Microbiology Laboratory Simulations: From a Last-Minute Resource during the Covid-19 Pandemic to a Valuable Learning Tool to Retain-A Semester Microbiology Laboratory Curriculum That Uses Labster as Prelaboratory Activity

As educators, we strive to provide the best delivery method to improve our students' learning experience. The Covid-19 shutdown posed an incredible challenge by forcing us to redesign the way we teach with no time to prepare. Bringing the laboratory curriculum outside the lab was one of the most challenging tasks. Instructors got creative, adopting safe, at-home laboratory experiments, at-home kits bought from distributors, and relying on online simulations. Now that we are returning to face-to-face meetings, the experience gained during the lockdown can be harnessed and used as extra tools available for our students' learning experience. Online simulations gained attention during the lockdown and turned out to be of great value, with different studies reporting on improved students' experiences following the use of simulations. This paper outlines how to incorporate Labster simulations in an in-person microbiology semester for undergraduate students.