Frog Dissection — A Simulation and A Possible Alternative to Laboratory Animal Sacrifice
Do you remember dissecting a frog in high-school biology? Do you remember your reaction and the reaction of some of your classmates when your teacher explained that before you could begin the dissection, you would have to “pith” your frog? (To pith a frog, you use a dissection needle to destroy the connection between the brain and body so that body organs such as the heart will still be functioning and can be observed during the dissection.)
Frog Dissection is an inexpensive app for the Apple iPad designed to allow students to simulate the dissection of a frog. And, no, you don’t have to pith the frog before you begin! The program presents students with a set of dissection tools, a dissection tray complete with specimen, an assortment of video and text content explaining the dissection process and the appearance and function of specific organs, and an analysis of the anatomical differences between humans and frogs. Frog Dissection exemplifies some of the features of simulations. Simulations tend to present a simplified version of the real thing and attempt to focus learners on key ideas, skills, or components. In contrast to the clumsiness and messiness that comes with dissecting a frog, work with the simulated frog uses simpler procedures and reveals simplified information. When simulated incisions are made at the proper locations, the skin magically disappears. Attempted incisions at other points are ignored. In fact, it is impossible to cut at an inappropriate point or to move a body part that the simulation does not intend the student to move. Developing the physical dexterity necessary to use dissection instruments is not a target behavior, so there is no attempt to teach these skills. Simply put - with this simulation you cannot deviate from the script and explore on your own. There are obvious advantages to this approach - the designers focus the learner on the anatomical features the designers decided were important. The simulated dissection clearly focuses the student on the location of specific organs within the body of the frog and the other information provided explains the function of these organs.
Screen image from Frog Dissection
Biology instructors probably have a wide variety of opinions on the advantages and disadvantages of working with live (or preserved) specimens. Does working with live specimens or simulations lead to better understanding? This can be a complex question and can depend on the objective and the quality of the simulation. Then there is what some regard as an important ethical question. In marketing Frog Dissection, Emantras Interactive Technologies (developer of Frog Dissection) makes note of the award the company received from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) for offering a “21st Century alternative” to “senseless dissection” in secondary science laboratories. The National Science Teachers Association in a position statement released in 2008 makes clear that it recognizes the teacher as the decision maker when it comes to the use of animals in classrooms, but does recognize simulations as an effective alternative to the dissection of live specimens (NSTA Board of Directors, 2008). The ethical treatment of animals makes an interesting addition to our list of potential benefits of simulations (see Primer). Finally, there is the issue of cost. Specimens are a consumable and more must be purchased each year. The cost includes more than frogs and also involves the purchase of dissection pans and instruments. Software might grow dated, but software can certainly be used for several years and by multiple students. With the exception of the ethics issue, a combination of approaches might be a way to deal with the issues of cost and time. In some cases, the teacher conducts a live dissection which can be viewed by the class; perhaps with the assistance of a digital microscope connected to a projector. Simulations might then be used by individual students.
Online Resources:
Award from PeTA for Virutal Frog
Frog Dissection is an iPad app available from Emantras Interactive Technologies
NSTA Board of Directors (2008). Responsible Use of Live Animals and Dissection in the Science Classroom
PhET at the University of Colorado has offered interactive simulations for some time. Recently, this organization has been generating simulations in HTML5. These newer simulations are cross platform and can be run within a browser on a tablet. This is a great source for preservice teachers wanting to explore science simulations.