I am hearing the need for face to face laboratories as well. Here is what we are currently planning. We typically do 10 laboratories with a midterm and a final during the semester. But because of social distancing, we are going to split the laboratory groups (we typically have 18 to a lab) so that we can keep them apart. And do only 5 of the laboratories as "hands-on" - the remaining laboratories will be done virtually or at home (you can do some pretty cool mass/mole and limiting reaction laboratories using "widgets" i.e. nuts and bolts) and the others with some good virtual resources. We are in the process of identifying the key hands-on laboratories, particularly the ones that involve skills like pipetting, measuring, etc. So, we are thinking that for our General Chemistry laboratories we can get about 2/3 with a hands-on component and still keep the laboratory numbers such that we can do the social distancing.

Because of our laboratories - we aren't as concerned about wearing cloth masks in the lab - but this is going to be a bigger issue for different laboratories.

Right now I am working on some of our "other practices" like providing the laboratory goggles, and PPE like lab coats - we may have to switch to student purchase. And, that is a financial concern for our population.

Frankie Wood-Black, Ph.D., REM, MBA

Principal - Sophic Pursuits

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email address fwoodblack90**At_Symbol_Here**gmail.com

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580-761-3703

On Fri, Jun 5, 2020 at 7:02 PM Melissa Anderson <mwanderson08**At_Symbol_Here**gmail.com> wrote:

Hi Everyone,

I'm looking for thoughts/ideas about reopening and running socially-distanced teaching labs. Our department just found out that we will most likely need to offer face-to-face labs for our GOB track so students can meet licensing requirements. We need to submit a proposal and I'd like to do my homework before getting started.

Is anyone else in the process of planning what a social-distancing chemistry teaching lab might look like? Or do you know of departments that offered such a program this past Spring and can provide insights on how it went?

Some ideas we have include separating students into smaller groups and having them only come in every three weeks to reduce room occupancy, having students wear (appropriate) face coverings, and shortening labs so custodial can clean between lab sessions (our labs are very impacted so we have little down time between labs normally).

I'd love to get in touch with anyone else considering the same issues or get insights from others who have looked at the problems in a different context.

Thanks in advance!

Melissa W. Anderson, Ph.D.

Chemistry Instructor, Division of Natural Sciences

Student Learning Outcomes Co-Coordinator

Pasadena City College

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