BSC1005: Life in its Biological Environment Welcome! Welcome and thank you for enrolling in this course! I think you will enjoy our time together! For some, this may be your first online course. If you are not a computer whiz, don’t worry. You don’t need to be. From a computer standpoint, everything is simple to use and easy to navigate. Please take a few minutes to read the syllabus in its entirety. Exploring all the topics in this syllabus and related links will help you succeed in this course. I am looking forward to working with you and having a great semester! Professor Daudi Langat BSC1005: Life in its Biological Environment Professor Information Professor: Virtual Office Hours: Virtual Contact Methods Office Location Office Phone: Email: Daudi K. Langat, PhD Thursday, 8:00 – 10:00 pm ET Yahoo Instant Messenger (ID is dlangat@yahoo.com) GoogleChat Virtual 1-415-952-6428 daudi.langat@fscj.edu Instructor Response You can anticipate responses to inquiries and questions within 24 - 48 hours of receipt. Campus Information This online course is offered by the Florida State College at Jacksonville Open Campus. For questions or concerns, please feel free to call the Campus Resource Center (904-997-2628). For technical assistance, please contact the Help Desk at 877-572-8895 or (904) 632-3151 or via http://www.fscj.edu/campus-life/student-computing-resources/. Course Description This course is an introduction to biological structure, processes, principles and concepts. This course fulfills the General Education Requirement. Learning Outcomes Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to: Explain and apply major concepts in biology. Demonstrate knowledge of the scientific method. Communicate scientific ideas through oral or written assignments. Interpret scientific models such as formulas, graphs and tables. Demonstrate problem-solving methods in situations that are encountered outside of the classroom. Course Information Course Number/Title: BSC1005: Life in its Biological Environment Reference Number: #424969 Number of Credit Hours: 3 Term/Year/Session/Length: Fall 2015, Session A8 (Aug 24 – Oct 18, 2015) Course prerequisites: None Course co-requisites: None Page 2 BSC1005: Life in its Biological Environment Important Dates Class Begins Monday, August 24, 2015 100% Refund Deadline Monday, August 31, 2015 Non-Attendance Drop September 1 through September 8, 2015 Withdraw with “W” Deadline Tuesday, September 29, 2015 Course Evaluation October 5 – 18, 2015 Class Ends Sunday, October 18, 2015 These dates are critical for this course. Additional critical dates for this course can be found by choosing the appropriate term links in the Academic and Registration Calendars (http://www.fscj.edu/academics/academic-calendar) at the Florida State College at Jacksonville website. Instructional Materials and Equipment If you have not done so already, obtain your textbook and related course materials. Visit your nearest campus bookstore or order online via the student portal, Connections (https://connections.fscj.edu/web/guest/home), or the Follett Online Bookstore (http://www.bkstr.com). Be sure to order using your course and instructor’s name and the six-digit course reference number. Please note that some courses may require a text plus additional software or a publisher Web access code. If purchasing a used text, be sure to check on and obtain all required materials. Required Text/Materials Biology: A Guide to the Natural World, 5th edition with MasteringBiology access David Krogh Benjamin Cummings Publishing Purchase options (choose ONE): Text with Mastering Biology: ISBN: 9780321943644 Electronic Text with Mastering Biology: 9780321696625 Online Delivery System This course will be delivered using the Blackboard Learn™ course management system. Page 3 BSC1005: Life in its Biological Environment Blackboard™ Supported Browsers for Blackboard Version 9.1 SP13 View Blackboard’s Supported Browsers and Operating Systems (http://blackboard.force.com/publickbarticleview?id=kAB700000008Oom) to see if your browser and operating system are compatible. Please note the following when reviewing the Blackboard compatibility ratings. Certified: 100% Compatible Compatible: Compatible in most areas, but could have some incompatibility issues Unsupported: Not tested and not recommended Technology Requirements Reliable and consistent computer and Internet access is encouraged to successfully participate in and complete online courses. Ensure that your computer meets the minimum system requirements noted below and on the Florida State College at Jacksonville Online Learning site (http://www.fscj.edu/academics/online-learning). Please use the following checklist to determine your computer readiness. You should own or have access to: An email account Computer with high speed access to the Internet Access to College computers when needed Virus-checking software Word-processing software Software and plug-Ins that may include (choose the titles for the free downloads) o Adobe Acrobat Reader (http://get.adobe.com/reader/) o Flash Player (http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/) o Java (http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp) o Shockwave Player (http://get.adobe.com/shockwave/) o VLC (http://www.videolan.org/) It is a good idea to check your computer at the beginning of each course and a couple of times throughout the term to ensure you have all the necessary software and plug-ins to use the Blackboard online system and course features. After logging in to Blackboard, choose the Browser Checker link. Review the results and choose the links to the recommended software. Please note that you will need to turn off your pop-up blocker to use all features of this online course. Accessibility If you require specific accommodations to complete this course, contact the Florida State College at Jacksonville Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (http://www.fscj.edu/admissionsaid/services-for-students-with-disabilities), located at 101 W State St, Room A1020, Jacksonville, FL 32202 with additional offices at Kent, North, and South campuses. You may reach the main OSSD office at (904) 633-8488. Page 4 BSC1005: Life in its Biological Environment Your Course Participation and Assessments Learning Communities Students learn through interactions with each other, with their instructor, and with the course material. A major goal of this course is to encourage you to build learning communities within the course. This course has special forums to aid in building our learning community. We will use the discussion area to meet each other and share our thoughts and concerns. The “Questions for the Professor” discussion forum is used for general questions about course content, navigation, or flow. Please do not ask personal or specific grade-related questions in this forum, send individual communication instead. The “Cyber Café” is available to discuss items of interest to you and your classmates. Please remember that in all discussion forums, you must follow all netiquette rules and guidelines. Assigned Work In each module, you may have individual and/or team activities to complete. Detailed information, instructions, and rubrics for each assignment can be found below and in the module folders of the online classroom. To see all the assignments due in this course, refer to the Calendar of Activities below. Be sure to check the Calendar of Activities carefully for due dates on all assigned work. Some weeks may require completion of more than one module. Original Writing, Style, and Sources Written assignments must adhere to APA style guidelines. Writing style resources are available in the Tools and Resources folder within your Blackboard classroom. Your written assignments should be original writing and include citations as described in the APA style guide. Turnitin® is an online tool that scans written assignments for signs of plagiarism and may be used to screen your assignment submissions. Please go to Turnitin® (http://www.turnitin.com/en_us/products/overview) for information about originality checks and reports, and to What is Plagiarism? (http://www.plagiarism.org/) for plagiarism prevention resources. Submission of plagiarized work will result in failure of the course. Wikipedia is a tertiary (condensed) source of information and should not be used as a reference in your assignments and papers. It is, however, a good resource for finding primary and secondary sources that may be acceptable. Discussions Greetings and Introductions You will have a chance to introduce yourself to the class and meet your other classmates in Module 1. Participation in this discussion forum is worth 30 points toward your final grade. Page 5 BSC1005: Life in its Biological Environment Module Discussions You will participate in 15 discussions. These discussions are worth 40 points for a total of 600 points toward your final grade. The links to the forums are located in the Course Content area. The discussion board forums are an opportunity to have thoughtful discussions about a given topic. The questions raised will be general in nature and ask you to think deeply. In each discussion forum, you will be required to give a thoughtful and comprehensive response of at least five to eight sentences that are reflective and well-written, as well as respond to at least two other people (three response postings are required for an “exemplary score”). The discussion begins when other class members read what you wrote and respond. Please note that you should complete all of the readings for the module prior to posting your discussion response. You are expected to post in correct sentence and paragraph format. Remember to check for correct spelling and grammar. Your initial posts are due by Wed. at 11:59pm on the week assigned to allow for interaction with classmates via “response postings” up to Sun. evening of the week assigned. Class members are expected to contribute original thoughts as well as respond to classmates' posts. In order to assist you in assuring your work in consistent with the high academic standards expected in this course, it is required that you post each initial discussion post to Turnitin.com (via the link in the Module page) and attach your Originality Report to your post. If you do not do this, the highest achievement level you can receive for you initial post is "Novice" (D level). The best way to use the Originality Report is to upload a draft of your initial post and then use the Originality Report to improve it. Then upload the revised post to get a better score and submit that Originality Report with your post. Submission of plagiarized work will result in failure of the course. In your responses, you will ask your classmates questions, expand on one of their ideas, ask for clarity on one of their points, and maybe even politely disagree and explain why. Please make an effort to move the conversation forward with your post. “That’s cool” or “Great post” are examples of poor response postings they do not move the conversation forward. Discussions are graded using the Discussion Rubric included at the end of this syllabus and in the Blackboard classroom. MasteringBiology Assignments You will complete 10 MasteringBiology assignments worth 10 points each. MasteringBiology assignments are worth up to a total of 100 points toward your final grade. These assessments will be graded for completeness only. Natural Science Assessment Artifacts There are 3 science artifacts in this course (Modules 5, 13, and 15). Each assessment is worth 20 points toward your final grade. You will download the worksheet provided and fill it out according to the instructions in the module. Quizzes There are 5 module quizzes in this course (Modules 9, 10, 11, 15, and 16). Each quiz consists of 20 multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and true/false questions pulled from a larger pool of questions Page 6 BSC1005: Life in its Biological Environment related to the chapter material. Each question is worth 0.5 points. Each quiz is worth 10 points toward your final grade. You have 1 attempt and 25 minutes for each quiz. All quizzes will be presented one question at a time with NO backtracking. PROCTORED Midterm Exam In Module 8, you will take the PROCTORED Midterm Exam. This Exam consists of 80 questions worth 2 points pulled from a larger pool of questions related to Modules 1 through 8, inclusive. You will have 1 attempt and 2 hours to complete the Exam. This exam is a PROCTORED exam and MUST be taken at a College testing site (or through an approved online proctored exam service). See the Proctored Test section on the Blackboard Tools and Resources page for more information on proctored exams, including how to schedule an appointment. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you schedule your midterm exam no later than the second week of the semester to assure a seat in the testing center. Course Grade Your final letter grade will be determined by totaling the points earned on all graded coursework. ASSIGNED WORK POINTS GRADE POINTS Discussions (1 @30 points; 15 @40 points) 630 A 900-1000 MasteringBiology Assignments 100 B 800-899 PROCTORED Midterm Exam 160 C 700-799 Natural Science Assessment Artifacts (3 @20 points) 60 D 600-699 Module Quizzes (5 @10 points) 50 F 0-599 Total Points 1000 FN Grade – Failure for Non-Attendance A Failure for Non-Attendance (FN) grade indicates that a student has failed a course due to nonattendance. It is calculated as an “F” in the student’s grade point average. For students receiving financial aid, failure for non-attendance may require the student to refund to the College all or part of the aid received. The faculty member will assign the FN grade at any time following the final withdrawal date for the course. For additional information, please review the grading system and policies in the College catalog. I Grade - Incomplete Incomplete (I) grades may be awarded based on the criteria in the College catalog. Page 7 BSC1005: Life in its Biological Environment Repeating the Course You may repeat a course in an attempt to improve a grade previously earned. However, you are limited in your attempts to courses where a “D,” “F,” or “FN” grade was earned. You have only three total attempts in any course, including the original grade, repeat grades, and withdrawals. Upon the third attempt in a course, you must be given an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F”. When you repeat a course at Florida State College, only the last grade earned is calculated in your cumulative grade point average (GPA). If you have an excessive number of “W” or “FN” grades and repeat courses to improve your GPA, you may jeopardize your admission to programs in the Florida State University System (SUS) or other institutions. Calendar of Activities The Calendar of Activities is a summary of the lessons and course activities for each module. See each specific Module page for directions on how to complete each assignment. Dates Week 1 Module / Topic Readings & Resources Module 1: The Building Blocks of Life Read: Chapters 1 & 2 in the text (see Module 1 page for additional readings and resources) August 24 - 30 Week 2 Sept 6 Points Possible Required 10 Module 1 Discussion: The Importance of pH 40 Module 2 MasteringBiology Assignment 10 Read: Chapter 3 in the text (see Module 2 page for additional readings and resources) Module 3 MasteringBiology Assignment 10 Module 3: The Cell Read: Chapter 4 in the text (see Module 3 page for additional readings and resources) Module 3 Discussion: Cell Specialization 40 Read: Chapter 5 in the text (see Module 4 page for additional readings and resources) Module 4 MasteringBiology Assignment 10 Module 4 Discussion: The Importance of the Plasma Membrane 40 Module 4: The Plasma Membrane Due Date 30 Module 2: Life's Components: Biological Macromolecul es Aug 31 - Assignments & Activities Student Contract Greetings & Introductions Discussion Module 1 MasteringBiology Assignment Aug 30 Sept 14 Page 8 BSC1005: Life in its Biological Environment Week 3 Module 5: Fundamentals of Energy Read: Chapter 6 in the text (see Module 5 page for additional readings and resources) Module 5 MasteringBiology Assignment 10 Natural Science Assessment Artifact 1 20 Module 6: Cellular Respiration Read: Chapter 7 in the text (see Module 6 page for additional readings and resources) Module 6 MasteringBiology Assignment 10 Module 6 Discussion: The Theory of Endosymbiosis 40 Module 7 MasteringBiology Assignment 10 Module 7: Photosynthesis Read: Chapter 8 in the text (see Module 7 page for additional readings and resources) Module 7 Discussion: Guard Cells 40 Sept 7 - 13 Week 4 Sept 14 - 20 Week 5 Module 8: The Cell Cycle, Mitosis, and Meiosis Module 9: DNA Replication and Gene Expression Sept 21 - 27 Module 10: Genetics Week 6 Sept 28 Module 11: Biotechnology Read: Chapters 9 & 10 in the text (see Module 8 page for additional readings and resources) Read: Chapters 13 & 14 in the text (see Module 9 page for additional readings and resources) Read: Chapters 11 & 12 in the text (see Module 10 page for additional readings and resources) Read: Chapter 15 in the text (see Module 11 page for additional readings and resources) Module 8 MasteringBiology Assignment Module 8 Discussion: Chromosome Number Abnormalities PROCTORED Midterm Exam Module 9 MasteringBiology Assignment Module 9 Discussion: Mutations Module 9 Quiz Module 10 MasteringBiology Assignment Module 10 Discussion: Scanning Genomes for Disease Markers Module 10 Quiz Module 11 Discussion: Biotechnology and You Sept 13 10 Sept 20 40 160 10 40 10 Sept 27 10 40 10 40 Oct 4 Module 11 Quiz 10 Page 9 BSC1005: Life in its Biological Environment Oct 4 Week 7 Module 12: Diversity of Life I Module 13: Diversity of Life II Oct 5 - 11 Module 14: Evolution Week 8 Module 15: Ecology Oct 12 - 18 Module 16: Ecosystems and Biomes Read: Chapters 21 & 22 in the text (see Module 12 page for additional readings and resources) Resource: Chapters 23 & 24 in the text (see Module 13 page for additional readings and resources) Resource: Chapters 16, 17, & 18 in the text (see Module 14 page for additional readings and resources) Read: Chapters 34 (Introduction ONLY) & 35 in the text (see Module 15 page for additional readings and resources) Read: Chapter 36 (see Module 16 page for additional readings and resources) Total Points Possible Module 12 Discussion: Viruses, Protists, and Fungi 40 Module 13 Discussion: Plants and Animals 40 Natural Science Assessment Artifact 2 20 Oct 11 Module 14 Discussion A: Polyploidy 40 Module 14 Discussion B: Diversity in Bacteria 40 Module 15 Discussion: Ecological Communities Natural Science Assessment Artifact 3 40 20 Module 15 Quiz 10 Module 16 Discussion: Earth: The Owner's Manual 40 Module 16 Quiz 10 Oct 18 1000 Special Note: The instructor reserves the right to modify this syllabus. You will be notified of any changes. Course Guidelines/Policies Academic Dishonesty Policy Academic dishonesty, in any form, has severe consequences. Please review the Student Rights and Responsibilities (http://catalog.fscj.edu/content.php?catoid=31&navoid=3998#conduct) section of the College catalog. Page 10 BSC1005: Life in its Biological Environment Attendance Policy Attendance is measured in this course by your weekly access to the online content and timely completion of required course activities. If you fail to sufficiently participate in the online course prior to the official refund deadline, you can be dropped for non-attendance. If the official withdrawal date has passed and you fail to sufficiently progress in the online course, you can be awarded a Failure for Non-Attendance (FN) grade. Late/Make Up Work Policy Lateness in completing assignments is strongly discouraged; all assignments must be completed on time. The “Week” runs from Monday morning (12:01 am) to Sunday night (11:59 pm ET). You must complete and submit all the work due by the end of each week. Late assignments and/or makeup work may be accepted under special circumstances. If you miss any assignments due to unavoidable or unexpected occurrences, please contact the instructor as soon as possible. Expectations of Student Conduct The College’s Expectations of Student Conduct (http://catalog.fscj.edu/content.php?catoid=31&navoid=3998#conduct) extends to the online classroom. It is expected that each of you use appropriate, professional language and respect when addressing classmates, as well as your instructor, in any part of the online classroom. That same level of professional conduct should extend to all assignments submitted. It is expected that you will not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the class. Read the comments of other classmates thoroughly before entering your remarks and responses. Be positive, thoughtful, and constructive in your comments and responses. Recommendations for Success in this Course Have a place where you can study and set aside an appropriate amount of time to do it. Generally, a 3-credit hour course requires a minimum of 12 hours of self-study time each week in addition to the time spent completing assignments. Practice and repetition are the best way to ensure your mastery of the material. Communicate with your instructor to ask any important questions and to discuss important concepts. Complete all reading assignments and view and review all chapter resources. Complete and review all online course activities. College Resources Florida State College at Jacksonville offers many resources to help you become successful in your course and academic career. A brief description of some of these resources follows and others are noted in the Tools and Resources folder of the Blackboard classroom. Academic Advising Counselors and advisors are available to assist students with the achievement of their academic goals. Academic advising is available to help students identify appropriate courses, select majors, select transfer institutions and assist with academic problems. Students are encouraged to seek Page 11 BSC1005: Life in its Biological Environment advising on a regular basis in order to achieve their educational objectives. Appointments may be scheduled through the Counseling and Advising Office (http://www.fscj.edu/admissionsaid/counseling-advising). However, students should know that appointment times will be severely impacted during peak registration periods. For more information, visit the Florida State College at Jacksonville Advising page (http://www.fscj.edu/admissions-aid/counseling-advising/advising/). Technical Helpdesk If you have any problems with Blackboard, viewing online content, email or Connections, visit the Florida State College at Jacksonville Help Desk (http://www.fscj.edu/campus-life/student-computingresources). There you can contact the technical support team directly via live chat or visit the SelfHelp Portal (http://helpdesk.fscj.edu/content/default.aspx). Campus support phone numbers are also included on this page. Please remember that answers to questions about your course materials, tests, quizzes, or assignments can only be provided by your instructor. Library and Learning Commons The Library/Learning Commons (LLC) (http://www.fscj.edu/campus-life/library-learning-commons) is an instructional area of the College designed to offer a variety of teaching, learning and research resources to students enrolled in courses at Florida State College at Jacksonville. LLC services include individual and small group tutoring; traditional and virtual library services and materials; subjectspecific instruction including orientations; free workshops; study areas; and access to tutorials, computers, and multimedia technology. Tutorials/Online Demonstrations To view demonstrations of common Blackboard and computer activities, go to On Demand Learning Center for Students (http://ondemand.blackboard.com/students.htm). The Next Step I hope you have found this syllabus useful. Your next step is to become familiar with the Blackboard classroom and begin the assignments for Module One. See you in the online course! Page 12 BSC1005: Life in its Biological Environment Rubrics Discussion Rubric Levels of Achievement Criteria Exemplary Meets Expectations Developing Novice Not Acceptable Quality of Initial Post 12 Points 10.5 Points 9.5 Points 8.5 Points 0 Points Initial comment fully addresses all aspects of the discussion board question. Comment includes more than 2 personal or professional experiences. Comment also includes at least two credible resources, cited properly within the work AND at the end of the work. Legitimate scientific resources can be in the form of website references. Ask your instructor if you have any questions on how to identify legitimate scientific resources. Demonstrates excellent critical thinking skills through multiple examples and ideas. Excellent discussion of course readings or other resources (if appropriate). Student has submitted their work through Turnitin and demonstrated an acceptable originality score. Initial comment addresses most aspects of the discussion board question. Comment includes 1-2 personal or professional experiences. Comment also includes one credible resource, cited properly within the work AND at the end of the work. Demonstrates adequate critical thinking through some examples and ideas. Good discussion of course readings or other resources (if appropriate). Student has submitted their work through Turnitin and demonstrated an acceptable originality score. Initial comment addresses part of the discussion board question or assigned readings. Comment includes minimal personal or professional experience. Comment also includes one credible resource, cited properly within the work OR at the end of the work. Demonstrates minimal critical thinking with minimal examples and ideas. Minimal discussion of course readings or other resources (if appropriate). Student has submitted their work through Turnitin and demonstrated an acceptable originality score. Initial comment No initial posting minimally submitted. addresses discussion. Comment does not include personal or professional experience. Comment does not include any credible resources OR resources are not cited properly within the work OR at the end of the work. Does not demonstrate critical thinking. No discussion of course readings or other resources (if appropriate). Student has not submitted their work through Turnitin and demonstrated an acceptable originality score. Page 13 BSC1005: Life in its Biological Environment Quality of Response Postings 11 Points 10 Points 9 Points 8 Points Responses are highly reflective, insightful and add to the discussion in a meaningful way moving it forward. Responses are reflective, insightful and add to the discussion. Responses are minimally reflective or insightful and do not significantly add to the discussion in a meaningful way. Responses are No response present but are postings not reflective or submitted. insightful, and/ or don't add to the discussion in any meaningful way. Organization and Technical Aspects of All Posts 11 Points 10 Points 9 Points 8 Points Information is exceptionally well organized; spelling and grammar are correct and complete sentences are used. Proper citations are effectively used. Information is well organized; 1-2 spelling and/ or grammar mistakes are evident. Complete sentences are used. Proper citations are used. Organization is scattered; 3-5 spelling and/ or grammar mistakes are evident. Some incomplete sentences are used. Citations are used. Information is No postings not well submitted. organized; more than 5 spelling and/ or grammar mistakes are evident. Incomplete sentences used. No citations. 10 Points 9 Points 8 Points 0 Points Initial posting is made before 11:59 pm on Wednesday. Two quality responses are made prior to the due date listed in the Calendar of Activities. Initial posting is made before 11:59 pm on Wednesday. One quality response is made prior to the due date listed in the Calendar of Activities. Initial posting is made before 11:59 pm on Wednesday. No quality response postings are made prior to the due date listed in the Calendar of Activities. Initial posting is not made before 11:59 pm on Wednesday. Posting 11 Points Quantity and Initial posting is Timeliness made before 11:59 pm on Wednesday. At least three quality responses are made prior to the due date listed in the Calendar of Activities. 0 Points 0 Points Page 14