Written by Victoria Guzzo • July 29, 2024 • 2 min read
Table of contents
Valeria’s Online Lab Experience
Valeria recently completed an online Chemistry lab course at Hillsborough Community College and is awaiting acceptance into the HCC nursing program. Valeria took several of her prerequisite courses online and recently completed an online chem course to get ahead on her nursing school courses. She was excited to take this lab online.
‘It felt like I got to make my own real lab in my apartment which was fun. It was all on me. I had to read everything, take all the quizzes before even starting the experiment, and I learned so much. On campus, I would’ve just skimmed the materials and tried to get out as fast as possible, so I felt like I retained more information.”
| ????Light Bulb Moment???? Valeria soon discovered that this experience was going to be insightful and align with her studying preferences. “When I received the hands-on chemistry kit, I was impressed. I didn’t think it was going to be that thorough. To see actual chemicals and real experiments! There was a ton more in there than expected there would be. I’m also someone that likes to work independently and go at my own pace. For me, that means watching lectures quickly but then re-watching sections where I need more clarification.” |
Prior to this course, Valeria took a microbiology lab online, which included only virtual labs. The experience was not as effective for Valeria.
“There was nothing physical. I was just just memorizing the steps and not taking in the info; whereas, with hands-on, I had to do it properly to make it work and get value out of it. For example, during the dialysis tubing experiment, I was able to apply the concepts from lecture to the lab and ended up seeing how this translates directly to nursing. But if you pair these virtual with hands-on, it could be really helpful.”
In the end, Valeria appreciated the opportunity to get ahead in her requirements by taking this chemistry lab online. The flexibility to go at her own pace and still have the resources and instruction needed to be successful made the experience worth it. “The images and videos showing the steps and results were helpful for me. To be able to study at my own pace, in my own setting, and see the labs turn out correctly was really satisfying — the hands-on experience is definitely worth the cost.”
| My Most Memorable Lab: Chemical Reactions Lab Seeing the results before her very eyes was a very satisfying feeling for Valeria, especially during the chemical reactions lab. “We had to figure out what the unknown chemical was. We burned them, and it made some cool colored fire. Chemical Reactions Lab. That was my favorite lab, and it’s really fulfilling when I do it myself and get it right.” During this lab, students distinguish between observations and conclusions. They conduct scientific observations and draw conclusions about whether or not a reaction has occurred, writing balanced equations and classifying different reactions. |
Drawing Conclusions
Like any good experiment, you work your way through the scientific method to analyze the results, reflect on your findings, and draw your conclusions so you can move forward with new knowledge and ideas.
So now that you’re at the end of your online lab course, tell us: what did you learn and what advice might you give after your experience?
Time management is critical,so I recommend doing the lectures early in the week. Study them, take those notes, and then be sure to use those notes for the lab. Some are more time intensive than others, but managing your time will be important. Aside from time management, just be sure to follow the guidance and instructions for the lab, and you’ll do them well.
