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Making Chemistry Class Time Count: Dr Sarah Karimi’s Pre-Class Video Strategy

Ellen Ovenden, MSc | Sep 30, 2026
Ellen Ovenden, MSc | Sep 30 2026

Students need time to work through difficult concepts, ask questions, and apply what they are learning.

That is especially true in chemistry. In the JoVE webinar Creating Engaging Learning Experiences Using Videos and Quizzes, Dr Sarah Karimi of George Mason University described chemistry as “a very intense course” and “not something that you can just passively absorb.”

For Dr Karimi, Adjunct Chemistry Professor, the goal is simple: give students early exposure to core concepts before class, then use class time for problem solving, questions, and guided practice.

Move Basic Exposure Before Class

Dr Karimi assigns JoVE videos to give students early exposure to key concepts before they come to class.

This helps students arrive with enough background to take part in the lesson more actively. Instead of hearing everything for the first time during class, they have already seen the core ideas and can use class time to ask questions, work through examples, and practice problem solving.

Dr Karimi explained that this approach helps her spend more time showing students how she would work through a problem step by step.

  • Q2 2025 Chemistry Education, Core Analytical Chem 13.2 _ IR Spectroscopy_ Molecular Vibration Overview
  • chemistry-periodic-classification-of-the-elements-1
  • Q2 2025 Chemistry Education, Core Organic Chem 17.12 _ NMR Spectroscopy of Aromatic Compounds

Keep the Workload Manageable

Dr Karimi also emphasized the importance of not overwhelming students.

She selects videos carefully and keeps the assigned content focused. In her chemistry course, she aims to assign no more than 10 short videos per chapter, giving students the most important content without adding an unrealistic workload.

This is essential because pre-class preparation only works when students can actually complete it.

Build it Into Your Course

Dr Karimi showed how she adds JoVE videos directly into her Canvas modules alongside her other teaching materials. She also explained how JoVE’s textbook-aligned playlists help her choose videos that match the chapter she is teaching. 

This makes the videos easier for students to find and use, and gives faculty a course structure they can reuse and adjust based on student feedback. 

Finally, Dr Karimi discussed how JoVE's auto-scored quizzes support extra practice without adding more grading time, giving students another way to engage with the material before or after class.

Screenshot 2026-09-30 210308

Key Takeaway

Pre-class video works best when it has a clear purpose.

Dr Karimi has shown that the point is not to add more work. Rather, it is to help students arrive with enough understanding to make better use of the time they spend with their instructor.

When students review core ideas before class, faculty can spend more time on the part of learning that often needs them most: reasoning through problems, answering questions, and helping students apply what they know.

Explore how JoVE's ready-to-use videos and quizzes can support your teaching.

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