Upon recently joining Merlot for my grad class at Michigan State University (CEP 811) I have also been asked to evaluate a resource I found on Merlot. I selected a biology resource that I thought would be beneficial for my own high school biology students. I selected a lesson on Mendelian Genetics.
Quality of Content
During our biology unit on genetics there are 4 key learning targets. Two of those relate directly to this lesson. Learning Target #1 says: I can explain how traits are passed on through generations and Learning Target #2 says: I can explain complex patterns of inheritance. This activity lends itself well to helping teach those learning targets for an area that can be somewhat difficult for students. The understanding of basic genetic inheritance patters is essential before students can learn the more complex forms of inheritance.
Potential Effectiveness
Stage of Learning Process: Upon gaining some background knowledge through podcast lecture and direction instruction this lesson will serve well to demonstrate the curriculum, allow further exploration and to practice using the curriculum.
Learning Objectives: After completing this activity students should be able to effectively complete a monohybrid, dihybrid and sex-linked genetic crosses. Students will understand how traits are passed on from one generation to the other and the probability those traits will be passed on. Students will also understand how certain traits are more common in men or women and how they are passed on.
Characteristics of the Target Learner:
The main target learner would be a 10th grader in biology.
Other learners may include;
Advanced biology class students doing review at the beginning of an advanced genetic unit.
Alternative school students doing an online unit.
Special education students reviewing before an assessment
Overall Effectiveness:
The materials offered with this lesson enhance the curriculum, make it more engaging for students and improve my ability to teach the learning targets. The lesson can be easily integrated into the current curriculum and actually replace outdated pedagogy by being more engaging. The lesson also provides immediate feedback so students know whether they are developing an understanding. The lesson provides formative assessment for students so they have timely feedback. For students it also provides them with additional tutorials if they are not understanding. The lesson could be used in variety of ways. It could be used as a lesson for the whole class, for re-teaching and it could be a stand alone lesson for those students at our alternative school setting. While the lesson does not have learning goals listed I feel those would come from me as our classroom learning targets that I listed above.
Ease of Use
I found the lesson very easy to use for students and teachers. All sections were well labeled, menus were easy to follow and all buttons and text were laid out efficiently. Proceeding through the lesson I never felt trapped or lost. If a student answers a questions wrong it immediately takes them to the tutorial and then they are given a chance to answer the question again. If a student gets the answer right it gives them a brief explanation of why their answer was correct. I believe the lesson is very flexible in that students can go back to previous lessons if they feel it will help them, they can also pull up the tutorials at any point to help them answer questions. They do not have to wait to get the answer wrong in order to see the tutorial. The software would require no technical documentation or support but a brief initial overview of how to use the program would be required. I would also recommend some sort of way that students could record their answers or findings so there was documentation of the lesson completition. I think the software would be attrractice to students since it is interactive and students are engaged by technology.
I was also pleased to discover that the lesson was compatible with iPads. I have a classroom set of 30 iPads and our district is planning to become 1:1 with iPads in the coming year, therefor I am always looking for iPad compatible software and lessons.
