Modernization of Plant Taxonomy Curriculum through Use and Development of Plant Identification Expert Systems

现代植物鉴定技术通过基于计算机的专家系统，可以丰富本科生对物种概念的理解，使他们了解植物分类群内的季节形态变化的总宽度，而不管他们进行研究的季节，并积极地使他们参与植物分类群内和植物分类群之间的特征状态变化的基于探究的研究，因为他们有助于植物分类群的扩展和发展。这些专家系统。这种丰富性是缺乏从我们目前的教学实践，主要是利用季节特定的纸张为基础的二分法的关键训练学生在外地为基础的植物识别。二分检索表不利于植物分类群的调查研究，因为它们的扩展和修改相对困难。另一方面，基于计算机的专家系统的结构非常有利于学生从事基于探究的活动的贡献和发展。本提案的具体目标是：1.现代化植物分类学课程，取代基于光盘的多通道植物鉴定专家系统基于纸张的二分法植物鉴定键。2.丰富学生的教育经验，鼓励他们发展的科学探究的性质，因为它涉及到分类决策的理解，因为他们有助于不断完善和扩展的植物专家系统数据库。3.培养学生在假设制定和检验的实践性方面的过程技能，特别强调分类学中使用的统计技术。4.发展小组学习和小组责任的技能和技巧。5.通过让本科生参与专家系统的创建和开发来提高教学效果，这将需要利用他们新获得的/同时获得的植物分类学知识和技能，使其成为一种自我加强和对未来学生和公众有益的格式。6.测试这种学习方法与当前教学实践相比的有效性。正在进行的迈阿密大学树木学专家系统试点项目的初步结果表明，这些目标可以满足我们的植物分类学课程的拟议修改。

Modern techniques of plant identification via computer based expert systems can enrich undergraduate students' comprehension of the species concept by exposing them to the total breadth of seasonal morphological variation within plant taxa irrespective of the season in which they conduct their studies and actively engage them in inquiry based study of variation of character states within and between plant taxa as they contribute to the expansion and development of these expert systems. Such richness is lacking from our current pedagogical practices which primarily utilize season specific paper based dichotomous keys for training students in field based plant identification. Dichotomous keys are not conducive to inquiry based study of plant taxa because of the relative difficulty associated with their expansion and modification. The structure of computer based expert systems on the other hand are very conducive to contributions and development by student engaged in inquiry based activities. Specific objectives of this proposal are to: 1. Modernize the plant taxonomy curriculum by replacing paper based dichotomous plant identification keys with CD-ROM based multi-access plant identification expert systems. 2. Enrich the educational experience of students by encouraging them to develop an understanding of the nature of scientific inquiry as it relates to taxonomic decisions as they contribute to the continual refinement and expansion of the plant expert system data bases. 3. Develop students' process skills in the practical nature of hypothesis formulation and testing, with particular emphasis on the statistical techniques used in taxonomy. 4. Develop group learning and group responsibility skills and techniques. 5. Improve instructional effectiveness by engaging undergraduates in the creation and development of expert systems which will require utilization of their newly/simultaneously acquired knowledge and skills of plant taxonomy into a format that is both self reinforcing and beneficial to f uture students and the public at large. 6. Test the effectiveness of this method of learning compared to current pedagogical practices. Preliminary results from the ongoing Miami University Dendrology Expert System pilot project indicate that these objectives can be met by the proposed modification of our plant taxonomy curriculum.