This product is an interactive CD-ROM that serves as an integral learning resource for the Animal Diversity Module at the University of Reading.   Information derived from student questionnaires was used to inform the technical and user-interface design process.   This first edition of the CD-ROM contains more than 1000 individual multimedia pages, 1,100 images, 102 diagrams/graphics and 50 formative learning multiple choice quiz questions.   The CD is comprised of four main sections.   Each section is designed to provide a different type of learning support for students studying the Animal Diversity module.   One of the sections is the "Taxonomy Explorer", a guide to the taxonomy of the animal kingdom.   It is a supportive hypermedia resource that supports learning throughout the module.   Two other sections are the "Cole Museum Guide" and the "Cole Catalogue".   The Cole Museum Guide is a multimedia guide to every specimen in the Cole Museum of Zoology and the Cole Catalogue is a fully searchable database of the Cole Collection Catalogue.   These resources support the students when preparing their exhibit design and when studying for the examination.   The last section is the "Quiz Centre", containing formative learning quizzes on taxonomy and the animal kingdom.   This section provide students with immediate and detailed feedback to enhance their learning and retention of taxonomic principles. 

Comments & References: Developed as a collaborative project between the University's Division of Environmental Biology and the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning in Applied Undergraduate Research Skills (CETL-AURS).   For more information on this product, please contact Dr. Amanda Callaghan , Curator of the Cole Museum(colemuseum@reading.ac.uk).

Version: 2007