Implementing Alternative Assessment Strategies in Chemistry Amidst COVID-19: Tensions and Reflections

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic in the first quarter of 2020 resulted in the worldwide disruption of teaching and learning in main stream schools and in institutes of higher learning. Singapore was not spared. With the closure of schools in early April, it was imminent that the delivery and assessment of our freshman general chemistry course must be overhauled for the new semester. While the delivery of Home-based Learning (HBL) was a challenge for all educators, it was a mammoth roadblock for chemistry courses because of laboratory classes. Besides being thrusted to learn and use new technology tools for online lessons, instructors also had to quickly explore and design alternative assessments to substitute in-person written examinations and tests. This paper documents the struggles that played out in the decision to implement concept map assessments and “split-half” laboratory classes for safe distancing. Although these interventions are not novel, we confronted tensions as we sought to address academic integrity, administrative guidelines, and our own inadequacy particularly in concept map assessments. In light of positive and negative feedback from both staff and students, lessons were drawn to enhance future implementation and for further research.

Perspective Chapter: COVID-19 as a Catalyst for the Acceleration of Change in the Assessment Culture of Caribbean Higher Education Institutions

“…Successful implementation of the recommended transformation of assessment practices of higher education institutions in the Caribbean to focus on authentic assessment by building on the technology would rely on a facilitating mindset of teachers and students. This view is supported by the work of Lau, Chua, Teow and Xue [30] made the point that student buy-in is important for the successful use of new technologies. They noted that during COVID-19 implementation of online assessments, it was impossible to change mindsets of university students quickly about digital technology for testing.…”

Approaches to Teach Cataloguing Modules during Emergencies

“…Although the above mentioned studies were carried out long ago, and were imposed in the planned online programs, emergency remote teaching may learn from them. Lau et al [48] implemented concept mapping assessment in chemistry modules, indicating that concept mapping has a long history of application in science education and professional development. Cataloguing education may also use concept mapping assessment in the computer laboratory using "split lab" as suggested by [48] in order to curb the spread of the virus among the students, where students could practically generate online catalogues on the computer using Senayan Library Management System (SLiMS) a free and open source Library Management System or any other library system.…”

Shifting online during COVID-19: A systematic review of teaching and learning strategies and their outcomes

“…Outcomes: Among the student engagement strategies, success in test scores tends to be associated with the use of active learning (Garcia-Alberti et al, 2021;Gomez et al, 2020;Hew et al, 2020;Lapitan et al, 2021;Lau et al, 2020;Xiao et al, 2020). On the other hand, positive learning experiences were more often reported when lecturers emphasised care and empathy through their communication (e.g.…”