Innovative Approaches for Student-Led Creation of Animated and Interactive Videos in an Undergraduate Introductory Chemistry Course

Students play a vital role in shaping undergraduate education, particularly as online learning continues to expand. At Brown University, a team of undergraduate students who had previously completed the introductory chemistry course─in collaboration with course faculty and media production staff─led the creation of short, animated, and interactive laboratory videos to enhance the introductory chemistry curriculum. This initiative aimed to develop visualization tools that would help new students in the course prepare for in-person laboratory experiments and online learning modules. Postsemester survey results demonstrated that these student-created videos improved learners’ perceived understanding of fundamental chemical principles underlying laboratory experiments. Additionally, they increased learners’ confidence and proficiency in essential introductory laboratory techniques. This paper details the student-led approach to video production and highlights how interactive, peer-developed content can enhance learning, engagement, and accessibility in an introductory chemistry laboratory course.