ibclogo XVI International Botanical Congess


Abstract Number: 3037
Poster No. = 1093


INTERACTIVE APPROACHES TO TEACHING PLANT FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS


Marcia J. Waterway, Plant Science Dept., McGill Univ., Montreal, CA.


University courses in plant systematics or floristics often require students to learn to recognize major families of flowering plants. Although herbarium specimens, photographs, and drawings of family characteristics are usually used to illustrate major families, programmed review materials are often lacking. Plant Family Album, an interactive CD-ROM, provides students with programmed instruction and review using hundreds of photographs, terminology hyperlinked to a photo-illustrated glossary, and quizzes with detailed feedback to help students with the learning process. The objective of this study was to determine whether the interactive approach improved student learning. Results show that the interactive approach increases efficiency, enjoyment, and retention rates. Demonstrations and evaluations of this approach will be presented.


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