Biology 1107 & 1108 Handbook Spring 2010 Created by Tom Abbott, Faculty Coordinator Biology University of Connecticut UConn ECE Biology 1107/1108 Mission Statement
The UConn Early College Experience Biology program is administered by the University
of Connecticut’s Department of Undergraduate Education and enables high school
students the opportunity to take college Biology courses that they may transfer to many
colleges and universities throughout the country. This is accomplished through a
cooperative effort on behalf of the University and partner high schools, based upon
mutually agreed to teaching standards, curricula and assessments in accordance with the
UConn Biology Department.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contact Information
Instructor Certification Information
ECE Biology Policies & Course Information
Grading Scale & Online Grading
Course Content
Appendix I – National Standards
Appendix II – Biology 1107 & 1108 Syllabi
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Page 3
Page 4
Page 6
Page 8
Page 9
Page 11
Page 12
UCONN ECE PROGRAM OFFICE CONTACT INFORMATION
University of Connecticut
UConn Early College Experience
368 Fairfield Way Unit 2171
Storrs, CT 06269-2171
Phone: 860-486-1045 Fax: 860-486-0042
UConn ECE Program Office Staff:
Gillian B. Thorne, Executive Director, Office of Early College Programs
Email: gillian.thorne@uconn.edu
Brian A. Boecherer, Associate Director, UConn Early College Experience
Email: brian.boecherer@uconn.edu
Jennifer R. Griffin, Marketing & Communications Manager
Email: jennifer.griffin@uconn.edu
Erin Blanchette, Business Manager
Email: erin.blanchette@uconn.edu
Louise Larson, Technology Coordinator
Email: Louise.larson@uconn.edu
Faculty Coordinator:
Thomas Abbott
University of Connecticut
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
91 N. Eagleville Road, U-3125
Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3125
Phone: 860-486-2939
Email: thomas.abbott@uconn.edu
UConn ECE Website: http://www.ece.uconn.edu
The ECE website contains information for both students and instructors, including
program offerings, application materials, information about credits, instructor
certification procedures, directories of instructors and schools, and dates of upcoming
conferences and workshops.
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INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATION INFORMATION
Applying for Certification as a UConn ECE Biology Instructor
ECE Certification Requirements
One primary feature of UConn ECE is to allow students to take college courses for credit while
in high school. In addition, any new instructor certified to teach an ECE course is considered
adjunct faculty. It is then only fair to assume that the parity of the ECE experience and the
University experience for both instructors and students are as close as possible. To ensure the
equity and fairness of UConn ECE, new and continuing instructor certifications will be based on
the fulfillment of the requirements as outlined in this handbook.
Academic Requirements
The minimum degree requirement for instructors wishing to teach UConn ECE biology courses is
usually a Master’s degree in the related field. An M.S. in the biological sciences would be ideal,
but a Master’s degree in Education will be acceptable as long as there is sufficient breadth of
biology background between undergraduate and graduate work. Applicants will not be considered
unless they provide a detailed lecture and lab syllabus for their proposed Bio 1107/1108 courses
with their application. Certification also requires an interview with the ECE Biology Coordinator
at the Storrs campus.
Applicants for Bio 1107/1108 should have documented coursework in the following areas:
• two semesters of General Biology
• two semesters of General Chemistry
• one semester of Organic Chemistry
Biology 1107 applicants should also have previous course work in the following:
• one semester of genetics
• one semester of microbiology or cell biology
• one semester of Animal Physiology and Comparative Anatomy
• and/or two semesters of Human Physiology
• one semester of Biochemistry in recommended
Biology 1108 applicants should have previous course work in the following:
• one semester of Plant Physiology or Botany
• one semester of Ecology or Environmental/ Conservation Science
• one semester of Zoology or Systematics
• one semester of Evolution is recommended
Other factors that contribute to certification include: prior teaching experience, work experiences
in research or applied aspects of biology, and recommendations.
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Requirements
Requirement 1: Application Deadline
The instructor certification process is an essential program component and represents a high level
of professional trust and respect. Instructors interested in certification should begin the process
one year prior to the academic year the course will begin. The certification deadline for
instructors looking to teach a UConn ECE course is March 31st, however early applications are
highly encouraged.
Details on the certification application can be found on the UConn ECE website at
www.ece.uconn.edu.
Requirement 2: Academic Qualifications
The minimum degree requirement for high school instructors wishing to teach UConn ECE
Biology courses is an M.S. degree in Biology (preferred), but an M.S. degree in Education may
be considered if the applicant’s transcripts and work experience demonstrates a sufficient breadth
of biology coursework including laboratory and/or research experience coupled with their
teaching experience within the discipline. Please see our website for what constitutes prior
course work and teaching experience preferred to teach 1107 and 1108.
Requirement 3: Course Syllabi and Text
It is recommended that teachers seeking ECE certification adopt the Biology 1107/1108 syllabi
(found on pages 7-10) and the textbook used by the University of Connecticut. If a teacher
requests either to sequence their material differently or to use a different text then, his/her
application will not be considered unless the following are provided: course syllabi, including a
day-to-day schedule of lectures and labs, a complete description of laboratory activities, itemized
lists and details of the laboratory resources available at the high school (please complete the
enclosed questionnaire), and a comprehensive explanation of how students will be graded in the
proposed course.
Requirement 4: Site Visits
Site visits will be required prior to final certification. At these early visits, the faculty coordinator
will meet with the instructor, their students and others that may be involved in the course. Lab
and lecture facilities will be assessed for their capabilities to make UConn ECE function as
intended.
Certification
Applicants who satisfy the above requirements, and are approved by the faculty coordinator, will
receive a one year provisional certification as a UConn ECE Biology instructor**. During this
time, the faculty coordinator will closely monitor the progress and assess the development of the
ECE course. This is also intended to be a time for close collegial interaction between new ECE
Biology instructors and UConn faculty. The mutual development of teaching practices essential
to providing a quality University experience will be encouraged. After the one year provisional
period has passed, the faculty coordinator will assess the instructor and make a recommendation
for full certification.
** Depending on the instructor’s credentials, an ECE instructor may be certified to teach
Biology 1107, 1108, or bot
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ECE BIOLOGY POLICIES & COURSE INFORMATION
I. ECE Biology vs. AP® Biology
1.1 As stated in the national standards, (please see Appendix I) UConn ECE must be distinct
from Advanced Placement. UConn ECE neither oversees nor is responsible for the AP
course curriculum. UConn ECE is only responsible for coordinating and ensuring that
the curricula of ECE courses mirror the curricula of their counterparts taught at the
University of Connecticut. UConn ECE credit can only be awarded by taking an ECE
course.
Please note: UConn ECE is aware that students may elect to take an AP exam in a subject
area and be given college credit for the course if they score at or above a designated level. It
is then conceivable that an AP course could be “nested within” an ECE course but solely, an
AP course cannot be a substituted for an ECE course.
II. Maintaining Certification for ECE Biology Instructors**
In order to remain certified, ECE Biology instructors will need to comply with the following:
2.1 Make every effort to administer an ECE Biology course that is pedagogically comparable
in content, timing, and level of difficulty to the Biology 1107 and 1108 courses offered at the
University of Connecticut (Storrs campus).
2.2 Attend a UConn ECE Biology professional development workshop at least once every
two years. Attendance and participation for ninety percent (90%) of the workshop is
required.
2.3 At the end of each academic year submit, between June 1 and July 15:
A) An Excel spreadsheet with the class score (based on 85% of grade), exit exam score
(based on 15% of grade) and final grade score. This item can be emailed directly to the
faculty coordinator.
III. ECE Biology 1107 and 1108 Course Information
3.1 Course Timing
Biology 1107 and Biology 1108 cannot be taught as a year-long course. Each course should be
completed in one half of the high school academic year. At UConn, each semester-long course
involves forty 50-minute lectures and thirteen 3-hour laboratory periods. Both Biology 1107 and
1108 are offered each semester. Depending on the schedule at your high school, adjustments
to lecture and laboratory time periods may be necessary. However, the total instructional
hours for lecture and lab (34 hours and 39 hours respectively) must be honored.
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3.2 In-Class Instruction
While instructors may elect to include additional readings during the summer, over breaks or
during the school year, the course material (as outlined in the Biology 1107 and 1108 syllabi)
should be covered in the normal high school academic period. It is assumed that the ECE Biology
instructor is personally responsible for covering the course material for examinations, quizzes,
and other graded assignments in the course. The University understands that at times you
may want to use a guest lecture and this is fully supported.
3.3 ECE Biology Student Guidelines
A) Historically, the ECE Biology course had required prerequisites and is intended for
motivated high school juniors or seniors. Exceptions to this might be high schools with
honors tracts where students may have taken biology as freshman and chemistry as
sophomores.
Prerequisites for an ECE course are: A prior course in general biology and a
course in high school level chemistry.
B) However, as high schools begin to rearrange the sequencing of their science subjects to
align the instruction more effectively with standardized tests such as the Science Connecticut
Mastery Test and The Connecticut Academic Performance Test or (CAPT), it may at times
become necessary to reassess the student guidelines. This would also apply to private,
charter and magnet schools.
Please note: The University recognizes, respects and understands that change is inevitable,
should be encouraged and can be pedagogically sound for both instructors and students.
These deviations of course sequences from the norm would then be reviewed on a case-bycase basis for subsequent approval prior to implementation at the high school.
3.4 Student Attendance
As stated in the course syllabi, no student is permitted to miss more than 20% of the laboratory
activities and still receive UConn credit. This includes students with legitimate excuses for
missing a laboratory (e.g., serious illness). In such cases, ECE biology instructors may delay the
assignment of a student's grade until the same or a comparable hands-on laboratory experience is
completed. Paper makeup assignments cannot substitute for a hands-on laboratory experiences.
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3.5 Grading Scales
The following Grade Scale is used to assign letter grades in the UConn Biology 1107/1108
courses based upon the percentage of course points earned by the student.
Grade
Scale
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
Percentage of
course points
earned
93-100%
90-92%
87-89%
83-86%
80-82%
77-79%
73-76%
70-72%
67-69%
63-66%
60-62%
<60%
3.7 Grade Reporting
A) Final student grades must be entered into the UConn Student Administration System
(SAS). Directions on how to enter grades through the SAS are provided to instructors at
the end of each semester and are also available on the UConn ECE website and the
UConn ECE Technology Quick Start Guide. UConn is aware that the entering of final
grades may vary due to each high schools unique semester schedules as well as other
confounding variables such as snow days. The UConn Registrar’s office would like to
receive them as soon as possible for operational reasons. The posting of grades
should be no later than one week following the last day that grades were due in the
high school or July 1st, which is a UConn ECE policy.
B) Students must receive separate grades for Biology 1107 and Biology 1108 and these
grades must at all times reflect a separation of and adherence to the division of course
material for Biology 1107 and Biology 1108 (see pages 7 - 12).
C) The University of Connecticut Registrar's Office will automatically change any student
grade that is a C- or below to an audit (AU). Students who are academically struggling
and need to drop the course(s) should contact the UConn ECE Program Office
immediately. The student add/drop period is September 1 – 15th to drop a course without
penalty.
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IV. Biology 1107 and 1108 Course Content
4.1 Acceptable Textbooks
Biology, 6th, 7th, or 8th editions by Campbell and Reece; Benjamin Cummings
Biological Science, 2nd or 3rd editions, by Freeman; Prentice Hall
Biology, 7th edition, by Raven et al.; McGraw Hill
Life, 8th edition, Sadava. et al.; Sinauer Assoc, W.H. Freeman.
Other textbooks may be considered, but must be approved, in writing, by the ECE faculty
coordinator before being used in ECE Biology 1107 and 1108. Please see Requirement 3, page 3,
for more information if you wish to use an alternative textbook.
4.2 Course Content Summary
Note: ECE Biology Instructors, within reason, will adhere to the content divisions for the
Biology 1107 and 1108 courses outlined on (pages 7 and Appendix II). ECE instructors do have
the flexibility to teach the units within each course, and the material within each unit, in a
different sequence.
Students receiving credit for ECE Biology 1107 and Biology 1108 must have covered and
received a final passing grade of ‘C’ or above on the following units:
Biology 1107:
Biology 1108:
Cell Biology and Biochemistry
Genomics, Bioinformatics and Proteomics
Animal Form and Function
Evolutionary Biology
Genetics/Biological Diversity
Plant Form and Function
Ecology
4.3 Lecture Component of Courses (65% of total course grade)
A. Exams: A minimum of four (4) exams is required for each course and must be
administered by the ECE Biology Instructors. UConn lecture exams typically consist of
50 multiple-choice questions. ECE Biology Instructors are encouraged to write
comparable exams, however these may contain a variety of question types (i.e., short
answer, short essay, matching, labeling of diagrams, etc.). UConn introductory
biology classes can run as high as 400 students. Therefore, our exams tend to be less
varied in question style.
Please note: In addition to the grade that the student receives in the 1107 or
1108 course, (worth 85%), each student will take a Course Exit Exam (worth
15%) written by University Professors and administered by the ECE
Instructor. The exam will be cumulative and consist of fifty multiple-choice
questions.
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B. Quizzes: ECE Biology Instructors may incorporate quizzes or other in-lecture assessment
tools as long as the total value of these assessments does not exceed 10% of the lecture
grade. Quiz scores cannot be substituted for exam scores.
NOTE: “Extra credit” assignments are NOT permitted. The only assessment tools allowed in the
calculation of a student’s grade are those specified in the course syllabus at the beginning of the
semester.
4.4 Laboratory Component of Courses (35% of total course grade)
A. Lab Manuals: UConn, Storrs publishes its own laboratory manuals for Biology 1107
and 1108, which can be purchased at the UConn Co-op bookstore. If you have questions
regarding preparation of laboratory materials or lab exercises in general, please do not
hesitate to contact Karen Lombard, Laboratory Supervisor, at Karen.lombard@uconn.edu
Other published manuals provide acceptable laboratory exercises as well as purchased
kits from biological supply companies such as Carolina Biological, Ward’s Natural
Science Est., Edvotek, etc. On the Internet, “Access Excellence”, is a good starting point
if you would like to investigate alternate options.
B. Some AP® Laboratory kits may be substituted for some of the UConn Biology1107/1108
labs. However, please note that UConn uses thirteen (13) different laboratory topics for
each biology course for a total of 26 different 3-hour laboratories for the Biology
1107/1108 course sequence. ECE instructors must offer at least this many different
laboratories to remain certified as ECE Biology instructors. In addition, the laboratory
content should be comparable to that offered at the Storrs campus.
C. Quizzes: Laboratory quizzes are given at the beginning of every laboratory session and
include approximately 10 free-response questions designed to assess the students learning
from the previous laboratory exercise.
D. Homework Assignments: Students are usually given homework assignments designed
to either prepare for upcoming laboratory exercise or to reinforce the material learned the
previous laboratory exercise.
E. Laboratory Reports: ECE Biology students are required to complete at least one (1)
formal writing assignment during EACH course to gain experience with the scientific
method and scientific writing as well as compete several smaller Results/Writing
assignments as outlined in the Laboratory Syllabus.
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Appendix I
NACEP National Standards
Prologue The National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) was
established during the annual meeting in Utah in November 1999 as an organization
of education professionals who administer or participate in Concurrent Enrollment
Partnerships (CEP).
Mission The National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP) links college
school programs offering college courses in high schools. NACEP supports and
promotes its constituent programs through quality initiatives, program development,
national standards, research, and communication.
Definition Through Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships, qualified students can earn college
credit prior to high school graduation. CEPs differ from other pre-college credit
programs because high school instructors teach the college courses during the
normal school day. Such programs provide a direct connection between secondary
and post-secondary institutions and an opportunity for collegial collaboration.
Although courses in some CEPs may have some elements or characteristics of the
programs stated below, CEPs are distinct programs from the following:
A. Programs in which the high school student travels to the college campus to
take courses prior to graduation during the academic year or during the
summer.
B. Programs where college faculty travel to the high school to teach courses to
the high school students.
C. The College Board Advanced Placement Program and the International
Baccalaureate Program where standardized tests are used to assess
students’ knowledge of a curriculum developed by a committee consisting of
both college and high school faculty.
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Appendix II
Lecture
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
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Current (Spring 2009)
BIOLOGY 1107 Lecture
Chemistry of life I
Chemistry of life II (water, pH, CHO)
Chemistry of life III (lipids, nucleic acids)
Chemistry of life IV (proteins, nucleic acids)
Cells, prokaryotes, eukaryotes
Metabolism I (thermodynamics, enzymes)
Metabolism I (cont.)
Metabolism II (cellular respiration)
Membranes and transport
Cell communication
EXAM 1
Cell cycle and cell reproduction (Mitosis)
Meiosis and sexual reproduction
DNA replication
Protein synthesis and the gene
Regulation of gene expression -Prokaryotes
Regulation of gene expression-Eukaryotes
DNA technology
Genomics
EXAM 2
Animal Structure and Function
Bioenergetics
Nutrition I
Nutrition II
Circulation I
Circulation II
EXAM 3
Respiration
Thermo and osmoregulation
Excretory systems
Reproduction I
Reproduction II
Animal development I
Animal development II
EXAM 4
Nervous system I
Nervous system II, Chemical signals I
Chemical signals II
Movement and locomotion
Defenses against disease I
Defenses against disease II
Current (Spring 2009)
BIOLOGY 1108 Lecture
Introduction (Ch 1, 25)
Systematics, phylogentic trees
Tree of life, evol. eukaryotes
Plant cells and tissues
Primary plant growth
Secondary plant growth
Uptake and transport
Photosynthesis I
Photosynthesis II
Chromosomes, mitosis, meiosis
EXAM 1
Early land plants, vascular plants
Seed plants
Flowering plants
Plant development
Plant reproduction I
Plant reproduction II
Plant:pollinator interactions
Plant hormones and responses
Fungi
Mendelian genetics I
EXAM 2
Mendelian genetics II
Mendelian genetics III
Population genetics I
Population genetics II
Natural selection
Film: “Darwin’s Dangerous Idea”
Speciation
Competition
EXAM 3
Animal behavior I
Animal behavior II
Animal behavior III
Animal diversity I
Animal diversity II
Animal diversity III
Animal diversity IV
Population ecology
Ecosystems
EXAM 4