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Peer Review

Macrophage | Cell Cartoons

Reviewed:
Feb 15, 2022 by Biology
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Ratings

Overall Rating: 3.0 stars
Content Quality: 2.5 stars
Effectiveness: 2.8 stars
Ease of Use: 3.8 stars
Overview:

Macrophages engulf bacteria in a process called phagocytosis. There is a cartoon and a video depicting this.

Type of Material:

This site is an animaion that helps users learn about macrophages and what they do inside the human body.

Recommended Uses:

Preparation for class, to introduce the concept of macrophages in a very simplified way.

Technical Requirements:

I viewed the website in Google Chrome Version 92.0.4515.107.  This site requires an internet connection and the ability to play a youtube video.

Identify Major Learning Goals:

To understand that macrophages carry out phagocytosis.To understand the basis for a macrophage’s name.

 

Target Student Population:

High School, College General Ed

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

Students will need basic computer navigational skills (enter URL, click to play video).  Otherwise, the interface is very user-friendly. Some knowledge of biology will help in understanding what is presented.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:
  • There is very little content on the page, but what is there is concise and clear.
  • Most of the images are good quality
  • Animations are well done and show good detail
Concerns:
  • There is little indication of what happens inside the cell (phagosome, lysosome, phagolysosome, digestive enzymes, exocytosis, etc.) other than a summary of “is a complex mechanism that requires for the cells to rearrange its inner cell bits”
  • It also does not allude to any other functions of macrophages, including antigen presentation, a critical part of immune responses.
  • There’s no mention of HOW macrophages find their targets to engulf or what happens to the targets once engulfed
  • There are no references

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:
  • Animations are easy to follow
  • The images shown are colorful and engaging
  • It is extremely simple, so could easily fit into a 3-5 minute period of time to introduce macrophages or remind students what they are.
Concerns:
  • This material is a good, simple introduction
  • Unfortunately it leaves out many critical aspects of macrophage activity

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:
  • This web page is easily accessible
  • The animation is short and visually appealing
  • Narrations and animations played simultaneously without problems
  •  

 

Concerns:

There are an accessibility issue. The animation requires sight, with no spoken description of the contents.  

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