Labster today announced a partnership with North Dakota University System (NDUS) to provide campuses within the system access to Labster’s 150+ virtual laboratory simulations including biology, chemistry, physics, and general sciences.
The safety and well-being of students, faculty and staff are foundational concerns for the NDUS. Amid the current COVID-19 pandemic, the NDUS administration will be limiting in-person offerings in a proactive effort to combat the possibility of a second wave outbreak.
Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs Lisa Johnson said among the many changes implemented during the pandemic, Labster stood out. “The online virtual laboratory will enable students to practice techniques, skills, processes, protocols, and underlying theory in the areas of biology, chemistry, engineering, medicine, and physics.” She added that the systemwide implementation of the virtual labs may remain in use once the pandemic concludes.
The North Dakota University System consists of two research universities, four regional universities, and five community colleges with over 44,000 students across the state. The Chancellor’s Office is requesting individual campuses access Labster to better target individual educators’ needs of virtual lab simulations that can support their students’ transition to remote learning for the foreseeable future.
“Whether the school year is virtual, in-person or hybrid, our partnership with the North Dakota University System will help empower science teachers to not only maintain, but accelerate student learning, no matter where they are,” said Michael Bodekaer, Labster CEO and Co-founder. “Our virtual lab simulations will help students and educators during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond — proving to be an essential part of these students’ ability to learn science, in a world-class laboratory environment, from anywhere.”
Labster’s fully interactive virtual simulations are designed to stimulate students’ natural curiosity and highlight the connection between science and the real world. Students perform realistic experiments, learn key science concepts, and practice their skills in a risk-free learning environment. Numerous research studies show that Labster simulations significantly improve learning outcomes and knowledge retention while simultaneously increasing student engagement and participation in STEM curricula.
About Labster
Labster is dedicated to developing fully interactive virtual laboratory simulations that are designed to stimulate students’ natural curiosity and highlight 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. Labster works with leading educational institutions to improve science learning, resulting in collaborations with over 1,000 institutions around the world, including ETH in Zurich, MIT and Imperial College. www.labster.com
About North Dakota University System
The North Dakota University System is a unified system of higher education governed by the State Board of Higher Education. The 11 University System institutions prepare students for a broad range of professions by providing career and technical education, traditional academic programs, graduate studies and research opportunities.