COURSE SYLLABUS GENERAL BIOLOGY ONLINE (BSC1005) REF5128/5129 SUMMER SEMESTER 2012 Instructor: Office: Telephone: E-mail: David Davis Bldg. 58A (upstairs), Room 218 Office – 850-474-2111 Biology Department Office –850-474-2748 dcdavis@uwf.edu Prerequisites/Co-Requisites: None Course Description: General Biology is designed to provide the fundamentals of biological science. This course is designed for non-biology majors, and consists of approximately 2.5 hours of lecture per week. The units covered are associated with the following topics: general chemistry, biochemistry, cellular organization and function, cellular energetics, metabolism, photosynthesis, Mendelian and human genetics, heredity, biotechnology, the origin and evolution of living things, structure and life processes, vertebrate physiology and ecology. Purpose of the Course: BSC1005 is designed to acquaint non-biology students with biological sciences. The human body is a good model to use when comparing and contrasting biological concepts. Portions of the course are dedicated to the environment, HIV/AIDS, stem cell research, and bioterrorism. These are critical trends and critical issues which everyone, regardless of their major field of interest, should have some in-depth knowledge. Text Book: Biology, 10th edition by Sylvia S. Mader, (UWF customized) ISBN – 13: 978-0-07-740845-9 or ISBN– 10: 0-07-740845-4. Assigned readings will be listed in the Course Schedule and Assignments. Often I find that the students that utilize (read) the text to further their knowledge and reinforce the online material are those that make the best grades. Assistance: Students with special needs who require specific examination-related or other course-related accommodations should contact the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC), web address: http://www.uwf.edu/SDRC, (850) 474-2387. SDRC will provide the student with a letter for the instructor that will specify any recommended accommodations for the individual students. Alternatively, please leave your name and phone number with the department office (Ext. 2748) so the professor can contact you to set up an appointment. 1 COURSE SYLLABUS GENERAL BIOLOGY ONLINE (BSC1005) REF5128/5129 SUMMER SEMESTER 2012 General Biology Topics to be Covered: If the subject is not in your textbook, a handout or will be provided for each topic, another good reason to attend class regularly. 1. Science, Biology and Life 2. Basic Chemistry Review 3. Biological Chemistry 4. Cell and their Organelles 5. Photosynthesis 6. Cellular Respiration 7. Metabolism 8. Cell Division and Replication 9. Chromosomes & Genes 10. Mendelian & Human Genetics 11. Biotechnology & Recombinant DNA 12. Origin and History of Life 13. Darwin and Evolution 14. Flowering Plants: Structure and Organization 15. Classification of Living Things 16. Species, Population and Human Interferences About this Course: This course is delivered completely online. You are responsible for having the proper software (word processing, data and graphing, and powerpoint) in-place and consistent access to the Internet. Online courses are not for everyone. To be successful with the General Biology course, you must be willing to "READ". Your involvement with your own education will be tested with any online course and the General Biology course is no exception. Your reading and understanding of your responsibilities will begin with the first week's introduction. Learning at a distance may be a very different environment for some students. You will generally set your own schedules, participate in class activities at your convenience, and work at your own pace. You may spend some additional time online during the first few weeks while you become acclimated to the online class format and you may feel overwhelmed. You should also be prepared to spend approximately 5 - 7 hours per week online completing lessons, activities, and participating in class discussions. Finally, you will want to incorporate these tips to help you get started: 1. Set yourself a schedule -- Every Friday after 10:00 AM, new tasks and assignments will be posted under the "Content" tab. You can see and access what you need to work on for the next week. 2. Become very familiar with the site and how to use it. It is a tool to help you learn! ALL General Biology students are required to check the elearning General Biology web page and Argonet e-mail at least TWICE DAILY. 3. Team up with your classmates to discuss class assignments and questions you might have. Check the Classlist link "USER PROFILE" for biography info and email addresses. 4. I encourage students to work together. However, this does not mean that you duplicate your homework assignment and submit them as individual work. That is plagiarism! Do your own original work. Read the section (University Policy on Academic Conduct/Plagiarism Policy) in this syllabus. 2 COURSE SYLLABUS GENERAL BIOLOGY ONLINE (BSC1005) REF5128/5129 SUMMER SEMESTER 2012 5. Duplicate homework assignments are NOT allowed in the General Biology Course/Laboratory and will result in a (0) zero grade for that assignment for the students involved. 6. All plagiarized works and correspondence concerning plagiarism will be submitted to the Biology Department Chair for review and recommendation. 7. Ask questions when you need answers. If you have instructional problems, contact your instructor. If you have technical problems, contact the UWF Information Technology Services (ITS) Helpdesk at: (850) 474-2075. How to Access elearning Course: STEP 1: Connect to the Internet, open your web browser, and type the appropriate URL into the browser's address field. http://uwf.edu/ STEP 2. Select the Log in to Argus link on the UWF home page. Enter your ArgoNet Username and Password in the appropriate fields on the login dialog box and click the Login button. TIP: To Bookmark or add Argus to Favorites, use http://argus.uwf.edu/cp/render.userLayoutRootNode.uP STEP 3: Select the My Info tab. Look for the eLearning channel. This channel provides access to your eLearning course's. Select the course name to open the Course Home page. STEP 4: If your course is not displayed in the eLearning channel, select Class Schedule from the channel Personal Student Records Access. Scroll down to the eLearning section of your class schedule to see the status of your eLearning courses. Student Orientation to elearning: The Student Orientation Guide - Getting started with eLearning is available online at: http://portal.knowledgebase.net/article.asp?article=160154&p=6390. Student Support: Student support is available from the Information Technology Services ITS Help Desk. [850] 474-2075 or email helpdesk@uwf.edu. ITS support occurs much faster during normal university working hours. After hours, ITS support will usually occur the next business day. Questions about course content should be directed to the instructor. Library Services: Your eLearning course may require that you use certain library databases and services. Some of these databases and services require an access number. This access number is usually the student's Nautilus Card Number. Distance learners who do not plan to physically visit the UWF campus or purchase a Nautilus Card may request a free Library Access Number to access the library databases and services. Complete a Library Access Number. Request on the library web page at http://library.uwf.edu/forms/libraryaccessnumber.shtml or contact the Circulation Department at [850] 474-2414 or email Andrea Golanda at agolanka@uwf.edu. 3 COURSE SYLLABUS GENERAL BIOLOGY ONLINE (BSC1005) REF5128/5129 SUMMER SEMESTER 2012 Office Hours: You may e-mail me anytime if you have concerns or have questions. Normally, I will respond to your email within 24 hours. I encourage you to make an appointment to see me if you are having difficulty understanding the course material or the online concept. Course Requirements: Each student will be required to have consistent and reliable Internet access on a regular basis at home or work or be able to complete assignments in the campus computer labs. Student responsibility for this course means you need to accomplish the following: 1. Log on to e-learning and your university e-mail at least twice daily to respond to emails, threaded discussions, and work assignments. 2. Become familiar with the basics of computing and the Internet fairly quickly to be able to participate fully in this course. 3. Additional credit might be offered if you have a digital camera or access to one. Please, do not purchase a digital camera for the general biology course/lab. 4. Communicate problems and concerns with the Instructor immediately in order to continue moving forward in the course with minimal time lost. Students will attend class on-line, participate in all assignments, and complete all discussions, readings and chapter assignments. During each week the required readings in the text and supplementary materials must be read. Reading provides much of the substance of the course and will be referred to during the class sessions and discussion threads. Participation in all aspects of the course is required and will be evaluated. This course is delivered completely online. You must have consistent and reliable access to the Internet. High-speed internet service is strongly recommended. Have in place, a back-up plan in the event your computer malfunctions or breaks down. Grading Policy and Examinations: Assignment specifications and grading criteria will be distributed in the university's elearning management system (Desire2Learn). Class projects and their relative weights (in percentage of total grade) are as follows: Assessment % Grade Points (12) Session worksheets (*11 count) – 10 points each 24% 110 (12) Quizzes – 25 points each (11 count) 59% 275 (10) Authored Threaded Discussions – 5 points each 11% 50 Participation – 20 points ** 6% 30 100% 465 TOTAL * There are a total of 12 session worksheets in the General Biology online course, of which 11 will count (drop the lowest worksheet score). ** Participation points will be calculated according to the number of worksheet assignments submitted as well as completeness and correctness of the worksheets submitted, number of quizzes taken and your threaded discussion interactions. 4 COURSE SYLLABUS GENERAL BIOLOGY ONLINE (BSC1005) REF5128/5129 SUMMER SEMESTER 2012 Grades will be assigned using the following scale: A 93% and above A- 90-92% B+ 87-89% B 83-86% B- 80-82% C+ 77-79% C 73-76% C- 70-72% D+ 67-69% D 60-66% F below 60% Important Quiz Information: 1. Quiz times and dates, as outlined in the Course Syllabus and the Schedule & Assignments document, are firm. There will be no early quiz or special testing dates and times for any other reasons other than serious illness or family emergencies. It will be your responsibility to assure that you will be available for the scheduled quiz dates and times. 2. All quizzes will be administered in "Respondus LockDown Browser ". You will need to access https://elearning.uwf.edu/index.cfm for complete information and directions concerning "Respondus LockDown Browser ". The following link will provide an excellent video concerning Respondus Lockdown Browser http://www.respondus.com/movies/LDB-Desire2Learn/LDB-Desire2Learn.html 3. The course quizzes are approximately 15-20 questions consisting mainly of multiple choices; fill in the blank, and true or false. You will access the quizzes through eLearning.uwf.edu, General Biology. Go to the "Quizzes" tab which is the last green tab on the right. Once you have started the quiz, you will have 20 minutes to complete it. You cannot log-out and come back at a later time. Allow yourself enough time to complete the quiz. As you progress through the quiz, remember to save your question response once you answer it. DO NOT WAIT TO SAVE ALL OF YOUR ANSWERS AT THE END OF THE QUIZ. If you do not submit the quiz within the allotted 20 minutes, eLearning will automatically terminate your quiz and you will not be able to save your responses. If you experience any computer or other related difficulty, please contact UWF - Information Technology Services (ITS) at 850-474-2075 immediately to document your problem. E-mail me dcdavis@uwf.edu or call me 850-474-2111 immediately or the Biology Department Office at 850-474-2748. Notification of problems after the quiz times and dates is NOT an acceptable excuse. If you e-mail me concerning problems taking the quiz, the first question I will be asking you is did you notify ITS? 4. The course quizzes/exams will be administered online as if it were a face-to-face lecture exam. That means, no open books or notes will be used or available during the time you are taking the exam. 5. To avoid any unnecessary interruptions, I suggest you take the quizzes at the Student Access Information Lab (SAIL) http://uwf.edu/computerlabs/sail/. I would strongly encourage you take the quiz during normal school hours (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM). You will get immediate assistance from ITS during normal school hours. After hours you will get a recording and very little immediate assistance. 6. You have a 48 hour window of opportunity to take the quiz. It is your responsibility to make sure you know the quiz dates and times. Failure to take the quiz during the scheduled times and dates will result 5 COURSE SYLLABUS GENERAL BIOLOGY ONLINE (BSC1005) REF5128/5129 SUMMER SEMESTER 2012 in a "0". The quiz dates and times are firm. There will be no early quiz times allowed. All quizzes will be given as scheduled in the Course Schedule and Assignments: Take all quizzes. 7. DO NOT PUT-OFF TAKING THE QUIZ UNTIL THE END OF THE TESTING PERIOD. 8. There will be twelve quizzes given during the semester. The lowest quiz grade will be dropped. Each quiz will be worth 25 points. Total quiz value is 275 points or 59% of the total grade. 9. All course quizzes will be randomized which means everyone will get a different quiz. Once you have completed the quiz and submit it, you will get immediate results. 10. Quizzes will not be accepted through e-mail, fax, text messaging or any data transmission other than Respondus Lockdown Browser in eLearning. Additional Information and Notification Protocol for Missed Quizzes or other Assignments: 1. Make-up quizzes or related course work will only be given for students with serious illness or family emergencies. You must notify the instructor (phone or e-mail) Prior to or during the originally scheduled quiz or other assignment time and date in order to reschedule. Missing a scheduled assignment will ONLY be considered if notification occurs BEFORE OR DURING the scheduled assignment date and time. If you are very ill and unable to contact the instructor yourself, get someone to notify on your behalf. You will be required to have available a note from a physician/dentist, or whomever is appropriate in order to make up quizzes or related course work. Make-up quizzes or related course work will be scheduled during designated times and you will not be given a second chance outside of that time. Quizzes or related course work will not be rescheduled for failure, on your part, to plan ahead. 2. Quiz results are immediate. Once I have reviewed all quizzes manually, I will release the quiz for student review. You will have an opportunity to review in, Respondus Lockdown Browser, the questions you missed and the correct answer. If you wish to discuss the quiz further at a later date, arrangements will be made for you during instructor or TA office hours. 3. You are responsible for keeping track of your performance in class. If you are concerned about your performance and need assistance, contact the instructor during office hours or make an appointment. Do not wait until the last week of the semester to attempt to improve your grade-it may be too late. 4. If you miss a course assignment and did not make prior notification arrangements, you will NOT be allowed to makeup the assignment. Remember, you are a stakeholder in your education and thus you must assume certain responsibilities. Refer to your syllabus first for guidance and explanation. If you are unsure or have concerns about the policies of the course please contact me without delay. There are approximately 100 students in the course/lab which prevents me from making any special exceptions outside those indicated in the syllabus. The syllabus is our contract for the course/lab. 5. It is critically important that you realize if you fail to follow the proper protocol for notification in the event you miss a quiz, there is no way I can allow you to take the missed quiz without offering the same opportunity to all students. This is not possible. 6 COURSE SYLLABUS GENERAL BIOLOGY ONLINE (BSC1005) REF5128/5129 SUMMER SEMESTER 2012 Study Suggestions: At the end of each chapter there is a Summary which will help you focus on what was important in the chapter. “Reviewing the Chapter” is helpful because it will provide you with the subject matter and reference it to the page(s) in the chapter where it can be found. “Testing Yourself and Understanding the Terms” are the most important areas at the end of each chapter. Work these two areas to completion. You will receive feedback on your session worksheets in time to review and correct questions before the session quiz assessment is given. Do not defer the worksheet feedback. Session Worksheet Assignment Submission: 1. The worksheet assignment needs to be opened and saved on your desktop or personal memory device i.e., flash memory. Next, complete the worksheet and put your name at the top. Save the worksheet using a short file name EXAMPLE: (WS1) (GENBIO WS1). If you are using Coral WordPerfect or Microsoft Office, save the worksheet file as a rich text format (RTF) and it should be readable in eLearning. File names that are cut and pasted from the html address or eLearning even though they are RTF files (EXAMPLE: GENBIO%20Chapter%201%20Worksheet[1](1).rtf) are highly problematic to open from the dropbox. If you receive an e-mail from me concerning an unreadable file you will need to correct the file following the directions given above. If a readable (rtf) file is not submitted by the extension date and time, a "zero" will be assigned to that session assignment. 2. If the same student(s) persists in submitting unreadable worksheet files, I will send a second request to the student(s) requesting they follow the syllabus guidelines for worksheet submission. Subsequent to the second request if unreadable worksheet files continue, a “0” grade will be assigned to each unreadable worksheet file submitted. If you receive a second request concerning unreadable worksheet files, please call me 850-474-2111. 3. I will provide worksheet feedback in the comments area of each session grade. The comments will specify which question(s) is/are incomplete, incorrect or not answered. Your worksheet is graded on how the entire class responded to all the questions on that particular worksheet. If it appears that the class missed understanding a question(s), I will explain in the comments area. 4. When you submit your worksheet through the appropriate dropbox, you will, in a very short period of time, receive a conformation e-mail from ITS acknowledging your submission. This represents your proof of submission. Print it or store it as documentation of submission. However, it does not recognize submission of the wrong or blank worksheets. 5. The student is responsible for assuring that the correct dropbox assignment is placed into the correct dropbox by or before the submission cutoff date. Submission of the wrong worksheet assignment or blank worksheet assignment will not receive credit. 6. If you are ill or have a problem that prevents you from completing the worksheet assignments on a due date, please contact me PRIOR to that due date and we will arrange an alternate due date. I understand that work schedules (especially travel) and family responsibilities often times compete with school work and I am willing to work with you to enable you to complete the requirements of the course while fulfilling your other obligations. 7. In general, I will grade all session worksheets which are turned in on time, within 5 days (an exception is a major assignment when there is not time to grade all assignments properly within that amount of time). However, you should not expect a quick turnaround time for an assignment that has been accepted for late submission. 7 COURSE SYLLABUS GENERAL BIOLOGY ONLINE (BSC1005) REF5128/5129 SUMMER SEMESTER 2012 8. Late submission of assignments will NOT be accepted unless I have PRIOR knowledge from the student that it will be late. It is your responsibility to telephone or e-mail me "PRIOR" to the submission deadline if you experience difficulty in meeting assignment submission. Some students will wait until the final day of the assignment to begin their assignment work and then claim to have computer problems submitting their assignment to the appropriate dropbox. You have a week to complete the worksheet assignment so, please get it done before the last hour of the last day. Completing your worksheet assignment early means if you have difficulty understanding the assignment or submitting your assignment, you have time to notify me and I have time to help you. DO NOT e-mail your assignment unless you have received permission from me to do so. The dropbox assignment submission maintains accountability of your assignments; E-mail does not. 9. There is NO additional or extra credit offered with this course. However, when students submit superior or outstanding work which exceeds the standard, extra credit may be given. Course Policies: Academic Misconduct Policy and Student Code of Conduct Scholastic Dishonesty: Students who violate the University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and dismissal from the University. All policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced. UNIVERSITY POLICY SA-04.00-06/01 http://nautical.uwf.edu/Files/CLAN/7/sa-04.pdf ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT POLICY AND STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT http://nautical.uwf.edu/files/module/groupMail/BOT_Approved_Academic_Misconduct_Policy_andStudent_Code_of_Conduct_20071.pdf http://uwf.edu/academic/policies/misconduct/Academic_Misconduct_Policy_2009.pdf University Policy on Academic Conduct/Plagiarism Policy: Honesty in our academic work is vital, and we will not knowingly act in ways which erode that integrity. Accordingly, we pledge not to cheat, nor to tolerate cheating, nor to plagiarize the work of others. (UWF Student Life Handbook). Academic dishonesty is a serious offense and will be taken seriously. Please refer to the UWF Student Life Handbook for a list of behaviors that fall under the definition of academic misconduct. The handbook also outlines the penalties for academic misconduct and the due process procedures that must be followed. (Links to the Student Life Handbook and the UWF Academic Conduct Statement are posted on the UWF web site). As members of the University of West Florida, we commit ourselves to honesty. As we strive for excellence in performance, integrity—personal and institutional—is our most precious asset. Honesty in our academic work is vital, and we will not knowingly act in ways which erode that integrity. Accordingly, we pledge not to cheat, nor to tolerate cheating, nor to plagiarize the work of others. We pledge to share community resources in ways that are responsible and that comply with established policies of fairness. Cooperation and competition are means to high achievement and are encouraged. Indeed, cooperation is expected unless our directive is to individual performance. We will compete constructively and professionally for the purpose of stimulating high performance standards. Finally, we accept adherence to this set of expectations for academic conduct as a condition of membership in the UWF academic community. 8 COURSE SYLLABUS GENERAL BIOLOGY ONLINE (BSC1005) REF5128/5129 SUMMER SEMESTER 2012 Additional Information on Plagiarism: Your writing is your intellectual property. Guard it carefully. Do not leave copies of your work on computers that are in common use. You could find yourself in the unpleasant position of trying to prove that you are the true author of this work. Save preliminary drafts of your work, reading notes, data collection sheets, and copies of library sources you make while researching your paper. You may be asked to produce these if questions of authorship arise. Make back-up copies to protect your work from computer failures. Plagiarism is a serious violation of academic standards and will be punished severely. Students who plagiarize will fail the course and will be referred to the Dean for academic dishonesty. Some students are surprised to learn that they plagiarized themselves when they inappropriately used work produced for one course in another course. If you are unsure, ask your instructor for guidance. See the UWF Student Life Handbook for the University policy on academic conduct and plagiarism and the consequences for students who engage in academic misconduct. A link to the UWF Plagiarism Policy is posted on the UWF web site at: http://uwf.edu/cas/aasr/plagiarism.doc UWF Policies concerning academic conduct/plagiarism: Please see the University's Plagiarism Policy for examples of work constituting plagiarism. http://uwf.edu/StudentAffairs/division/publications/PlagBroch.pdf UWF TurnItIn Notice: UWF maintains a university license agreement for an online text matching service called “TurnItIn””. At my discretion, I will use the TurnItIn service to determine the originality of student worksheets. If I submit your paper to TurnItIn, it will be stored in a TurnItIn database for as long as the service remains in existence. If you object to this storage of your paper: 1. You must let me know, in writing, no later than May 18, 2012 2. I will utilize other services and techniques to evaluate your work for evidence of appropriate authorship practices. E-mail & Proper E-mail Etiquette: If you normally address a person as Miss/Mrs. /Ms. /Dr. /Mr. Smith then that's the way you should initially address them in e-mail. If you normally call them by their first name then you could either omit the salutation or use the first name. If you are unsure, stick to the formal salutation. It's the safest bet. In the General Biology course/lab uses the formal salutation. Please identify yourself by first and last name in your e-mail and indicate whether your concerns, questions or comments pertain to the laboratory or course section. E-mails without a name will not be answered. You may e-mail me anytime if you have concerns or have questions. Normally, I will respond to your email within 24 hours. Your UWF Argus e-mail account is the official e-mail used at UWF and for this course. Any other e-mail accounts (Cox, Bellsouth, Sprint, Yahoo, etc.) are NOT considered official UWF accounts and may be fire walled to protect the UWF system from viruses and/or computer hackers. Therefore, if you use other than your official UWF account, you may not receive important notifications concerning course policy or changes. Students will be responsible for maintaining proper e-mail communication by using the correct e-mail account. If you send me an e-mail concerning worksheet assignments on the day the assignment is due, it is too late to provide you any assistance on the worksheet before submission deadline. Remember, I will respond to your e-mail within 24 hours. 9 COURSE SYLLABUS GENERAL BIOLOGY ONLINE (BSC1005) REF5128/5129 SUMMER SEMESTER 2012 Student Withdrawal: 1. WITHDRAWAL POLICY - PLEASE READ - The withdrawal deadline from General Biology with an automatic grade of “W” is July 12, 2012. No individual course withdrawals after this date. 2. Withdrawal from the course is your (student) responsibility. You need to consult with the instructor and your academic advisor prior to your decision to withdraw. In addition, consult the UWF catalog for more specific instruction concerning withdrawal from a course. 3. Students who are requesting a late withdraw from class, must have the approval of their academic advisor, instructor, and department chairperson (in that order) and finally, by the Academic Appeals Committee. Requests for late withdraws may be approved only for the following reasons (which must be documented): a. b. c. d. e. A death in the immediate family. Serious illness of the student or an immediate family member. A situation deemed similar to categories 1 and 2 by all in the approval process. Withdrawal due to Military Service (Florida Statute 1004.07) National Guard Troops Ordered into Active Service (Florida Statute 250.482) 4. Requests for withdrawal without documentation should not be accepted. 5. Requests for a late withdraw simply for not succeeding in a course do not meet the criteria for approval and will not be approved. Special Technology Utilized By Students: Students will need the following programs to view all components of course: Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint 2007 file formats: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/HA101686761033.aspx Adobe Acrobat Reader: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html PowerPoint Viewer: http://microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=D1649C22-B51F-4910-93FC4CF2832D3342&displaylang=en Windows Media Player: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/ Quicktime Player: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/ Real Player: http://forms.real.com/netzip/getrde601.html?h=207.188.7.150&f=windows/RealOnePlayerV2GOLD.exe &p=RealOne+Player&oem=dl&tagtype=ie&type=dl VLC Player: http://www.vlcapp.com/jump/vlc-free/?pk=520 Microsoft Flip-4-Mac: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/products/windows-media-player/wmcomponents Notice of Change in the Course Syllabus: The content of this syllabus may change based on individual instructor’s specifications. Any modifications to this syllabus will be announced to the class through email. The revised syllabus will be dated at time of revision. 10 COURSE SYLLABUS GENERAL BIOLOGY ONLINE (BSC1005) REF5128/5129 SUMMER SEMESTER 2012 Course Schedule and Assignments: The course schedule and assignments document contains all work which will be accomplished during the semester. It includes session start and end dates, session title and subject, student responsibilities, and assignments. If, during the course of the semester, you detect in any document (Ex., e-mails, home page announcements, dropboxes, discussions, session overviews or powerpoints) a discrepancy in dates, times, session numbers or any other inconsistency; always refer to the course schedule and assignments. You may e-mail me anytime about your concerns or if you notice a conflict so I may correct the error. Instructional Objectives: Chapter 1: A View of Life: The student should be able to: Recall the various levels of biological organization. Define the characteristics which are common to all living things. Recall the classification of living things. Describe the scientific process and the way information is gathered. Chapter 2: Basic Chemistry: The student should be able to: Recognize the different chemical elements that pertain to all living systems. Distinguish the different subatomic particles (proton, neutron and electron). Recognize the different isotopes. Define compounds and molecules. Define and contrast oxidation and reduction. Associate the physical characteristics of water. Define pH as it applies to living systems. Chapter 3: The Chemistry of Organic Molecules: The student should be able to: Define the characteristics of organic compounds and the chemistry of carbon. Compare and contrast carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Chapter 4: Cell Structure and Function: The student should be able to: Associate the cellular level of organization. Define the difference between a prokaryote and a eukaryote. Distinguish the cellular organelles. Chapter 5: Membrane Structure and Function: The student should be able to: Compare the different membrane models. Observe the plasma membrane structure and function. Define and relate the permeability of the plasma membrane. Chapter 6: Metabolism: Energy and Enzymes: The student should be able to: Define energy and the Laws of thermodynamics. Recognize metabolic reactions and energy transformation. Recognize metabolic pathways and enzymes. Describe the characteristics enzymes. Chapter 7: Photosynthesis: The student should be able to: Observe how plants make use of solar energy. Describe the structure and function of chloroplast. Define solar energy capture. Describe carbohydrate synthesis in photosynthesis. Chapter 8: Cellular Respiration: The student should be able to: Summarize cellular respiration to include glycolysis, fermentation, Krebs cycle and ATP synthesis. 11 COURSE SYLLABUS GENERAL BIOLOGY ONLINE (BSC1005) REF5128/5129 SUMMER SEMESTER 2012 Distinguish the structure and function of mitochondria. Chapter 9 & 10: The Cell Cycle & Cellular Reproduction and Meiosis and Sexual Reproduction: The student should be able to: Describe the cellular division of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Illustrate and recognize mitosis and cytokinesis. Describe the eukaryotic cell cycle. Distinguish how cancer develops. Contrast haploid and diploid chromosome numbers. Define genetic recombination. Illustrate the different phases of meiosis. Compare meiosis with mitosis. Review the human life cycle. Chapter 11: Mendelian Patterns of Inheritance: The student should be able to: Associate the inheritance of chromosomes. Recognize different chromosomal abnormalities. Differentiate between autosomal recessive and autosomal dominant genetic disorders. Differentiate between sex-linked genetic disorders. Indicate the pattern of inheritance when using the pedigree chart. Predict inheritance using the Punnett square. Chapter 12: Molecular Biology of the Gene: The student should be able to: Describe the structure of nitrogenous bases to include the two classes of purines and pyrimidines. Describe the process of DNA replication and transcription. Describe the differences between ribose, and deoxyribose. Compare and contrast the differences between nucleosides and nucleotides. Describe phosphodiester bonds. Differentiate between RNA and DNA. Name the purine and pyrimidine molecules of nucleic acids. Define the function of genes. Associate the expression of genes leading to the synthesis of proteins. Interpret the genetic code as it pertains to codons. Differentiate the different types of RNA molecules. Distinguish between transcription and translation. Chapter 15: Darwin and Evolution: The student should be able to: Define evolution and its two components. Relate scientific evidence that life-forms change over time. Recall Charles Darwin’s trip around the Southern Hemisphere aboard the HMS Beagle Recall fossil records, biogeographical evidence, anatomical evidence, and biochemical evidence supporting the hypothesis of common decent. Chapter 16: Biotechnology & Genomics: The student should be able to: Describe recombinant DNA technology. Recall cloning a gene. List six biotechnology products, which have been genetically engineered. Recall the Human Genome Project. Define DNA sequencing. Describe gene therapy. Chapter 18: Origin and History of Life: The student should be able to: Define the primitive atmosphere. Relate fossils and relative dating of fossils. Recall the geological timetable. Distinguish between Era and period. 12 COURSE SYLLABUS GENERAL BIOLOGY ONLINE (BSC1005) REF5128/5129 SUMMER SEMESTER 2012 Chapter 24: Flowering Plants: Structure and Organization Identify the vegetative organs usually found in flowering plants. Recall the two groups of flowering plant (monocots and eudicots) Recall the organization of plants according to their tissue types (epidermal, ground, and vascular tissues). Identify the organization and diversity of roots, stems, and leaves. Chapter 47: Conservation of Biodiversity: The student should be able to: Define the biosphere and ecosystems. Trace energy flow and nutrient cycling. Differentiate between autotrophs and heterotrophs. Recall the global biogeochemical cycles. Interpret global warming, population explosion, ozone depletion, thermal inversion, deforestation and desertification, and renewable and non-renewable energy sources. Stem Cell Research & HIV/AIDS: The student should be able to: Differentiate between adult and embryonic stem cells. Recall the controversy concerning embryonic stem cells. Relate the different types of stem cells. Describe the type of adult stem cell research endeavors currently being persuaded. Differentiate between HIV and AIDS. Describe the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS. Recall the difference between regulatory, structural and auxiliary genes of HIV. Define a retrovirus. Infectious Diseases & Bioterrorism: The student should be able to: Associate the transmission of an infectious disease. Classify the different vectors of infectious diseases. Recall the transmission of typhus, yellow fever, and malaria. Define Bioterrorism. Define a biological weapon. Classify the criteria of a bio-weapon. Define by using examples Incapacitating Agents. Define by using examples Lethal Non-Infectious Agents. Define by using examples Lethal Infectious Agents. Associate different types of germ warfare. Recall bio-weapons production between the United States and Russia. 13