This site, provided by the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, contains a very comprehensive database for traditional and alternative crops, as well as information about many other plants that have cultural, invasive, or endangered importance. It is a good site to learn about crops and their utilization. Some information is provided on the nutritive value of selected crops. The Flora of North America is also featured within this site. Pictures, optimal growing conditions, cultural practices, names (common and scientific), and uses are provided for most of the plants, all of which can be searched at multiple levels. Main links include special topics, a picture gallery, additional links, and tools. The main page is set up so that plants can be searched by common or scientific name. Advanced searches in sub-pages provide users with the ability to find plants by virtually any combination of location, taxonomy, growth habit, morphology, physiology, reproduction, and potential use. This is a very extensive database that is very well organized. It contains many different search levels that users can explore at unique levels that entice conceptual learning. Interesting aspects of this site include information about plant morphology, physiology, alternative uses, cultural practices, reproduction, and growth habit.
Type of Material:
Collection
Technical Requirements:
html
Identify Major Learning Goals:
Users can use this site to identify plants from different combinations of searches, or they can choose a plant and learn about its unique characteristics for many North American species.
Target Student Population:
All levels of undergraduate and graduate education, including the general public. Especially useful for farmers and agriculture students.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
Quality of Content Ratings: (4.75)(5.00) = 4.9
Extensive database that includes crop, cultural, invasive, threatened, endangered, and many other species
Intuitive search tools with ability to search for plant identification and/or potential use
Nice nutritional information on some species
Good quality pictures
Appropriate labels, with lots of information about individual species
Accurate taxonomic classification
Geographical information on plant populations is interesting
Easily searchable database with multiple levels
Very comprehensive collection of species
Concerns:
Pictures are good quality, when provided. Additional pictures, particularly in the "alternative crops" section, would improve this site.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching-Learning Tool Ratings: (3.75)(4.90) = 4.3
Good resource for the general public, students, and instructors searching for plant information
Additional information on cash/forage value, green manure, and sustainable uses is appreciated
Demonstrates good taxonomic relationships among species
Promotes conceptual understanding through multiple searches that demonstrate plant similarities
Provides a good background information about plant morphology, physiology, and applied use
Can be used at multiple levels for independent use, or as supplemental information in the classroom
Intuitive searches provide uses with many learning levels
Concerns:
Material is mostly text, which may not entice student learning. It may help to include pictures at all levels or maybe even a few multimedia files on the main page (with the "Plant of the Week").
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
Ease of Use Ratings: (4.50)(5.00) = 4.75
Appropriately searchable and at multiple levels
No defective links found
Very easy to use, and fast
Easy to navigate and very well organized at all levels
No major bugs -Fast, easy, and well organized
Concerns:
It may help to provide pictures next to species names for instant identification
Creative Commons:
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