After six years and 1,185 bottles of Diet Dr Pepper, Ohio Northern University professors of biological science Rod Anderson and Linda Young have completed a textbook that reflects their zeal for connecting with students on the learners’ terms.
“Visualizing Microbiology,” published by Wiley, was released in mid-September. The text is available in both hard copy and digital formats and is intended for use in college courses by students pursuing health care academic majors and careers.
“When writing the book, I was constantly thinking about how the material applies to students and how it could best be used in a classroom discussion,” Anderson said. “We did not delete any information but, instead, presented the material in a better way from the students’ viewpoint.”
“Research shows that students learn better by visuals. This book was written for students and not for faculty members,” Anderson said. “What is unique about this book is that we have crossed out essentially one half of the text found in a regular textbook and replaced it with visuals and figures that will better teach concepts to students.”
Young said, “Blocks of copy can overwhelm students. Today’s students are used to social media and instantly getting information. A lot of them will shut down when confronted with text-heavy material.”
One key feature contained in every chapter is a case study. Young said, “Case studies were included because we wanted the book to connect with the students. Many of the students in health care are nurses, who tend to be empathetic. Consequently, they relate to the more personal format of this book, which tells stories of actual events and is better-suited to students.”
“Every case study is based on a true incident, and we sometimes used friends and family as examples to better resonate with students,” Anderson said. “Students take content more seriously when they know these are incidents that can occur in their own careers.”
“Visualizing Microbiology” builds on the faculty members’ classroom careers.
“We could not have written this book 20 years ago,” Young said. “I have tried a variety of teaching techniques over the years and found the methods that work best. In fact, I have used some of the rough drafts of copy in my own class discussions.”
“This project reflects the ONU culture of connecting with students and talking with them rather than at them,” Young said.
Anderson said, “I actually enjoyed the writing and research that were involved in compiling the book. As a professor, these are the things I enjoy doing.”
A wealth of Diet Dr Pepper was consumed by Anderson during the development of the book, and he has the bottle caps in his office to prove it. The six-year endeavor included two years of research and four years of writing and editing. This is the fourth book that Anderson has authored and Young’s second effort.
