Association for Biology Laboratory Education

Introductory Cell Biology in a Pandemic – Adaptations for Remote Laboratory Delivery
 

Andy J. Hudson, Laurie Pacarynuk, Ashley Curtis, and Tegan N. Barry

Advances in Biology Laboratory Education, 2022, Volume 42

https://doi.org/10.37590/able.v42.art9

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic hit hard and fast, requiring post-secondary institutions to rapidly remodel to maintain learning opportunities. This task has been especially difficult for experiential learning in the laboratory. For many institutions, including our own, in-person delivery of many offered laboratories was not feasible. Consequently, for Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters, we developed and piloted comprehensive laboratory kits that enabled students to perform five of ten experiments typically offered in our introductory cell biology course from their homes without need of specific scientific equipment. The laboratory kits are inexpensive ($10 CAN each), safe and require students to provide only common household items to supplement their kit. We present an overview of the lab activities developed and reflect on student learning outcomes and evaluations from the previous year. We also provide one of our developed remote activities that examines cell membrane stress, using beet betacyanin as a membrane stress indicator.

Keywords:  cell membrane, remote learning, laboratory kits

Virtual ABLE (ViABLE) (2021)