Labster And OpenStax Partner To Expand Equitable Access To Interactive Science Learning
Boston, MA (BUSINESS WIRE) - Labster (www.labster.com), the world's leading edtech platform for virtual labs and interactive and immersive science, announces its partnership with OpenStax, an educational technology initiative of nonprofit Rice University that provides students and educators with free learning resources to support teaching and learning in K12 and higher education. The partnership is aimed at helping schools and universities support the use of open educational resources (OER) as a way to reduce the cost of access to high-quality science course materials.
“Making science education more accessible to all learners everywhere has been Labster’s core vision since its founding. By offering high-quality course materials that are affordable for students as well as sustainable for educational institutions, this partnership is a significant step forward in our shared commitment to breaking down the barriers to equitable learning,” said Julian Allen, PhD, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Labster.
“Partnering with Labster as one of our valued OpenStax Allies enables the OpenStax library of peer-reviewed, customizable, free digital science content to connect directly with Labster’s immersive learning platform for science simulations. This partnership supports the growth of scientific literacy amongst students, while also increasing awareness amongst educators on the many powerful benefits of OER,” said Anthony Palmiotto, Director of Higher Education at OpenStax.
OER and OpenStax have become central to the learning materials landscape for postsecondary courses. According to independent research firm Bay View Analytics, 2021 was the first year the majority of faculty in the United States were aware of OER and/or OpenStax. The research named OpenStax as the top OER publisher and a top 5 textbook publisher in introductory courses overall by volume, a major force driving growth in the field. The OpenStax library offers free and open resources and supporting materials for both college and K12 level learners that are rigorously aligned to the scope and sequence standards instructors expect.
OpenStax and Labster will host a free, public webinar on April 18, 2024, at 3pm ET, and all in the education community are encouraged to pre-register to attend to learn more about how to access resources made available by the new partnership.
Science instructors, curriculum directors, and all educators are invited to explore our comprehensive guide to the Labster-OpenStax content alignment or request a free syllabus template that matches OpenStax textbook chapters to Labster virtual labs. Instructors and program leaders can contact Labster with their course title and learning objectives or an existing syllabus and they will receive a syllabus that aligns their topics with relevant OpenStax chapters and Labster science simulations.
With a catalog of 300-plus STEM curriculum-aligned virtual lab simulations and a vast library of supplemental materials, Labster was recently highlighted by Business Insider magazine as one of the “25 most promising education tech startups of 2023” and is the winner of the 2023 Tech Edvocate Awards category for best virtual reality tools. Its UbiSim (www.ubisimvr.com) immersive virtual reality (VR) training platform for nursing simulation is a Gold winner in the 2023 Merit Awards for Healthcare.
About Labster
Labster is dedicated to developing fully interactive virtual training simulations that are designed to enhance traditional learning outcomes by stimulating students’ natural curiosity and reinforcing 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. Over 6 million students in high schools and universities in 100-plus countries have used Labster to perform realistic experiments, learn key science concepts, and practice their skills in a risk-free learning environment. Labster’s team members are passionate about improving science learning, resulting in collaborations with over 3,000 leading educational institutions. Visit www.labster.com.
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