Delivery of a bespoke parasitology subject in an alternative online realm: lessons and lasting innovations

Abstract

In the second semester of 2020, despite the need to pivot to online learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our academic teaching team commenced the delivery of a brand-new, bespoke parasitology subject to third year Bachelor of Biomedicine and Bachelor of Science students at The University of Melbourne. This purposefully designed subject, 'Medical Microbiology: Parasitology', was developed in collaboration with internationally renowned parasitologists and global health researchers to take a broad, multi-disciplinary approach to student learning and introduced students to the exciting, complex and diverse world of medically important parasites, including key examples of protists, helminths and arthropods. We also attempted to enhance the student experience during the online delivery of lectures, practical classes and active learning sessions by implementing synchronous and asynchronous approaches to increase engagement. This included weekly newsletters, in-class interactions by Zoom chat and polling platforms, moderated discussion boards, online drop-in sessions, authentic learning workshops and formative feedback quizzes. Although some engagement methods were not as successful as we had hoped, others proved to be instrumental in increasing supportive learning, as indicated by student attendance at online sessions, and the general sentiments observed from various student feedback mechanisms. Consequently, these strategies will continue to be incorporated as we shape the subsequent iterations of this, and other subjects, in a post-COVID world.