Labster Awarded Research-Based Design Product Certification by Digital Promise

Product Certification Provides Transparency to Edtech Marketplace

Washington, D.C. — June 16, 2022 — Labster has earned the Research-Based Design for Instructional Learning Products: Product Certification from Digital Promise. This Product Certification serves as a rigorous, reliable signal for district and school leaders, educators, and families looking for edtech products with a confirmed basis in research about learning. 

Labster submitted evidence to Digital Promise confirming a link between research on how students learn and the product’s design. Labster also demonstrated their commitment to making their research basis clear and accessible to the public. 

“We are delighted to be recognized by Digital Promise as a truly research-based solution. At the heart of Labster’s product development process is the belief that all solutions should be based on learning science and validated by research,” said Michael Bodekaer Jensen, Labster CEO. “We believe our ongoing commitment to evidence-based product development is a highly differentiating factor in today's education technology market.” 

There are over 8,000 edtech products used in K-12 schools (LearnPlatform Top 40 Report, 2021) and fewer than 1% have earned the Digital Promise Research-Based Design Product Certification since 2020.  Labster partnered with Dr. Rachel Schechter at Learning Experience Design LXD Research (http://www.lxdresearch.com), a division of Charles River Media Group, LLC, to prepare its application for the latest certification criteria, revised in March 2022. 

“Educators and researchers continue to uncover important insights about how people learn,” said Christina Luke Luna, Chief Learning Officer of Pathways and Credentials at Digital Promise. “Digital Promise’s Research-Based Design Product Certification recognizes the edtech products that incorporate research about learning into their design and development. Congratulations to Labster for demonstrating that research informs product design!” 

Through Product Certifications, consumers can narrow their options as they select products based on research about learning before trying them out in their classrooms. Digital Promise launched the Research-Based Design Product Certification in February 2020 and has certified over 60 products to date. 

The Research-Based Design Product Certification uses a competency-based learning framework, developed in consultation with Digital Promise’s Learner Variability Project advisory board, expert researchers in the Learning Sciences field, and nearly 50 educators across the United States. Further detail about its development can be found in Digital Promise’s reports, Designing Edtech that Matters for Learning: Research-Based Design Product Certifications (2020) and An Overlooked Indicator of Edtech Quality: The Use of Learning Sciences Research (2022). 

All developers, educators, edtech investors, and families are also encouraged to sign the Research-Based Product Promise and demand high-quality, research-driven products that support each unique learner. More information on Digital Promise’s Product Certifications can be found at productcertifications.digitalpromise.org. 

About Labster

Labster is dedicated to developing fully interactive virtual training simulations that are designed to enhance traditional learning outcomes by stimulating students’ natural curiosity and reinforcing the connection between science and the real world. The simulations can be used in a variety of different ways, from a full lab replacement to a supplemental learning activity. Over 5 million students in high schools and universities have used Labster to perform realistic experiments, learn key science concepts, and practice their skills in a risk-free learning environment. Labster’s 350-plus team members from over 30 countries are passionate about improving science learning, resulting in collaborations with over 3,000 leading educational institutions. Visit www.labster.com. 

About Digital Promise 

Digital Promise is a nonprofit organization that builds powerful networks and takes on grand challenges by working at the intersection of researchers, entrepreneurs, and educators. Our vision is that all people, at every stage of their lives, have access to learning experiences that help them acquire the knowledge and skills they need to thrive and continuously learn in an ever-changing world. For more information, visit the Digital Promise website and follow@digitalpromise for updates. 

Press Contacts: 

Michelle Denny

Sterling Communications for Labster

+1 (408) 335-7331

labster@sterlingpr.com

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Crystal Williams 

Digital Promise 

cwilliams@digitalpromise.org