Euteleost Tree of Life Web Module: Summative Evaluation Report

Rockman et al (REA) conducted an independent summative evaluation of the Eutelelost Tree of Life: Web Module. The Euteleost Tree of Life (EToL) is a collaborative National Science Foundation research project between eight institutions, including Kansas University, to resolve evolutionary relationships within the euteleost fishes. The main aim of the interactive Web module is for users to explore the evolutionary history of fish and how they are related to one another. REA's summative evaluation was designed to (1) gather users' feedback about the website, as well as (2) assess the impact of the site on users' knowledge and attitudes about fish and fish evolution. To meet these goals, REA recruited two groups of high school students to perform a series of tasks on the website and then provide feedback during a focus group discussion. Overall, students felt the module content was largely understandable and appreciated the quality of the information provided. In a relatively brief exposure to the Web module, students were able to expand upon previous learning about evolution and natural selection by learning more about how fish evolved and by gaining familiarity with traits common to specific fish lineages. They also learned about traits that evolved in various lineages, such as hermaphroditism and venom. In general, students learned what makes a fish a fish, and they were intrigued to discover previously unfamiliar species of fish. They expressed interest in learning more about these and other types of fish mentioned in the module. Students especially enjoyed the Fish Stories, such as the Googly-Eyed Fishes and Gender-Bending Fish stories. It was clear to them how to navigate through the module, and they cited the dynamic scroll-over effects on the homepage as among their favorite elements to the module. The report concludes with several recommendations.