Peer Review

Botany Basics

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Jul 15, 2005 by Biology

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: Botany Basics is an online botany module created by the Oregon State Extension Service for the Master Gardener Series. An introductory video clip explains the purpose of the site and some of its features. The material presented is based on the Basic Botany chapter of a Master Gardener Handbook. The intent of
the site is to provide flexibility in course content delivery, provide links to
additional resources, and allow participants in the Master Gardener Program to
interact via discussion groups. The site provides some animations, along with drawings, pictures, tables, and a small audio glossary that add value to the learning experience. The topics included in the course materials give a broad overview of plant anatomy and physiology, morphology, horticulture and plant ecology, with emphases placed on factors relevant to successful and sustainable gardening. Most of the material is provided as text, with some external links for more detailed explanation of topics.
Type of Material:: Botany Basics is organized as an Interactive Lesson because it includes some video clips and other materials added to the text, as well as quizzes at the end of each section that are graded automatically as users answer questions. There is a discussion page intended to encourage active exchange of ideas between trainees, and a links page intended to direct students to additional resources.
Recommended Uses:: The material is intended to provide basic knowledge of botany to a specific
target audience as part a larger training program. It might also be used as a
botany primer for the general public or in middle or high school biology
programs.
Technical Requirements:: The learning material is presented mostly as HTML (enabled with Java Script for quizzes) with text and pictures, although there are some video clips that require the use of QuickTime or other suitable player for viewing.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: A major goal of this site is to provide basic information about plant biology and how it relates to gardening. The course materials are intended to give students from diverse backgrounds a basic understanding of the biology of plants.
Target Student Population:: This site is designed primarily for the general public, although it is designed especially for individuals with an interest in gardening. The information presented is suitable for High School students and perhaps college students taking basic botany or plant biology as an elective course.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: No specific prerequisite knowledge is required, but some background in biology
or horticulture might be helpful. Many Master Gardener trainees might be
expected to have such a background.

Content Quality

Rating:

Strengths:

A good basic approach to botany biology is presented to help gardeners gain a better understanding of plant structure and function
The site has been specifically created to support the Master Gardener training program and presumably contains information most relevant to that program
The sequence of topics presented is logical
Material is presented at an appropriate level for a general audience; it covers a broad range of topics in botany in a concise presentation
The material is interactive and somewhat engaging
Pictures, audio glossary terms, and animations focus on key concepts
Most of the artwork is accurate, although some are a little fuzzy and a few pointers are hard to follow

Concerns:

It is not always obvious how different topics are related
Some of the artwork (such as the anatomy and seeds sections) is unclear and may be a bit hard to understand
Some subject material is covered in considerable depth (beyond what seems
appropriate) while other areas have been neglected; this may reflect the fact
that some subjects will be addressed more thoroughly in other portions of the
training program
Although the animations provide good basic knowledge, they may be over-simplified
The organization is a little off; plant anatomical features which are usually viewed as "internal" by botanists are presented in the section called plant external anatomy

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:

Strengths:

Learning goals, content, assessment (quizzes), and feedback are provided
Pictures, audio glossary terms, and animations add to conceptual understanding
Many good graphics and tables are included throughout the course; quizzes provide an opportunity for users to test their understanding
Assignments can be easily integrated with the learning material
The basic approach is appropriate for gardeners with little or no botanical knowledge
The discussion page offers a venue for students who might not otherwise
participate to do so in a non threatening manner; it is also a venue for
information exchange

Concerns:

Not all of the items listed in the learning objectives are fully covered by the course content
Most of the content includes clear artwork, but the sections on anatomy and seeds may require assistance to identify structures
The feedback section suggests that questions will be addressed, however some of the questions in the discussion area appear to be unanswered

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:

Strengths:

The site is fast and the direct content includes active links
Clear and accurate instructions are provided in the introductory video
Navigation through main sites is clear and easy to use
The "contents" page is clearly laid out (and easier to use than the default navigation structure)
The audio glossary is easy to use and a great resource for gardeners unfamiliar with botanical terms

Concerns:

Navigation through the subsites is not always clear; submenus are not always provided
When navigating, pages are not always uniform how they are displayed
There are several dead links to external sites, which makes it frustrating to learn additional material
Some of the links are not very appropriate, certainly not the best the web has to offer in terms of general botany resources

Other Issues and Comments:: This site is a good for gardeners needing introductory information about plant biology. The presentation is fairly easy to follow and users who become acquainted with the site will find it to be a useful resource for understanding plant structure and function. This site provides an overview of general botany that is more or less complete and usually accurate. The content and presentation are adequate for a Master Gardener training program. At the time of this review, there were some dead links to external sites, and this problem will hopefully be resolved. The pertinent information is all provided by the Server for this site and can be reliably used for gardeners needing information about botany. The discussion page consists of trainees asking each other questions, ones which they often are unable to answer for each other or answer inaccurately. It might be more appropriate to give the students the opportunity to interact with their instructor.
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