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Peer Review

Understanding Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases

Reviewed:
Mar 28, 2016 by Health Sciences
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Ratings

Overall Rating: 4.5 stars
Content Quality: 4.8 stars
Effectiveness: 4.8 stars
Ease of Use: 4.5 stars
Overview:
Understanding Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, is a free online textbook form the NIH Curriculum Supplement Series. It discusses the term disease and differentiates infectious from non-infectious diseases. It contains a brief description of various pathogens. It also contains a brief description of host's defense mechanism in response to infections. It discusses the subject of vaccines, sanitation, drinking water, food safety, animal control.
Type of Material:
This learning resource is an open textbook.
Recommended Uses:
The textbook can be used as supplemental reading for class work and homework. It can also be incorporated into lecture content. The vivid color photographs can be used for student presentations and instructor presentations.
Technical Requirements:
The user will need a computer with Internet access and a web browser to use the resource.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
After reading the textbook, the user will be able to:
  • Differentiate infectious and non infectious diseases
  • Describe the causes and management of infectious diseases
  • Describes the concept of vaccination, bacterial resistance, food safety, and animal control
  • Discuss the importance of clean and protected drinking water
Target Student Population:
The target population could include high school students studying health, undergraduate biology students, and allied health students.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Understandin of basic biology would be helpful to the learner, however, it is not a prerequisite.

Content Quality

Rating:
Strengths:
The open textbook:
  • Is clear and concise
  • Provides a complete demonstration of the concept
  • Demonstrates a core concept grounded in the discipline
  • Is current and relevant
  • Is supported by appropriate research
  • Is self-contained (can be used without requiring an assignment or context)
  • Provides accurate information
  • Is flexible (can be used in several situations)
  • Includes an adequate amount of material
  • Summarizes the concept well
  • Integrates the concept well
Concerns:
No concerns

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:
Strengths:
The open textbook:
  • Identifies prerequisite knowledge
  • Reinforces concepts progressively
  • Builds on prior concepts
  • Demonstrates relationships between concepts
  • Is easy to integrate into curriculum assignments
  • Is very efficient (could learn a lot in short time)
  • Can be used to measure student learning outcomes
Concerns:
Stated learning objectives would improve the textbook.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:
Strengths:
The learning resource is easy to use. It includes a glossary and a reference list.
Concerns:
The open textbook is not designed for universal access.
Other Issues and Comments:
Very useful book on infectious diseases for students who want to start off from the real beginning.
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