Category: Product Updates

mindtap-coding-labs-build-career-readiness-with-github – The Cengage Blog
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Now more than ever, today’s higher ed institutions are prioritizing the fundamental on-the-job skills students will need to thrive in their future careers. In fact, according to our 2024 Graduate Employability report, 69% of education institutions are facilitating internships, cooperative education programs and work-related learning opportunities to provide students with practical experience.

Experience MindTap with GitHub

With that in mind, we’d like to share exciting news for computer science instructors hoping to equip their students with real-world career experience. Over the last several months, we’ve made key improvements to MindTap with GitHub Codespaces. GitHub is the world’s leading AI-powered developer platform to build, scale and deliver secure software, allowing your students to practice and code in an actual platform that’s used by coding professionals. By integrating GitHub Codespaces with MindTap, students can complete their coding assignments in an authentic coding lab environment, anytime, anywhere.

MindTap with GitHub Codespaces not only facilitates learning and practice, but also ensures that your students are well prepared as they enter the job market. By actively using industry-standard coding tools, computer science students gain valuable coding experience and proficiency, positioning them to seamlessly transition into their desired careers.

Significant improvements and updates

1. Two Critical Functionality Updates:
- Review Mode lets you review student work directly in MindTap, eliminating the need for students to bundle and share their work.
- Auto-Grading Functionality has been reinstated for those of you using the following Web Programming titles:
Since each title has a mix of auto-graded, manually graded and practice labs, we suggest you search the Cengage Instructor Center for your title to get the latest list of labs, available under the Resources tab.

2. Better Support for Introductory-Level Students — Based on Customer Feedback:
- We’ve made updates to existing instructions and feedback, including providing additional information where needed.
- UX/UI Enhancements, such as the minimization of select popups, help students focus on the salient parts of the experience.
- We added prerequisite assignments that aim to familiarize students with the GitHub experience. These assignments are available in the Getting Started Folder in the MindTap learning path.
- Additional Reviews and Quality Assurance were implemented overall to address errors.
3. Companion Tab New Features:
- Pagination allows your students to easily navigate through tasks within an assignment. With just a few clicks, they can jump to the exact page they’re searching for.
- Selective File Execution is specific to programming languages titles (Python, C++, Java and C#), and gives students the option to select and run code on a specific file.
- Reset Exercise Button gives students the option to reset their progress, providing them with a fresh version of the assignment.
- Sidebar Updates include the new Task Summary button, which gives students the completion status of their tasks, as well as the new run code button, which has been updated from a lightning bolt icon to a standard play button icon.
4. Support Resources:

All Getting Started resources for students are now available in the Getting Started folder within the learning path of your MindTap course. You can also locate this content in our Student Help and Instructor Help guides.
- A Comprehensive List of Labs associated with your title is now available in the Cengage Instructor Center, under the Resources tab. Download the document, “List of Labs – Grading Type” for a categorization of labs based on grading type: auto-graded, manually graded and practice.
- We’ve enhanced program speed to one third of the original run time, restoring performance to 2023 levels.
Prep your course with GitHub Readiness Checklist

Not sure where to begin? Best Practices for Setting Up GitHub in MindTap provides you with an actionable checklist of preliminary tasks to complete as you navigate through course preparation. In addition, you’ll find various linked resources including a list of available titles with GitHub lab activities, a step-by-step video showing how to create your GitHub account, needed technical requirements and more.
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February 21, 2025
the-authors-of-new-titles-in-the-major-problems-series – The Cengage Blog

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Cengage authors dedicate themselves to producing high-quality content, while also prioritizing a functional learning experience for students, equipping them with background information and tools necessary to analyze the important topics covered in their courses. We’re happy to introduce you to the authors of two first edition titles, and one upcoming fifth edition title, within the Major Problems Anthology series, which familiarizes students with important topics in U.S history, world history and western civilization.

Ready to meet these authors and learn about their titles? We can’t wait for you to get to know them all.

Jackson J. Spielvogel and Kathryn Spielvogel ― authors of Major Problems in Western Civilization, Volume I and Volume II, 1e 2025

“Major Problems in Western Civilization,” 1e includes a variety of supporting materials and historical prose, guiding a carefully curated set of primary and secondary source selections. This text preps instructors and students so they can engage primary sources at the highest level.

Jackson J. Spielvogel is Associate Professor Emeritus of History at The Pennsylvania State University. He received his Ph.D. from The Ohio State University, where he specialized in Reformation history. His work has been supported by fellowships from the Fulbright Foundation and the Foundation for Reformation Research. He is the author of “Western Civilization,” now in its 12th edition, as well as co-author (with William Duiker) of “World History,” now in its 10^th edition. Professor Spielvogel has won five major university-wide teaching awards.

Kathryn Spielvogel earned a B.A. in history, and M.A. in art history from The Pennsylvania State University. She continued her graduate studies in history at the University at Buffalo, SUNY, before working as a research editor on history textbooks for the past fifteen years. Passionate about historic preservation and economic development, Kathryn volunteers for several non-profit organizations while renovating historic homes and commercial buildings throughout Pennsylvania.

Read Kathryn Spielvogel’s blog article about this first edition title: “Why the Study of Western Civilization Still Matters”

William J. Duiker, author of Major Problems in World History, Volume I and Volume II, 1e 2025

“Major Problems in World History,” 1e is a comprehensive source for documents and secondary essays dealing with a broad sweep of world history. Each chapter begins with a short introductory essay providing historical context for that period of history.

William J. Duiker is Liberal Arts Professor Emeritus of East Asian studies at The Pennsylvania State University. He earned a Ph.D. in East Asian history at Georgetown University in 1968. A former foreign service officer with assignments in Taiwan and South Vietnam, he is the author of several books on East Asia. He is also co-author with colleague Jackson Spielvogel of “World History,” 10e. He has traveled widely and was awarded a Faculty Scholar Medal for Outstanding Achievement in 1996.

Plus a new fifth edition

Elizabeth Cobbs, Edward J. Blum and Vanessa Walker ― authors of Major Problems in American History, Volume I and Volume II, 5e 2025

“Major Problems in American History” includes both primary sources and analytical essays on important U.S history topics, with an overall goal towards helping students refine their critical thinking skills.

Elizabeth Cobbs is a Professor and Dwight E. Stanford Chair in American Foreign Relations at San Diego State University and has won literary prizes for both history and fiction, including the Allan Nevins Prize and Stuart Bernath Book Prize. She earned her Ph.D. in American history at Stanford University. She has served on the jury for the Pulitzer Prize in History and on the Historical Advisory Committee of the U.S. State Department. She has received awards and fellowships from the Fulbright Commission and other distinguished institutions. Her essays have been published in the New York Times, Jerusalem Post and Los Angeles Times, among others. Her current project is a history of women soldiers in World War I.

Edward J. Blum is a Professor of History at San Diego State University. He received his B.A. from the University of Michigan and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky. He is the author and co-author of several books on United States history and the winner of numerous awards, including the Peter Seaborg Award for Civil War Scholarship and the Gustave O. Arlt Award in the Humanities.

Read Professor Blum’s blog article about this fifth edition: “The Importance of Discussion in American History”

Vanessa Walker is the Gordon Levin Associate Professor of Diplomatic History at Amherst College, where she teaches classes on U.S. politics, foreign relations and human rights. She received her B.A. from Whitman College and her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is the recipient of fellowships from the Miller Center for Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, the George Mosse Program at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Stanton Foundation Applied History Program.

Read: “Q&A With Vanessa Walker, Co-Author of Major Problems in American History”

Did these Major Problems titles pique your interest? Explore them all and decide which one is right for your history course.

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February 12, 2025
The Student Assistant Supports Learning and Teaching
Reading Time: 3 minutes

AI is becoming a bigger part of our daily lives, and students are already using it to support their learning. In fact, from our studies, 90% of faculty feel GenAI is going to play an increasingly important role in higher ed.

Embracing AI responsibly, with thoughtful innovation, can help students take charge of their educational journey. So, we turn to the insights and expertise of you and your students — to develop AI tools that support and empower learners, while maintaining ethical practices, accuracy and a focus on the human side of education.

Training the Student Assistant together

Since we introduced the Student Assistant in August 2024, we continue to ensure that faculty, alongside students, play a central role in helping to train it.

Students work directly with the tool, having conversations. Instructors review these exchanges to ensure the Student Assistant is guiding students through a collaborative, critical thinking process —helping them find answers on their own, rather than directly providing them.

“I was extremely impressed with the training and evaluation process. The onboarding process was great, and the efforts taken by Cengage to ensure parity in the evaluation process was a good-faith sign of the quality and accuracy of the Student Assistant.” — Dr. Loretta S. Smith, Professor of Management, Arkansas Tech University

Supporting students through our trusted sources

The Student Assistant uses only Cengage-authored course materials — it does not search the web.

By leveraging content aligned directly with instructor’s chosen textbook , the Student Assistant provides reliable, real-time guidance that helps students bridge knowledge gaps — without ever relying on external sources that may lack credibility.

Unlike tools that rely on potentially unreliable web sources, the Student Assistant ensures that every piece of guidance aligns with course objectives and instructor expectations.

Here’s how:
- It uses assigned Cengage textbooks, eBooks and resources, ensuring accuracy and relevance for every interaction
- The Student Assistant avoids pulling content from the web, eliminating the risks of misinformation or content misalignment
- It does not store or share student responses, keeping information private and secure
By staying within our ecosystem, the Student Assistant fosters academic integrity and ensures students are empowered to learn with autonomy and confidence.

“The Student Assistant is user friendly and adaptive. The bot responded appropriately and in ways that prompt students to deepen their understanding without giving away the answer.” – Lois Mcwhorter, Department Chair for the Hutton School of Business at the University of Cumberlands

Personalizing the learning journey

56% of faculty cited personalization as a top use case for GenAI to help enhance the learning experience.

The Student Assistant enhances student outcomes by offering a personalized educational experience. It provides students with tailored resources that meet their unique learning needs right when they need them. With personalized, encouraging feedback and opportunities to connect with key concepts in new ways, students gain a deeper understanding of their coursework. This helps them close learning gaps independently and find the answers on their own, empowering them to take ownership of their education.

“What surprised me most about using the Student Assistant was how quickly it adapted and adjusted to feedback. While the Student Assistant helped support students with their specific questions or tasks, it did so in a way that allowed for a connection. It was not simply a bot that pointed you to the correct answer in the textbook; it assisted students similar to how a professor or instructor would help a student.” — Dr. Stephanie Thacker, Associate Professor of Business for the Hutton School of Business at the University of the Cumberlands

Helping students work through the challenges

The Student Assistant is available 24/7 to help students practice concepts without the need to wait for feedback, enabling independent learning before seeking instructor support.

With just-in-time feedback, students can receive guidance tailored to their course, helping them work through challenges on their own schedule. By guiding students to discover answers on their own, rather than providing them outright, the Student Assistant encourages critical thinking and deeper engagement.

“Often students will come to me because they are confused, but they don’t necessarily know what they are confused about. I have been incredibly impressed with the Student Assistants’ ability to help guide students to better understand where they are struggling. This will not only benefit the student but has the potential to help me be a better teacher, enable more critical thinking and foster more engaging classroom discussion.” — Professor Noreen Templin, Department Chair and Professor of Economics at Butler Community College

Want to start using the Student Assistant for your courses?

The Student Assistant, embedded in MindTap, is available in beta with select titles , such as “Management,” “Human Psychology” and “Principles of Economics” — with even more coming this fall. Find the full list of titles that currently feature the Student Assistant, plus learn more about the tool and AI at Cengage right here.
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February 10, 2025
Q&A With Authors of Chemistry First Edition for GOB Courses

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background (current title, professional milestones, professional history, education, research works, hobbies, etc.)

Tiffiny D. Rye-McCurdy: I am a lecturer in chemistry and the Administrative Manager of the Academic Success Center at The Ohio State University at Marion, where I assist students in learning concepts of chemistry and biology both inside and outside the classroom. I currently teach GOB chemistry, general chemistry, organic chemistry and biochemistry. Prior to this position, I taught general chemistry as well as introductory biology courses. I received a B.A. in biochemistry from Ohio Wesleyan University and received my Ph.D. from The Ohio State University Biochemistry program. I am involved in community outreach as the co-coordinator of Ohio State Marion’s science and engineering camps for high school and middle school students. I enjoy visiting local parks with my family and gardening in my free time.

Ryan J. Yoder: I am an Associate Professor at The Ohio State University, serving the regional campus in Marion, OH. I previously taught GOB chemistry at Marion before joining the full-time faculty in 2013. I currently teach organic chemistry lecture and laboratory courses in addition to serving the campus and university community. I received my B.A. in chemistry from Ohio Wesleyan University and received my Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. I mentor undergraduate research students at Marion and Columbus. I am also currently pursuing chemical education research. I live in central Ohio with my wife and two children where I enjoy family time, travel, cooking, golfing and following sports from around the world.

Tell us about the GOB course at OSU Marion. What are the most rewarding aspects of teaching the class and the biggest challenges?

Tiffiny: The most rewarding aspect of teaching the GOB course is getting to show brand-new college students how basic chemistry relates to their health and physiology. In other general chemistry courses, we never get to emphasize the connection between chemicals and their extensive roles in the human body, and I think that delays student interest in chemistry until much later in their academic careers.

The biggest challenge is that, in covering general chemistry, organic chemistry and biochemistry in one semester, the breadth of knowledge you must communicate is vast. To complicate things, the majority of my class consists of first-year students who may not have developed college-level study habits yet.

How has the GOB course changed over the past few years? How have you adapted your teaching to reflect those changes?

Tiffiny: When I taught this course in 2015, it was a scaled down general chemistry course with an introduction to functional groups and a side of biochemistry at the very end. Now the course gives students a foundation in the core concepts of general chemistry, an extensive dive into not only functional groups, but their physical properties and chemical reactions, as well as an extensive coverage of biomolecules and how they all tie into human nutrition and metabolism. It’s very different from the course it used to be!

Ryan: These developments are influential to the way we wrote the book itself. Since it’s an integrated text, students learn about concepts early on that show up again and again in different contexts in later chapters, which helps reinforce core concepts. For example, the textbook teaches students about molecular shapes, polarity and intermolecular forces in the first third of the book. Then we talk about those intermolecular forces and how they affect the physical properties of organic molecules, learning about them again when we discuss how attractive forces are responsible for the 3-D structures of biomolecules like DNA and proteins. We believe this approach is the most appropriate to balance the tremendous breadth of the course while going into enough depth for faculty to be able to teach students these fundamentals of chemistry properly.

How has your work at OSU Marion influenced your work on Fundamentals of Chemistry for Today: General, Organic, Biological Chemistry? What is distinctive about the text? Do you have any suggestions for instructors getting started with the text?

Tiffiny: Despite our differences, Ryan and I are both very methodical in our teaching approaches. We incorporated our teaching pedagogy into this text by presenting a cluster of related concepts, followed by an example problem which is solved step-by-step to show students a logical way to break down more complex problems, and show them the thought process. We follow these in-chapter worked examples immediately with a Learning Check to reinforce what the students learned, allowing them the opportunity to build those critical problem-solving skills.

Ryan: This text not only breaks down complex problems with a step-by-step approach, but the importance of the chemistry is constantly being shown with real-life examples of how it relates to the world around us. Not only is this evident in the way we introduce the concepts themselves, but we also provide extra features throughout each chapter to highlight connections between the chemistry we’re learning and the larger world. We begin each chapter with a Career Focus feature, to show our students that not everyone in health care is a doctor or nurse. And, in fact, many of the topics we cover in each chapter are directly related to a variety of careers in health-related fields. Also, throughout each chapter, we have several Health Connections and Environmental Connections to make the material come even more to life.

How does WebAssign connect to your text? How do you use it in your course? Do you have any suggestions for professors getting started with WebAssign?

Tiffiny: WebAssign for Chemistry, Cengage’s online learning platform, serves as an excellent tool for instructors to create graded assignments using a mixture of end-of-chapter and learning check exercises. I currently use it to assign homework to help students understand the concepts taught during lecture, and next semester I will use it to create extra review assignments (outside the hard-copy review packets I provide now).

Students love the Practice Another feature, which allows them to do a similar problem to those assigned. In fact, sometimes my students do those first to ensure they understand the concept before getting graded on their assignment. They also like the Ask Your Teacher feature, which allows them to ask me a question on specific problems and helps me see where students are struggling to understand when they are on their own. Lastly, WebAssign will soon include videos of Ryan and I working through specific exercises, showing how to approach each problem in a stepwise manner. These will be a great resource that students can watch in addition to the lecture with their own instructor.

How do you see this text deepening students’ engagement with chemistry and fostering more active engagement with core concepts? What is the most significant takeaway students will carry with them after using this textbook?

Tiffiny: I think tying general chemistry to our physiology really helps students connect to the material, when they might otherwise “zone out.” I really think students will have a basic, introductory understanding of chemistry in the body that they can build on when going into a science education or health and medicine field. Examples include conversion in the context of medical dosages, pH in the context of blood buffers, dilutions in the context of medication, REDOX reactions and the role of electron carriers in cellular respiration, how glycolipid antigens determine our blood types, the central dogma and chemicals that serve as micro and macronutrients.

Ryan: I think, in general, students who use this text will see how all of chemistry is connected to itself and how chemistry is connected to their broader world. On that latter point, I believe it’s critical that we included such cutting-edge technologies as COVID vaccines and CRISPR, which are sure to be a part of the health care landscape well into the future. Seeing chemistry in action through such relevant advancements and challenges will allow for more active engagement with the rest of the material. I think the way we scaffold the later organic and biochemistry material also gives students the best opportunity to carry that relevant knowledge further into their academic and professional journey.

Tiffiny D. Rye-McCurdy is the Administrative Manager of the Academic Success Center and a lecturer in chemistry at The Ohio State University at Marion. Dr. Rye-McCurdy currently has a rotational schedule teaching GOB chemistry, general chemistry and organic chemistry. Prior to this position, she taught biochemistry and introductory biology and physiology courses. She received her B.A. in ACS-certified biochemistry from Ohio Wesleyan University and her Ph.D. from The Ohio State University Biochemistry program.

Ryan J. Yoder is an Associate Professor at The Ohio State University, serving the regional campus in Marion, OH. Dr. Yoder previously taught GOB chemistry at Marion before joining the full-time faculty in 2013. He currently teaches organic chemistry lecture and laboratory courses in addition to serving the campus and university community. He received his B.A. in chemistry from Ohio Wesleyan University and his Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. Dr. Yoder mentors undergraduate research students at Marion and Columbus, examining protein-ligand interactions toward therapeutics against threats from chemical weapons and cancer.

Interested in “Fundamentals of Chemistry for Today: General, Organic, and Biochemistry,” 1e by Tiffiny D. Rye-McCurdy and Ryan J. Yoder for your chemistry course? Check out this title now.

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February 7, 2025
Author Spotlight: Q&A With Reed Wicander of Physical Geology, 1e
Reading Time: 4 minutes

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background (current title, professional milestones, professional history, education, research works, hobbies, etc.)

I am currently an Adjunct Professor in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, where I conduct research on various aspects of Paleozoic palynology, specifically the study of acritarchs. I am also a Professor Emeritus of Geology at Central Michigan University, where I taught undergraduate classes in physical geology, historical geology, prehistoric life and invertebrate paleontology for 39 years.

I earned my B.S. degree in geology from San Diego State University in 1969 and my Ph.D. from UCLA in 1973. I was also a Postdoctoral Fellow at UCLA in 1976.

I have published 61 professional papers, 34 geology textbooks of six different titles, including subsequent editions and given numerous presentations at professional meetings. I am currently involved in writing the fourth edition of “Geology: Earth in Perspective.”

I was the recipient of the Central Michigan University Outstanding Teaching Award and the President’s Award for Research and Creative Activity.

What was your driving force behind the creation of Physical Geology: Investigating Earth, and what aspects of this first edition are you most passionate about?

The driving force behind the creation of “Physical Geology: Investigating Earth” was to write a geology textbook in an easy-to-read style with current examples and stunning photographs, connecting students to geology in the world around them. Having taught geology to undergraduates for 39 years, I’m aware of what students find interesting in an introductory science course, especially if they’re taking it to fulfill their general education requirements. This text illustrates why geology is an exciting and ever-changing science with direct links to all of us.

In addition to covering the various topics of geology, this text integrates the current and relevant issues of climate change and environmental concerns throughout the book in a balanced approach, while emphasizing how these issues affect all of us.

Physical geology encompasses such a vast array of topics and locations. In what ways does your textbook offer something truly unique and differentiating to the field?

Besides the usual coverage of topics, this text offers several features in a visually engaging and text-friendly format to help students understand the topics covered and relate them to current events:
- Virtual Field Trips, available in Cengage’s online learning platform, MindTap, offer students immersive, interactive experiences that take them beyond the classroom to some of the most iconic geological locations in the United States. These locations include Yosemite to study igneous rocks, Capitol Reef to examine sedimentary rocks and Hawaii to compare volcanoes, just to name just a few.
  
  Virtual Field Trips feature a variety of media including video, high-quality animations and images, and GigaPan photography that allows students to zoom to a location up close, often closer than if they were physically there. Here’s an example of one such image where students can view the Grand Canyon to explore geologic time up close.
- Concept Visualizations Animations are specifically designed to help students understand geological concepts in a visual format, such as Bowen’s reaction series and the formation of unconformities, two concepts that many students find challenging to understand from text and illustrations alone.
- High-resolution photos have been chosen to highlight the visual nature of geology, particularly recent geologic events, contributing to the currency and relevancy of the examples discussed, as well as reinforcing the global nature of geology.
Given the ever-evolving nature of geology and the earth itself, how does your text discuss the complexities of current events and modern issues to remain relevant and impactful for students, and what are they?

Each chapter has been written to clarify the geologic concepts and topics covered to emphasize the understanding of the underlying principles and processes of geology.

Geology in the Spotlight is a feature found in 16 of the 18 chapters and focuses on current issues in geology as they apply globally, and with an emphasis on natural resources, energy issues, environmental concerns and effects of a changing climate. Examples include Windmills and Wind Power, Glaciers and Global Warming, Engineering and Geology, Hydraulic Fracturing: Pros and Cons and Rare-Earth Elements and Critical Minerals as Geopolitical Weapons.

Text, figure and table data reflect the most current published source information from internationally recognized and reputable institutions.

How do you see this text deepening students’ understanding and fostering a more active engagement with its core concepts?

Three examples illustrate an active engagement of the core chapter concepts:
1. Learning Objectives focus on the important concepts discussed in the chapter and are designed to develop critical thinking skills.
2. Some of the figures contain “Critical Thinking Questions” that are intended to encourage students to apply or analyze the material illustrated in the figure.
3. At the end of each chapter is a “What Would You Do?” question that is open-ended so students can apply the chapter material learned to a real-life situation.
With learners from diverse academic backgrounds, how does your text accommodate both those specializing in geology or earth science, and those encountering it through general education?

This text is designed for an introductory geology course and is focused on understanding the different aspects and specialties of geology and how they relate to each other as part of a continuously dynamic and evolutionary planet.

For those planning to major in geology, all of the basic concepts and topics of physical geology are covered and provide the foundation for the more specialized courses that follow.

What do you hope instructors will take away from this textbook that will enhance their teaching?

Hopefully, instructors will see how the many features of this text, including the spectacular photos, critical thinking skills and MindTap features, like Virtual Field Trips and animations, are all features that will provide the tools to stimulate active learning for the students.

Lastly, what do you hope is the most significant takeaway students will carry with them after using your text?

It is our hope that when students finish their physical geology course, they will come to appreciate the many connections between geology and their everyday lives, such as the causes and results of natural disasters like volcanic eruptions, landslides and earthquakes, as well as the less apparent, but equally significant links between geology and economic, social and political issues.

Reed Wicander is Professor Emeritus of Geology at Central Michigan University, where he taught physical geology, historical geology, prehistoric life and invertebrate paleontology. Currently, he is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences at The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. Dr. Wicander earned his B.S. degree in geology from San Diego State University and his Ph.D. from UCLA

Interested in “Physical Geology: Investigating Earth,” 1e by Reed Wicander and James S. Monroe for your earth sciences course? Check out this first edition now.
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February 5, 2025
The Importance of Discussion in American History

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Psychologists call it choice paralysis. For me, it’s more like choice defeat. When confronted with too many options, I shut down. I still remember the first time this happened. I went to the mall for some new clothes (it was the ’90s and there was no internet). Almost immediately, my entire emotional world seemed to collapse. I was overwhelmed and had to leave. So, I drove home in my awesome Subaru Justy (I had a white one!)

The choices are endless

Fast forward 30 years, and the same thing happens to me when I’m selecting textbooks and primary sources for my United States history survey. There are so many amazing history textbooks. Each one has so much information with many broad points, specific examples, charts, maps, and student learning outcomes.

Then, there’s the availability of primary sources, with millions upon millions of available documents. I’m thankful for resources like, Chronicling America and books.google.com, but still struggle. I feel awash in a sea of too many options.

Major Problems in American History takes a different approach

Major Problems in American History, Volume I

I approached our new edition of “Major Problems in American History, Volume I and Volume II” to help educators like me. Instead of offering more content, I tried to offer better direction. I hoped that reading this text would be less like going to the mall for new apparel and more like receiving a curated clothing box. This new fifth edition of “Major Problems in American History” offers clear direction for students in various ways.

Chapter structure

Each chapter begins with succinct introductions (two–four pages) that invite students to explore the major themes and issues of a historical era. A timeline with about 10 key moments follows. Together, the short introduction and timeline don’t overwhelm the reader, but rather invite them to engage with the text. This quickly sets the stage for the primary sources later to come.

Selection of primary sources

The primary sources revolve around one or two central problems from each era. For example, the chapter on so-called “Jacksonian Democracy” asks: why did some Americans revere Andrew Jackson while others despised him? This fundamental issue, or “major problem,” determines which sources I included and how I ask students to approach them. By looking at sources related to the Indian Removal Act and its consequences, debates about state nullification of federal laws, and every high school teacher’s beloved Bank War, instructors can analyze with a purpose.

Major Problems in American History, Volume II

The purpose of secondary sources

The primary sources and the major problem they address then take center stage in secondary sources where historians offer differing perspectives on the fundamental issue students are analyzing. Students follow how professional historians have dealt with the main problem, what sources they examine, and how they make meaning of the sources. In this way, the historical scholarship becomes a teaching tool. Secondary sources help teach students differing approaches to analysis.

In the chapter on early English colonizing of North America, historians and source authors, Rachel Herrman and Rachel Winchcombe examine the “starving time” of Jamestown. Herrman looks at reports from this time to understand how the English continued to market colonization as reports of scarcity – and even cannibalism – became widespread. Winchcombe uses archeological evidence and even bone analysis to uncover what the people of Jamestown actually ate to understand how this experience of colonization influenced approaches to dietary behaviors. As students read the primary and secondary sources, they can reflect upon the major problem framed in each chapter, and hopefully embrace the complexities of the past and begin the challenging process of drawing their own conclusions about it.

This edition of “Major Problems in American History” is for the instructors and students who want to maximize their time interpreting, discussing, and sinking their teeth into fundamental issues from the past. The goal is to avoid overwhelming amounts of content and data, and instead let students wrestle with issues from the past, many of which continue to impact people today.

Written by Edward J. Blum, Professor of history at San Diego State University and co-author of “Major Problems in American History, Volume I and Volume II,” 5e

Interested in learning more about “Major Problems in American History” by Edward J. Blum, Elizabeth Cobbs and Vanessa Walker? Check out Volume I and Volume II for your history course, coming later this spring, 2025, and browse other history titles on our discipline page.

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January 31, 2025
welcome-dr-haiyan-maier-new-author- The Cengage Blog

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Ellie Whitney, author of “Understanding Nutrition” has been known as a nutrition trailblazer for many years. And after several editions, she hand-picked Sharon Rolfes, well known and respected in the field, to become the next author. Today, the Cengage nutrition team is excited to introduce Dr. Haiyan Maier as the new author of “Understanding Nutrition,” 17e. Dr. Maier, Ph.D., R.D., brings state-of-the-art nutrition research, advanced discipline knowledge and a multicultural perspective to the newest edition of the text. As a Registered Dietitian and nutrition professor, she presents an inclusive and comprehensive approach that reflects the latest research, addresses current trends and emphasizes key concepts for your course.

“All foods fit”

Dr. Maier prioritizes healthy eating, physical activity and family adventures. Growing up on the coast of northeast China and studying in Europe, she was able to enjoy foods from around the world, and now shares nutritious meals and global cuisine with her family. She advocates an “all foods fit” and “moderation is key” approach, and believes it’s essential to be mindful of the body.

New topics and perspectives

Dr. Maier’s contributions to “Understanding Nutrition” aim to promote health at every size, intuitive eating and the importance of the microbiome. Students will gain a deeper understanding of how gut health can influence overall well-being. Additionally, she has helped to present expanded discussions on nutrition misinformation, particularly its influence on diet culture in the United States. The 17^th edition delves into the impact of social media on health and provides insights to help readers navigate information effectively. In-text examples, graphs, figures and photos are now more inclusive, showcasing people of various capabilities, life stages, cultures and ethnicities.

Hear more from Dr. Maier below:

What’s updated in this edition

17e has been revised to include expanded discussions, updated highlights and a focus on key concepts, empowering students to develop a deeper understanding of nutrition.

The highlights

This best-selling title continues its tradition of providing cutting-edge nutrition coverage. Every chapter is followed by an updated highlight, offering an in-depth look at current and controversial topics. The text has been thoroughly revised to reflect the most recent research findings, ensuring students have access to the latest information. From energy balance to chronic condition prevention, the 17^th edition addresses the diverse aspects of nutrition with contemporary relevance.

Explore key concepts and inclusion

To enhance learning, each chapter begins with outlines and learning objectives that focus readers’ attention on essential concepts. These objectives have been updated to align with Bloom’s Taxonomy, ensuring strong objective wording. The review features have been reformatted into bullet points, facilitating the capture of key information. This edition also embraces inclusion and diversity by incorporating diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, weight-inclusive information and weight-neutral language.

Artificial sweeteners, sugar addiction and mindful eating

This edition offers more information on artificial sweeteners, including a detailed exploration of different types of sugar on food labels. It also delves into the relationship between sugar addiction and the gut-brain axis, providing valuable insights into this prevalent issue. Additionally, the text introduces the principles of mindful eating and intuitive eating, emphasizing their importance in establishing a healthy relationship with food.

Interactive content

This title is also available in MindTap, our online learning platform, which includes Diet & Wellness Plus, diet analysis software powered by the ESHA database. With Diet & Wellness Plus, students can delve deeper into their own nutrition habits through active and engaging resources, tracking activities and reports.

The 17th edition is an invaluable resource combining the latest research, contemporary relevance and an inclusive approach.

Interested in “Understanding Nutrition,” 17e for your Intro to Nutrition course? Watch for this new edition coming soon, and explore other nutrition titles on the discipline page.

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January 29, 2025
want-to-build-a-robot- The Cengage Blog
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Welcome to “System Dynamics and Controls,” 1e by Dr. S. Graham Kelly — a new first edition and comprehensive guide to understanding and controlling interdisciplinary engineering systems. The goal of this text is to provide the reader with a general understanding of how to mathematically model a linear engineering system and how to control it effectively.

The fundamentals

Engineering is inherently interdisciplinary, and successful engineers often navigate and work in multi-disciplinary teams. Whether you’re a mechanical engineer learning about electrical systems or an electrical engineer diving into chemical processes, understanding diverse disciplines is key. All engineers should have some familiarity with the modeling of physical systems of any kind, as well as with the time-dependent responses of these systems. This knowledge isn’t just theoretical, it’s integral to designing control systems that guide these systems’ operations.

Take robotics, for example. Designing a robot requires expertise in both mechanical and electrical systems. A control system for the robot, usually an electrical controller, is designed to make the robot respond appropriately to certain inputs.

The prerequisites

Before diving in, it’s important to come prepared. This text is meant for those with a background in:
- Single-variable calculus, including ordinary differential equations
- Engineering physics, with a focus on mechanics, electromagnetism, and thermal systems
- Core concepts from statics and dynamics, especially rigid body dynamics in planar motion
For more advanced sections, knowledge of multi-variable calculus will be helpful. Additionally, while not essential, prior or concurrent study in chemistry, circuit analysis, fluid mechanics, and thermodynamics will enrich your understanding of specific topics and examples.

MATLAB and Simulink

This text frequently uses MATLAB as a tool for the determination of the response of a dynamic system. MATLAB is used as a computational tool, a programming tool, and a graphical tool. From determining dynamic system responses to programming and graphical analysis, MATLAB is used extensively throughout the text. Some specific applications include:

Simulink, a MATLAB-developed simulation and modeling tool, is also integrated throughout this text. Simulink allows development of models, using either the transfer function or the state-space formulation, without the programming required for MATLAB.

This text’s comprehensive approach, combining theory with practical tools like MATLAB and Simulink, equips students to tackle the complexities of interdisciplinary engineering systems.

Written by Dr. S. Graham Kelly, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, University of Akron and author of “System Dynamics and Controls,” 1e.

Interested in this title? Dr. Kelly’s new first edition text is available for your engineering course now.
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January 27, 2025
Butterflies and Biology for Life

Reading Time: 4 minutes

When I was in sixth grade, my homeroom teacher brought monarch caterpillars into our classroom. One of our homework assignments was to walk around our backyard and find milkweed (the only kind of plant monarch caterpillars eat) to feed our caterpillars. Now, over 25 years later, I still clearly remember the excitement of hunting around in my backyard to find milkweed and checking every day to see the metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly.

You might say that raising monarch caterpillars gave me the bug to want to be a biologist.

An early interest in biology sparks a lifelong dedication

As the years went by, my interest in biology didn’t wane. In college, molecular biology became my primary focus area. During graduate school and beyond, I trained in both molecular biology and the learning sciences, settling into a career in biology education. I taught Non-Majors and Majors Biology while running a research lab dedicated to understanding how people learn biology.

A lack of enthusiasm from students

When I taught Non-Majors Biology, I noticed a concerning trend among my students: All in all, they didn’t like biology.

That may be too gentle. The comments from an “introduce yourself” activity that I use in the first week of class revealed that most of my students were either afraid to take a biology class, thought the subject was boring, or didn’t think they could succeed at it. Some people even flat-out admitted they hated the subject.

Now, as a self-professed biology nerd, those comments took me aback. As a learning sciences researcher, I wanted to know why there were such pervasive negative feelings about biology. As a biology educator, I wanted to know what to do about it.

A common point of view

Negative perceptions around biology are common, driving people away from engaging with the big biology issues we face today. Lack of knowledge around scientific topics can make it easier to be duped by misinformation, leading one to potentially make decisions against their own best interests. We see this with issues ranging from climate change to vaccines.

Acknowledging that biology is all around us is important not only because it enriches our lives, but because it’s also important to the health and welfare of our society. Biology is everywhere, and engagement starts with reimagining how we think about biology’s role in our lives. It’s about reigniting wonder and emphasizing relevance. It’s about giving students the chance to learn biological material in a way that makes sense to them. When we start to make connections between the classroom and the real world, it becomes easier to engage with bigger concepts and ideas.

Connecting biology to the everyday

Let’s look at hand washing, as an example of how to relate lipid biochemistry to our everyday routines.

Okay, fine, we all know we’re supposed to do it, and yet nasty microorganisms like norovirus (transmitted mainly by the fecal-oral route, ahem) still tend to spread rampantly. Isn’t hand sanitizer sufficient? Or Lysol? The soap dispenser is out again — does it matter?

According to the Centers for Disease Control, hand sanitizer doesn’t work well against norovirus. Think of norovirus as wearing a protective coat — hand sanitizer doesn’t penetrate, and since the virus doesn’t readily dry out on surfaces, it remains ready to infect on the surface of the skin. In order to effectively remove the virus, you have to use soap and water and rub your hands together. Why?

Soap particles have water-repellant and water-loving components. Those water-repellant portions, combined with rubbing your hands back in forth, causes the virus to break apart. The soap particles surround the bits of virus, and water washes it away.

If I talked about the structure of soap as a fatty acid with a carboxylic acid functional group, sodium ion, and fatty acid tail, and how with other fatty acids, it forms a micelle in water, students’ eyes would glaze over. On the contrast, breaking down the basics of why hand-washing works to illustrate the biochemistry proves far more interesting.

Impacting student perceptions

When biological principles are applied to our daily lives, they become inherently interesting. When students realize they can understand the biological principles behind their daily experiences, it becomes accessible. By viewing biology through a personal lens, students learn to appreciate rather than hate the subject.

When students see biology everywhere, as an integral part of their lives, they are more likely to engage. As they engage, they realize they can understand biology, and that it’s actually interesting.

Think back to the opening example — my homework was looking in my backyard for milkweed to feed to the classroom caterpillars. Biology was relatable and accessible and that made it exciting. That’s the driving framework behind my biology education practice. I always consider the relevancy in students’ lives as the main touchstone in my teaching practice.

What is something that you can do in your classroom to bring your own excitement about the material in? What kind of real-world examples can you bring into your classroom? Come tell me about it on social media!

LinkedIn

Facebook

Instagram

Written by Dr. Melanie Peffer, Teaching Assistant Professor and Research Scientist Level II at the University of Colorado Boulder, and author of “Biology for Life: A Guide to Our Living World,” 1e.

Interested in this first edition text for your biology course? Look for Peffer’s first edition text, “Biology for Life: A Guide to Our Living World,” 1e coming spring, 2025, and check out other available biology titles on the discipline page.

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January 23, 2025
Q&A With Sarah Bednarz of Human Geography
Reading Time: 4 minutes
1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background (current title, professional milestones, professional history, education, research works, hobbies, etc.)
I am retired from Texas A&M University where I was a professor of geography. I also served as Associate Dean for the College of Geosciences for six years. I now live in Albuquerque, New Mexico with my husband who is also a geographer.

I came into geography because of a deep curiosity about places I lived. As a child, because of my father’s job with Mobil Oil, I moved in the United States and overseas frequently. I always wanted to know “the why of where.” When I lived in New Zealand as a teenager, I discovered geography. The subject answered the questions I had about people, places, and environments. I majored in it in college (Mount Holyoke College) and after receiving an M.A. in Teaching (University of Chicago), I taught middle and high school for 14 years in Illinois and Texas.

I loved teaching geography and felt passionately about its value to students in building key citizenship skills, but developed a concern about learning. What could I do to better help my students learn to think geographically? This led me to complete a Ph.D. in geography emphasizing education. My career as a geography educator has led to many great adventures and projects working to enhance the quality and quantity of geography education in K-12 and higher education. Despite retirement I continue to research and work particularly with early career faculty on teaching and learning issues. Travel, knitting, and hiking are my fun activities.
1. What was your driving force behind the creation of Human Geography: A Spatial Perspective, and what aspects of this inaugural edition are you most passionate about?
I had the privilege to work with an inspiring set of authors. Each of us had something special we emphasized. My particular passion was to feature the work of a range of geographers in the book, matching their research to the topics discussed, linking the actual work of geographers to teaching introductory human geography. I like to think of the book as less of a textbook and more of a view into the scholarship and scholarly achievements of geography.
1. Human geography encompasses such a vast array of topics and cultures. In what ways does your textbook offer something unique and differentiating to the field?
Our philosophy was to blend and emphasize two of the great traditions of geography — human-environment interaction and spatial analysis — to organize the content. As a professor, I always taught this course as the story of a few key concepts which can explain how the world works. We each have to develop a grand narrative and tell a story to help students also make sense of the ways that geographers see the world. It is a challenge — our students are used to thinking chronologically, not spatially. But acquiring that spatial habit of mind is very powerful. I hope the book supports students in this endeavor.
1. Given the ever-evolving nature of human geography, how does your textbook discuss the complexities of current events and modern issues to remain relevant and impactful for students, and what are they?
I think by emphasizing key concepts and principles of geography, students can acquire a framework that explains the key processes at work in the world today and the spatial patterns produced by those processes. It is up to instructors to present local and timely examples that support students in seeing the relationships between global trends and local conditions and events.
1. How do you see this textbook deepening students’ understanding and fostering a more active engagement with its core concepts?
Clearly the work of the featured NatGeo Explorers is inspiring and motivating. Their work connects the concepts of geography with real-world discoveries and provides examples of the power of geographic analysis.
1. With learners from diverse academic backgrounds, how does your text accommodate both those specializing in geography or earth science, and those encountering it through general education?
Geography is what is called a discovery major, that is, very very few students come to higher education committed to majoring in the subject. But that first introductory course, taught by a passionate and skilled instructor, can capture the imagination and interest of some who find that the subject has great explanatory power and is compelling. We designed this book to be accessible to a range of learners, with stunning visuals, clear writing, and intriguing features. The intent is to provide a solid foundation for the general education student and be a tool to recruit the next generation of geographers.
1. What do you hope instructors will take away from this textbook that will enhance their teaching?
Featuring the work of contemporary explorers illustrates ways that faculty can connect exciting scientific discoveries with foundational concepts of geography. A second innovation that can transfer into the pedagogical practices of instructors is the use of the research of contemporary geographers.
1. Lastly, what do you hope is the most significant takeaway students will carry with them after using your textbook?
That geography’s unique and particular perspectives on the world can provide them with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to make them better citizens and everyday decision-makers. Geography has tremendous intellectual and practical value, and I want more students to take advantage of this powerful subject.

Sarah Witham Bednarz is a Professor Emerita of Geography and past President of the American Association of Geographers. She served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Geosciences, Texas A&M University, from 2008 to 2014 and as Principal Investigator on two major curriculum and educational research projects. Recently she cochaired the Geography Education Research Committee (GERC) of the 21st Century Road Map for 21st Century Geography Education Project.

Want to know more about “Human Geography: A Spatial Perspective” by Sarah Witham Bednarz, Mark Bockenhauer and Fred Hiebert? Explore this first edition here.
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January 16, 2025