Editors' Pick: Clues in Crime
Eduscreen/erroyo, (888) 825-3643, www.eduscreen.com
Join Marilyn Miller, professor of forensic science at The University of New Haven and a member of the Duke University Talent Identification Program (TIP), as she takes students into the science behind criminal investigations with "Clues in Crime: The Role of Forensic Science in Criminal Investigations." This 10-module course, marketed under erroyo's Eduscreen division, engages students in lab exercises and investigations of realistic crime scenes. The program uses video segments to teach the terms, techniques and tools used by forensic scientists, while interactive exercises allow students to test their knowledge by solving lifelike crimes. Miller demonstrates techniques such as how to dust for fingerprints, search for trace evidence and determine the impact angle of blood splatter. She also shows the techniques behind solving some of the world's most infamous crimes by taking students into her research lab.
Clues in Crime offers a variety of useful features such as a "Glossary," which is a handbook of technical terms and jargon used by forensic scientists; a "Forensic Science Unit Training Manual" and supply kit, which let students become crime scene investigators in their own backyard; and a "Case Files" section, which allows users to read about evidence that convicted serial killers such as Ted Bundy. Each program includes a 10-module CD-ROM course, a workbook with challenging critical thinking exercises and lab kits. It also comes with a certification of participation from the Duke TIP faculty, which students receive after they complete the workbook exercises and submit them to Duke TIP.
This article originally appeared in the 04/01/2003 issue of THE Journal.