Peer Review

PEYOTE

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Mar 30, 2014 by Biology

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: This site is part of a much larger site on plants with psychoactive chemicals. This particular page has numerous links about the biology of Lophophora williamsii, the "button cactus" that contains mescaline. The site also has links to the history of its use and legal implications of its use. There are numerous scholarly articles referenced. This is a great site to learn many aspects about peyote. Information provided includes classification, identification, unique characteristics, drug aspects, and folklore about this species. It is essentially a good site to visit for those doing research on peyote.
Type of Material:: Most of the material is presented for reference or informational purposes. Collection and reference.
Recommended Uses:: The site would be a useful source of information on this plant and its uses. Information could be used in class or the site could be used as a source by students. This material can be used in the classroom or for independent study.
Technical Requirements:: The only requirements include a web browser and the ability to view images.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: Users will learn about the classification, identification, and uses of peyote. No specific goals are presented on the site.
Target Student Population:: This material can be used at the high school or undergraduate college level.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: A basic understanding of plant biology will help users better understand the material. No specific pre-requisites

Content Quality

Rating:

Strengths:

The information is accurate and provides a good basic background about the material
Most of the images are good quality
Material is accurate
This is a good starting place to learn about peyote and its potential effect(s) on humans if consumed.
The material is accurate and appears well researched
Scholarly articles are available through the site.
The biochemistry of the active ingredient is presented
Images are accurate and high resolution in most cases

Concerns:

This site could include more educational aspects of peyote
The site asks for donations to the site and to other organizations. It may not be appropriate for all students.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:

Strengths:

The learning experience is interesting
This is a unique way of learning
The blend of text and images makes the material interesting
Material is intuitive
Information provided helps students understand the relatedness of the topics
The site is an excellent resource for anyone looking for information on the biology, history, and legal status of this plant
Range of the plant is displayed graphically and habitat is described
Scholarly information is available for research on the plant

Concerns:

Objectives are not clearly stated
Material is basically text and images, which may not be very exciting for users who prefer animations
While the site has potential for legitimate uses I would be concerned about use by students looking to obtain the cactus for recreational uses.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:

Strengths:

No defective links or major bugs were found
Very easy to navigate to the different major sections of site
Information is easy to understand
The sire is clearly organized by categories of information
All links checked were active
Design of the site is attractive and simple.

Concerns:

There were no concerns about ease of use at the time of this review
Being part of a larger site it is easy to link to unrelated material. Of course, if browsing, that may be a plus

Other Issues and Comments:: As with any site that treats this kind of topic there is the possibility of misuse. The good news is that the information presented is accurate. This is a good site to learn about peyote, which is mostly informational and objective in what is presented.
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