As colleges moved to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, many instructors found it difficult to maintain student engagement and classroom community in the virtual environment. We developed a semester-long activity for a molecular biology research methodology course where students created, and shared original memes related to course content with peers through group chat. Surveys and semi-structured interviews revealed that the exercise was effective in promoting student engagement, a sense of community, and relieving stress.
Keywords: active learning; assessment of educational activities; distance learning; integration of research into undergraduate teaching; memes; molecular biology; teaching and learning techniques methods and approaches; using simulation and internet resources for teaching.
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