The application of a five-component blended learning strategy in rate reaction lab work

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused all learning in Indonesia to be carried out online. For more than a year, the learning was carried out online. Here, we present a description of online learning conducted for undergraduate students of chemistry education at the chemistry department at a public university in East Java on reaction rate lab work material. The blended learning strategy consisted of five stages: Discover, Learn, Practice, Collaborate, and Assess (DLPCA). Under the DLPCA strategy, the asynchronous part of teaching was done with video recordings shared in the learning management system (SIPEJAR) to allow students to learn at their own pace. The synchronous part of the teaching was done using a video conferencing platform in the form of Google Meet. The DLPCA strategy was presented and discussed with students before being implemented. The analysis of teaching and learning experiences based on two indicators, (i) student learning experience and (ii) student academic achievement, showed that DLPCA had a positive impact on students. The challenges identified were the stability of the internet connection and hands-on learning experiences in understanding laboratory tools. Instructors must also find ways to increase their interactions with students and maintain student interest and engagement during online classes. The study also shows that most of the learners are satisfied with the DLCPA strategy. Therefore, this strategy is considered manageable that can be adapted to complete online instruction for other Bachelor of Chemistry Education Courses.