Department: BCES
AREAS OF INQUIRY
Course Number: BIOL 111
Course Name: Topics in Botany
see attached course proposal
INVESTIGATING THE
NATURAL WORLD
This form must be submitted to the Faculty Council on Liberal Learning and Academic Life as part of the submission
process.
Please attach a proposed syllabus for this course and the Undergraduate Curriculum Course Proposal Form.
DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: 16 September 2005
Please answer the following questions:
This is a new course that we are now proposing for this Area of Inquiry.
1. Name and contact information for the department chair administrating this course.
Harold Cones, 4-7061
2. In any given semester, how many sections of this course is your department willing to offer?
2-4 depending on personnel
3. Why is this course being offered/what is it designed to achieve (Course purpose/goal)?
This course is being offered for nonmajors as a course to use to satisfy the Investigating the Natural
World Area of Inquiry. Students will gain an understanding of how science operates and its role in
modern society and do so using a botanical topic as the basis, specifically the uses of plants.
4. All courses must address every objective listed below.
Lecture
 Understand the process of science and the strengths and weaknesses of this process
 Understand that our present knowledge of the natural world is the result of the progression of scientific
ideas over time
 Apply scientific knowledge to the definition, understanding, and evaluation of issues of contemporary
society
 Gain an understanding of a body of knowledge in at least one natural science discipline
5. Briefly explain how this class addresses the above objectives.
Students will be introduced to the process of science. The history of plant use will be explored, with
attention to how changes in use have occurred over time. Students will gain a perspective on the
presently followed practices and procedures dealing with plant use and will learn about and evaluate the
formative research work in this field. Plant use in different modern societies will be explored. Basic
concepts and processes in the field of plant biology will be covered as a foundation for the material of this
course.
6. Course Assessment: Identify how this course will accomplish the above objectives (choose at least one).
 Participating in class discussion and debate
 Engaging in teamwork and other collaborative exercises
 Writing analytical or evaluative papers, perhaps incorporating original research
 Making oral presentations
 Performing laboratory experiments
 Conducting data analysis
 Participating in fieldwork
 Other means – please identify
It is anticipated that sections of this course initially will have to accommodate 90 students on average in
order to meet demand. Given this size class the types of assessment done are somewhat limited. Some
collaborative group work, limited class discussion, short papers, and problem-solving activities will be
done. As class size is reduced it is expected that oral presentations and longer analytical papers can be
used.
7. Attach a proposed syllabus, which includes a statement of purpose, course objectives, and how these
objectives will be accomplished.
The attached syllabus is an example of one specific topic/section that could be taught for this course. The
departmental curriculum committee will evaluate all proposed sections of these AoI courses. All
approved sections will have the following purpose and objectives.
Purpose:
to introduce students to a particular area/problem of biology and to use this topic as a way for
students to understand how science works and what the role of science is in modern society.
Objectives:
to learn about a particular biological topic
to understand how science works
to understand what our state of knowledge of this topic is & how it was achieved
to understand the role of science in modern society
to be able to find the information necessary to understand other contemporary scientific issues
Prior to preregistration each semester a list of sections of the courses to be taught will be made available.
Each section will have a specific title and a description of the topic for that section.
8. Please identify and explain if this course contributes to the Foundations of Liberal Learning expectations for:
Information Literacy: students will gain knowledge in a scientific field and about how new knowledge is
acquired in the sciences.
9. Explain how this course connects to Vision 2010 – the CNU Strategic Plan
This course will provide good ways to connect students to science, its process and its role in today’s
society. Current topics will be of interest to students, making it more likely that they will be engaged
with the material. Having faculty members present topics more aligned with their areas of interest and
expertise will be beneficial to both students and instructors. All in all, these courses will be good
additions to the curriculum and they will help prepare students to be informed and aware citizens.
Submission Checklist:
By the deadline, submit a packet with the following documents to the Assistant Dean for Liberal Learning. Please
submit in electronic and hard copy form.
_____ Area of Inquiry Course Proposal Form
_____ Syllabus for the Course
_____ Undergraduate Curriculum Committee Course Proposal Form
‘Plants’ and Society
Biology 111
Fall 2006
DR. EDWARD WEISS
Science Bldg-240
eweiss@cnu.edu
594-7044
COURSE OBJECTIVES: This course is designed to introduce students to the
multiple ways their lives are impacted by organisms other than animals—algae,
fungi, and plants. The biology of these organisms will be discussed as the basis for
a consideration of the products these organisms make and the uses that we make
of these organisms and their products.
TEXT: Economic Botany: Plants in our World, Beryl Simpson and Molly
Ogorzaly (3rd Ed.), 2001.
LECTURE SCHEDULE:
Week
Topic
Introduction, What are we talking about?
Features of the organisms involved
Algae
Fungi
Agriculture
Fruits & Nuts
Grains
Legumes
Fiber & Fuel
Spices, Herbs, Perfumes
Oils, Waxes, Resins
Medicinal
Beverages
Ornamentals & Landscaping
ATTENDANCE – Attendance and participation in all classes is expected!
Attendance and grades go hand in hand, and attendance is your responsibility!
There will be checks of attendance done periodically during the semester. If absent,
you are still responsible for the material covered.
TESTING – There will be weekly quizzes on Fridays.
Quizzes will be given at the beginning of the class on Fridays. No additional time will be
given for those showing up late. A 5”x 8” index card will be needed for each quiz. The
final will be at 8 AM on Wednesday, December 6th. Make-up quizzes will not be
given, except under highly unusual circumstances. Talk to the instructor before the
day of the quiz if problems arise!
GRADING
Quizzes ------------70% (lowest two quiz grades dropped)
Notebook --------- 15% (see below)
Final --------------- 15%
The final grade will be given on the following basis: 93.0-100 = A, 90.0-92.9 = A-, 87.089.9 = B+, 83.0-86.9 = B, 80.0-82.9 = B-, 77.0-79.9 = C+, 73.0-76.9 = C, 70.0-72.9 = C-,
67.0-69.9 = D+, 63.0-66.9 = D, 60.0-62.9 = D-, and < 60.0 = F.
OFFICE HOURS: MWF 1000-1200, TTh 0900-1100, M 1300-1400, and T 13001500. Other times by appointment.
NOTEBOOK – Each student will construct a notebook containing copies of current
news articles reporting on uses of ‘plants’. The notebook will be collected three (3) times
during the semester for evaluation. At each collection date the notebook will contain 10
articles and one summary, as discussed below.
Guidelines for the notebook:
1. Notebooks will not be accepted after the due date, but before is acceptable and even
encouraged (bonus points are available). Due Dates: September 15—Food, October
14—Chemicals, and Nov 10—Other.
2. Use a standard size notebook or binder with your name clearly evident on the top right
of the outside front cover.
3. At each due date 10 articles must be presented. Of these 10, at least 5 must come
from the Internet. More than one article on the same topic will not be counted. No
more than two articles can come from the same source. One of the articles will be the
basis for a short written summary. Number the articles from 1 to 10, making the
summarized article the last article presented.
4. The written statement will summarize the chosen article in the student’s own words.
Also, the student will reference the section in the Simpson & Ogorzaly text that is the
relevant to the topic of this article and use this as the basis for evaluating the scientific
content of the article. This means the student should evaluate the claims made and the
basis of these claims. This total statement should not be any longer than a single page
in the notebook. It must be typed or printer-printed! Make the summary the page
following the summarized article (article #10).
5.



Each article included in the notebook must
be current – no older than July, 2006;
fill at least one notebook page;
include a complete reference for the article; and
 be presented in its entirety (either a copy or the original, but NOT torn from the actual
periodical unless it is your personal copy!)
6. The complete reference for each article must include the author(s), the date of
publication, the title of the article, the name of the publication, and the specific
volume/issue/pages involved. For articles from the Internet, the Web address that is
specific for that article, the URL, replaces the name of the publication and the
volume/issue/pages information. Print the references for all ten articles in order on a
separate sheet that follows the summary.
This course is conducted under the Honor Code as given in the Student Handbook. Your name
on a paper indicates the work is your own. Cheating will not be tolerated!
If you believe that you have a disability, you should make an appointment to see
me to discuss your needs. In order to receive an accommodation, your disability
must be on record in the Academic Advising Center, 594-8763, McMurran 101Annex.
Fall 2006
UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
NEW COURSE PROPOSAL FORM
Does this proposal affect Liberal Learning requirements? Yes _X__ No ___
1.
Title of Course: Topics in Botany
Proposed Course Number (cleared with Registrar): BIOL 111
Prerequisite Courses: None
Catalogue Description (including credits, lecture, and lab hours): (3,0,3)
Topics in botany will be used to introduce the process of science and this process will be the overriding theme
of the course. The course will also look at the history of a particular topic and see how the history has helped
to shape contemporary views. The basic concepts and processes of this biological area will be covered.
Effects on society will be discussed. The various sections will be one-semester courses with titles that may
include: ‘Plants’ and Society, Modern agriculture, Medicinal plants, and these will be taught on a rotating
basis. Each individual section will go through the departmental curriculum committee for approval.
Is the course cross-listed? If so, what is the number of the other course? N/A
2.
For whom is the course primarily intended? Explain why it should be added to the curriculum.
Non-biology majors as an AOI in Investigating the Natural World.
The course will introduce the process of science using exciting current topics as the means.
3.
If this course is required, append a description of how the course fits into the curriculum. Indicate how
it affects hours required for graduation. N/A
4.
Has this course been offered previously as a special topics course? If so, when? What course number was
used? N/A
5.
Has this course, or one closely related to it, been offered at CNU previously? N/A
If so, is that course currently being offered? How does the proposed course differ? When is the last term the
old course will be offered? N/A
6.
What is the anticipated enrollment per offering for the next three years? 90 per section originally
During which term will this course first be offered?
Fall 2006
Spring 20___
Summer 20___
During which semesters will this course regularly be offered?
Fall 2006
Spring 2007
Summer 20___
Print in the 2006-2007 (academic year) Undergraduate Catalog.
7.
How will the course be staffed?
Various faculty members already teaching in the introductory biology program
8.
Does the course involve a particular classroom, special equipment, or costs beyond those usually associated
with a course at CNU? If so, please explain. N/A
9.
Is the course repeatable for additional credit? If so, is there a limit to the number of times the course can be
repeated? (e.g., applied music courses) NO
10.
If this course is for an Area of Inquiry
a. Identify the Area of Inquiry Investigating the Natural World
b. Demonstrate how your course will meet the objectives of this Area of Inquiry
The various sections of this course will address all areas required of this AOI including: understanding the
process of science including its strengths and weaknesses; how present knowledge is the result of a progression
of scientific thought; applications of the field to contemporary society; gaining understanding of a scientific
discipline.
This course was approved by:
(Liberal learning core courses must be reviewed by BOTH academic Deans.)
|
Department(s): (1)
Date: ________
(2)
Date: ________
College Curriculum
Committee:
Date: ________
Dean:
Date: ________
Dean:
Date: ________
Undergraduate Curriculum
Committee:
Date: ________
Concur
Changes to the Liberal Learning requirements must be reviewed by the Faculty Senate.
Faculty Senate President:
Date: ________
Provost
Date: ________
Distribution by Provost Office following approval:
Department Chair(s), UCC Chair, Deans, Registrar
** If “Do Not Concur” is checked, please attach a statement of explanation.
Rev. 01/26/05
Do Not
Concur**