Unseen Life on Earth: An Introduction to Microbiology"Annenberg Media's Unseen Life on Earth is a 12-part telecourse that introduces concepts in microbiology. Each video runs approximately 30 minutes and can be watched free online. (DVDs and videos of the series, along with companion texts, are available at the site for purchase.) Produced by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), Oregon Public Broadcasting, and Baker and Simon Associates, the series was developed around curriculum standards that have been endorsed by ASM, including microbial cell biology, diversity, genetics, evolution, ecology, and interactions with other organisms, including humans. Guiding the development of the project was the Microbial Literacy Collaborative (made up of the producers plus the National Association of Biology Teachers) and an advisory committee composed of faculty involved with the teaching of microbiology at a variety of institutions.
Though produced in 1999, the content is general enough to be of continuing value. In addition to providing high-quality content, the series is well produced. Hosted by Jim Leinfelder, each episode includes animations that contribute to the viewer's understanding of concepts as well as micrographs from conventional and electron microscopy. Scientists and researchers explain concepts within the context of their work, and real-life examples from around the world show the concepts in action (such as Hantavirus in the southeast US and cassava mosaic virus in Zimbabwe). The site is easy to navigate and use; videos display in a pop-up window. Technical requirements are Windows Media Player, a broadband connection, and JavaScript. Closed captioning is available when viewing the videos on Internet Explorer. Videos are on-demand only (downloading is not permitted) and can be shown in the classroom from the Web site." Choice February 2010.
