Using Digital Microscopes in an Online Lab

One of the central ideas behind microbiology is to see images that are not available to the naked eye. Through the use of digital microscopes, students in online courses can have exposure to those images, but the ability to view images of samples produced by the students is something that is not typically or easily replicated in an online course. The high cost of good-quality optical microscopes and the difficulty of using complex microscopes independently and communicating results are barriers to including this in an online lab course. Through the use of a lower-cost digital microscope that is easy to use, students are able to enjoy the experience of viewing images of microbes from their own sample and preparation.