COURSE SYLLABUS BSC 1005C-Introduction to Biology Online Instruction Semester Code 505: Semester and Year Spring 2016 INSTRUCTOR Name: Dr. James A. Wallis II Email: wallis.jim@spcollege.edu Phone: 727.712.5403 Office and Online Chat Hours: will enter once scheduled Office Location: Tarpon Springs Campus, LY 106 Instructor Web Page: Wallis Web Page ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT Dean: Dr. John Chapin Office Location: Seminole Campus, UP 337 Office Phone Number: 727.394.6995 Email: chapin.john@spcollege.edu Academic Chair: Dr. Mark Italia Office Location: LY 206, Tarpon Springs Campus Office Number: 727.712.5459 Email: italia.mark@spcollege.edu Web Page: Italia Web Page Syllabus Addendum: www.spcollege.edu/addendum COURSE INFORMATION Course Description: This course introduces the essential principles relevant to the biological sciences through combined lecture and laboratory activities. Contemporary issues are applied to topics in biology and include the process of science, evolutionary theory, organisms and ecology, cell structure and function, basic biological chemistry, diversity of life, and genetic mechanisms. The course has 7 modules with dated assignments in each section. The dates of the opening and closing of each module/section are listed in the course schedule. BSC1005C Standard Course Page 1 of 15 Course Goals: Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 70% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through online measures developed by individual course instructors. Course Objectives: 1. The student will demonstrate their understanding of the process of science by: a. explaining the terms and premises involved in solving problems scientifically, scientific research, and peer review. b. identifying an observation of interest, developing a hypothesis and designing an experiment to test it. c. discussing scientific contemporary issues using essential science skills including, but not limited to, critical thinking, efficient written and/or oral communication, and the ability to identify reliable scientific information. 2. The student will be able to explain the diversity of life and identify the general characteristics of each of the major life groups by: a. naming characteristics of major biological taxonomic categories. b. comparing major taxonomic categories, distinguishing similarities and differences among them. c. identifying live and/or preserved specimens belonging to each of the major taxonomic groups. Prerequisites: ENC 1101 or equivalent with a minimum grade of C Availability of Course Content All assignments have posted due dates, and students may not work ahead or make up past due assignments unless a valid reason for missing the class work has been submitted to the instructor. The course will open on the first day of class, and close on the completion of the final exam, when grades will then be posted to MySPC Other Critical Course Expectations This course has a proctored midterm exam and final exam. Please make the appropriate arrangements through the link below. Proctored Testing Information: Student will have a proctored midterm and final exam. Please make sure to visit the following link to find out specific information on proctoring sites, off site proctoring, and the process of signing up for a proctored exam. http://mycoursessupport.spcollege.edu/proctored-testing-information REQUIRED TEXTBOOK & OTHER RESOURCE INFORMATION Required Textbook: Discover Biology. 6th edition. 2015. Singh-Cundy, Cain and Dusheck. WW. Norton & Company. ISBN: 9780393936728 BSC1005C Standard Course Page 2 of 15 Discover Biology website assignments are not mandatory; however have helpful resources for studying for quizzes and exams. StudySpace is free to students and included flash cards to quiz yourself on chapter materials. http://wwnorton.com/college/biology/discoverbio5/ Bookstore: www.spcollege.edu/textbooks Library: www.spcollege.edu/libraries LEARNER SUPPORT Accessibility: www.spcollege.edu/dr Academic Support Services: www.spcollege.edu/support On-Campus Support: www.spcollege.edu/tutoring/#tab=2 Online Support: www.spcollege.edu/tutoring/#tab=3 Student Services and Resources: www.spcollege.edu/services IMPORTANT DATES Course Dates: 1/11-5/5 Drop Date: 1/15/2016 Withdrawal Date: 3/23/2016 Financial Aid Dates: www.spcollege.edu/pages/dynamic.aspx?id=800 DISCIPLINE SPECIFIC INFORMATION In this section, you can provide discipline-specific information as well as program information with links (e.g., disposition, standards, etc.) ATTENDANCE The College-wide attendance policy is included in the Syllabus Addendum: www.spcollege.edu/addendum/#attend The policy notes that each instructor is to exercise professional judgment and define “active participation” in class (and therefore “attendance”), and publish that definition in each syllabus. For this class, attendance is defined as daily log-ins Monday through Thursday, and all work complete/submitted within the posted time frame. Any missed assignment may potentially be a condition for being dropped from the class. Missing an exam will guarantee you being dropped. An absence is considered excused when documented and verified by the instructor. Since this course is available online, you can participate from any location with internet access. In addition, have a backup plan-a place to go this has access to a computer in case your computer fails to function. Not having a computer/having a broken computer is no excuse for missing assignments. BSC1005C Standard Course Page 3 of 15 GRADING This class uses a point system, and your grade is based on the number of points earned divided by the total points available. Each category holds a certain value towards your overall grade. Here is the breakdown of all grade categories: Exams-200 pts ea.-2 50%-400 points-Proctored Quizzes-20 pts ea.-18 20%- 280 points (lowest dropped) Graded Online Activities-20 pts ea.-32 30% -640 points STUDENTS’ EXPECTATIONS AND INSTRUCTOR’S EXPECTATIONS Student expectations of the instructor: You can expect your instructor to provide you with an online syllabus clearly stating course policies and grading scale. You can expect your instructor to grade assignments in a timely fashion, generally 48 hours during the week for most discussions and short assignments, and approximately 5-7 days for research papers. Test return will depend on how many sections are testing, but are generally graded within 24 hours. You can expect your instructor to respond to questions in a timely manner – usually within 48 hours. Most communication will take place through the D2L email system. Emails through the regular email system will not be returned. You can expect your instructor to provide you with the same quality information as in any class, online or face to face. You can expect your instructor to clearly state expectations for assignments, including what the assignment requires you to do and how it will be graded. In many cases a rubric will be provided to help you understand the grading process. You can expect your online instructor to hold virtual office hours, and post those hours of availability in the online class. You CANNOT expect your online instructor to make special exceptions for you about assignment due dates or other class requirements. You CANNOT expect your instructor to read your work any time you want. I will not be able to give you comments on work other than after the date it was due to be submitted, or during arranged office hours. Instructor’s Expectations of Students Be prepared to work as hard in this course as you would in a face-to-face course. In average, students who take online classes spend 5-6 hours a week doing class work. Test your technology prior to participating in any new activities. BSC1005C Standard Course Page 4 of 15 Read the syllabus. For an online course, the syllabus provides the guidelines and expectations for your participation. Check your course site at least once every 24 hours. Some instructors might choose to send updates via email, while others might post announcements that you will only see by logging in to the course management system and accessing your course. For activities that require prompt feedback, your instructor might expect you to access the course and participate at least once per day. Check your email frequently. Accessing email at least once per day is highly recommended for online students. Schedule regular times for your online activities. Plan to spend at least one evening a week and a few hours each weekend on your coursework. Be an active participant. Complete all readings, participate in discussions, and complete activities on time. Be willing to use resources outside the course and to effectively summarize that information for assessment. All required videos and websites will need to have notes taken on the information to prepare you to understand the material and be tested on this material. It is your responsibility to view/participate/complete the needed work to be effective on the assessments. Be proactive. Pay attention to due dates and don't expect your instructor to remind you when deadlines are approaching. Required Interaction (e.g., expectations on communication between and among students and the instructor). You are required to check D2L on a daily basis Monday through Thursday, and are responsible for all due dates, assignment modifications, and class general information. Updates occur almost daily, so that is your expected participation level. Tests and assignments can be due on weekends, and holidays-but it is generally avoided. Online Student Participation and Conduct Guidelines: www.spcollege.edu/addendum/#onlineguide Academic Honesty: www.spcollege.edu/academichonesty Netiquette: SPC has outlined expectations for student behavior and interaction for online discussions, email, and other forms of communication: www.spcollege.edu/addendum/#expectations TURNITIN The instructor of this course may require use of Turnitin.com as a tool to promote learning. The tool flags similarity and mechanical issues in written work that merit review. Use of the service enables students and faculty to identify areas that can be BSC1005C Standard Course Page 5 of 15 strengthened through improved paraphrasing, integration of sources, or proper citation. Submitted papers remain as source documents in the Turnitin database solely for the purpose of detecting originality. Students retain full copyright to their works. The Turnitin Usage Agreement can be reviewed at: turnitin.com/agreement.asp. Students who do not wish to submit work through Turnitin must notify their instructor via course email within the first seven days of the course. In lieu of Turnitin use, faculty may require a student to submit copies of sources, preliminary drafts, a research journal, or an annotated bibliography. STUDENT SURVEY OF INSTRUCTION The Student Survey of Instruction is administered in courses each semester. It is designed to improve the quality of instruction at St. Petersburg College. All student responses are confidential and anonymous and will be used solely for the purpose of performance improvement. TECHNOLOGY Minimum Technology Requirements: Have access to a reliable, internet-connected computer with an operating system that supports standard web browsers and word processing applications The ability to download plugins and media readers that may be necessary to access some course content Students with disabilities need to have access to any assistive technologies needed to navigate and read web content. The SPC Disability Resource Center can help you determine what tools you need to study online. Have a backup plan in case your technology fails. Technology failure is not an excuse for missed work. The campus has computers in the LSC, libraries have computers, and friends have computers. Minimum Technical Skills: Use the Internet. Open and run applications, especially productivity software like word processors and spreadsheet programs. Open and navigate to particular websites. Write and respond to email messages Add attachments to email messages; and Download and install software, including any applicable Java or Adobe Flash updates. Be proficient with the Learning Management System (LMS)-For SPC it is Desire to Learn (D2L). BSC1005C Standard Course Page 6 of 15 Accessibility of Technologies: MyCourses (Brightspace by D2L) Accessibility Statement: www.brightspace.com/about/accessibility Privacy: MyCourses (Brightspace by D2L) Privacy Statement: www.brightspace.com/legal/privacy Technical Support: www.spcollege.edu/helpdesk Online learning skills Much has been written about the characteristics that make some learners successful. The list below represents a compilation of the most common features of successful online learners and some of the best practices that can lead to success. The successful online learner should: 1. Possess self-motivation and self-disciplined study habits. Since the online environment lacks much of the structure present in the face-to-face classroom, you must exercise real commitment when adhering to deadlines. In an online course you will need to: o Log in regularly - usually several times per week o Plan to spend 10-12 hours per week on each 4-credit course o Be prepared to interact in large or small group written "discussions" with other students o Be able to complete individual or group projects and submit electronic files o Ask for help if technical or academic problems arise 2. Be proficient with time management: students often decide to take online courses because they do not have the time to attend class in person. But to be successful online, you must carve out time from family and work commitments to spend on your online coursework. 3. Meet the technical and computer skill requirements below: o Have access to a reliable, internet-connected computer with an operating system that supports standard web browsers and word processing applications o The ability to download plugins and media readers that may be necessary to access some course content o Students with disabilities need to have access to any assistive technologies needed to navigate and read web content. The SPC BSC1005C Standard Course Page 7 of 15 Disability Resource Center can help you determine what tools you need to study online. 4. Be able to communicate through writing: Moving from the face-to-face classroom to the online environment involves a transition from the spoken to the written word. Many online courses also require a great deal of reading in the course site. You should also: o Have good research skills and understand basic web navigation and search strategies o Be able to work collaboratively, even when communication is via email or course discussion boards. You may not meet your fellow students in person or in a "synchronous" conversation, but online learning requires good social skills and "netiquette." Student Online Assessment The following is a survey you will take online in the course. It is useful as a way to evaluate your abilities as an online student. I am giving it to you now as a way to prepare yourself for the questions when they are asked. You should demonstrate a strong response to the questions asked to show that you are prepared to put forth the effort required to do well in an online course, as well as assessing your skills to use the LMS-D2L. I will be looking at all responses to see how you do and to let those that do not score well find possible ways to remediate deficits in skills or to recommend that this course be taken face to face. You are not required to do so, but a good score on this would be predictive of doing well in an online class. Self-assessment Below is a useful checklist of questions and a key to evaluating your self-assessment. Remember that this is not a definitive assessment; it can also be a guide to help you work on the skills you need as an online learner. Scale: 1. Strongly Disagree 2. Disagree 3. Neutral 4. Agree 5. Strongly Agree 1. I prefer to take control of my own learning. 2. Most people consider me a self-motivated person. 3. I do not have a problem completing tasks without feedback or input. 4. I am self-confident about my skills as a learner. 5. I enjoy solving problems. 6. I enjoy the learning process. 7. I am the kind of student who can figure out what needs to be done from the directions that are given and will seek help when I do not understand the directions. 8. I can be self-motivated and self-starting. 9. I can easily set goals and objectives for my learning tasks. BSC1005C Standard Course Page 8 of 15 10. I enjoy reflecting on meaningful learning experiences. 11. I can function as a learner without face-to-face contact with the professor even though it may not be my preferred mode of learning. 12. I believe that the experiences adults bring to the classroom are valuable for learning. 13. I manage my time well. 14. I believe that the professor is a facilitator for learning. 15. I am comfortable with computer technology. 16. I am aware of my preferred style of learning but can easily adapt to other ways. 17. I know what it takes to get tasks completed. 18. I am not easily discouraged when technology gets in the way of learning. 19. I have above-average facility in navigating the Internet. 20. In most learning situations I enjoy challenging requirements. Total the values you used to rate yourself. The highest number you can get is 100. The higher your score, the more likely your success in self-directing learning opportunities like online courses. The evaluation summaries below may help you in determining your readiness for taking an online course: 100 - 75: You should be well-suited for taking courses online. You are self-aware and should easily navigate courses taken at a distance. 74 – 55: You should do fairly well in taking courses online. Establishing goals and setting timelines will be necessary for you. 54 – 25: You may be more suited to hybrid (partially-online) learning prior to taking a fully-online course. 24 and below: You would benefit by taking some further assessments of your learning prior to taking an online class. BSC1005C Standard Course Page 9 of 15 ASSIGNMENTS Class Schedule Wallis (CCB is Crash Course Biology CCE is Crash Course Ecology-You Tube Videos-Linked in course) Date/Week Class Module 1-1/11 2-1/18 3-1/25 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 2 BSC1005C Standard Course Activity Activity# 1-Reading Chapters 14-16, Activity# 2-Contributions to Evolution and Evidence Activity # 3-CCB-Evolution, It’s a Thing #20, Activity # 4-CCB-Natural Selection #14 Activity # 5-Discussion, Evolution in Current History-Rubric Assessment #1-Quiz Chapter 14 Activity # 6-We’re Just Tubes #16 CCB Activity #7-Speciation: Of Ligers and Men, #15 CCB Activity #8-Population Genetics, When Darwin Met Mendel, #18 CCB Activity # 9-Evolutionary Development; Chicken Teeth, #17 CCB Activity # 10-Discussion, Pitfalls of MutationRubric-APA Activity # 11-Mutations-TED Talks, TED Assessment #2-Quiz Chapter 15 Activity # 12-Evidence to Support Evolution, IDT Activity Assessment #3-Quiz 16 Activity #1-Reading Chapter 1 Activity #2-Vocabulary, “Doing Good Science”, Instructor designed Assessment #1 Processes of Science, Quiz Activity #3-Discussion “Doing Good Science” Activity #4 “Process of Science” You Tube, M. Eisley Activity #5 “The Scientific Method: Steps, Terms and Examples”, Study.com. Activity #6 “My Simple Experiment”Experimentation through observation. Activity #6 continued “My Simple Experiment”Experimentation through observation. Support Page 10 of 15 Notes/Links through collaborative forum on the process of experimentation-online discussion. Instructor feedback on topic. 4-2/1 5-2/8 2 3 1 3 2 2, 3 1 3 BSC1005C Standard Course Activity #1-Reading Chapter 9-11 Assessment #1-Quiz chapters 9-10-instructor designed-MC/TF Activity #2- “DNA Structure and Replication”, CCB #10 Activity #3- “DNA, Hot Pockets, and the Longest Word Ever”, CCB #11 Activity #4-“The Twisting Tale of DNA”, TED Talks. Activity #5- “Genotypes and Phenotypes”, Bozeman Science. Assessment #2-Quiz 11-instructor designed/graded Activity # 6-Genetics Worksheet, Instructor designed, Punnett square-single traits, two trait crosses, short answer, manually graded. Assessment #3-Genetics Quiz-Instructor designed/graded, MC/TF, self-graded/auto graded. Activity #7- “Heredity”, CCB # 9 Activity #8-” Genetic Sequencing”, TED Talk Activity #9-Reading Chapter 7 Activity #10- “Meiosis”, Bozeman Science Assessment #4-Quiz on Meiosis. Instructor designed Activity #11-Discussion on Mutations in Evolution, Instructor Designed, rubric graded. Activity #12- “Meiosis; Where Sex Starts” CCB #13 compared to “Mitosis: Splitting Up is Complicated”, CCB #12 Mod 2, Activity #6 “My Simple Experiment”Experimentation through observation due in drop box. Activity #13-Reading Chapter 13 Activity #14, “DNA Fingerprinting”, Bozeman Science Activity #15, DNA Technology and Society-500 words, Instructor designed and rubric graded. You will need to decide on the benefits and the down side of genetic engineering. Instructions posted in the discussion forum., Instructor designed and rubric graded. Page 11 of 15 2 2,4 6-2/15 1 4 7-2/22 2 1 4 4 2 4 BSC1005C Standard Course Mod 2, Evaluation of “My Simple Experiment”, Instructor designed rubric. Student feedback on your experiment. Activity #1-Reading-Chapter 16-19 Activity#2- IDT Activity Drag and Drop Classification-automatic grading Activity#3- CCB Taxonomy: Life’s Filing System #19 Activity #4- CCB Simple Animals # 22 Activity #5-Specimen Classification-Simple Animals-Porifera to Nematoda-Animal Diversity Web Activity #6-Specimen Classification-Complex Animals-Annelida to Chordata-Animal Diversity Web Assessment#1- Quiz Phyla and Class-Instructor designed-points Activity #7- CCB Comparative Biology: What Makes Us Animals #21 Assessment #2-Test on classification, phyla and class-instructor designed Activity #8- Animal Diversity web review. Building Species Notebooks-Student activity on visual assembly of classification using student provided examples-Animal Diversity Web-Points with instructor provided rubric Activity #9- Power Point Animal Diversityinstructor designed Activity #1-Reading-Chapter 16-19 Activity#2- IDT Activity Drag and Drop Classification-automatic grading Activity#3- CCB Taxonomy: Life’s Filing System #19 Activity #4- CCB Simple Animals # 22 Activity #5-Specimen Classification-Simple Animals-Porifera to Nematoda-Animal Diversity Web Activity #6-Specimen Classification-Complex Animals-Annelida to Chordata-Animal Diversity Web Assessment#1- Quiz Phyla and Class-Instructor designed-points Activity #7- CCB Comparative Biology: What Makes Us Animals #21 Assessment #2-Test on classification, phyla and class-instructor designed Page 12 of 15 Your notebooks will be examples of specimens taken from the web to illustrate each of the Activity #8- Animal Diversity web review. Building Species Notebooks-Student activity on visual assembly of classification using student provided Examples-Animal Diversity Web-Points with instructor provided rubric Activity #9- Power Point Animal Diversityinstructor designed. Activity #10-Species Notebooks-Rubric GradedNotebooks detailing student inquiry into classification. Using current classification criteria build a notebook of two specimens per classification unit from Phyla to class. 8-2/29 9-3/7 1 4 2 5 1 5 2 5 BSC1005C Standard Course Activity #11-Peer reviewed-Species Notebooks with comments-posted in discussion forum as attachment. Assessment #3-Unit Test Activity #1-Reading Chapter 20, 21 Assessment #1-Quiz-Chapters 20-21 Activity #2-IDT Activity Trophic Level Identification, “Who Feeds Where?” Activity #3-Ecology, Rules for Living on Planet Earth #40, CCB Activity #4-Ecosystem Ecology: Links in the Chain #7, CCE (Crash Course Ecology) Activity #5-The Hydrologic and Carbon Cycles: Always Recycle! CCE #8 Activity #6-Reading Chapters 23, 24, and 25 Assessment #2 Quiz Chapters 23, 24, and 25, Quiz Activity #7-Nitrogen and Phosphorus Cycles: Always Recycle! Part 2, CCE #9 Activity #8-Human Impacts on the Environment, CCE #10, YouTube Activity #9- “What is Your Impact?”, Human Impacts on the Environment. Discussion. Rubric. Activity #10-Chapter 25, FNAI website on Ecosystem Mapping, Florida Soils and Systems, Page 13 of 15 animal groups found on this web Site-Animal Diversity Web. Formatting of notebookSpecies notebooks, Species Notebooks 2.. You will need to keep a notebook of all the things you buy, throw away, and how much you drive for one week. This will form the basis for your discussion next weekone week from today. 10-3/14 11-3/21 12-3/28 1 6 2 6 1 7 2 7 1 BSC1005C Standard Course Florida Ecosystems, SWFWMD Ecosystems, complete “Describe Where You Live”. Activity #11-Summarize Florida’s Major Natural Systems, Discussion. Rubric. Assessment# 3-Identification of Florida’s Major Systems, Quiz. Activity #1- Microscope diagrams uploaded to D2L, identify parts and types of microscopes. Microscope parts, more microscope parts. Activity #2- Demonstration of Familiarity of Microscope use through discussion/diagrams. Assessment #1 Quiz on the Microscope/Microscope Parts. Quiz Activity #3-How to use a Microscope, Microscope Techniques and Use. Assessment# 2-Microscope Technique. Essay and short answer. Activity #4-Scientific Method. YouTube. Activity #5-Scientific Method 2. You Tube Activity #6 Scientific Measurement, You Tube. Collaborative forum on the process of experimentation online discussion. Activity #7 Discussion on a field of science and the equipment necessary for the function of that field. Instructor designed discussion, rubric. Activity #1-Reading Chapter 3 Activity #2-The Hierarchy of Life, YouTube, Bozeman Science, Activity #3-A Tour of the Cell, YouTube, Bozeman Science, Activity #4-Why Are Cells So Small? YouTube, Bozeman Science. Activity #5-Reading-Chapter 3-4 Activity #6-Eukaryopolis- YouTube, CCB Activity #7-The City of Animal Cells #4, Plant Cells #6, YouTube, CCB Activity #8-In Da Club # 5, YouTube, Activity #9-Cell Parts 1, Cell Parts 2, YouTube, Iken Edu Assessment #1-Cell Parts Quiz Activity #10-Chapter 7 Reading Page 14 of 15 Midterm 3/18-3/20Proctored ExamModules 1-4Proctored Link Your discussion will center on you researching and discussing the use of a piece of equipment used in science to gather information. 2 13-4/4 1 2 Activity #11-Mitosis-Bozeman Science Activity #12-Mitosis: Splitting Up is Complicated #12- CCB Activity #13-Phases of Mitosis, Khan Academy. Activity #14-Reading Chapters 5, 6. Activity #15-ATP and Respiration #7- CCB Activity #16-Photosynthesis #8- CCB 15-4/18 1 16-4/25 2 1 Activity #17-Chapters 26-33. Activity #18-Homeostasis, Homeostasis Disruptions-Bozeman Science Assessment #2-Quiz on Homeostasis, Mitosis, Respiration, Photosynthesis. Activity #19-Virtual frog dissection, Virtual Pig Dissection, Sheep Brain, Grasshopper Part 1, Grasshopper Part 2, Rat Dissection 1, Rat Dissection 2 . Assessment #3-Anatomy of Dissected Species, MC Review Final Exams 2 Final Exams 14-4/11 1 2 BSC1005C Standard Course Page 15 of 15 Final ExamsCumulativeModules 1-7Proctored Link