AUTHOR=Myburgh Pieter Hermanus 

TITLE=Reflecting on the Creation of Virtual Laboratory Experiences for Biology Students

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Education

VOLUME=Volume 7 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/education/articles/10.3389/feduc.2022.796840

DOI=10.3389/feduc.2022.796840

ISSN=2504-284X

ABSTRACT=The COVID-19 pandemic challenged the status quo of higher education practices. With the transition to remote learning, students and faculty faced several challenges while making great strides in equalizing education access. Although theoretical aspects can be easily taught online, practical experiences are difficult to convey without dedicated laboratories and equipment. This is especially true in biological studies, where practical laboratory training significantly impacts the student’s professional development. Presented here is an overview of the available resources that faculty can implement in their remote learning curricula, a discussion on a possible approach towards creating in silico practicums, and potential challenges that could be experienced in creating such virtual laboratories.   To prevent another interruption in academic training, higher education institutions should focus on creating practical training resources. We propose that these resources be free and open source, allowing for a global effort to create a standardized practical curriculum for basic biological technical skills.