Overview: This site provides an excellent portal to the behavior analytic approach to a wide variety of topical areas, with numerous links to useful and interesting materials within each area. Areas include autism, behavior analysis, behavioral safety, education, parenting, performance management, pets and animals, and several others. Materials contained in each area are well written and at a level appropriate for a very broad readership. Many items are in the form of brief news statements, including items in the Behavior Analysis Digest.
TYPE OF LEARNING PROCESS: (Non-exhaustive list of examples of types of learning processes: The processes engaged by fully using the site (1) require students to discover knowlege on their own, (2) teach students to be active learners through interactive simulation, (3) explicitly engage students in critical thinking activities, (4) require students to generalize knowledge to other contexts; (5) explictly teach students useful cogntive strategies and thinking skills, (6) engage receptive learning through well-written text, (7) engage receptive learning through dynamic animations, (8) engage receptive learning through multimedia presentations): REVIEW OF LEARNING PROCESS: Collections such as this one are not designed to promote critical thinking skills. However, a creative instructor certainly could design exercises to promote critical thinking using the materials in this site. For example, one of the links provides for a very comprehensive glossary of Behavior Analysis terms, complete with a search function. An item such as this one is a valuable teaching tool even though it does not function as a learning module on its own.
Type of Material:
Collection/Tutorial/Reference Material
Technical Requirements:
Very easy to navigate, and most pages loaded very quickly. Adobe Acrobat Reader was necessary in a few cases, but instructions for downloading were provided if needed. One section of the site hung Explorer once, but this might be a unique case. In general the site was efficient.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
Learning Goal: 1. Provide information to the public about a range of practical applications of behavioral technology. 2. Serve as the premier resource where behavioral professionals and the public can interact, share and exchange information and resources on issues of importance in the home, school, workplace, and in society . . . 3. Serve as the home for the Behavior Analysis Webring, linking together the major Internet resources in behavior analysis around the world.
Target Student Population:
Very broad, ranging from general public through advanced college level.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Only the most basic knowledge of hypertext is required.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
This site is excellent on all of the above criteria. The brevity of some of the material is compensated for by the range of issues and topics covered. Links to on-line articles is especially useful.
Concerns:
None.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
This site is excellent on all of the above criteria. For example, items such as the Guide to Behavioral Consultants is useful not only to students, but to others not currently learning in the context of a formal course. There are many such useful items available via this site.
Concerns:
None.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
The site is easy to use and navigation is clear and well organized. Adobe Acrobat Reader was necessary in a few cases, but instructions for downloading were provided if needed.
Concerns:
None.
Creative Commons:
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