The Asynchronous Cookbook

Reviewed by Andrea Bearman, Director of Instructional Design and Development/Instructor, Trine University on 5/17/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The content covers many if not all elements of how to properly engage students in an online format. I particularly appreciate the simulations and labs component as I would like to incorporate more of these into our courses as well but haven't been clear on how to start.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

It seems to be accurate and relevant to most online learning environments. It may be beneficial to include other opportunities to engage students like H5P, like for games or escape rooms, which integrates with learning management systems very well.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

There are many resources shared outside of the textbook which may need to be updated over time. Many strategies to engage students do not really become obsolete, but how to accomplish goals may adapt overtime. Like a scavenger hunt or a simulation, always relevant but the medium to complete those may change. The text is written and/or arranged in a simple, easy to follow was that will be simple to update in the future. I love the recipe format; it is a unique way to present this information.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is written in a professional way but also free of excessive jargon or terminology that may not be appropriate for all interested in learning more about student engagement. There are many resources provided to learn more about different strategies if you need it, which is very helpful and encourages even more learning.

Consistency rating: 5

The text and general formatting is internally consistent in terms of framework and terminology. Each section has a recipe square/rectangle with pertinent introductory information, then it goes into prep, ingredients, and instructions. Each section ends with examples and resources as applicable. It's so thoughtfully built and the consistency is so welcomed, especially since there is so much content in this book.

Modularity rating: 4

The text is broken down into subsections, but the individual chapters can be very long. I recognize that there are so many sections already provided in the text, but it becomes a little challenging to absorb all of the information provided in some of the chapters. Maybe it would have been beneficial to make two volumes or more chapters to limit the cognitive load. The headings and examples break up the text well and make it easier to consume the text.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The topics are presented in a logical and clear fashion. It may be beneficial to have the topics build on each other through the course of the text, but that's only a suggestion! It's thorough and well-done!

Interface rating: 4

There are colors and graphics used that may not be accessible to all users. Images should have alt-text applied and the orange/red colored boxes may be difficult for users to read. Otherwise it seems to be constructed well with minimal distractions.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text contains no grammatical errors that I noticed. There are a couple of formatting inconsistencies with use of uppercase letters (or not), but those are very minor concerns.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

This element is not overtly present in the text. There is a diagram provided in the second chapter that discusses social presence and setting the climate, which implies some of these elements. The content of this text is meant to engage all students in unique ways and I think largely, it does that.

Comments

This text is very thorough and well-rounded in its presentation of information. I'm excited to implement some of this content in the courses that I teach with faculty and the strategies with the student courses as well.

Reviewed by Brittany Straub, Assistant Professor of Education, University of Saint Francis on 5/5/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This textbook is comprehensive as it discusses WHAT asynchronous instruction is, WHY it is important, and HOW to do it.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The textbook discusses the inquiry model, grounded in research. The textbook also identifies activities that engage learners, which is multiple means of engagement, a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The textbook is arranged in cookbook style to make it relatable to the reader. For example, there are ingredients for each activity, step by step "cooking" instructions for each activity, and example photos for many of the activities, which is similar to the photos of the finished cooked dishes in cookbooks.

Clarity rating: 5

Again, the cookbook style of this textbook works as an advantage. It adds to the clarity of each of the activities identified and explained in the textbook.

Consistency rating: 5

Engagement, inquiry, asynchronous teaching are three common themes found throughout the textbook. The focus is consistent throughout.

Modularity rating: 5

This textbook is very readable/user-friendly. It is chunked into sections for types of asynchronous activities. This makes it easier to find what one needs to read about.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Again, the chunked material throughout the textbook is a positive feature.

Interface rating: 5

There are no interface issues.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

Grammar, usage, mechanics, spelling, etc. are superb.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The textbook is culturally responsive to a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds.

Comments

The textbook breaks down an abundance of strategies to use in asynchronous instruction. In addition to learning how to implement the instructional strategies, the textbook sparks ideas for future assignments in courses.