Peer Review

Voice Doctor

Material Detail page

Bookmark

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:: The site was constructed by a physician for use by persons with voice disorders. It provides audio and video examples of several common disorders, as well as information about diagnosis, medical therapy and surgery.
Type of Material:: Reference Material featuring narrated video laryngoscopy.
Recommended Uses:: This reference website could be used to locate foundations, clinical terminology, and differential diagnosis and treatment methods. At the graduate level, the case histories are marvelous foundations from which to build problem-based learning, small group projects or individual clinical reflections.
Technical Requirements:: Works well with both Internet Explorer and Firefox on a Windows 7 system. Needs Quicktime Player.
Identify Major Learning Goals:: The student will be able to accurately identify acoustic and physiological signs of vocal disorders. The student will be able to review concepts through analysis of case studies.
Target Student Population:: Undergraduate and graduate students with an interest in voice disorders.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:: Knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of vocal mechanism, understanding of vocal pathologies.

Rating:
Strengths:: Material is presented from both a layperson and professional perspective which makes this reference highly flexible in its pedagogical applications. The dialogue provided by the author is relaxed and engaging which enhances the interactivity of the website for many learning styles. Video media is reliable, of superb resolution, plays without interruption, and is, most importantly, narrated which further improves the information acquisition process. This resource's content quality is superb.
Concerns:: Information written from the perspective of the author. Not supported by peer-reviewed, credible sources. Lacks comprehensive description of diagnosis and treatment. No mention of behavioral interventions and/or role of speech intervention by speech language pathologists.

Rating:
Strengths:: This is primarily a reference tool with no structured pedagogical assignments provided. The potential for such learning task construction is endless in the right teaching hands. The application of these materials as visual reinforcements to verbal in class or embedded course lectures is also remarkable. The author does provide a Creative Commons license for such applications.
Concerns:: Description and categorizations are specific to the author.

Rating:
Strengths:: This is a highly intuitive website. The main page structure provides a visually appealing and easy-to-navigate base. Users are presented with a dual tab system which features diagnoses,therapy, surgery, media, additional links, and the physician section which introduces the author and cautions users that a website is not a source of diagnosis or self treatment. Furthermore, the website serves as a solid catapult to other highly reputable and functional websites such as the American Speech-Language & Hearing Association (ASHA). There are no advertisements other than the physician's mention of his private practice in Oregon.
Concerns:: Organization of material is unclear. Inconsistent use of terms.

Other Issues and Comments:: Limited to the perspective of the author. Does not link to noted sources on the subject. Video and audio samples have greatest educational merit.
Creative Commons: