Blended Online Learning Strategy Amidst Covid 19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the landscape of education around the world. As academic institutions moved from traditional face-to-face instruction to distance learning instruction to ensure educational continuity while dealing with the health global crisis. The present study reports on the effectiveness of blended online learning at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. A Phenomenological research design was employed to obtain empirical information from the participants, and the data collected were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings of the study revealed that blended online learning was beneficial for the learners since it offers flexibility, autonomous learning, engagement, and improved ICT skills. However, the participants also experienced challenges that hamper their learning including technical issues, incomprehensible materials, home distractions, and a lack of resources. © 2022 IEEE.

Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Sub-Saharan African Third-Year Students Studying Computer Science and Information Technology

Low vaccination rates, inferior-quality vaccines, limited testing, and a lack of funding forced many institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa into online-learning-only environments for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instructors scrambled to put classes online. Only in 2022 did some face-to-face classes resume. Unforeseeable and unprecedented circumstances forced university personnel to function with reduced budgets and without regard for the return to in-person classes. We taught, studied, and analyzed a cohort of third-year Sub-Saharan African students who spent their first two years of studies online. We describe the struggles they faced and what can be done to make up for their shortcomings and missed opportunities. We quantify the shortcomings through focus groups, an analysis of what parts of an accredited program would have fallen short, interviews, and through anecdotal evidence. Our findings can help those who suffered a similar fate. These observations can be applied to non-STEM disciplines. © 2023 IEEE.

Sustainable Development in Action: A Retrospective Case Study on Students' Learning Before, During, and After the Pandemic

Adherence to sustainable development in higher education rests on the assessment of students' academic attainment, especially during unexpected environmental changes, such as the sudden move from face-to-face to online courses during the recent pandemic. Most studies devoted to this issue have compared students' performance online with that of face-to-face courses before the pandemic, tallying together a variety of courses, often from specific disciplines. Besides their mixed results and generality, such studies do not address the issue of students' adjustment to the post-pandemic learning environment. The present retrospective case study offered a simple evidence-based model for educators to measure the relationship between environmental changes and students' behavior for self-reflection and adjustment. It examined students' academic attainment (as measured by grades) within a broader timeframe, including courses taught by the same instructors face-to-face before and after the pandemic and online during the pandemic. Specific courses of the general education curriculum were selected to include a broad spectrum of students. The study then assessed whether students' activities before, during, and after the pandemic predicted summative assessment performance (i.e., final exam grades) differently. In this study, performance differences were recorded, usually in favor of post-pandemic face-to-face classes. Midterm examinations were the best predictors of final exam grades irrespective of the modality of instruction and timeframe. Implications and applications of the methodology used and the results obtained were considered.

Examining teachers 'attitudes and practices of special education in Kansas during COVID-19

Prior to COVID-19, elementary and secondary education teachers worked with an ever-changing education program developed to meet the educational needs of students with disabilities. COVID-19 has created an environment of uncertainty in teaching students with masks with special needs in either face to face, or remote learners or a hybrid of the two methodologies. The study measured the attitudes and practices of the elementary and secondary special education teachers toward teaching students with disabilities during COVID-19 in Kansas. The elementary or secondary special education teacher has a complex and tumultuous set of unknown undertakings toward adequate preparation to provide the legally stated goals in an Individual Education Program and inclusion required for the Least Restrictive Environment. The COVID-19 pandemic also presented special conditions that varied from the national leadership, state to state, and to the specific local district superintendents and local building principals. Ultimately, this study researched what attitudes and practices towards special education have special education teachers in Kansas been experiencing during COVID-19. Also, the study addressed what modalities were used to meet IEP goals during COVID-19. . This document examines the attitudes and practices that the special education teachers experienced during COVID. It quantifies the use of the three main methods of instruction for students with special needs during COVID: face-to-face, remote or a hybrid of the two methods. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Comparing middle school student learning outcomes among in-person, online, and hybrid modes of instruction: A consideration of student engagement in distance learning during a pandemic

In this study, a comparative analysis was conducted to explore how students' learning outcomes were potentially influenced by student engagement during different modes of instruction. The study compared the final mean grade point averages (GPAs) of a sample (N = 600) of middle school students during in-person, online, and hybrid modes of instruction. The sample group was divided into two subgroups (Group 1: n = 300 and Group 2: n = 300). The designated timeframes for the evaluation were before the COVID-19 pandemic (sixth grade, 2018-2019), at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (seventh grade, 2019-2020), and during the COVID-19 pandemic (eighth grade, 2020-2021) to determine if student engagement affected academic achievement. The three data analyses used to compare the students' final mean GPAs included: (a) Paired t-test (between in-person and online instruction when compared among the entire sample);(b) One-Way Repeated Measures ANOVA (among in-person, online, and hybrid instruction when compared for Group 2);and (c) Independent Samples t-test (between online and hybrid instruction for the entire sample). The results from the analyses indicated there was no statistically significant difference when students transitioned from in-person before the pandemic to online instruction at the onset of the pandemic. However, a statistically significant difference was shown when students transitioned from online to online or online to hybrid instruction throughout the pandemic. Recommendations for practice and future research focusing on students' needs were presented. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Instructors' perceptions of the opportunities and challenges of integrating technology in crisis-prompted online language instruction in the times of COVID-19

This mixed-method study investigated higher education language instructors' experiences during the pivot from face-to-face teaching to online teaching during the stay-at-home order in the Spring of 2020. Eleven participants discussed their approach to teaching online for the first time. The present study provided a comprehensive view of language instructors' use of technology, their experiences, challenges, and lessons learned during this time of online teaching. The findings from this study revealed several themes. In regard to challenges, faculty were concerned about ways to adapt technology, enhance student-instructor interaction, allocate time, and enhance student participation. For the opportunities, participants discussed ways to create a sense of community in the synchronous online classroom and effective ways to communicate with their students despite the lack of physical proximity. Participants' final recommendations included evaluating their current instructional strategies and taking advantage of learning opportunities in their workplace. An analysis conducted using the Community of Inquiry (CoI) and Substitution Augmentation Modification Redefinition (SAMR) frameworks provided insight on how language instructors pivoted to teaching online amid a global pandemic. Each of the CoI presences offered an overview of how language instructors used different approaches to teach online. Similarly, the present study revealed that most class activities used during this time remained at the substitution level in the SAMR framework. This study concluded with recommendations for future research and specific recommendations for online language instructors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

A meta-analysis of hybrid language instruction and call for future research

In this meta-analysis, we estimate the effectiveness of hybrid language instruction overall and across a number of moderator variables by aggregating effect sizes from 11 studies with 34 samples. Results suggest hybrid language instruction can be just as effective as traditional face-to-face (f2f) instruction, as indicated by the negligible differences between hybrid courses and traditional f2f courses (d = .14). Furthermore, studies employing within-group designs indicate that students in hybrid language classes can improve their language skills considerably (d = 1.47). This is a positive finding given that many institutions have experienced a surge in hybrid teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We also report on a number of moderator variables that can impact the effectiveness of hybrid language courses, including (a) the amount of reduction in f2f time, (b) the use of online activities provided by textbook publishers, (c) the use of a learning management system, (d) advances in digital technologies, (e) the targeted language skills (e.g., speaking, writing), and (f) whether the data come from initial or subsequent iterations of a hybrid course. Additionally, we offer directions for future research regarding the substantive and methodological issues in the hybrid language instruction domain. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

A comparative exploration into first time in college student academic performance in face-to-face versus remote learning environments

In spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced educational systems to transition into an emergency remote learning modality. This quantitative study compared retention and productive grade rates of two 16-week academic semesters and compared face-to-face (fall 2019) and remote (fall 2020) emergency remote instruction. The study sample was drawn from the core courses of History, English, and Speech at San Antonio College. Those courses were selected in part due to the high proportion of first time in college students who were considered a vulnerable population regarding performance and persistence. Additional variables (i.e., gender, veteran status, first-generation status, and socio-economic status) were examined to determine whether they were predictors of either productive grade rate or retention. The findings suggested no difference between productive grade rates but higher retention in the face-to-face semester. The findings also indicated that gender (female) was predictive in both modalities, but no other variables were. At a minimum, those results suggested the importance of local assessment of predictors of student success in general, and when making decisions related to remote learning in particular. Finally, results of this study suggested that despite concerns regarding the scholastic impact on students and faculty forced into emergency remote instruction, that did not adversely affect student outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Online learning research in the era of COVID-19: Bibliometric analysis and topic modeling

The global rampancy of COVID-19 has caused profound changes in education sectors. Perhaps the most salient change is the shift of the instructional paradigm from face-to-face instruction to fully online learning. To address the challenges facing the education sector, researchers and educational practitioners have extensively investigated the transition in teaching mode under COVID-19, with a growing contribution to a range of topics in relation to online learning. Against this backdrop, it is necessary to gain a comprehensive understanding of the major hotspots and issues of online learning so as to develop appropriate and effective policies on strategic (re-)allocation of resources to more critical initiatives. This study aims to adopt bibliometrics and topic modeling to identify prominent research topics on online learning under COVID-19 from the large-scale, unstructured text of research publications. Specifically, structural topic modeling will be used to identify predominant topics concerned by scholars working in the field of online learning research. The non-parametrical Mann-Kendell trend test will also be applied to uncover the developmental tendency of each identified topic. In addition, the correlations among the key topics will be revealed and visualized by hierarchical clustering analysis. Based on the analytical results, suggestions will be made to facilitate educational policy formulation to promote the development and effective implementation of technological, scientific, and pedagogical activities of online learning. © 2022 IEEE.

Impacts of Emergency Online Instruction on Engineering Students' Perceived Cognitive Load during Learning Assessments

CONTEXT A primarily undergraduate military college shifted from face-to-face instruction to emergency online instruction in Spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are examining student experiences with the shift using Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), which asserts that learning is hindered when cognitive load overwhelms finite working memory capacity. At the onset of the pandemic, we hypothesized that the need to manage learning in new and changing modalities may increase students' cognitive load and development. PURPOSE OR GOAL We seek to triangulate a previous finding that middle-years students experienced more cognitive load demands than either freshmen or seniors during the Spring 2020 semester. In this study, we examine cognitive load experienced by students in sophomore-, junior-, and senior-level civil engineering courses when engaging in various types of summative assessments. Our goal was to understand how academic course level and assessment type (closed-ended vs. open-ended) may have impacted cognitive load among students. APPROACH OR METHODOLOGY/METHODS We are engaged in a longitudinal mixed-methods study to explore the impacts of changing modalities on cognitive load and student development during the pandemic. For this study, we measured cognitive load experienced during five assessments administered across civil engineering courses of different academic levels using the NASA Task Load Index (TLX). The TLX is a rigorously-developed instrument that quantifies workload (a surrogate for cognitive load) across six dimensions: mental demand, physical demand, temporal demand, performance, effort, and frustration. We used non-parametric analysis to identify differences in cognitive workload by course level and assessment type. We supplemented interpretation of findings through analysis of open-ended questions and focus group transcripts. ACTUAL OR ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES Sophomores and juniors experienced summative assessments differently than seniors, a finding that is consistent with our previous publications suggesting that modality changes may have disproportionately impacted middle-years students. Analysis of TLX data showed that sophomores and juniors reported highest time-demand and frustration, respectively, during closed-ended assessments. Open-ended assessments elicited significant frustration among juniors, a trend that was not observed for seniors. Qualitatively, both sophomores and juniors discussed workload-associated aspects of the modality shift more than seniors. CONCLUSIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS/SUMMARY We seek to further understand the unique experiences of middle-years students as a means for developing recommendations for managing cognitive load during online engineering courses - whether planned or unplanned. Copyright © Mary K. Watson, Elise Barrella, Kevin Skenes, Benjamin Kicklighter and Aidan Puzzio, 2021.

A comparative exploration into first time in college student academic performance in face-to-face versus remote learning environments

In spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced educational systems to transition into an emergency remote learning modality. This quantitative study compared retention and productive grade rates of two 16-week academic semesters and compared face-to-face (fall 2019) and remote (fall 2020) emergency remote instruction. The study sample was drawn from the core courses of History, English, and Speech at San Antonio College. Those courses were selected in part due to the high proportion of first time in college students who were considered a vulnerable population regarding performance and persistence. Additional variables (i.e., gender, veteran status, first-generation status, and socio-economic status) were examined to determine whether they were predictors of either productive grade rate or retention. The findings suggested no difference between productive grade rates but higher retention in the face-to-face semester. The findings also indicated that gender (female) was predictive in both modalities, but no other variables were. At a minimum, those results suggested the importance of local assessment of predictors of student success in general, and when making decisions related to remote learning in particular. Finally, results of this study suggested that despite concerns regarding the scholastic impact on students and faculty forced into emergency remote instruction, that did not adversely affect student outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Comparing middle school student learning outcomes among in-person, online, and hybrid modes of instruction: A consideration of student engagement in distance learning during a pandemic

In this study, a comparative analysis was conducted to explore how students' learning outcomes were potentially influenced by student engagement during different modes of instruction. The study compared the final mean grade point averages (GPAs) of a sample (N = 600) of middle school students during in-person, online, and hybrid modes of instruction. The sample group was divided into two subgroups (Group 1: n = 300 and Group 2: n = 300). The designated timeframes for the evaluation were before the COVID-19 pandemic (sixth grade, 2018-2019), at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (seventh grade, 2019-2020), and during the COVID-19 pandemic (eighth grade, 2020-2021) to determine if student engagement affected academic achievement. The three data analyses used to compare the students' final mean GPAs included: (a) Paired t-test (between in-person and online instruction when compared among the entire sample);(b) One-Way Repeated Measures ANOVA (among in-person, online, and hybrid instruction when compared for Group 2);and (c) Independent Samples t-test (between online and hybrid instruction for the entire sample). The results from the analyses indicated there was no statistically significant difference when students transitioned from in-person before the pandemic to online instruction at the onset of the pandemic. However, a statistically significant difference was shown when students transitioned from online to online or online to hybrid instruction throughout the pandemic. Recommendations for practice and future research focusing on students' needs were presented. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Online Learning of Basics of Graph Theory

As a result of COVID-19 pandemic, the methods of teaching at Slovak universities have significantly changed. Before 2019, majority of subjects was taught by face-to-face instruction. Despite positive experience with utilization of modern technologies in education, only a little number of subjects was taught bye-learning or blended learning. In the paper, we summarize our experience with teaching the subject Basics of Graph Theory. In the winter term of the academic year 2021/2022, due to restrictions caused by COVID-19, full-time students had to be taught by a combination of pre-recorded video lessons, synchronous online lessons, and e-learning course, while part-time students were taught only by video lessons and e-learning course. A comparison of students' results in the final test reveals that online learning is a suitable method to teach Basics of Graph Theory, as there is no significant difference compared to the results of the students taught by blended learning two years ago. Further, this method is equally suitable for both full-time and part-time students, since there is no significant gap in the level of their knowledge. Moreover, answers of students in a questionnaire reveal other benefits of this method. © 2022 IEEE.

Forest operations instructor and student perspectives on rapid transition from face-to-face to online learning in the US

During the spring semester of 2020, American universities, along with many others across the world, rapidly transitioned mid-term from traditional face-to-face classes to online learning methods to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus causing Covid-19. While this transition was a challenge for most instructors and students to navigate, it posed specific and unique challenges to forest operations instructors and their courses that historically have relied on supervised field experiences as a critical method for delivering course content. Surveys were sent to instructors specializing in forest operations at American universities and to their students to help researchers gather information on techniques that worked and did not work to convey course content using online learning methods. A qualitative exploration of survey responses indicate that both students and faculty struggled with the transition to online learning but that limited success was found through course modifications such as to field lab activities, asynchronous content delivery, and modified learning expectations. Results have prompted sharing of teaching strategies amongst instructors facing continued uncertainty of delivery mode for field-dependent courses. © 2021 Forest Products Society.

Enduring Pandemic Impacts on Capstone Course

The capstone experience at the University of St Thomas (UST) is a two-semester course integrated across four disciplines: mechanical, electrical, computer, and civil engineering. Within the course students design, analyze, finalize, and verify a company sponsored project. The results of projects are presented at a design show open to the public at the end of the second semester. Historically, the purpose of the show was three-fold: 1) provide an opportunity for students to highlight their work to the broader community, 2) demonstrate students' ability to communicate with a range of audiences (ABET Criterion 3, Student Outcome 3), and 3) demonstrate how their designed system meets the requirements of their customer (verification of requirements). Due to COVID limitations on group gatherings, this show could not be held in person in 2020 or 2021;however, the purposes of the show still needed to be met. Therefore, the design show was reimagined in 2021 to require each team to virtually present a short video of their work and briefly answer audience questions. This reimagined design show meant that teams presented their work serially to a general audience with an 8-minute time allotment for each presentation. The audience composition and the time limitation meant that only goals 1) and 2) could realistically be met with a design show. As a result, goal 3) was set up as a brief standalone technical meeting for faculty reviewers that focused on reviewing each requirement and how it was verified. After completing the design show and the verification presentations, we compared student outcomes and informally surveyed faculty, sponsors, and students for their impressions of the modifications. The use of a video to convey the student work was universally popular. Faculty found that the material in a video was concise and clear, students appreciated viewing each other's videos, and sponsors were excited at the opportunity a video offers them to share the student work more broadly within their organizations. The verification review also received positive feedback from both faculty and students. Separating the verification review allowed more focused discussion on how students met the sponsor need and produced improvements in some student outcomes. In addition, a separate presentation simplified preparation for students and provided clearer grading criteria for faculty. These modifications allowed the purpose of the design show to be met and had unexpected benefits for team sponsors and the university. As a consequence, we will continue to require student video creation as we return to face-to-face instruction and will continue to hold a separate verification presentation to demonstrate project completion. The videos will be used during the in-person design show and as supplemental material for sponsors, design reviews, and the school of engineering. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2022

Students Poor Exam Performance in an Engineering Course after Twenty Months of Online Instruction and Efforts to Improve

Many universities stopped face-to-face instruction in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and forced courses to be online through the summer 2021. In the fall 2021, many students returned to face-to-face instruction. After the two face-to-face exams, nearly 60% of the class was failing a heat transfer class that is significantly higher than pre-pandemic semesters. The instructor offered to meet one-on-one with each student and two-thirds of the class did meet with the instructor. The instructor learned that many students (1) devoting less than 2 hours per week to the course outside class room, (2) do not read the textbook and (3) primarily study by reviewing instructor-provided notes the evening before the exam. The individual meeting helped build instructor-student connectedness and helped students develop a personal strategy to improve class performance. Many students responded positively and grades improved from 40% mid-term pass rate to 73% final course pass rate, yet this is about 20% lower than pre-pandemic pass rates. The improvement is largely attributed to improved student-instructor rapport and students being open to practical suggestions to help increase study productivity and improve student learning. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2022.

COVID-19 and the New Normal in Engineering and Computer Science Education: Students' Perspectives on Online and Hybrid Education

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a major disruption to colleges and universities, with many institutions cancelling in-person learning and moving to completely online instruction for a time. Since the pandemic began, institutions of higher education have utilized varying degrees of face-to-face, hybrid and online instruction. These changes have impacted both students and faculty in science and engineering fields. Traditional science and engineering students have had to adapt quickly to new, and largely unwelcome, means of learning. In addition, faculty have had to abruptly alter their teaching to adjust to changes in teaching formats imposed by the pandemic. Using a web-based survey of engineering and computer science programs in US and Canadian universities, this paper studies the challenges introduced to STEM education due to the COVID-19 pandemic from students' perspectives. The survey was administered in face-to-face, hybrid and completely online classes to study students' perceptions and attitudes as well as challenges related to changes in teaching formats during the pandemic. Furthermore, this study assesses students' perceptions about the future of teaching in a post COVID-19 environment. Results of this study provide insights into both current and future impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on engineering and computer science education. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2022.

University Lecturers' Views on Distance Education during the Covid-19 Pandemic: Ukrainian-Latvian Comparative Studies

The main purpose of the study was to compare and contrast Ukrainian and Latvian university lecturers' views on distance education (teaching and learning) caused by the sudden interruption of the face-to face instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was also targeted at investigating university lecturers' readiness to respond to the educational challenges during the pandemic. The international team of researchers set up a web-based questionnaire aimed at self-assessing Ukrainian and Latvian university lecturers' digital literacy knowledge and skills and finding out their attitudes towards current educational changes. Having absolutely identical content the web-based questionnaire was presented in the Ukrainian, Latvian and English languages. The research sample which was selected with the use of a voluntary response sampling technique consisted of 60 university lecturers from Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design (Kyiv, Ukraine), Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (Kyiv, Ukraine), National Aviation University (Kyiv, Ukraine), Rezekne Academy of Technologies (Rezekne, Latvia). Qualitative data analysis covered a conscientious summing-up of the information received, displaying the processed data in the form of tables and pie charts, comparing and generalizing the data received in Ukraine and Latvia, discussing the obtained findings and making logical conclusions how to cope with educational challenges.

Using solution focused group therapy to decrease anxiety in adolescent students during COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a plethora of challenges for adolescents, including but not limited to social distancing, mandatory mask requirements, refrained outdoor activities, on-line learning, social isolation, and a disconnect from their normal day to day routines. Current literature indicates the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the lives, health, employment, educational-system, and overall stability of the world (Wen-Chin, Rei-Lin, & ShinRu, 2020). Previous research on infectious disease outbreaks such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), swine flu, and influenza found negative psychosocial consequences which were experienced individually, within communities, and internationally (Wessely, 2020). This study was devised to evaluate the utilization of Solution Focused therapy (SFT) with adolescent students, in a group therapy setting, to determine if using Solution Focused therapy can decrease anxiety as they return to face-to-face instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was used for this study to determine the effectiveness of SFT in decreasing anxiety in adolescents as they return to face-to-face instruction during the COVID19 pandemic. The study was conducted with adolescent students in the DFW area. The study utilized two survey instruments: The Kyser Comfortability Scale (KCS) (Kyser, 2020) and the scaling question (Berg & DeJong, 2002). Pre-test and post-test data was analyzed with a sample of four participants. Results showed SFT decreased anxiety and improved the comfortability level amongst study participants regarding returning to face-to-face instruction during the COVID19 pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Undergraduates' Experiences with Online and in-Person Courses Provide Opportunities for Improving Student-Centered Biology Laboratory Instruction.

Biology laboratory courses with hands-on activities faced many challenges when switched to online instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. The transition back to in-person instruction presents an opportunity to redesign courses with greater student input. Undergraduates in an ∼350-student laboratory course were surveyed about their preferences for online or in-person instruction of specific laboratory course components. We predicted that students who have taken a virtual laboratory course prefer keeping some of the components online. We also hypothesized that their preferences are affected by their experience with online-only or with both online and in-person instruction. The results showed that students would like to move the laboratory component and group meetings back to in-person instruction, even if they never experienced college-level in-person courses. Also, many components, including the lectures, exams, assignment submission, and office hours are preferred to be held online. Surprisingly, students who have only taken online courses would rather give group presentations in person, while those who experienced both online and in-person instruction were undecided. Group presentations were the only component where the preference of the two groups significantly differed. Self-assessed learning gains showed that students performed very well in both the online semesters and the in-person semesters. Therefore, the preferences measured in this study were likely developed based on students' future expectations and personal gains, and not only on their metacognitive decisions and academic performances. This study provides considerations for redesigning components of laboratory courses to be more student-centered after the pandemic.