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The Annual Lab Report: The State of Online Science Labs

How can science labs be delivered effectively online? Find out the answer to that big question—and much more—in our latest report.

Ready to dig in?

Our latest report explores that question—identifying the challenges students and instructors face and offering actionable recommendations for shifting face-to-face lab experiences online without sacrificing quality or effectiveness.

Learn more about the many compelling findings we uncovered about the state of online science labs, including those related to:

  • Market demand
  • Quality 
  • Lab formats
  • Access and support
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What’s Inside the Report

In our study, we compare student and instructor attitudes about online lab courses to on-campus lab courses and review the quality and effectiveness of hands-on experiments and virtual simulations. The key areas we focused on include:

  • The Demand for Online Science Labs 
  • The Student Experience
  • The Instructor Experience
  • Comparing Student and Instructor Views
  • Strategies for Supporting Online Learners and Instructors

here are just a few of our most striking discoveries

72% of instructors using hands-on labs say it is comparable to an in-person lab.
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82% of instructors using virtual simulations said students would have learned more with hands-on labs at home.

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78% of instructors were satisfied with their online lab experience, regardless of the format of the lab. 
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81% of students said their online labs were more engaging than in-person labs.
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91% of students said it was very important to them to be able to take their science courses online.
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81% of students were satisfied with their online lab experience, regardless of the format of the lab.
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How We Developed
the Lab Report:

In order to develop our report, we conducted an extensive survey to gather insights from students and instructors on the effectiveness of online STEM labs. We received an overwhelming response, with over 1,600 individuals across the country participating. 

Based on the data collected, we compiled a detailed annual report that delves into crucial aspects related to the quality, accessibility, different formats, and overall efficacy of online science labs. 

Here’s a little background on who we heard from:

Science Interactive Lab Report Survey Respondents Demographics
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