Peer Review

BioKIDS: Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Jan 12, 2005 by Teacher Education

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:

This site is a collection of resources for inquiry-based instructional activities where students
explore multiple facets of life at the organism and ecosystem levels. Technology is incorporated
into the learning strategies by using the internet as a source of species
information and the use of a hand held PDA to collect field data. Students
develop reports based on their data as well as gathering detailed
information from web-based curriculum materials about animal diversity. The
website has interactive links that include an extensive animal collection,
information about animal interactions, and the role animals play in the
environment. The website contains several tools that include a Critter
Catalog, CyberTracker, Sign Guide, message board, and Invertebrate ID Guide.
Planned inquiry activities are provided with extensive teacher and
student instruction and guidance.

Type of Material:

The site is generally developed to provide instruction in carrying out a life science
unit. Tutorial in nature, it provides many links to
information and shows the power of technology for science instruction.
The type of materials found in the website include:

1. CyberTracker that is an animal-tracking program that runs on hand-held
computers (PDAs) and can be used for data collection and analysis of animal
sightings.
2. Critter Catalog is an on-line animal species database that can be used by
students as a resource for conducting research on individual animals.
3. Curriculum binder containing sequenced inquiry-focused activities that help
students generate claims from evidence.
4. Sign Guide that includes animal tracks with a key for identification, bite
marks, and things that animals build and leave behind.
5. Invertebrate ID Guide with keys for identification of organisms found in the
school year.

Recommended Uses:

The materials have numerous uses that include introduction to an online animal
database, application of interactive inquiry-based activities, and information literacy for life science courses at middle school and high school
educational levels. For teacher education, the material is a strong example of important content delivered using experiential
learning strategies that are encountered while carrying out the activities. For
teachers who are now expected to infuse inquiry-based and authentic learning
experiences, this is a gold mine of opportunity. Other benefits include
experience gathering data, recording as graphed information and interpreting the
graphed results. Technology is interwoven through the entire encounter and
students gain skill using it as well as seeing how it enhances scientific
protocols.

Technical Requirements:

Computers with CD-ROM drives and internet capability. PDAs are required to complete the instruction as outlined, and the
ability to interface the hand held computer to the desktop computer is also necessary.

Identify Major Learning Goals:

1. To develop inquiry based learning skills in K-12 students.
2. Understand the interaction of organisms with their environment.
3. Understand how organisms meet their basic needs and how
organisms interact with each other.
4. Analyze data and use technology as a rich resource for doing
research about animals.
5. Incorporate technology as a tool for research and learning.
6. To increase student knowledge on localized species diversity.

Target Student Population:

Students from elementary school through twelfth grade are able to participate in
various planned activities. The level of inquiry and depth of content and high
order thinking are manipulated for the target population. While the intent is
to reach students through the science discipline, skills in reading, writing,
and communication are enhanced. For science teacher education, it provides an exemplary resource that can be adapted for a teaching portfolio.

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

Students are guided through the activities. A general knowledge of computers,
web explorations and data entry would be helpful but can be facilitated by the
teacher. The use of hand-held field data recorders, PDAs, require students and teachers to learn about their operation. Knowledge and skill in preparing and
interpreting graphs is also necessary.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:: Emphasis on skill building in scientific process is the central theme. Comprehension of organism and ecosystem life science and species
classification is very important across grade levels. This site provides
a challenging and interesting approach to gaining skill in observation necessary to collect data to this end. Students are given detailed and extensive resources
about animal diversity. For example, the Critter Catalog is useful for
students doing inquiry. This link contains descriptions of the
characteristics, classification, pictures, skull specimens, and sounds of
representive animals in their natural settings. All of the links engage students
in motivating them to do inquiry based investigations of individual animals by
providing sequenced activities, helping them ask questions, conduct research,
and learn about animals in their natural settings. Such instruction ties closely to national science
standards.
Concerns:: Unfortunately, in the Critter Catalog, the association between pictures and information about the
pictures is not always clear to the user (children). A teacher would need to know about the importance
of directing children to describe, for example, whether or not an
animal is depicted in a natural environment.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:: The student projects are closely supervised and scaffolded for an eight week term with
attention to classroom instruction clearly mapped out. Clear and concise
objectives are present for each two week segment. The objectives target both
content and process regarding scientific protocol. During a segment of the
program students are encouraged to use application and synthesis skills while
using various tools. Communication skills are enhanced through interaction of
students with other students as they develop their projects. The Invertebrate ID guide
is useful for students in their school yard or on field trips. The Critter
Catalog contains detailed information about individual animals providing a useful
resource for student research. Other activities engage students in looking at
evidence that they can use to form scientific explanations about animals and
their interaction with the environment.
Concerns:: PDAs are required and this might become an issue for an otherwise good choice to use BioKids as a teaching and learning tool. (Although some science teacher ed college courses have adapted a subset of the material for use in the absence of PDAs.) To
maximize benefit, the
teacher must commit to become a project participant.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:: The website is very easy to use. All pages are formatted well. The hyperlinks are easy to use and provide a
clean and neat access to well explained pages. For the most part, the materials
are presented in a manner that is understandable and interesting to users. The availability of lessons in MSWord format for editing by the teacher is a tremendous strength that allows teachers in another biome to benefit from an initiative designed for Michigan!
Concerns:: Teachers must apply to participate in collaborative experiences. This is accomplished by
sending a request via electronic mail service. One reviewer attempted to contact the
project but did not receive a reply after two weeks. It is a concern
if this is the pace at which interested teachers will be contacted.

Other Issues and Comments:: This is an excellent opportunity for beginning and seasoned teachers to
incorporate authentic and experiential learning in the biology classroom.
Content and process skills on a high level of thinking is certainly the reward
for the students of any teacher who chooses to use this resource. The reviewers appreciate the opportunity to use the materials even as they are being developed!
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