MCC’s Science Department Uses Virtual Labs in Online Courses

Many colleges are struggling to adjust to the new normal, but Middlesex Community College has been creative in developing curriculum and opportunities to keep students on track. As a leader of online learning for over 20 years, Middlesex will run about 95 percent of courses online for the Fall semester, this includes the use of virtual labs in many of MCC’s Science classes.

When COVID-19 hit in the middle of the Spring semester, science classes – including anatomy and physiology, biology, microbiology, physics and chemistry – transitioned fully online. Faculty were creative in sharing worksheets, homework assignments, quizzes, videos and articles. They also found free resources online and from other colleges and universities.

Dr. Iveta Dinbergs, MCC’s Chairperson and Professor of Science, has been teaching hybrid online and face-to-face courses since 2003 and believes Middlesex makes the effort to invest in quality virtual labs for courses.

“Middlesex has always been on the frontline of technology,” she said. “We were one of the first to offer online courses. We have all the latest and greatest virtual lab technology and we have phenomenal training, support and professional development. We are state-of-the-art.”

Dinbergs appreciates that MCC has always remained focused about staying ahead of the curve, teaching with cutting edge technology at an affordable price.

Olivia Kane, from Dedham, graduated from Boston University in the spring with a B.A. in health science. She needed to finish prerequisites in order to apply for nursing school and registered to take MCC’s Anatomy and Physiology I course. She had a positive experience using virtual labs in the online class taught by Ali Ahrabi, MCC’s Assistant Professor of Science.

“Being able to learn in the comfort of my own home – especially during these unprecedented times – was something that I was extremely grateful for,” she said. “Now, more than ever, it is important to further your education. Education can change your perspective and provide you with the tools to go and change the world – and no one can take that away from you.”

MCC uses the virtual simulation Labster for a number of disciplines. Students go through the experience as though they are in a real lab, beginning the process by entering the lab, putting on a lab coat, and following safety protocols, including throwing away used gloves in the appropriate way. They cannot skip steps.

“The Labster simulations allow students to experiment with concepts, perform a series of experiments that yield authentic results, and use simulated laboratory equipment that behaves in almost the same way as it would in a real face-to-face laboratory,” Ahrabi said. “In a real lab, we often see some students who need more time to understand a lab concept better or need extra opportunity to repeat the lab exercise in order to learn better. In a simulated environment, the students can repeat the labs as many times as they wish to learn in complete details.”

Having an opportunity to redo labs not only improved Kane’s grades, but led to a deeper understanding of the material. Both her and Ahrabi agree that another positive was performing experiments online that may be considered dangerous in real-life.

“The online labs allow students to engage in experiments and perform simulations that would have either been impossible or taken hours to complete in person,” Kane said. “From creating explosions when studying molecular chemistry to viewing how specific conditions impact homeostasis of the human body, the virtual labs performed on my computer helped further my education than I could have ever imagined.”

MCC’s Science department also uses the virtual lab ADAM for anatomy and physiology to allow students a realistic look at the human body. Dinbergs describes the process as analyzing “slices” in the body that show the way muscles, bones and blood vessels all connect to move body parts.

Another virtual lab, Visible Body, offers students three-dimensional views of the body. Students interact with body parts – such as the lungs – and move them in a way that would mimic a dissection. This is important in science lessons because according to Dinbergs, “You have to envision molecules and how they rotate and spin – how they bind.”

The labs are asynchronous, so students work on their own time. To hold them accountable and to check on the quality of work, Dinbergs will have students print out results or a picture of what they’ve been working on, such as a completed petri dish or data chart that has been filled out.

Some of the upper-level physics, chemistry and biotechnology labs are still being offered in-person while adhering to strict health and safety guidelines, wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and following social distancing. While these courses need in-person lab experiences, Dinbergs believes virtual labs are here to stay.

“Students like the convenience and all the other aspects of it,” she said. “The constant feedback that I am receiving from the Science faculty indicates to me that we are being quite successful at the switch from in-class to online teaching.”

This fall, MCC is running more than 30 different science courses, with flexible formats including accelerated eight-week classes, hybrid and online options. MCC offers personalized financial aid counseling, payment plans and a supportive community to help keep students on track with their goals.

MCC is offering incentives to help students continue their education. One incentive offers 50 percent off a first class to students who were laid-off due to COVID-19. The college is also offering 50 percent off one course to new students in celebration of the college’s 50th anniversary. Qualifying students must register by September 10.

Visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/save for participation rules.

To register for Fall classes, visit www.middlesex.mass.edu/registration/ or call 1-800-818-3434.

Discover your path at Middlesex Community College. As one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in Massachusetts, MCC has been a proven leader in online education for more than 20 years. We educate, engage and empower a diverse community of learners, offering more than 80 degree and certificate programs – plus hundreds of noncredit courses. Middlesex Community College: Student success starts here!