In recent years, online learning has become firmly established as a core strategic component for many institutions. Online programs offer non-traditional learners flexible pathways to advance their careers, and STEM education is no exception. With growing demand for STEM professionals, more learners are increasingly turning to STEM programs as a pathway to career advancement. In fact, STEM occupations are projected to grow significantly faster than non-STEM roles: 8.1% compared to 2.7% over the next decade, while offering substantially higher median wages (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025). 

One challenge, however, is quite clear. Without deliberate curriculum design, online STEM courses can easily default to passive instruction, missing the experiential elements that make learning meaningful and directly applicable to STEM workforce needs. Specifically, how can institutions deliver rigorous, engaging STEM learning experiences online without labs, physical spaces, and in-person interaction? Today, several modern techniques and approaches to online STEM learning can turn a passive experience into one that is highly experiential.

Let’s take a look at five signs your online STEM program or course has moved from passive to experiential, creating a more engaging, effective learning environment for today’s online students.

1. Shift Towards Active Learning Models

Traditional online courses often rely heavily on lectures, readings, and quizzes. In contrast, a substantial body of research shows that active learning approaches, where students participate in discussion, problem-solving, or applied tasks, lead to better outcomes than lecture-based methods, driving a shift among leading programs toward more experiential models (Sage Journals, 2024). Approaches here are varied, including case-based learning, flipped classrooms, problem-based learning, virtual labs, and peer instruction.  

The impacts of active learning are significant. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that students in active learning environments had significantly higher exam scores and were 1.5 times less likely to fail than those in traditional lecture-based courses (Freeman et al., 2014).

‍Why it matters: Students learn STEM by doing. Active engagement leads to stronger comprehension, higher confidence, and better retention.

2. Build Learning Around Application and Practice

Rather than organizing courses around what instructors need to explain, high-quality online STEM programs are designed around what students need to apply and practice. Scenario-based learning, case studies, and iterative problem-solving give students the opportunity to test ideas, explore hypotheses, and apply concepts in realistic contexts.

Research in cognitive science reinforces this approach: learners are far more likely to retain and transfer knowledge when they apply it in varied situations, rather than simply recalling information (Bransford et al., How People Learn).

‍Why it matters: Application reinforces understanding and helps students transfer knowledge beyond the classroom.

3. Embed Continuous Demonstration of Mastery

In today’s AI-enabled environment, getting an accurate picture of student understanding is more challenging than ever. At the same time, relying solely on high-stakes exams often provides a limited, and sometimes misleading, view of what students actually know.

Experiential courses leverage continuous demonstration of mastery, where students show what they’ve learned throughout the experience by making decisions, solving problems, correcting mistakes, and completing applied tasks or missions.

According to EDUCAUSE, institutions are rethinking traditional assessment models in response to AI, shifting toward more authentic, applied approaches that better reflect real student learning and reduce opportunities for academic misconduct (Educause, 2023).

‍Why it matters: Ongoing demonstration of mastery provides a more accurate picture of learning and reduces reliance on assessments that can be easily outsourced or AI-assisted.

4. Incorporate Immersive Learning Experiences

STEM learning inherently requires experimentation. To address this in an online environment, many institutions are incorporating immersive, simulation-based experiences, including virtual labs.

These tools allow students to explore complex concepts, experiment, and learn through practice without the constraints of physical labs. Some institutions, such ASU Online, also pair these experiences with short in-person lab residencies for a blended approach. Virtual labs have also been viewed as far more efficient, from a cost, course timing, and logistical perspective, than lab kits.

Efficacy studies have shown that well-designed virtual labs can produce learning outcomes comparable to, or in some cases exceeding, traditional labs, particularly when they enable repetition, immediate feedback, and safe exploration. They also nicely complement any in-person lab residencies that may be part of the program structure. Additional studies have shown that students using virtual labs report increased likelihood of staying in STEM long term. 

‍Why it matters: Immersive experiences like virtual labs bring STEM to life, enabling hands-on learning that is scalable, safe, flexible, and effective online.

5. Design to Build Student Confidence and Support Persistence

Online learners, particularly working adults, first-generation students, and underrepresented populations, often face additional barriers to STEM persistence. Without the right support, STEM courses can feel isolating and intimidating.

Experiential learning helps address this by allowing students to practice, explore, and learn without penalty. This builds confidence over time, an often overlooked but critical factor in retention.

Research from the Association of American Colleges and Universities and broader STEM education studies shows that high-impact practices like active and experiential learning significantly improve persistence and completion rates, particularly for underserved student populations (AACU, 2026).

‍Why it matters: When students feel capable and supported, they are far more likely to persist and succeed, expanding access not just to enrollment, but to completion.

Closing Thoughts

As institutions continue to scale online and hybrid STEM programs, the shift from passive to experiential learning is essential, not just for student engagement, but for enrollment growth, retention, assessment integrity, and workforce readiness.

For institutions exploring how to bring more immersive, hands-on experiences into their online STEM courses, there are now a growing number of approaches and tools available to support this transformation, including platforms like Labster that are purpose-built to enable experiential learning at scale.

‍Contact Labster for a product demo to learn more.