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This CD-ROM contains two modules, Ecological Chains: Finding the Links (suggested study time 300 minutes) and Galapagos: Adaptation and Evolution on Islands (suggested study time 120 minutes).
· Ecological Chains introduces students to some of the fundamental ideas of ecosystem ecology. The ecology of a temperate woodland dominated by oak trees is used as a model for students to explore the concepts of food chains, food webs and energy flow through ecosystems.
· Galapagos: Adaptation and Evolution on Islands provides students with the opportunity to explore the diversity of plants and animals found on the Galapagos Islands with the view to introducing the concepts of adaptation, evolution and speciation.
The CD-ROM contains two modules, Ecological Chains: Finding the Links and Galapagos: Adaptation and Evolution on Islands. These are relatively detailed modules and it is recommended that students spend 300 minutes and 120 minutes, respectively, working through the activities.
The Ecological Chains module is excellent and the level of interactive ensures the student's attention is maintained. An oak woodland is used as a model ecosystem to introduce students to food chains, food webs and energy flow through ecosystems. Students explore various aspects of the woodland natural history before embarking upon an analysis of a typical food chain and energy which requires the use of a range of analytical skills. Many students find the numerical components of biology and ecology particularly difficult and I believe this module is likely to provide a valuable learning opportunity for many of these students.
In the Galapagos module students are introduced to the basic principles of evolution, adaptation and speciation by undertaking an exploration of Galapagos Islands. This module is also very good, however, the level of interactivity is more basic than that required by the Ecological Chains module, and thus the quality of the learning is unlikely to be as high. The interactivity sometimes just involves students completing a series of multiple choice exercises. Other activities involve students matching items correctly, for example, matching finch beak types with various food items and feeding mechanisms. This module has several annoying features which detract from the overall quality of the module. It is not possible to skip the introductory sections of the activity. This is particularly annoying when you are returning to the module to complete more advanced sections. In addition, there are times when insufficient information is provided to make informed decisions which leads to simply guessing answers.
This CD-ROM provides students with an excellent collection of resources for obtaining a solid introduction into some of the key concepts in biology. Students are able to work independently, without supervision, and at their own pace. The degree to which students can interact with the material varies between the modules, however, it is generally excellent. The activities range from structured tutorials which introduce some important and difficult topics in biology, to analytical exercises, to directed practical activities involving field work, data collection, analysis and interpretation. Students can access Help menus and glossaries at any time and are provided with ample opportunity to explore a wide range of additional resources. The CD-ROM are easy to use and the instructions for each module are excellent, with a minor few exceptions.
Overall, I believe this package is an excellent teaching and learning resource that would complement any introductory biology program.
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