The effects of computer simulation models on middle school students' understanding of the anatomy and morphology of the frog

Frog and Cyberfrog are Friends: Dissection Simulation and Animal Advocacy

“…[and] can illustrate important and enduring principles in biology" (p. 72). Akpan and Andre (1999) explain that biology teachers defend dissection as the primary handson way of learning about anatomy and physiology. Thus, many biology teachers believe that dissection is an essential part of biological education.…”

“…Discussion thus far has centered around issues such as animal suffering and respect for animal life (Fadali, 1996;Balcombe, 2000Balcombe, , 2001Rasmussen, 2001;Marr, 2001;Nobis, 2002), the scienti c case for alternatives (Kinzie et al, 1993;Strauss & Kinzie, 1994;Akpan & Andre, 1999;Balcombe, 2000Balcombe, , 2001Valli, 2001;Rasmussen, 2001;Nobis, 2002), a student's right to choose not to dissect (Francione & Charlton, 1992;Orlans, 1993;Barr & Herzog, 2000;Cunningham, 2000;Parker et al, 2000), and the impact of dissection on the quality of biology and anatomy classes (Barr & Herzog, 2000;Balcombe, 2000;Valli, 2001;Rasmussen, 2001;Moore, 2001;Marr, 2001;Nobis, 2002). Yet it seems that academic researchers have paid little or no attention to the impact of this controversy on the animal advocacy movement itself.…”

Evaluation of Science and Technology Education at the Dawn of a New Millennium

“…They found that in this environment "students perceived their classes as more investigative and open-ended, and their enquiry skills had improved" (p. 65). Akpan and Andre (1999) investigated the importance of simulation exercises in the science classroom in relation to the sequencing of learning activities. They examined the prior use of simulation of frog dissection in improving students' actual dissection performance and learning of frog anatomy and morphology.…”

Dissection reconsidered: a reaction to de Villiers and Monk’s ‘The first cut is the deepest’

“…As de Villiers and Monk note, simulations can be used in place of real animals; students learn as much through the use of simulations as through the use of actual dissection (see Akpan and Andre 1999). If this is the case, it needs to be acknowledged-and dissection in K-12 classroom is probably no longer appropriate.…”