"This knocks Froguts out of the park! Digital Frog is comprehensive,
very educational and easy to follow. I love it and I'm sure the kids
will!"
— Kristin Christein, 7th & 8th grade Science, Phillipsburg,
NJ
While The Digital Frog 2.5 isn't the only way to teach anatomy and physiology, it does have strengths, both as a replacement for (or supplement to) dissection with real frogs, or even when compared to other virtual frog dissection programs such as Froguts. On both cost and learning effectiveness, which ever way you stack it, The Digital Frog 2.5 will benefit your classroom.
While The Digital Frog 2.5 can be used alongside a real dissection as a training tool, many schools opt to use it as a replacement for the traditional dissection, and with good cause. Check out how your science department can increase learning effectiveness and save time and money
The
Digital Frog 2.5 |
Traditional
Wet Lab |
|
Prep time per class | Minimal |
Variable |
Cleanup time per class | None |
Variable |
Time to accomplish learning | One
study suggests learning is accomplished in 44% less time |
|
Cost of biohazardous waste disposal | None |
Variable |
Set up costs for 60 computers | $896.00 (Lifetime license) |
Approx. $300 for 15 dissection
kits |
Consumables: (class of 30) preserved specimens | None |
$105 (assuming 15 preserved frogs
at $7 each) |
Consumables: (class of 30) gloves, scalpel blades, etc |
None |
$15 - $25 per lab |
Set up time | Minimal |
Approx. 25 minutes, with 10-15
minutes clean-up |
Repetition | Students
can repeat until content is understood |
Not practical in most cases |
If student misses a class | Can
borrow CD to learn at home |
Too bad! |
Text book to learn anatomy and physiology | Integral |
Required (and expensive) |
New vocabulary and scientific terminology | Integrated
context-sensitive dictionary with spoken pronunciations |
Dictionary required |
Students’ right to dissection alternatives | Sensitive to more and ethical issues
concerning dissection; offers an effective alternative |
Need to provide alternative activity for students who object |
Safety concerns | None |
Sharp instruments and chemical
allergies |
Learning retention | Studies
indicate more effective |
|
Worksheets and formative assessment quizzes | Included |
Teacher must create or purchase
separately |
Assists in teaching biology as the study of living things | Includes integrated
ecology section |
Teacher must provide materials |
Total Cost Comparison |
$896.00 (Includes Lifetime Licensing for 60 computers - unlimited # of students) |
$6,850.00 |
[Download comparison table as PDF.]
Every time a dissection is done with real frogs, your school has to purchase specimens. Let's say the average rana pipiens costs $7. And a class of 30 students, with one frog per two students, requires 15 frogs, at a cost of $105 per class. If you use The Digital Frog 2.5 with just nine classes, your dissection specimen budget has already been reduced by 5% . Every classroom use of The Digital Frog 2.5 after that just increases your savings. At just $896 for 60 computers, your school will have unlimited use of the program in as many biology classes as you have, year after year, at an over-all savings to your science department.
While many biology teachers still believe that dissection is the best way to learn biology, mounting evidence suggests that virtual dissection programs such as The Digital Frog 2.5 are just as good, if not a better way to learn anatomy and physiology when compared to actual dissections.
A recent Ph.D. study compared the effectiveness of wet labs to use of a virtual frog dissection program such as The Digital Frog 2.5. Not only did they find that doing a dissection virtually was more effective in terms of learning retention, it was accomplished in 44% less time than the traditional dissection.
We're often asked how The Digital Frog 2.5 compares to other virtual dissection software available on the market such as Froguts. While on the surface they appear quite similar, The Digital Frog 2.5 offers more content and more features for a richer educational experience. And with a one-time fee rather than an annual subscription, you'll even save money in the long-run.
The
Digital Frog 2.5 |
Froguts |
|
Full interactive dissection | ![]() |
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Full screen videos demonstrating each step from a real dissection | ![]() |
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Built-in anatomy section of all body systems | ![]() |
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Comparison to human anatomy | ![]() |
Some |
Includes ecology section, looking at frogs in their living state | ![]() |
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Detailed definitions of every word | ![]() |
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Built-in text to speech | ![]() |
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Formative assessment quizzes | ![]() |
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Customizable workbook materials included | ![]() |
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Price | $896.00 (Includes Lifetime Licensing for 60 computers - unlimited # of students & schools) |
$300 per year |