176 | Dissection in Science and Health Education affecting the funding provided to school districts Students’ capability to perform well on tests affects and can reduce the funds available for teaching resources in a particular school district Teachers are obliged to devote a significant portion of classroom time to helping children succeed in tests that have far-reaching implications for the district as well as for the students personally Challenges for Teachers Teachers seek to inspire their students, a goal that provides rewards and usually accounts for their choice of teaching as a profession To be effective, teachers seek out learning opportunities to continually increase their mastery of ever-expanding subject matter and incorporate new teaching methods Most science teachers face various challenges, including small budgets to purchase laboratory equipment and supplies that could enhance their teaching Many use personal funds to purchase laboratory supplies They must spend valuable classroom time teaching and testing to national and state standards Teachers strive to find ways to offer laboratory experiences that will motivate their students Dissection offers a riveting experience that fully engages students, and is something that students tend to remember, often with some combination of excitement, fear, and revulsion An additional feature is that dissection is familiar to teachers, is not intimidating, and does not require extensive new learning for them resources that draw on new technologies for learning, including computer software, plastination of tissues, and reusable prosections In contrast, major initiatives have not yet been made to modernize precollege laboratories Hence, current biology laboratory curricula in pre-college classes seem more likely to rely on dissection than those in college or professional school laboratories Recently, some outstanding software on human biology has become freely available on the web For example, National Geographic, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), and the Public Broadcasting System (PBS), among others, have produced some fine instructional materials concerning the systems and major organs of the human body While some of these are fine resources that are visually appealing and informative, they not fulfill teachers’ needs for materials that would stimulate children to solve problems and interact with the subject matter rather than rote learning The most gifted and motivated teachers are looking for webquests, materials that engage students in interacting with the information The technological capabilities evidenced in computer games and Hollywood films have yet to be brought to educating our children concerning their own bodies and health While some recent web-based resources on the human body are promising, much more can be done to support health promotion and knowledge of the human body by using the full range of web technology to engage children and adults in learning Resources for Human Health and Science Education See also Alternatives to Animal Experiments; Student Objections to Dissection Medical and veterinary schools have invested during the past couple decades in creating new laboratory teaching Further Reading American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, Health Education