Integrating LabSim Into Your IT Curriculum
Best Practices
TableofContents
Introduction.........................................................................................................................................3
UsingLabSimatHomeorSchool..........................................................................................................4
IdeasforLabSimIntegration................................................................................................................4
LabSimHandsonLabs.........................................................................................................................5
VideosandStudyGuides......................................................................................................................6
QuizzesandExams...............................................................................................................................7
TextbookorNot...................................................................................................................................7
LearningStyles.....................................................................................................................................8
ClassTime............................................................................................................................................8
Homework...........................................................................................................................................9
Reporting.............................................................................................................................................9
Certification.......................................................................................................................................10
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Introduction
WelcometotheLabSimcommunity!
LabSimITtrainingcoursesofferinstructorsmanyflexibleoptionsforcurriculumintegration.This
documentisdesignedtoshowyou—theinstructor—someofthewaysLabSimcansupportyouingiving
yourstudentstheITskillsandknowledgetheyneed.PleasenotethatLabSimcoursesaredesignedtobe
workedthroughfromstarttofinish,andskippingsectionswillcausestudentstomissinformationthey
mayneedtoknowforalab,video,orexamlaterinthecourse.
TheimplementationofLabSimintoyourcurriculumishighlyflexible,andnotallinstructorsuseLabSim
inthesameway.SomeuseLabSimtrainingintheclassroom;othersassignLabSimsectionsas
homework.Somebasestudents’gradeontheirscoresrecordedthroughLabSimtracking;othersuse
LabSim’sbuiltinreportingtomeasureprogressandthenbasestudents’gradeonotherachievements.
LabSimcoursesaredesignedtosupportyouinthewaysyouworkbestasaninstructor.
ThisdocumentincludesideasandsuggestionsfrominstructorsandanadministratorusingLabSimat15
differentacademicinstitutions.Theirexperienceswillhelpyouformulateyourownplansfor
successfullyincorporatingLabSiminyourteaching.Institutionswhoseinstructorshavebeenquotedin
thisdocumentinclude:
DeVryUniversity
ErwinTechnicalCenter HendersonCommunityCollege KingCareerCenter
MiddleburgHighSchool
MoultrieTechnicalCollege
NewJerseyCareerCenter
PennFosterCareerSchool
RichmondSeniorHighSchool SantaFeCollege
SchoolcraftCollege
SouthernHillsCareerandTechnicalCenter
WallaWallaHighSchool
WestchesterCommunityCollege
WestLACollege
CampusesNationwide
Tampa,Florida
Henderson,Kentucky
Anchorage,Alaska
Middleburg,Florida
Moultrie,Georgia
Millville,NewJersey
Scranton,Pennsylvania
Rockingham,NorthCarolina
Gainesville,Florida
Livonia,Michigan
Georgetown,Ohio
WallaWalla,Washington
Valhalla,NewYork
CulverCity,California
TestOutalsoencouragesyoutoviewourLabSimvideotutorials(www.LabSimOnline.com/tutorial/)and
findhelpfulinformationintheLabSimQuickStartguides(www.LabSimOnline.com/quickstart/).Also,
pleasecontactourtechnicalsupportstaff(www.LabSimOnline.com/support/)ifyoueverhavefurther
questionsaboutdownloadingLabSim,settingupyourownaccountorstudentaccounts,andaccessing
coursecontent.
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UsingLabSimatHomeorSchool
BecauseLabSimcanbeinstalledonmultiplecomputers,allowstudentstoworkonLabSimatschoolorat
home.
GiveStudentstheOption
“Studentslikeitsomuchthattheydoalloftheirworkathome.Wegivethemtheoptionofstayingin
thelaborbeingathome,andtheywanttodoitathome.”–BillMassey,Instructor,DeVryUniversity
ContinueLearningatHomeafterSchool
“Ibelievelearningdoesn’tjusthappenfrom10to11AMwhilestudentsareintheclassroom.LabSim
helpslearningcontinuewhenstudentsarehome.Sometimesastudentwillaskme,‘CanIdothisat
home?’‘Ofcourse!’AndsinceLabSimisnowonlineinsteadofonlyonCD,it’sahugehelptostudents.
Theycanlearnanytimetheywant.”–WilliamSchlick,Professor,SchoolcraftCollege
FullyHomebasedLearning
“Ihaveastudentwho’shomebound.Hedoesn’tcometoschool,butIstillhavetoprovideworkforhim.
Now,he’ssetupdoingLabSimfromhome.”–BrianBurch,Teacher,RichmondSeniorHighSchool
IdeasforLabSimIntegration
LabSimcanbeincorporatedintoaninstructor’scurriculuminmanyways.Someinstructorsuseitalone;
othersuseitinconjunctionwithatextbook.Someuseitduringclasstimeandothersashomework.
UseLabSimA+withCiscoNetworkingAcademy
“IteachCiscoNetworkingAcademyhere.ThisismysecondyearwithCiscoNetworkingAcademy,so
we’reteachingfirstyearCisco,whichisA+Essentials.IuseLabSimtoteachit.–CharlesThompson,
Teacher,MiddleburgHighSchool
WorkThroughCourseSequentially—FromStarttoFinish
“ThestudentsworktheirwaythroughLabSimfromtoptobottom.Forawholequarter,theyuseLabSim
prettymucheveryclass.”–AlanSaylor,Instructor,MoultrieTechnicalCollege
SupplementSelfpacedTrainingwithClassLectures,Notetaking
“LabSimisinstalledoneachclassroomcomputer,andthestudentsworkattheirownpaceduring
designatedclasstimetoviewandreviewvideos,readfactsheets,andcompletehandsonlab
simulations.StudentsusethecomponentsofLabSimsequentiallyandalsokeepajournal,takenoteson
classlectures,andcompletethepracticeexamsincludedinLabSim.”–BrianBurch,Teacher,Richmond
SeniorHighSchool
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UseLabSiminComputerClassroomandasHomework
“Asastudent,myA+coursesweretaughtinamodifiedcomputerlabenvironment.Wehadlotsof
componentstoworkonphysicallyinthecomputerclassroom,andLabSimsupplementedourlearning.
Inclass,LabSim’svirtuallabsandinstructionalvideoswereusedmostoften,buttheinstructoralso
assignedadditionalcourseworktailoredtowardtheLabSimquizzesandexams.”–AllenLuck,Graduate
andSystemsAdministrator,SantaFeCollege
RepeatLabSimSectionsasNeeded
“WithLabSimtraining,allstudentshavetheirownaccountandcanworkonLabSimsectionsand
assignmentsattheirownpace.TheclassgenerallykeepsonthesamepacethroughtheLabSimtraining,
thoughsomestudentsmaytakelongerthanotherstomastertheconcepts.Inthatcase,theycanrepeat
theLabSimsectionsasmanytimesastheyneed.”–GingerRing,Teacher,SouthernHillsCareerand
TechnicalCenter
WorkThroughLabSimCompletely,ThenAddPhysicalComputerWork
“Intheintroductorytechnologyclasses,studentsworkthroughtheentireA+EssentialsLabSimonline
labsandthensupplementtheirlearningwithphysicalcomputerlabworkandlogic.Thestudentsalso
delvedeeperintoelectronics,thenaddnetworkingwithLabSim.Inthemoreadvancedclasses,theycan
pickthetopicstheywanttogointosuchasNetwork+.DennisDeBroeck,Teacher,WallaWallaHigh
School
BuildSyllabusAroundLabSimwithSpecificAssignmentsofLabSimVideos,Labs,Exams
“We’vebuiltourentiresyllabusaroundLabSimforboththeonlineandtheoncampusclasses.Each
week,Iassignaspecificassignmentthatincludeswhichvideostowatch,whichonlinelabstodo,which
practiceexamstotake.Asaresult,wefeelthatbetweentheLabSimmaterialsandtheonlinecourse
portal,ourstudentshaveaveryrobustonlineenvironmentthatoffersacomprehensiveandintegrated
onlineexperience.”–MarcusButler,Instructor,WestLACollege
LabSimHandsonLabs
LabSimlabsreinforceandofferpracticeoftheconceptsstudentsaretaughtintheLabSimvideosand
factsheets.InstructorsrelyonthehandsonlabsinLabSimtogivestudentsreallifeexperiencesthat
preparethemtoperformthesametasksonphysicalequipmentintheirfuturecareer.Students’success
inLabSimlabsisanindicatoroftheirreadinessforcertification.
RequireCompletionofLabSimSectionsBeforeWorkingwithPhysicalEquipment
“StudentshavetocompleteLabSimmodules1–3beforetheycantouchtheschool’srealequipment.”
EricIsaac,Instructor,ErwinTechnicalCenter
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RequireMasteryofLabSimLabsBeforeMovingOn
“Studentsmustachieve100%onthelabsbeforetheymoveontothenextassignment.Whiletheywork
towardsthis100%,LabSimprovidesinstantfeedbackontheirlabresultsthatpointsthemtowardsthe
coursecontentforremediationonthetopic.”DennisDeBroeck,Teacher,WallaWallaHighSchool
“Idon’tgivestudentsafinalgradeonalabuntilthey’vemastereditwitha100%score.Theyhavetoget
the100%withinatimeframe,buttheycanrepeatitasmanytimesasnecessarytomasterthe
concepts.”–CharlesThompson,Teacher,MiddleburgHighSchool
CompleteTwotoFourLabsperWeek
“Studentscomplete2–4handsonlabsperweek.Iftheyfeelliketheyneedtoredoalabmultipletimes
tounderstandit,theycanwhenevertheywant.”–KellyAdamsWard,Instructor,DeVryUniversity
Don’tRushThroughLabs
“Itisn’tinstudents’bestinteresttorushthroughthecourses.Theyactuallyhavetoworkthroughthe
labssotheyreallyknowwhatthey’redoing.”–KimberlyConley,ChiefInformationOfficerandInstructor,
HendersonCommunityCollege
VideosandStudyGuides
LabSimvideosofferexpertinstructionanddemonstrationsandcanbeviewedbystudentsasmanytimes
astheyneed—athomewhenclasstimeisover—togaincompleteunderstanding.Visualpresentationof
thematerialhelpsmanystudentsgainunderstandingthattheystruggletofindthroughreadingalone.
WatchVideos,StudyFactSheets,TietheLabstotheReading
“ThestudentswatchtheLabSimvideos,printoutandreadtheLabSimfactsheets,andtiethe
activities—thehandsonlabs—tothereading.”–CharlesThompson,Teacher,MiddleburgHighSchool
UseFactSheetstoStudyforFinalExam
“IusedthefactsheetsandnotesbecauseIfoundinformationtherethatIhadoverlooked,andittold
mewhatsectiontheinformationwascoveredin.ItremindedmewhatIwentover—arefresherthat
helpedmestudyforthefinalpracticeexam.”–AllenLuck,GraduateandSystemsAdministrator,Santa
FeCollege
UseFactSheetstoStudyforCertificationExam
“Whenstudentshavedemonstratedtheirproficiency,Iordercertificationexamvouchersforthem.I
havestudentsinmyclassroomeveryThursdayafterschool,preparingforthecertificationexamthe
nextday.Weleaveat7:00AM,takeournotebooksfullofLabSimfactsheets,andstudytogetheruntil
testtime.”–CharlesThompson,Teacher,MiddleburgHighSchool
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QuizzesandExams
EachLabSimcourseincludessectionquizzes,unitexams,andafinalexam.Someinstructorsrecorda
gradeonstudents’quizscores,andothersassignquizzesforstudentstoevaluatetheirownprogress.
ManyinstructorsusetheLabSimexamsastheircourseexams,whileothersincorporateLabSimexam
questionsintotheexamstheywritethemselves.
ImplementLabSimExamQuestionsIntoYourFinalExam
“IhaveimplementedtheLabSimexamquestionsintomyfinalexams.MystudentsmayviewtheLabSim
videos,dothelabs,andretakethepracticeexamsasmanytimesastheyneedinordertopreparefor
thefinal,andtheymayretakethefinalasmanytimesastheyneedtogetthegradetheywant.Before
usingLabSim,studentswouldtakemyfinaloverandoveragainandnotgetbetter.WithLabSim,they
getthematerial.”–WilliamSchlick,Professor,SchoolcraftCollege
UseLabSimUnitExamQuestionstoPrepareforLabSimFinalExam
“IusedthepracticeexamsattheendofeachsectioninLabSimtoprepareforthefinalLabSimexam.”
–AllenLuck,GraduateandSystemsAdministrator,SantaFeCollege
TextbookorNot
WhilemostinstructorsagreethatLabSimisacompletecourseonitsown,someinstructorsstillliketo
provideanadditionaltextbooktosupplementthelearninginLabSim.
TextbookUnnecessary
“Inthepast,IusedstandardtextbookstosupplementLabSimtraininginmyclasses.Ifoundthebooks
completelyunnecessarybecauseLabSimistotallyselfsupporting.”–WilliamSchlick,Professor,
SchoolcraftCollege
PrintLabSimStudyGuidesorReadThemOnline
“Studentsdon’tneedatextbookbecauseLabSimincludesstudyguides.Studentscanprintthemor
studythemonline.Mycourseisstructuredaroundhandsonexperience.”–EricIsaac,Instructor,Erwin
TechnicalCenter
LabSimNotOutofDate
“IuseLabSiminsteadofatextbecauseLabSimdoesn’tgooutofdateasquickly.”–CharlesThompson,
Teacher,MiddleburgHighSchool
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OneLabSimAssignmentwithOneTextbookChapterWeekly
“MyonlinestudentsdooneLabSimassignmenteachweek,aswellasreadachapteraweekina
textbook.It’sarigorousschedule,andmystudentsdoalotofwork.”–RobertAlbano,Instructor,
WestchesterCommunityCollege
FirstReadinText,ThenWorkinLabSimonSameSubject
“Ifwe’rereadingaboutprocessorsinthetextbook,IassignthesectioninLabSimaboutprocessorsas
well.ThenthestudentsputontheirheadphonesandworkinLabSimontheirown.”–GingerRing,
Teacher,SouthernHillsCareerandTechnicalCenter
LearningStyles
Studentslearnindifferentways,sothedifferentteachingmethodsinLabSim—videos,studyguides,
handsonlabs,quizzes,andexams—areusefultoreinforceeverythingthatistaught.Useallcomponents
ofLabSimforgreatestsuccess.
MeetStudents’DifferentLearningNeedswithLabSim’sDifferentTeachingMethods
“ThebeautyofLabSimisthatitlendsitselfinmanydifferentwaystomeetstudents’needsbecausenot
everyonelearnsthesameway.Somestudentsstrugglelearningfromwrittenmaterialsbutspendhours
withthevideos,soItellthemtousethewrittenlessonsinconjunctionwiththevideos.Orifthey’reina
labandgetsnagged,usethewrittenexplanationtogetthroughit.”–WilliamSchlick,Professor,
SchoolcraftCollege
ReinforceLearningfromTextswithLabSimVideos,Labs
“Somelearnbetterlisteningtoaudio;somelikemorehandsonlearningormorevariety.LabSimhelps
addressthat.Mystudentsdon’tliketoread—acrosstheboard—sothedifferentteachingmethodsin
LabSimreinforcewhatIrequirethestudentstoreadinatextbook.”–GingerRing,Teacher,Southern
HillsCareerandTechnicalCenter
ClassTime
ManyinstructorsassignLabSimsections,videos,orhandsonlabsduringclasstime,andmostuse
LabSiminconjunctionwiththeirownlecturesanddemonstrations.
DemonstrateonPhysicalEquipment,FollowUpwithLabSimAssignments
“IsimulatewhatIcanintheclassroomforrealworldpractice.Forexample,Imayteachaboutpower
suppliesanddemonstratedifferentconnectorsandhookingupmachines.I’llturnthemachinesonand
showthetestequipment,thenassignthesectionsinLabSimthatcoverthesamething.”–Charles
Thompson,teacher,MiddleburgHighSchool
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OfferWeeklyBreakoutSessionstoReinforceLessonsLearnedinLabSim
“NJCCoffersanopenclassschedulewithgeneroushoursMondaythroughSaturday,andinstructor
oversightandassistanceisavailabletostudentsduringallschoolhours.Themajorityofstudentsspend
anaverageof20hourseachweekworkingontheircourses.Eachcourseincludesweeklybreakout
sessionswheretheinstructorreinforcesthelessonslearnedthroughtheLabSimonlinelabs.”–Carol
Chapman,Director,NewJerseyCareerCenter
ConnectPersonallywithStudentsbyCreatingYourOwnLectures
“IcreatemyownPowerPointpresentationstoincorporatemypersonalityintothecourseandconnect
morepersonallywiththestudents.”–WilliamSchlick,Professor,SchoolcraftCollege
Homework
BecausestudentscanaccesstheirLabSimcourseatschoolandathome,LabSimsectionscanbeassigned
ashomework.Or,instructorsincorporateLabSimintootherhomeworkassignmentsorcreatecompletely
differenthomeworkassignments.
WeeklyHomeworkAssignmentIncludesReading,LabSimTraining,Research,andWriting
“Igiveaweeklyassignmentthathasthreesections:Procedure,Reflection,andResearch.Inthe
Proceduresection,instructionstellthestudentsexactlywhatsectionsofLabSimtocomplete—videos,
demonstrations,andlabsimulations.IntheReflectionsection,studentsarticulatewhattheylearned
fromtheLabSimcomponents.Lastly,intheResearchsection,studentschooseanytopiccoveredinthe
LabSimsections,researchthesubjectonline,andwriteashortsummaryoftheirfindings.When
studentscompletetheassignment,theyuploadittoBlackboard.”–RobertAlbano,Instructor,
WestchesterCommunityCollege
Reporting
TheLabSimadministrativebackendhelpsstudentsmonitortheirownprogress,andinstructorscanview
thesamereports,generatedautomaticallyeverytimeastudentworksinthecourse.
UseTrackingtoKnowWhenOneonOneHelpIsNeeded
“LabSimkeepstrackofhowstudentsaredoinginthelabsandwhatotherfeaturesthey’veused,soIcan
givemoreoneononehelpwhenstudentsneedit.”–KellyAdamsWard,Instructor,DeVryUniversity
“LabSimreallygivesusalloftheinformationweneedtoknowabouteverystudenttoevaluatewhether
they’rereally‘gettingit,’andhowproductivetheyarebeingduringtheirclasstime,whilemonitoring
thepaceatwhichstudentsaremovingalong.Itwouldbenearlyimpossibletotrackstudentprogressso
closelywithouttheadministrativetoolsLabSimprovides.”–CarolChapman,Director,NewJerseyCareer
Center
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UseTrackingtoEliminateSubjectivityinGrading
“LabSim’sbuiltinreportingalsocameinhandyoncewhenaparentcontactedme,angryabouther
son’sgrade.TheprintoutfromLabSimreportingsavedme!Ishowedherexactlywhatworkhehaddone
andwhathisscoreshadbeen.BecauseLabSimkeepsrecordsasyougo,there’snosubjectivityinmy
grading.”–BrianBurch,Teacher,RichmondSeniorHighSchool
KnowHowMuchTimeYourStudentsSpendinLabSim
“Irequiremystudentstoworkthroughtheentiremodule—theonlinelabs,quizzes,andthe
supplementalinstructionalvideos,andLabSimenablesmetotrack,evaluate,andscoreeverylab
exerciseandscenario.Fora3credithourclass,studentsspendapproximately45hoursintheLabSim
software.”–KimberlyConley,ChiefInformationOfficerandInstructor,HendersonCommunityCollege
Certification
LabSimtrainingcoursesaredesignedtoteachcriticalITskillsaswellastopreparestudentstopass
certificationexams.ITcertificationswillhelpstudentsfindemploymentandadvancetheircareersafter
schoolingisover.Findingwaystoencourageyourstudentstocertifywillbeagreatservicetothem.
RequireCertificationforPassingGrade
“GettingA+certifiedisworth60%ofstudents’grade.Iftheydon’tcertify,theyfailthecourse.”–Eric
Isaac,Instructor,ErwinTechnicalCenter
UseSchoolFundstoPurchaseExamVouchersforStudents
“AssoonasstudentsdemonstratetheirreadinessforcertificationbycompletingallLabSimactivities
andquizzesandthenscoringatleast90%ontheLabSimpracticeexamontwoconsecutiveattempts,
theschoolpurchasesexamvouchersforthem.”–CharlesThompson,Teacher,MiddleburgHighSchool
OffertoCountCertifyinginPlaceofTakingaFinal
“Myinstructordidn’trequirestudentstogetcertifiedatthecourse’scompletion,butheofferedto
countthecertificationexamasthestudents’final.Inthatcase,whynotcertify?”–AllenLuck,Graduate
andSystemsAdministrator,SantaFeCollege
LetCertifiedStudentsSetanExample
“Ihadastudent—asenior—finallytaketheplungethisyearandcertifyinA+.He’sjustlikealltheother
kids,butsincehecertified,everyonelooksuptohim,andhehasencouragedotherstocertify.Ithas
becomeaninhousecompetition.Thestudentsdrilleachotherandhelpeachother.”–Charles
Thompson,Teacher,MiddleburgHighSchool
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