Why Multimedia Educational Software?
The CALF was instituted in 1991 by then-Associate Dean of Academic Programs George Cardinet III to provide instructional support to the faculty of the Department of Anatomy in the School of Veterinary Medicine. The CALF’s first programs were designed for anatomy instruction but soon were in use schoolwide. Now CALF-produced software, ranging from simple programs created in an afternoon to more complex ones that have taken years to complete, is used in roughly 50 courses at UC Davis. What are the advantages of programs over textbooks? First off, says Magliano, most veterinary textbooks have few color photographs. “The computer is the cheapest way to deliver hundreds of full color images,” he says. Convert a recent program containing 2,500 color photos into a textbook, and each book will cost around $300, he says. A further advantage is the speed of delivery. Information can be made available to students very quickly, and this information can be customized. “And the programs let you do t
