Student performance and perceptions of anatomy and physiology across face-to-face, hybrid, and online teaching lab styles

Health science represents the fastest-growing industry in the United States, a trend not predicted to slow for the next decade. The high demand for health professionals has led to increased demand for anatomy and physiology (A&P) courses and a transition to hybrid-style labs to meet the necessary increased enrollment without increasing the need for lab space and compromising educational quality. The transition to hybrid-style labs has only accelerated and become more important with the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been relatively unclear, however, how the hybrid style has impacted student learning, satisfaction, and performance. Furthermore, there is a general lack of research investigating the advantages and disadvantages across hybrid, online, and face-to-face styles. This lack of research is particularly obvious within biological sciences, including A&P. Attendance, practical grades, and overall grades were compared between face-to-face, hybrid, and online A&P lab styles. A survey was administered to compare student perceptions and experiences between hybrid and online lab styles. The hybrid style had many of the same advantages as online and face-to-face styles yet very few disadvantages. Hybrid lab students reported better experiences and greater satisfaction, attended more labs, and outperformed online lab students. Face-to-face lab students, however, outperformed hybrid lab students. These findings can ultimately inform how to best implement, organize, and improve hybrid-style labs to maximize student learning, achievement, and enjoyment.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Demand for health professionals increased the demand for A&P courses and led to a transition to hybrid-style labs. There is a general lack of research investigating advantages/disadvantages across hybrid, online, and face-to-face styles. I found that the hybrid style had many of the advantages of online and face-to-face styles yet very few disadvantages. Hybrid lab students reported better experiences and greater satisfaction and outperformed online lab students. Face-to-face lab students, however, outperformed hybrid lab students.