Annemarie Duncan is an Adjunct Professor of Biology at Barton Community College in Kansas. She teaches online introductory biology courses where she instructs both STEM majors and non-majors. Her main goal for STEM education for both these populations of students is to connect learning to real life so that it becomes more memorable and easier to understand. Annemarie uses 15 Labster virtual labs a semester to help her meet this objective. 

‍Virtual Labs Used:

• Introduction to Food Macromolecules
• Light Microscopy
• Photosynthesis: Electro Support Chain
• Cell Division (Principles: Mitosis & Meiosis)
• Pipetting: Mastering the technique 
• Fermentation
• Embryology: Discover the genetics of limb development

Key Takeaways:

• Labster fosters connections between STEM and real-world applications
• Students perceive virtual labs as fun, engaging, and beneficial for learning
• Virtual labs simulate hands-on experiences

Connecting Science to Real-Life

“I focus more on learning than rigor. I care that they grasp the concepts beyond rote memorization. I like to connect classroom lessons to real life, so with Labster, I'll choose simulations that explore disease, investigate the molecular makeup of food, etc. I especially like the simulations that allow students to virtually handle lab equipment that they may encounter in future classes and/or workplaces.” 

Simulating Real Lab Experiences

“My goal is for students to have experiences that simulate the hands-on labs they would encounter if they were in person.  It’s important that their primary institution accepts the credit transfer. Connecting to real life and having fun will motivate them to be successful in the lab. Labster is the most hands-on experience students can get without stepping into a lab.”

The Learning Process with Labster

“When I  explored the Labster simulations, I learned you must be patient and work through the virtual labs methodically. It's not something you can really rush through, which is one reason I like it for students. They have to plug in and thoughtfully go through the process.”

Labster’s Support and Responsiveness

“The rare times I have had to use support, I’ve gotten incredible, fast responses from Labster. I’m big on using companies that are kind and responsive. I have no product faithfulness to companies that aren’t that way. You guys are great."

Saving Time with Labster

“My students have very few questions about Labster, which means less time I have to dedicate to the support portion, fielding questions, which can be very time-consuming.”

Student Feedback

• “I really like the lab assignment it is interesting and easy to learn.”
• “What is going well for me so far is mainly the simulations. I feel like they help a lot because it feels hands on.”
• “What works well in this course is that lab allows students to have fun learning about biology.”
• “I feel like I do well on labs! I also think it's a fun, interactive activity that kind of eases up the course.”
• “I feel that the labs really pull the material together for me.”