Blog #7: Final Proposal for a Differentiated and Accessible Biotech Lab

Proposed, revised, biotechnology lab space.

What would you change if you had to cut $10,000 from a nearly finalized educational tech project?

In the final revision of our biotechnology computer lab proposal, we had to make tough but strategic adjustments to fit a $50,000 budget.

While the original design included 24 MacBooks and three zSpace units, the revised plan now features 20 MacBooks, two zSpace AR/VR stations, and an expanded role for cost-effective tools like MERGE Cube and CoSpaces Edu.

These substitutions didn’t weaken the vision - they refined it. We kept our mission: to build an inclusive, accessible, and immersive learning environment for biotechnology students.

The redesign emphasized differentiation. For example, by adding AR/VR tools that integrate with existing iPads, we provided multisensory simulations without overspending. The lab still includes speech-to-text apps, adjustable furniture, and a mobile cart for remote instruction. A visual layout of the lab (included above) shows how the space supports equitable access, group collaboration, and flexible learning pathways.

I’d love to connect with fellow educators and instructional technologists - what creative adjustments have you made under budget constraints? Let’s collaborate and keep designing labs that empower all students in STEM, regardless of funding shifts.

Share your thoughts or reach out - innovation grows stronger through shared ideas.

Does the redesign make sense?

• Yes
• No

Have you made adjustments due to budget constraints?

• Yes
• No

Thank you :)