V-Frog
© 2008 Tactus Technologies
Teachers or home-schoolers, next time you need to dissect a frog, take note of this frog dissection program, designed to help students understand how a frog works, contrasted with how we (humans) work. The well-designed main menu makes it easy to jump around (no pun intended) between 12 chapters, with titles such as Comparative Anatomy, Muscular System and Respiratory System. Each chapter contains an animated slide show, which you can skip through quickly, or progress through one step at a time. On each page, a set of tools might show up. A scalpel is first used to make a cut, and tweezers are then used to remove the muscles. Other tools include an Endoscope (a small camera that you can push into the frog for an internal view) and a Magic Wand (that makes muscles, such as the heart, come to life so you can see how they work). While there is a review section, it is merely a study aid--you roll over parts of the frog to see a label. There are no formal assessment features or record keeping. Testers noted that the instruments (like the tweezers) can be clumsy and take some getting used to. Also, while there are a few real pictures of frog parts, such as muscle cells, more comparisons to real frogs with pictures or perhaps video would be nice. There is no sound or narration, as well. Another potential drawback is the price, which starts at $100 for one copy ($5000 for a building license). After you install the software on a Windows computer (no Mac version) you have to complete a one-time online registration process using a password and requiring an e-mail address. Note that an Internet connection is required, providing one year of access to the program. Each year, the program must be renewed. For science teachers looking for a death-free alternative to dissection, this is a good option.
$100, Windows
Teaches: science, biology, anatomy, physiology
CTR Rating: 80%