6.2 Identify the type of online strategy that works best for your course.
ACTION AT END OF SECTION: Select a strategy. Make a list of what you may have already tried that works and match it to the list of learning outcomes.
There are a variety of lab experiences across the disciplines including the following:
- Clinical and/or Experiential – These experiences tend to be in person and include experiences with real people. These could include child development labs, nursing, dental, and family therapy.
- Labs – Students are conducting experiments and working with chemicals, working with materials such as science, art, hospitality, nutrition, and engineering.
- Simulations/Virtual Reality – Students using equipment like headsets, clinical mannequins.
Consider the online learning strategy that works best for you and your content: Synchronous or Asynchronous.
- Synchronous – Everyone online at the same time engaging in the activity.
- Pro – Opportunity for Interaction
- Con – Time Zone Issues/Scheduling Difficulties
- Asynchronous – Everyone working at different times.
- Pro – Convenient and Flexible
- Con – Lacks student and instructor interaction
Get creative, these are some potential options for matching learning objectives with realistic expectations for the lab environment. For example,
- Kitchen Labs – Asked students to use household items and sent some items to homes.
- Science Labs – Recorded experiments using tripods and iPhones, sent rocks and materials to student homes. Adopted online simulation tools and subscriptions that provided data for analysis in place of experiments.
- General Labs – Live sessions watching faculty or TA’s engage in the activity.
- Assignments – Student recorded demonstrations of skills, oral presentations, interviews, reflections, etc.
Return to “Explore ways to handle lab experiences”