The Labster Science Platform

Team members share what Labster is and how it impacts the learning experience in the short video below.

Chapter 1: Technical Setup 

The Labster implementation process assists you in connecting your LMS to Labster, setting up your Course Manager instance, and adding courses to your Labster instance. Each of the recordings below covers:

• Introduction and overview of our onboarding process
• How to set up and add simulations
• Overview of Labster support (how and when to contact support)
• How to add students
• How to view your gradebook

Using your LMS or Course Manager with Labster

The following implementation recordings and Help Center articles walk you through how to access Labster via your LMS or Labster Course Manager. Choose your LMS below to find your appropriate recording or text article*. If your institution does not use a learning management system for Labster, or if your LMS is not listed below, watch the recorded Course Manager webinar.

• Labster Course Manager implementation - Video | Text version
• Blackboard implementation - Video | Text version
• Canvas implementation - Video | Text version
• Canvas API integration - Text version
• D2L/Brightspace implementation - Text version
• Google Classroom implementation - Video | Text version
• Moodle implementation - Video | Text version
• Schoology implementation - Text version
• Sakai implementation - Text version

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*Note: If your institution is brand new to using Labster, your administrator may need to set up your LMS integration before you can begin browsing and assigning simulations. See the Admin articles here.

Changing your language settings

You can now set your entire logged-in Labster account experience to appear in Spanish, French, German or Italian, learn how.

Chromebook and iPad App information 

Labster is now supported on iPads and Chromebooks for many learning management systems. For the best user experience on these devices, we recommend downloading the applicable native app. If you are unsure if your LMS can run on Chromebooks or iPads, please reach out to your Account Manager for confirmation.

• Download the new Labster app from the Apple store

• How to access Labster's simulations on iPads

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• Download the new Labster app from Google Play
• How to access Labster's simulations on Chromebooks

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Chapter 2: Overview of Features

This brief overview introduces you to your core subscription features and how to use them.

• Labster & UbiSim 2024 Product Roadmap - Learn about new features and what's coming soon to Labster and UbiSim
• *POPULAR* What is Included in my subscription - Labster is more than science simulations. Your subscription also comes with a toolbox of supplemental resources that complement in-person learning. Read the blog post here to review your available supplemental resources and how to use them and access the complete brochure here
• Navigating Course Manager - You can explore Labster content, schedule and assign simulations, manage your course roster, and track students’ progress
• *POPULAR* What are short simulations? - Short simulations, or “focus simulations” which run 5-20 minutes long, target one specific concept of the original lab
• What are courses? - Courses consist of units of simulations, following higher education or high school learning progression, mapped to typical curriculum.
• What are course collections? -  Course collections are curated lists of our simulations into groups and categories that will make it easier for educators to find and assign content based on teaching themes
• Labster Dashboard from Course Manager - Understanding Labster Dashboard Insights. Keep track of your student's scores & progress
• *NEW* Introduction to Labster’s customized quiz editor - A powerful feature that allows you to personalize quiz questions within Labster simulations like never before!
• Science animations library - Short 3D animations from Labster simulations. Share these YouTube video links with your students
• *NEW* Labster Admin Dashboard - An admin dashboard is a centralized interface designed to facilitate the management and oversight of Labster usage within an institution and available for users with an "admin" role
• 3D chemistry visualizations - Explore 3D chemistry models in depth while also using augmented reality to display compounds, electrolytes, and more on your phone

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Chapter 3: Teaching with Labster

Now that you're set up and familiar with the fundamental features of your Labster subscription, you can expand your knowledge (and comfort level) with the addition of these tools and teaching tips. Chapter 3 features worksheets and our customer community, to hot topic blog posts with real customer stories to inspire you throughout the school year.

Teacher Resources and Tools

Measuring the success and seeing the value of your subscription.

• *POPULAR* Labster's customer community - The Labster Community Campus is designed specifically for educators using Labster or those interested in learning more about our labs, and is your space for developing your virtual simulation skills with on-demand training, product updates, and by connecting with other science educators around the world. Join our educator community today

"Collaboration is the key to success! It is like they say, it takes the community to raise the student but it also takes the community to support the teachers."
-High School Science Teacher

• *NEW* Labster and OpenStax Alignment Guide - Enhance learning and lower costs by easily pairing immersive simulations with open educational resources (OER)
• Customizable self-reflection worksheet - 10 thoughtful questions to reflect on your school year
• How to Advocate for Funding for Labster in Your District or School (high school) - To help you advocate for needed resources, we’ve gathered five tips based on previous Labster teachers’ successes
• How to Boost Student Engagement ebook download - Proven strategies for STEM faculty and administrators, this ebook covers everything from what does (dis) engagement say about a university, to how faculty and administrators can help engage students‍
• Create your own case study template (complete with student survey guide) - Conduct your case study to provide quantitative and qualitative success metrics

Teaching with Labster

Helpful Tips for All Teachers

• *NEW* How to Foster Student Agency to Motivate Disengaged Students - (blog post) Giving students an active role or choice in how they learn could increase student attention spans
• Engage students in team-based learning with virtual labs (blog post) - With team-based learning (TBL), students can be introduced to concepts at home and then can be actively engaged in learning those concepts in class
• A teacher’s introduction to the flipped classroom (blog post) - With team-based learning (TBL), students can be introduced to concepts at home and then can be actively engaged in learning those concepts in class
• How Labster aligns with the 5E Instructional Model - Creating engaged and excited students with the 5E instructional model
• 5 extra credit STEM assignments to engage your students & give their grades a lift (blog post) - Extra credit assignments can be tricky because instructors wonder if it’s giving students a pass or allowing them to slack off
• Using Labster Virtual Labs for Student Group Work - (blog post) Labster virtual labs offer more than just individual learning experiences. They also provide a valuable platform for group work, allowing students to collaborate, communicate effectively, and achieve shared goals.
• *POPULAR* 7 tips for a successful STEM lecture (blog post) - Student engagement during lectures has notoriously been a pain point for most instructors. Short attention spans and lack of interest in coming to lectures have been noted as typical challenges instructors face

Teaching Gen Z

• *NEW* 10 Student Engagement Strategies for Gen Z to Gen P & Beyond - (blog post) Explore 10 expert strategies to engage Gen Z & Gen P students in the classroom
• How to engage disengaged STEM Gen Z students & support their well-being (blog post) - Do you feel like your Gen Z students (born between 1997 and 2012) are more disengaged than ever in your STEM courses? This article talks about the main struggles and what STEM educators can do to help
• 5 ways to teach STEM to Gen Zs in a pandemic-recovering world (blog post) - How does a STEM teacher focus on labs, lectures, and activities in the middle of a mental health crisis? It’s difficult, but there is hope
• 6 “Addictive” Engagement Tactics to Combat Low Attendance & Participation - (blog post) Successful student engagement advice from real customers

Active Learning

• What is Active Learning?
• How Labster supports Active Learning techniques in science courses
• Active Learning tools for the STEM classroom

Accessibility

• Accessibility - Our team is committed to providing educational material that engages and benefits all learners. Our Help Center offers articles about how to play simulations in accessibility mode and a deeper dive into our accessibility roadmap
• Labster Accessibility FAQ for High School IEPs - Designed specifically for our High School educator, this interactive guide easily highlights Labster's accessibility features.

Customer Case Studies

• How Professor Simantini Teaches Science with Zero Textbook Costs Using Labster and OpenStax
• Student Case Study: How Labster Meets the Needs of A Learner with ADHD
• Daemen University Uses Labster to Inspire Curiosity-Driven Learning in Anxious Students
• Students say simulations help them learn and gain confidence
• Barton Community College Helps Students Step into the Shoes of a Scientist with Labster
• My Labster Experience: Paul Kasili, Bunker Hill Community College

UbiSim for Labster Customers

UbiSim (a Labster product) offers immersive VR simluations for nursing. Expand nurse training and institutional success through immersive, customizable VR simulations, offering realistic, safe, and hands-on practice opportunities at scale.

• Virtual Labs for Biosciences for Nursing - Find virtual labs in Labster's Simulation Catalog that promote learning in Health Sciences
• Labster & UbiSim VR Simulations Activate Learning from Health Science Courses All the Way Through Nursing School - learn more
• Help Students Succeed in Nursing Clinicals - Contact our sales team to see how UbiSim can fit into your curriculum

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Chapter 4: Student Troubleshooting

Sometimes the biggest challenge is explaining new technology to students. We've gathered some key resources in Chapter 4 to onboard your class to virtual labs and keep them motivated with self-service help guides.

How to introduce Labster to your students

Communication and transparency are key. Set expectations of what and why with these resources.

• 5 Tips to Prepare Incoming Students to Use Labster - The best ways to prepare your incoming students to use Labster from real-life Labster teachers
• What is Labster? video - 1:10-minute animated video overview of Labster
• Welcome to Labster - Simple Student Guide video - 2-minute video overview of what to expect when using virtual simulations for the first time
• Student and teacher testimonial videos - If you want some social proof or just looking to show your class how other students have experienced Labster, check out our testimonial playlist on our YouTube channel
• *POPULAR* Many educators use our Lab Safety simulation and Introductory Lab simulation as introductions to science simulations

"My favorite has to be lab safety. The students can actually burn the entire lab down. This really works well as an introduction to the students and sets a good tone — that it is ok to make mistakes in these simulations. That way you will not do this in the hands-on lab. I use this in all my courses as the first lab to do."
– Community College Biotechnology Instructor

Student Help Resources‍

Self-service troubleshooting resources for your students. Provide these links on the first day to set your students up for success.

• *NEW* Student's Guide to Labster - This guide is designed to help students (and parents) use virtual labs and the Labster platform, from “what is Labster” to on-demand student support. This guide has everything a student needs to gain confidence in using science simulations

"This resource looks amazing. I really admire Labster’s dedication to the user experience and how to improve where possible."
-University Physics Professor

• Help Center - Search our help articles for common troubleshooting answers
• Live chat - Located in the Help Center, our live chatbot is ready to answer students’ questions

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Chapter 5: Teacher Troubleshooting

Teachers can access our award-winning customer support around the clock. From our new Help Center to our knowledgeable chatbot, we're here to support your needs 24/7.

‍Here are the steps listed in priority of how to address and solve troubleshooting issues.

1. Step 1 - We strongly encourage you to visit the Help Center prior to contacting customer support. Easily search by keywords like "accessibility", "iPad", or "browser" to find articles that can address your issue
2. Step 2 - If you cannot find your answer in the Help Center, our chatbot is available to help, even when the team is not online! Access the chatbot at the top right corner of labster.com
3. Step 3 - Join our educator community, The Labster Community Campus, to ask questions and source feedback from other Labster users
4. Step 4 - If you are experiencing issues that our Help Center, chatbot, and community cannot help solve, please contact our Customer Support by using the email address customer.support@labster.com

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• How can I clear the browser cache and cookies? Learn how to clear your browser's cache and cookies, and how 3rd party cookies could be blocking your access
• Is my device supported? Learn the basic requirements to run our simulations, and how to check your internet speed. You can also read up on how to check your Windows System Information and Mac System Information
• I'm having loading difficulties. Depending on your computer and internet speeds, the simulation might take up to five minutes to load. Otherwise, this link will help your students troubleshoot

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Chapter 6: Additional Resources

Want additional resources like webinars, case studies, and blog posts? Visit the Labster Resource page.

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