In the Spring 2021 Organic Chemistry
Lab class at Penn State Schuylkill,
COVID-19 restrictions and uncertainty required a flexible plan. The
first 4 weeks of 15 were fully remote, and videos of standard organic
techniques were used, followed by an exam. In the next 5 weeks, some
students were in the lab and some were remote. A document camera was
used to show one of the in-class students carrying out reaction experiments,
mistakes and all, and this was broadcast to the remote students. In
the final 6 weeks, the in-class students did a research project, report,
and short presentation. The remote students were given a new literature
project in which they were each assigned a process research chemistry
paper from Organic Process Research and Development. They gave a longer presentation on the process used to prepare
a drug. All three parts of the course are discussed in this paper.