Re-Imagining Science Laboratory Learning for the New Normal in a Post-Pandemic World

Abstract

With the onset of the global pandemic in 2020, the education community was forced to shift from “teaching as usual” to “emergency remote instruction” (ERI). Faculty at all levels were required to quickly adapt to new teaching and learning methods that allowed students to meet course goals and demonstrate learning gains with minimal disruption. This rapid shift was seamless for some, uncomfortable for many, and groundbreaking for all. For science educators who use laboratories and hands-on approaches to engage students, it can be daunting to re-imagine ways to design such experiences. What educators learned along the way, however, is that many of the novel techniques developed to engage science students during ERI will continue to be valuable as face-to-face instruction resumes. This chapter examines lessons learned during these unprecedented times and identifies effective innovations and equitable approaches that can be integrated into post-pandemic classrooms of all modalities. This will ensure that education in the new normal will be flexible, equitable, and effective.