Abstract:

Keeping students engaged in learning chemistry has always been challenging. This challenge became even more difficult during the Covid-19 pandemic, when all the classes especially in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) needed to be moved to online teaching. This study reports on various alternative teaching strategies used in a preparatory chemistry course to help keep students engaged in the spring and fall semesters 2021. Students in the preparatory program spend at least one semester between high school and the first-year credit courses at university level in Khalifa University (KU). To facilitate student engagement, the instructor’s PowerPoint presentations were augmented with animations, pictures, and colours. Blackboard functions such as “polling” and “recording” were fully utilized in the virtual classroom. Implementation of ALEKS (Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces) and worksheets as homework assignments, small quizzes, problem solving sessions and YouTube videos were also used to enhance the students’ chemistry learning experience. At the beginning of each semester, an introduction session about the teaching plan was carried out. Students registered in ALEKS chemistry, performed an initial knowledge assessment and then continued their learning by answering questions. ALEKS was used to encourage independent learning outside the classroom. Worksheets in sub-topics were given to students weekly and they had to answer worksheet related quizzes regularly in Blackboard. Five to ten minutes short quizzes were organised every week during class time through Blackboard. These homework assignments and online quizzes aim to support chemistry learning and prepare students for future course assessments. Additional problem-solving sessions were held biweekly to help the weaker students. YouTube videos were regularly used to enhance the course material covering key concepts. A survey was administered to students at the end of each semester to obtain their opinion about the teaching strategy. The findings indicate that a majority preferred worksheets over ALEKS as homework format in the spring semester of 2021. However, both worksheets and ALEKS were rated equally positively in the fall semester. Weekly quizzes and worksheets successfully motivated students to study/learn regularly. The most important factor appears to have been the continuous support of the chemistry instructor through online meetings and WhatsApp. All students pointed out how much they appreciated the efforts done by their chemistry instructor to diversify teaching strategies and keep them motivated. Using WhatsApp enabled them to reach out to their instructor quickly and easily when they had a problem or question. Students are now gradually returning to university. Nevertheless, many of the alternative teaching strategies developed to alleviate the negative impact of the pandemic on student engagement can be modified and applied in the classroom to strengthen chemistry teaching and enhance the students’ learning experience.

Keywords:

Chemistry learning, student engagement, teaching strategies, online teaching.