The author has created a site for her animal biology course that provides students with access to images of the animals from the phyla typically discussed in such a course. The images are provided in a basic html format (jpg) or as part of PowerPoint presentations aimed at either review or in-class presentation. The text in the PowerPoint presentation provides basic summaries of the characteristics of the phyla and classes of animals in an outline format. For some of the material the PowerPoint slides provide the opportunity for self-quizzing with the answers provided on subsequent slides.
Learning Goals:
Learn the basic characteristics of animal phyla and classes
Target Student Population:
High School, undergraduate
Type of Material:
Lecture/Power Point presentation
Technical Requirements:
HTML/JPG or PowerPoint 97+
Evaluation and Observation
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
Quality of content (4.2)(4) = 4.1
Features of Excellence:
The images are generally clear and sufficiently detailed
The descriptions are basic and clear
Some very clear and attractive images
Provides materials in 2 formats: images and text or PowerPoint
The pig and frog dissections and tissue presentations and images will make valuable tools for students to use as review materials.
Concerns:
The details and layout of all of the presentations should be brought in line with the best of them
Some of the poorer quality images should be either improved or eliminated.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
Potential Effectiveness (1.66)(2) = 1.83
Features of Excellence:
The materials are unfettered and open to the users interpretation and interest in making connections.
The materials would easily fit into the majority of Introductory Zoology Courses taught today.
While the score reflects the need to develop a richer learning tool that focuses more on developing a conceptual understanding rather than rote memorization, most faculty teaching general zoology would probably be quite comfortable with this as a learning tool and find it useful.
Concerns:
A more conceptual approach (evolutionary, phylogenetic, ecological/adaptive) could be used to give students a context in which to learn the material. This may be done by the instructor in class but it is not obvious in the materials
Connections could be made between phlya and/ or comparisons among systems within different phyla that perform similar functions (e.g. comparing flame cells to malpighian tubules and how the type of excretory system is a function of osmoregulatory considerations)
PowerPoint has inherent limitations for such things as interactive quizzes. The author may have done the best she can with the tool she has,
but other mechanisms are available.
Add learning objectives or overview so that students have direction
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
Usability (4.33) (4.667) = 4.5
Features of Excellence:
Straightforward to use, some flexibility in navigation
Table of contents slide in presentations
Navigation buttons or hyperlinks on many slides
The author provides many indices that are useful for navigating to specific areas
Concerns:
Not all presentations have navigation buttons
After jumping forward there should be a consistent way to return to the main menu or slide with a hyperlink
