Return to Submit Call for Curriculum Collection Resources
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There is currently a moratorium on curriculum resource submissions.
In the future, activities will be published in the newly expanded JMBE.
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Expanded Scope for Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education (JMBE)
JMBE will continue to accept research articles for a Research Section (please review existing submission and review criteria below). Content previously hosted at MicrobeLibrary.org will be folded into the journal:
-Perspectives Section: Focus on Microbiology Education Feature Articles
-Curriculum Section: MicrobeLibrary Curriculum Collection Resources
-Departments Section: Focus on Microbiology Education "Tips and Tools" articles, Web Watch, Journal Watch, Reviews and News
Instructions to authors will be available December 2009.
Authors wanted! OPEN ACCESS to all resources!
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The Curriculum Resources Editorial Committee has selected Lee Hughes' classroom activity entitled “Nucleotide Building Interaction Animation” to receive an Editor’s Choice Award. This award is given to one curriculum resource published in the past year which exemplifies the criteria for publication in the MicrobeLibrary. The activity was chosen from 4 resources published in the Curriculum Collection in 2008.
If you subscribe to MicrobeLibrary, the link below will take you to the activity.
2009 Curriculum Collection Editor’s Choice Winner
Lee Hughes, Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203-5220
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I. Call for Materials
The ASM seeks innovative classroom activities and laboratory exercises for teaching undergraduate microbiology. All MicrobeLibrary curriculum resources 1) are field-tested and based upon active learning strategies, 2) include detailed instructions and support materials, and 3) contain modifications and extensions to allow easy implementation by the broad range of faculty accessing MicrobeLibrary. All MicrobeLibrary curriculum resources must be appropriate for an undergraduate microbiology classroom or laboratory.
II. Deadlines
Materials are received on a continual basis. Reviews are conducted three times each year in March, July, and November. Accepted curriculum resources are published in June, October, and February.
III. Review Criteria
All submitted items are peer reviewed and selected for scientific and educational content, pedagogical (or active learning) processes, clarity and completeness of instruction materials, and clarity and completeness of assessment plans. Each classroom or laboratory activity is reviewed by members from the scientific and educational communities. Reviewers consider:
- Content. Does the title express the content of the activity? Does the abstract summarize the activity in 50-100 words? Does the description describe the goal and use of activity? Does the activity address one or more ASM core themes? Are appropriate lab, safety, and cognitive skills identified? Is the level of the activity appropriate for undergraduate students? Are appropriate keywords provided to describe the activity?
- Process. Does the activity actively involve students in learning concepts, investigative techniques or skills development? Is the activity innovative? Does it involve collaboration or group work, students in higher level thinking skills or communication or mathematical skills (if applicable)?
- Instruction. Is the time required for the activity preparation and implementation accurate and reasonable? Are the learning objectives clearly stated and represent valuable learning objectives? Is the materials list clear and complete? Are materials readily available or are sources provided? Are recipes and storage for media and reagents provided if applicable? Are instructions and procedures for students clear and complete? Are instructions and procedures for instructors clear and complete? Are prerequisite student knowledge and skills clearly stated? Are adequate support materials provided? Are all safety issues addressed?
- Evaluation. Does the presentation of the activity lead students to achieve the stated learning objectives? Are assessment methods described to determine whether students have achieved the stated learning objectives? Has the activity been field-tested? Are student and faculty responses available and positive? Does completion of the activity result in a higher degree of comprehension or skill level as stated in the learning objective? Are student data included to provide faculty with a full sense of outcomes of the activity?
Print the Curriculum Collection Review Criteria Rubric (pdf).
IV. Editorial Policy and Copyright
Materials included in the MicrobeLibrary are new and have not been published previously in ASM publications. ASM members are encouraged to peruse their private teaching and learning collections for appropriate activities. Individuals submitting materials to the MicrobeLibrary must attest that they hold/own the copyright and that the materials are original.
ASM requires prospective authors to grant ASM the nonexclusive world rights and license to reproduce, publish or distribute materials included in the MicrobeLibrary in any and all media. Copyright of the material remains with author so that they may republish or otherwise use these materials. ASM agrees to give authors appropriate credit in all ASM reproductions, copies, and publications of the materials.
Print the Curriculum Collection Copyright Agreement Form (pdf).
V. Submission Instructions
Curriculum submissions will be accepted starting January 2010.
If you are unable to access the online submissions, either mail a hardcopy and electronic copy on disk to ASM's Education Department or e-mail the submission as an attachment.
E-mail to: MicrobeLibrary@asmusa.org Write "Curriculum Submission" in subject line.
Mail to:
American Society for Microbiology
Education Department - MicrobeLibrary Curriculum Resources
1752 N Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036-2904
VI. Formatting Requirements
Each activity must include sections outlined in the MicrobeLibrary Online Submission Form. Please note that some sections are optional. The body of the submission must be in the designated format found in following formatting guidelines.
Complete the Preliminary Information and Introduction using the text boxes and radio buttons on the Online Submission Form. If not using the online process, be sure to include all in the submitted document.
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
Title. Write a title that clearly expresses the content of the activity.
Author(s). Provide name, affiliation, and e-mail address(es) for each author. Please acknowledge any other contributors.
Activity appropriate for: (select one)
Classroom _____ Laboratory _______
INTRODUCTION
Description. Provide a single sentence describing the submission (limited to 250 characters).
Abstract. Provide a concise summary of the activity in approximately 50-100 words.
Microbial Theme(s) Addressed. Look at the ASM's Curriculum Recommendations and identify the core theme(s).
ASM's Curriculum Recommendations
Microorganisms. (if applicable) Choose the microorganism(s) present in your activity.
MicrobeLibrary Microorganism List
Keywords. (if applicable) Select scientific or pedagogical keywords appropriate for the activity for searching purposes (additional keywords may be suggested using the "Notes" section online).
MicrobeLibrary Keyword List
Intended Audience. Select one or more of the following audiences:
- Microbiology/Biology majors
- Allied health majors
- Biotechnology majors
- Science education majors
- Nonmajors
Learning Time. Select the approximate class or lab time required. If the activity requires follow-up in one or more subsequent periods, indicate this.
Learning Time List
Learning Objectives. Provide a list of clearly stated learning outcomes. "At completion of this activity, students will…."
Background. Indicate prerequisite knowledge and skills that students should have before using this activity.
Procedure and Supplementary Materials must be completed by all authors. When submitting online, enter the following sections within the body of the submission.
PROCEDURE
Materials. Provide a clear and complete list of materials, indicating whether they are readily available or need special ordering.
Student Version. Provide complete instructions for students to complete this activity, in the form of a handout that you would give your students. Remove items that would be only relevant to your class (e.g., class number, date, etc.).
Instructor Version. Summarize the steps of the procedure for the faculty member's benefit and include any explanations that are needed to help the faculty make the activity work smoothly. Include all preparation steps needed and any special clean-up or follow through needed. Include any hints, tricks, or pitfalls to avoid. Also appreciated are suggestions for acquiring hard-to-get materials or special items. Please try to include those things that you do automatically, which someone else may not know, but that contribute to the success of the activity. These instructions will not be handed out to students. Please keep in mind that not all instructors have the same background as you! Many users of exercises in the MicrobeLibrary have been trained in fields outside of traditional microbiology, so please make the instructor version as detailed as possible.
Safety Issues. Address all safety issues faculty and students need to know when attempting this activity. Safety concerns may include (but are not limited to): biosafety level of strains used; chemical considerations; UV; environmental unknowns; etc. If there are no safety issues, state "None."
Suggestions for determining student learning. Please share the assessment methods that you have used to determine if students have achieved your stated learning objectives and the methods you use to assign grades accordingly.
Field Testing. Tell us how you know that this exercise is effective. Please indicate course conditions in which you have used this activity (size of class, audience, etc.). Include student and faculty feedback so other faculty can better judge how this activity might work for them. Please include the results from any formal or informal assessments or surveys of this activity.
Student Data. Provide examples of student work and/or expected student outcomes to help provide faculty with a fuller sense of outcomes for the activity. Possibilities include text submitted by students, photographs or short movie clips, etc. Remove any identifying names.
SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIALS
Possible Modifications. (optional) If you know of ways your activity can be modified or extended to broaden its appeal for faculty in other settings or facing alternate curriculum goals, please suggest these.
References. (optional) List references that would be especially suitable as background for faculty or supplemental material for students.
Appendices and Answer Keys. (if applicable) Append any useful or needed information that does not fit easily into the categories above as appendices. If your activity includes specific questions for students to answer, please include answer keys here.
Recipes. (if applicable) Include recipes for media and reagents.
VII. Sample Curriculum Collection Resource
Please view the 2005 Editor's Choice award winner for a sample of an exemplary submission:
Exploring Microbial Diversity through a Microbe Collection
By Debra Wohl, Michael Lemke, Thomas Gorrell, and Michael Levandowsky
VIII. Helpful Hints and Common Pitfalls: Advice on Preparing a Submission
Title and Description: The title should clearly express the content of the submission, while the description is a single sentence describing the submission in 250 characters or less.
Helpful Hint: When MicrobeLibrary users search for material, the search engine returns a list of these two items.
Common pitfalls: These items do not completely and succinctly describe the activity, or the description exceeds 250 characters. The title is the title of the activity handed out to students, and is not a clear title for the submission to MicrobeLibrary.
Abstract: A concise summary of the activity in approximately 50-100 words.
Common pitfalls: The abstract exceeds 100 words.
Learning Time. A realistic time frame.
Helpful Hint: If you have a longer exercise, consider breaking your exercise into smaller units that may be completed in one long period or spread over several periods.
Learning Objectives. Provide a list of clearly stated learning outcomes.
Helpful Hint: A good rule of thumb to keep in mind as you write is that learning objectives must be measurable and observable. They may start with the phrase "At completion of this activity, students will….” Well written submissions include assessment examples that directly test stated learning objectives.
Common pitfalls: Learning objectives are not measurable (for example, “gain an appreciation…”) or do not address complete activity.
Background. Indicate prerequisite knowledge and skills that students should have before using this activity.
Helpful Hint: Prerequisite knowledge includes both laboratory skills and background knowledge needed.
Common pitfalls:
Submission lacks a discussion of the prerequisites which students need.
Materials. Provide a clear and complete list of materials, indicating whether they are readily available or if they need special ordering.
Helpful Hint: Consider your list in terms of “items per student,” “items per group,” and “items per lab.”
Common pitfalls: Materials list is not complete, suppliers are not indicated, or quantities needed are not clear.
Student Version.
Helpful Hint: These written instructions should be complete. If you normally give instructions verbally to your class, it may be appropriate to include those verbal instructions in this section of your written submission, or as a discussion within the instructor version.
Common pitfalls: Items specific to the author’s class are not removed. (e.g., class number, date, location, etc.). Instructions are not clear.
Instructor Version. Summarize the steps of the procedure for the faculty member's benefit and include any explanations that are needed to help the faculty make the activity work smoothly. Include all preparation steps needed and any special clean-up or follow through needed.
Helpful Hints: Please keep in mind that not all instructors have the same background as you! Many users of exercises in the MicrobeLibrary have been trained in fields outside of traditional microbiology. Please try to include those things that you do automatically, which someone else may not know, but that contribute to the success of the activity.
Common pitfalls: This section is not complete, or assumes that MicrobeLibrary users have the same background knowledge as the authors. Preparation instructions are not complete.
Safety Issues. Safety concerns may include (but are not limited to): the biosafety level of strains used; chemical considerations; ultraviolet light; environmental unknowns; etc.
Helpful Hint: It is very rare that a laboratory exercise would have no safety concerns! Consider assumptions you may be making…
Suggestions for determining student learning.
Helpful Hint: Do you require write-ups, incorporate questions onto exams, or use authentic assessment techniques? Do you have another innovative method for testing outcomes? Examples of questions or rubrics are helpful. Your assessment method should be designed to test if students have met the learning objectives.
Common pitfalls: Suggested assessment does not adequately test the stated learning objectives, or does not completely test objectives.
Field Testing. Tell us how you know that this exercise is effective.
Helpful Hint: While it may be very difficult to do a true assessment of the effectiveness of your activity, it is possible to convey to other educators specifics on how it is that you know that the activity works. Examples include pre- and post-testing, or a survey. Other effective examples have been post activity test questions provided with statistics of student performance on those questions.
Common pitfalls: Field testing is not included, or is anecdotal (“students seemed to like to….”)
Perceived learning as measured by student attitude surveys are not a substitute for evidence of student learning.
Student Data.
Common pitfalls: Examples of student work are not included, or a few student assignments from a whole class are included as evidence of student learning with no distillation or interpretation as to whether or not learning objectives were met.
Recipes.
Helpful Hints: Again, please remember that many users of MicrobeLibrary do not have extensive microbiological training. Please provide recipes for all common media, or the supplier if prepared media is used.
Overall Common Problems that Require Major Revision
· Activity is not novel, or closely duplicates a previously published activity
· Abstract or description is not concise or comprehensive
· Expected outcomes are not provided
· Results of field testing are not included (evidence of student learning not provided)
· Safety issues are not addressed
· Activity does not allow active learning (i.e. it is a ‘cookbook’ exercise)
IX. Curriculum Collection Editorial Review Committee
Jean Cardinale, Editor-in-Chief
Alfred University
Alfred, N.Y.
cardinale@alfred.edu
Michelle Furlong
Clayton State University
Morrow, Ga.
Jay Mellies
Reed College
Portland, Oreg.
Kristine Snow
Fox Valley Technical College
Appleton, Wis.
snow@fvtc.edu
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