Fall Teaching
The following is a snapshot of anticipated fall teaching motifs for general chemistry courses and for upper level courses. Information was sourced from participants in the July 29, 2020 discussion. The data are displayed as a function of the highest chemistry degree offered at the institution.
General Chemistry – Fall 2020
| Bachelor's | Master's | Ph.D. | Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All face-to-face (f2f) | 19% | 0% | 3% | 8% |
| All virtual | 19% | 10% | 21% | 19% |
| Alternating f2f and virtual | 32% | 80% | 52% | 48% |
| F2F with smaller sections | 19% | 10% | 11% | 14% |
| I'll tell you in the chat | 3% | 0% | 5% | 4% |
| Some other motif that includes some f2f | 5% | 0% | 3% | 4% |
| Using home kits | 3% | 0% | 3% | 3% |
| We've opted not to teach gen chem this fall | 0% | 0% | 2% | 1% |
Upper Level Labs – Fall 2020
| Bachelor's | Master's | Ph.D. | Overall | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All face to face (f2f) with social distancing | 59% | 73% | 54% | 58% |
| All virtual | 11% | 0% | 11% | 10% |
| Both virtual and f2f (hybrid) | 27% | 27% | 29% | 28% |
| I'll tell you in the chat | 0% | 0% | 5% | 3% |
| We've opted not to teach upper level labs | 3% | 0% | 2% | 2% |
Other Lab Motifs for Fall 2020
Alternating AA, BB, CC, DD – half the students in lab each week, and the opposite week will be related virtual labs. So each in-person skill is paired with a virtual experience to reinforce the content.
Placing students into 3 cohorts with 4 weeks of essential lab skills followed alternating with virtual labs, with the hope that we will remedy any skills missed and will be addressed when we can return to face-to-face.
Blended format – one experiment that is lengthy will be converted to online and the others (shorter) will be kept face-to-face.
Download a summary presentation of the breakout sessions on Fall 2020 Teaching (PPT).
Statement from the ACS Committee on Professional Training on teaching motifs during the COVID-19 pandemic:
Proposal to Adjust ACS Guidelines for Approved Programs: A response to COVID-19 [PDF] - COVID-19 is bringing change and disruption to education practices worldwide, including ACS-approved programs offering bachelor’s degrees in chemistry. Social distancing, new safety measures, flexibility for those that have fallen ill, and economic hardship will affect how we train our students to become successful in the COVID 19 era. As a result, the ACS Committee on Professional Training (CPT) is considering a proposal to temporarily adjust the Guidelines so that (1) chemistry majors can flexibly receive training that prepares them for a successful career, (2) chemistry majors do not extend their graduation time, and (3) programs offering bachelor degrees in chemistry have the flexibility to continue their pursuit for sustained academic excellence.
Disclaimer: This event was designed to explore key questions regarding laboratory experiences and curricula. The opinions or views expressed in these discussions do not necessarily reflect the current statements and guidelines of the American Chemical Society, the views or opinions of ACS’s management or its members, or plans for renewed or revised policies. Chemistry departments seeking ACS Approval must continue to follow the ACS Guidelines for Bachelor’s Degree Programs as stipulated by the Committee on Professional Training, including those for laboratory instruction once their campuses resume face-to-face instruction without social distancing.
