Rethinking an Online Biotechnology Lab Course: A Novel, Quality Matters Driven Approach to Structured and Transparent Learning

Online lab-based courses provide several advantages, including flexible scheduling, digital access, and an opportunity to emphasize data analysis. Although there has been a post-COVID decline in online course offerings, programs continue to offer online laboratory courses to meet students’ diverse needs. Mixed findings from comparisons of face-to-face and online laboratories, combined with lessons learned during the pandemic, highlight the importance of understanding how intentional online course design impacts students. This study addresses this gap by describing the integration of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Quality Matters (QM) frameworks into the design process, providing a structure that emphasizes ease of navigation, transparency of expectations, and opportunities for self-monitoring. We hypothesized that the structure and clarity provided by the redesign would be beneficial to students. Findings revealed the Learning Management System (LMS), combined with a custom course roadmap, was well-received and facilitated online molecular biotechnology education. Moreover, the redesign afforded students opportunities to interact with peers and instructors, fostering community. While limited by sample size and context, our findings enrich the limited research on online molecular biology education, supporting the notion that online courses can improve students’ lab skills and that UDL and QM support students’ attitudes and performance.