GENERAL BIOLOGY ONLINE (BSC1005) REF 0257 COURSE SYLLABUS SPRING SEMESTER 2014
Instructor: Brenna O’Neill
Telephone: Biology Department Office –850-474-2748
E-mail:
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.
General Studies Course:
GENERAL BIOLOGY NON-BIOLOGY MAJORS COURSE is designated as a General Studies Course. The General Studies curriculum at the University of West Florida is designed to provide a cohesive program of study that promotes the development of a broadly educated person and provides the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in university studies. This course has been approved as meeting the requirement in the Science area. The General Studies learning outcomes for this course are Personal/Cultural Values and Tech/Visual Literacy.
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: 978-0-07-776607-8 or
ISBN– 10: 0-07-776607-8. 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.
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 / 9. Chromosomes & Genes2. Basic Chemistry Review / 10. Mendelian & Human Genetics
3. Biological Chemistry / 11. Biotechnology & Recombinant DNA
4. Cell and their Organelles / 12. Origin and History of Life
5. Photosynthesis / 13. Darwin and Evolution
6. Cellular Respiration / 14. Flowering Plants: Structure and Organization
7. Metabolism / 15. Classification of Living Things
8. Cell Division and Replication / 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 with reliable 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 – Unless otherwise indicated, every Friday after 10:00 AM,new tasks and assignments will be posted under the "COURSE MATERIALS" heading then selecting the “Content” tab. You can see and access what you need to work on for the next week. Changes in the start date will be listed on the Lab Schedule & Assignments document and posted on the eLearning home page.
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.
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 Accesselearning 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 . 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:
There are 2 copies of the 10th edition Biology by Mader textbook on loan in the Pace library. 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 .
Office Hours:
You may e-mail me anytime if you have concerns or have questions. Normally, I will respond to your e-mail 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. Please make appointments by emailing me.
Course Requirements:
Each student will be required to have a fully functioning computer with software needed to access eLearning and Respondus Lockdown Browser. 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 onto e-Learning, General Biology Course/Lab, as well as your university e-mail at least twice daily to read or 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.
5. 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 assignments and their relative weights (in percentage of total grade) are as follows:
Assessments / % Grade / Points(14) Chapter worksheets (*13 count) – 10 points each / 24% / 130
(14) Chapter Quizzes (**13 count) – 25 points each / 60% / 325
(11) Authored Threaded Discussions – 5 points each / 10% / 55
Participation – 30 points *** / 6% / 30
TOTAL / 100% / 540
* 14 chapter worksheets in the online course, of which 13 will count (drop the lowest worksheet score).
** 14 chapter quizzes in the online course, of which 13 will count (drop the lowest chapter quiz score).
*** Participation points will be calculated according to the number of course worksheet assignments submitted as well as completeness and correctness of the worksheets submitted, number of quizzes taken and your threaded discussion interactions.
Grades will be assigned using the following scale:
A / 93% and aboveA- / 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 is student’s responsibility to assure that they 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 forcomplete 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. Chapter worksheets will be grades as quickly and efficiently as possible which will take approximately 5 days after the respective chapter worksheet cutoff date and time (an exception is a major assignment when there is not time to grade all assignments properly within that amount of time). To give you the opportunity to review your graded and corrected chapter worksheet, the chapter quiz associated with that worksheet will be assessed the following week (please read and review the Course Schedule and Assignments).
4. The course quizzes are approximately 15-20 questions consisting mainly of multiple choice; fill in the blank, and true or false. You will access the quizzes through eLearning.uwf.edu, General Biology Course. Go to the "ASSESSMENT" heading and select the “Quizzes” tab. Once you have started the quiz, you will have on average 15 minutes (approximately 1 minute per question) 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 time, eLearning will automatically terminate your quiz and you will not be able to save your responses.
5. If you experience problems accessing eLearning or Respondus Lockdown Browser, please contact UWF - Information Technology Services (ITS) at 850-474-2075 immediately to document your problem. E-mail me immediately or call the Biology Department Office at 850-474-2748. Your notification to me needs to include the time and date you reported your problem to ITS and the work order number. Additionally, student participation in the practice quiz is mandatory. Notification of problems after the quiz times and dates is NOT an acceptable excuse.
6. The student will accept full responsibility for quizzes which are attempted after normal (8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday) university hours where ITS support is marginal. Computer malfunction(s) with individually owned student computers are the responsibility of the student. The course/laboratory instructor is not responsible for any commercial Internet service provider connectivity as well as hardware or software computer difficulties students may encounter with their individually owned computer(s). It is the student’s responsibility to assure they have a reliable computer capable of accessing their respective Internet e-Learning Course/Lab site and the most current version of Respondus Lockdown Browser.
7. The course quizzes 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. The chapter quizzes are not to be copies or duplicated in any manner.
8. To avoid any unnecessary interruptions, I recommend you take the quizzes at the Student Access Information Lab (SAIL) http://uwf.edu/computerlabs/sail/ or the Skylab. 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.