New challenges during pandemic times for laboratory subjects

Abstract

The second semester of the academic year 2019/20 was severely affected in Spain by home confinement due to the state of alarm decreed as a result of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (COVID-19). The teaching guides for all the subjects had to be modified to adapt them to the exceptional situation that was being experienced. The teaching of some theory subjects became online using various computer tools (such as google meet).

However, all laboratory subjects were completely stopped due to their face-to-face nature, creating a lack of practical knowledge for students. Only the theoretical part of them could be taught.

In the academic year 2020/21, measures were taken to first guarantee the health of students and teachers without sacrificing quality in teaching. However, most measures have been applied to theory classrooms, leaving laboratories aside. In that case, the teachers themselves have been responsible for their organization.

The laboratory is a dynamic place where the student is in constant motion (performing weights, using complex instruments, cleaning material, etc.), while theory classes are completely static. Therefore, in the laboratory it is necessary to take more extreme safety measures but trying not to affect the learning quality.

The aim of this work is to propose a study of the measures for adapting laboratory subjects to the current circumstances. Experiences on laboratory classes at the Universitat Jaume I are commented on.

To check the students’ satisfaction, they filled a questionnaire which asked about these measures, so that they could evaluate this work. Also, every student has the opportunity to make any observation of interest for the development of the subject.