The two major impetuses to improve
STEM education are the shift
to online learning and increasing active learning and engagement.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid shift to online
learning, this shift came at the cost of losing on-ground active learning
strategies. This study provides descriptive analytical information
on the impact of COVID-19 as it relates to student engagement, attendance,
and viewership of video-recorded lectures for a nonmajors chemistry
course. After the shift online, lecture video views significantly
increased and weekly attendance significantly decreased. Prior to
the pandemic, on-ground engagement via an active learning activity
(i.e., Plickers) was significantly associated with on-ground achievement
(i.e., exam 1). However, no significant association was found between
online engagement (i.e., written responses/feedback submitted via
a learning management system, referred to as LMS student feedback)
and online achievement (i.e., final exam), potentially because the
engagement resembled a formative assessment more than an active learning
activity. Nonetheless, there was tremendous value in soliciting LMS
student feedback for directing the course. Throughout the online period,
there was an average of 112 responses per assignment, for a total
of 1,344 responses, representing roughly a third of the students.
Finally, analyses revealed no significant association of on-ground
and online engagement, which suggests a different subset of students
engaged while on-ground vs online. Instructors should highly consider
soliciting weekly feedback through low-stakes assignments to gauge
student learning and improve their courses while online.