PCRM Offers Free Dissection Alternative

Each year thousands of students sit in biology class, a chemical-soaked frog pinned before them, wondering if there is a better way to learn about anatomy. With today’s advanced technology there are many humane alternatives, and PCRM is offering a free copy of one of them, Digital Frog 2, to students, parents, and teachers.

Digital Frog 2 is an interactive CD-ROM that uses animation, video, narration, and still images to create a realistic dissection experience for the student. Students can perform an entire frog dissection with a “digital scalpel.”

This humane method has many educational benefits over traditional dissection. Unlike in a real dissection, aspects of virtual dissection can be repeated and reviewed on subsequent days. An anatomy module provides information and photos as students work through each part of the dissection. Other features include animations showing how a frog’s body works and comparisons to human anatomy.

Several studies have shown that students who participated in an alternative to animal dissection demonstrated equal or greater knowledge of the subject matter compared with their peers who participated in dissection. A study of Digital Frog 2 at George Mason University found the program more effective than dissection, with students learning more in 44 percent less time.

There are many reasons students are concerned about classroom dissection. Unfortunately, only 13 states have laws or resolutions protecting student choice. With a free copy of Digital Frog 2 in hand, students have a powerful tool in discussing humane alternatives with their teachers.

For a free copy of Digital Frog 2, send a request with your name and address to PCRM at dissection@pcrm.org.

PCRM Online, April 2006

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