As a professor at Luna Community College, Natasha Lujan understands the challenges rural students face, especially those juggling parenting, jobs, and long commutes. Luna CC serves students across Northern New Mexico, many pursuing allied health and nursing pathways.

“For my students, Labster means not having to travel two or more hours just for a lab,” Lujan explains. “They can work around their own schedule, especially those working in hospitals or raising kids. It’s flexible, and it works.”

Luna’s Anatomy & Physiology courses are offered exclusively online, and Lujan is one of two instructors teaching asynchronously. Labster is fully integrated into her A&P 1 course. She finds that her online courses max out every semester because they’re so convenient for students.

Key takeways: 

• Labster supports flexible learning for rural and nontraditional students
• Virtual labs boosts student confidence, engagement, and completion rates
• Ease of use and direct student support reduce barriers for both instructors and learners

Shifting Perspective from Skepticism to Advocacy

Lujan was initially skeptical about teaching A&P without a physical lab. “I came from a hands-on lab environment,” she says. “But with Labster, students can go task by task, repeat activities, and take the time they need to really understand.”

That repeatability has proven to be key for learning. “In a traditional lab, you take a test and that’s it. Labster, on the other hand, doesn’t let them move on without understanding. There are quizzes embedded. They’re learning and checking their knowledge as they go.”

“Now I’m an advocate for renewing Labster. It’s helped me and my students a lot.”

Student Engagement and Success

After a year and a half of using Labster, Lujan sees strong student outcomes. When students engage with the simulations, she estimates 85–90% completion.  

Her students frequently discuss what they learned from simulations, what they found difficult, and what they enjoyed. These conversations are part of her strategy to check for understanding. And it’s working.

“Students have told me Labster is very helpful. They feel capable and prepared to move forward in their Allied Health education. Even students coming straight from high school (dual credit students) are able to succeed.”

Ease of Use and Preference Over Other Tools

Lujan has also compared Labster with other digital platforms, like Visible Body. 

“Labster is so much easier to understand, both for professors and students. With Visible Body, it felt like you had to have someone from the company walk you through it. It wasn’t user-friendly. Labster is easier to navigate.” 

Labster’s On-Call Support Team

Lujan shared that her students use Labster’s support team directly when they need help, so she doesn’t have to act as a middle person. This direct connection between students and Labster’s support helps resolve issues quickly and keeps the learning experience smooth.

“The support team provided step-by-step guidance and quick responses whenever my students needed help.”

Looking Ahead

Lujan continues to advocate for expanding Labster at Luna CC. She’s interested in additional ways to measure student progress and prove impact across the program. Her advice to other community colleges?

“Don’t let the initial learning curve scare you. I was reluctant at first, too. But once I got over the initial fear, it really helped me engage, and it helps the students engage as much, if not more than, in-person. Labster is their learning, on their own time, without pressure.”