Peer Review

Spina Bifida Association of America

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Apr 11, 2011 by Psychology

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This is the website of the Spina Bifida Association, a "voluntary health agency dedicated to enhancing the lives of those with spina bifida and those whose lives they touch."
Type of Material:: Reference Material
Recommended Uses:: The site would mainly be used for informational purposes. Students could be sent to the site to learn general information about SB as well as to access many other resources including an annotated bibliography of scientific publications on the topic. Out of class assignments could be created based on the site.
Technical Requirements:: Many documents that are linked on this site are in PDF or Microsoft Word formats. Having appropriate reading tools to open these documents greatly enhances the functionality of the site, but even without opening attached documents, the site contains a wealth of information.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: This site aims to address all concerns related to Spina Bifida. As a resource, it can help users understand medical causes, treatments, and research. Users can learn about advocacy and opportunities to contribute to Spina Bifida research. Users of the site should come away with a more thorough understanding of different facets of the condition and the way in which in affects lives.
Target Student Population:: The site is aimed at the general public and thus would appeal mostly to students in lower-level course such as introductory psychology, introductory biology, and child development. However, the annotated bibliography would be appropriate for upper-division undergraduate courses as well as for graduate courses.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: There are no pre-requisites.

Content Quality

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Strengths:: Information available on this site appears to be very authoritative and comprehensive. The Resource Directory on this site directs users to even more extensive information. The site has a strong professional appearance, and also includes "real stories" that offer an opportunity for users to see inspiring videos about people with Spina Bifida.
Concerns:: This is not an academic website; therefore part of the site is devoted to asking for donations, etc. These pages are not inappropriate but do not contribute to the quality of the website for academic purposes.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

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Strengths:: This site does a great job of meeting its objectives to educate and inform. If a user cannot find needed information on this site, he or she can at least find a link to a site that will meet their needs. The site is factual, accessible, and easy to read, making it highly effective. Another contribution to the site's potential usefulness is that much of it is available in Spanish.
Concerns:: Non-academic nature of the site detracts from its potential usefulness in an academic setting.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

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Strengths:: The site is organized very logically, and the content is easy to read and understand. Factsheets are available for download, making it easy to disseminate information found on the site. Recent news and promotions are prominently featured.
Concerns:: Some of the downloadable documents are in .doc format, while others are in .pdf. Consistency in format might be nice in the unlikely event that a user does not have compatible reading software.

Other Issues and Comments:: Overall the site is clear, informative, authoritative, and pleasant. It would be a great resource for people seeking basic or intermediate information about Spina Bifida. The numerous documents and links add value and depth to the site.
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