Helpful questions from ASMCU members (below) resolve concerns and reveal several, inexpensive pricing options for microbiology instructors and their students.
Thank you:)
Congratulations Richard, what a labor of love! I will be in contact :-)
Hola ¿cómo puedo accesar a los materiales que presentó hoy en el ASMCUE? Me interesa adquirirlos Gracias
Q: I would just like to have this for myself. I am a science geek:)
A: Interactive Laboratory Microbiology is written in Adobe pdf which means the files can be saved to a hard drive or USB for long-term storage. We are investigating the possibility of long-term possession without continuing charges. However, the pdf files are encrypted and there is currently a monthly charge for this necessary service.
Q: What level of student is this aimed at? Micro majors?
A: Interactive Laboratory Microbiology (ILM) is written for introductory and intermediate microbiology, that is, second and third year university. ILM materials are used for biology and nursing majors, and also for science and non-science minors. The ILM presentation is first and foremost introductory and begins at the very beginning. ILM has been extensively edited, first by a full panel of ASM reviewers, and more recently by English and Science school teachers. The text is clear and readily understood.
Q: Is your narration included because it adds a lot to the information.
A: I wrote all the text and the video narrations. If my ASMCUE presentation was clear then ILM should also be clear. However, a general audio presentation is not included, only a possibility for the future.
Q: This is an amazing collection! It is a very impressive collection, which is why I am wondering if you can select which labs your students will see/do, as it could be overwhelming for students to see everything.
A: Please see below.
Q: We could use a few of the labs but not all of them. Any a la carte option?
A: Please see below.
Q: Can you build a course “a la cart” with specific labs, or is everything available and you tell students which labs to do. The ability to use individual labs at an affordable price would be useful. This would be especially nice if we start in person and are forced to go online. I am not interested in a whole online lab course, but what is there if I am forced to go online?
A: Yes, we are able to edit out unwanted labs for a custom presentation. We have already been asked to accomplish this task. The navigation system remains intact which means some links will not work as the files are now missing; however, an intact navigation system means we are able to add labs back should an Instructor's needs change. Of course, a custom and reduced ILM presentation also reduces the price, as the Questioners intimate.
Q: Do you include phase contrast microscopy?
A: Yes, there is a separate and complete study (chapter) on Phase Contrast Microscopy. Please see TOC and then Microscopy for the full details:
● 26 interactive pdf pages, ● 43 illustrations, 34 images of microbes, ✲3 techniques animations, ✱6 techniques videos, ✓3 Best Practice animations, ✟12 motility videos
The following study, "Wet Mount", also includes the theory and practice of darkfield and interference microscopy; phase-contrast observations are included in this and throughout ILM.
Q: Everything is in flash which I believe is going away soon...how will that be addressed?
A: Please see below.
Q: I see online that ILM requires Flash Player. As flash player is fading out at the end of the year, what is the plan moving forward?
A: Yes, we have used FLASH to produce Interactive Laboratory Microbiology (ILM) and we were expecting to use FLASH until the end of the year 2020 when, as the Questioners correctly suggest, FLASH is to be deprecated. However, recent 2020 updates to Adobe Acrobat DC and Adobe Acrobat Pro DC allow ILM videos to be played by Windows Player and Apple QuickTime. ILM is not FLASH-dependent. It is important, however, to download the latest updates to Acrobat DC and Acrobat Pro DC. We shall remove the FLASH sign from the ILM website. Thank you!
Q: Are your biosafety recommendations based on BMBL5 or the newer edition?
A: We used the recent and more condensed American Society of Microbiology, Guidelines for Biosafety in Teaching Laboratories, 2019. https://www.asm.org/ASM/media/Education/ASM-Biosafety-Guidelines.pdf
Q: What is the cost? Is it expensive?
A: Please see below.
Q: What is the difference between the Instructor's and Course pack licenses?
A: The Instructor's version was written originally, following an ASM recommendation of health concerns, for biologists who might be required to teach microbiology yet had little background in microbiology laboratory. Students could be added to the Instructor's version to reduce Instructor's expense but would be required to purchase a separate log-in. The Course pack is less expensive but requires students to log-in with the Instructor's license.
Q: The cost is the same for the instructors license with individual login compared to the course pack instructor's site license. It seems you get more with the latter, but yet the cost is the same? Is that a correct interpretation?
A: Yes, your interpretation is correct. In the less expensive option, students register using their instructor's log-in (email address , First/Last Names). This means less work for our office and we can pass this saving along to institutions with smaller class sizes. It is more work for our office if each student has a separate log-in.
Q: How much is the license? Is there a version where students pay individually for access?
A: Please see below.
Q: We have more than 30 students. Can students just login somewhere and pay individually (on their own) for the access to the ILM? I did not see that option anywhere. We cannot afford to pay for all our students, but they should be able to pay for it themselves if it is $20/student. I'm just looking to make sure students can just pay for this themselves online.
A: Yes, we offer another payment option where students pay for themselves and also receive a separate log-in. The costs are $48 USD/student and $38 USD/student for the complete and abridged versions, respectively. Costs for larger class sizes are reduced.
Thank you all for your questions. They are all very helpful going forward. My best wishes for your teaching success in 2020/2021. Please contact me if I can be of any help, [email protected].