Although the initial fee for the program, or the computers themselves, can be high, the long term cost would be a great deal more economical.
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The market for dissection alternatives, such as dissection simulations, continues to increase and the acceptability and popularity of these programs will continue to grow as the quality of the technology grows.Īnother benefit that would appeal to all schools is the cost.
FROGUTS VIRTUAL FROG DISSECTION FREE
The students are also free to make a mistake in these virtual dissections without "ruining" the dissection as can occur in traditional dissections. Dissection simulations also teach students valuable computer skills. As the dissection simulations improve, some educators may find them superior to the traditional dissection, as many of these simulations incorporate other information such as the ecology around, and life cycles of, the animal. Animal advocacy organizations have also worked to increase awareness of, and interest in, these dissection alternatives among teachers, students, and parents.
FROGUTS VIRTUAL FROG DISSECTION SOFTWARE
In some cases, animal advocacy organizations make large purchases of dissection simulation software and donate it to teachers at local schools. These animals may come from breeding facilities which cater to institutions and businesses that use animals in experiments they may have been captured in the wild and sold to supply companies or they could be stolen or abandoned companion animals that no one has claimed.ĭissection simulation designers benefit in a variety of ways by producing these dissection alternatives. Frogs are the most commonly dissected animals below the university level, however many other species are used including cats, mice, rats, worms, dogs, rabbits, fetal pigs, and fishes. Hill, creator of Froguts, even once said, “Froguts has perhaps done a better job at saving more frogs globally than some animal rights organizations have done in the past.” Animal advocates clearly agree that dissection simulations play an important role in saving animal lives. The main benefit would have to be the saving of animal lives through the replacement of, or reduction of, dissections. There are many benefits to incorporating the virtual dissection in a school. Those students who are planning on pursuing a career in Biology or medicine will potentially dissect at that level if curriculum required. There are those that believe that students with little or no interest in pursuing a career in science do not need to see dissect animals in order to understand basic physiology and anatomy. These discussions typically center around issues such as animal suffering and respect for animal life, the scientific case for alternatives, a student’s right to choose not to dissect, the impact of dissection on the quality of biology and anatomy classes, the cost of purchasing specimens every year, and the increased flexibility in student participation. Over the past 15 years, as technology has become widespread and a daily part of our lives, discussions have begun about the potential for replacing animal dissection in the classroom with dissection simulation software. There are other groups that believe that dissections should be removed entirely from K-12 classrooms. There are those that believe that a student should always be given the choice whether he/she would like to participate in the dissection, and be given alternatives if they chose not to participate in the actual dissection. There is now a growing group of students, teachers, and animal advocates that have strong objections to dissection and the unnecessary harm and suffering that is put on the animals being dissected. These educators point out that dissection at the K-12 level is an invaluable teaching tool that cannot be replaced. Akpan and Andre (1999) explain that many biology teachers feel that dissections are an effective, hands-on method for students to learn about anatomy and physiology. Animal dissections are widely practiced in North American middle and high school Biology classes as well as colleges and universities. 6 Video: Classroom Dissections VS Virtual Dissections:Īnimals have been used for centuries to train students, either through demonstration or through direct practice by the students themselves (Morton 1987).2 Benefits of Using Virtual Dissections:.
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1 Dissections in North American Schools:.