate hands-on experiences online, revisiting course learning outcomes and thinking creatively about ways for students to practice and master them is key.

  • When adapting your course, can you review and reprioritize learning objectives to focus students’ attention on the most crucial online lab or studio experiences? If there is an essential element that cannot be reproduced, try to identify alternative resources, such as simulation videos or pre-existing data, that you can use to demonstrate key elements or that students can use to meet related learning objectives.
  • Might students be able to undertake alternative independent learning experiences? In lab courses, online simulations (listed below) can allow students to interact with virtual lab equipment and conduct their own experiments from anywhere in the world. Many phone apps provide low-tech mimics of real-world scientific equipment, allowing students to measure conditions in the space around them, while camera apps allow students to record themselves performing and upload it to Moodle or a class social media account. Finally, if students are away from campus but connected virtually, asking each student to gather information (scientific data, photographs, or other texts) where they are can provide fodder for compare-and-contrast assignments.
  • What web-based tools can help you demonstrate lab or studio techniques, procedures or processes via live video conferencing or recorded video capture for on-demand viewing? Additional online resources, including video simulations and mobile applications, can also help you to bridge gaps and meet learning objectives.

Additional Resources