BIO 100 - Principles of Biology - BYU ONLINE - Fall 2017

Section 011

Instructor Information

Name: Jamie Jensen

Office Location: 4059 LSB

Office Hours:TBD

Office Phone: 801-422-6896

Email:

TA Information: TBD

Course Information

Description

Introductory course for general education students exploring major themes and theories of biology, including evolutionary theory, ecological relationships, Mendelian theory of genetics, cell theory, and atomic theory.

Materials Required

(OPTIONAL) Recommended Text Book: Biology: Science for Lifeby Belk and Maier

Learning Outcomes

Biology Literacy

Students will acquire basic literacy in the language of science and biology as evidenced by their ability to: Explain the foundational assumptions underlying science and evaluate the strengths and limitations of science as a human endeavor. Describe basic principles and concepts of biology using appropriate vocabulary. Describe data represented textually, numerically, and graphically, and infer a conclusion from the data. Plan and perform a simple experiment, actual or simulated; draw conclusions, and; communicate the results.

Scientific Reasoning

Students will exercise sound scientific reasoning as evidenced by their ability to: Evaluate scientific evidence and claims at the level of a well-informed layperson in order to make rational decisions on public-policy science issues. Develop intellectual abilities and character traits of sound judgment and effective communication.

Personal Responsibility

Students will accept responsibility for personal and public stewardship as evidenced by their ability to: Integrate sound scientific reasoning with reasoning and methods from other disciplines to address real-world biology-related issues and concerns. Reflect on how literacy in biology and sound scientific reasoning combine with reasoning and methods from other disciplines to increase their ability to act responsibly as stewards and citizens in their own families, communities and the world.

Grading Scale

Grades / Percent
A / 93%
A- / 90%
B+ / 87%
B / 83%
B- / 80%
C+ / 77%
C / 73%
C- / 70%
D+ / 67%
D / 63%
D- / 60%
E / 0%

Instructor’s Expectations of Students

  • Complete all carefully designed learning activities that will be assigned.
  • Utilize your TA by attending weekly review sessions.
  • Attend office hours if you feel that you need additional help.
  • Contactmeif you have problems with the course as soon as the problems begin.
  • Be courteous and respectful.
  • Adhere to all college policies included in the college catalog and the student handbook, including the Student Honor Code.

Students' Expectations of Instructor

  • Be available to you to help you succeed.
  • Provide the most ideal learning activities, having spent hours and hours planning themand years and years learning the material to be able to help you learn.
  • Be a 'guide on the side' rather than a 'sage on the stage' as you construct your own understanding.
  • Be an advocate for you and offer my genuine concern and responsibility for your learning and progress.
  • Be courteous and respectful to all of you as bright, intelligent adults.
  • To love being a part of your learning experience!

CourseProcedures

This class is taught usingconstructivism. It is a sound pedagogical strategy that has been shown to increase student learning in and satisfaction with Biology. This means, however, that you will NOT be sitting back and watching alecture. You must fully engage in the material, be prepared to stretch your brain, question your current beliefs about the natural world, and discover solutions. You MUST be an active participant!

Specifically, we use a 2-phase process of learning loosely based on the Learning Cycle. The two phases includeConcept Attainmentwhere you willExplorethe material and gain basic understanding, andConcept Applicationwhere you will apply your new learning to novel situations to avoidcontextual specificity and to solidify your understanding. To accomplish this, we have designedthreeactivities for you to complete for each class period:

  1. EXPLORE Video Lectures: These are video lectures done by my colleagues and close collaborators, Heath Ogden (UVU) and Emily Holt (UNC). It is based on a scriptthat we wrotein a way that encourages constructivist thought (i.e., it will walk you through constructing the understanding in the most facilitative way possible). You will access these by clicking on the embedded link under eachModule. (You MUST access these through the "Modules" page or "Home" page.) When you click on the link, it will take you to an outside site called Qualtrics. You will be prompted to enter your NetID (it is case sensitive, please use ALL lowercase). Once you 'submit' the assignment at the end, the video will no longer be accessible to you via Qualtrics. However, you can access them after-the-fact by visiting our YouTube course page at to an external site.)Each videoshould take you around 30-45minutes to complete.
  2. EXPLORE Assessment: This is a short quiz that will test your basic understanding of the material you should have learned in the readings. You will access this by clicking on the link in Canvas under eachModule. These are taken in Canvas. Thefirst attemptshould beclosed-book. This gives you an opportunity to see what you know. After that, you have unlimited attempts until you get 100%. You should be able to get full credit on all of these! If you find you are missing questions repeatedly, go back and re-read the materials. PLEASE COMPLETE THESEBEFOREATTEMPTING THE APPLY HOMEWORK. This process should take you around 15 minutes.
  3. Weekly Recitation: You will be required to attend a weekly review session with a TA where you will be given valuable hints and helps to do the following homework assignments and where you can ask any question you’d like about the EXPLORE Video Lectures. There are two options for these: Thursdays 11-11:50 or Thursdays 5 – 5:50.
  4. APPLY homework:This phase is where you will be asked toapplywhat you have just learned to a novel situation. Researchers have found that unless students have the opportunity to use the knowledge in more than one setting, the knowledge becomes situational and useless unless the exact same situation is presented. This is called transfer. This assignment will also be accessed through themodulespage through a link toQualtrics. Each assignment should take you approximately one hour.
  5. Evaluate: We want to know if you've learned. Evaluations will take two forms:
  6. ApplyAssessments are summative in nature and designed to letmeknow what you know so that I can assign a grade. There are 8 of these throughout the semester. They are timed (1 hour) and available on Canvas, open-note.
  7. The Final Exam will take place at the end of the semester. It is comprehensive andclosed-note.

Study Habits

Biology is a complex subject to master. Biology 100 is meant to be an introduction to the wonders of this discipline. Although you should not expect to master the subject, you should strive for a sound conceptual understanding of the material. I believe there are key steps that can be taken to achieve this goal:

  1. Commit to completeEVERY assignment.
  2. Activelyparticipateand take notes while completing assignments and PLEASE ask questions if things are unclear!
  3. Plan to attend TA office hours and/or weekly review sessions--come prepared with questions! Myoffice hours are posted and I am available, as well.
  4. Set asideat least4 hours each week to review the material covered during that week: this wouldinclude reading the explore readings, going through the notes you took, working on assessments and homework assignments.
  5. Explain the activities done to another person—mom, dad, boy/girlfriend, friend, yourdog, or even the wall! Research has shown that vocalizing the material can significantly improveyour understanding! Crazy, eh?!
  6. In preparation for an Application Assessment:
  7. Meet with a study group if possible! Even if it is only one other person. More than 4 people can also be counter-productive.
  8. Review all materials.
  9. Explain all readings AND homework assignments to the other members of your study group.
  10. Quiz each other. Research has also shown that actively retrieving information (i.e., the Testing Effect) enhances learning; simply re-reading your notes does very little, if anything at all, to help you! Make sure that you meet and study early enough that you can email/text the TA's or me with any questions that you might come up with! (i.e., don’t wait until the last day of the asessment, at 9:55am.)
  11. If you are still struggling with material, please visit services

Teaching Philosophy

It is not my intention to make you memorize countless facts and definitions nor to make you experts in biology. Rather, it is my primary purpose to improve your ability to reason, and specifically, to think scientifically. In addition, it is my goal to facilitate your learning of the biological concepts necessary to be informed members of society, to live healthier and more fulfilling lives, and to more fully appreciate and respect the majesty of our Father's creations.

University Policies

Honor Code

In keeping with the principles of the BYU Honor Code, students are expected to be honest in all of their academic work. Academic honesty means, most fundamentally, that any work you present as your own must in fact be your own work and not that of another. Violations of this principle may result in a failing grade in the course and additional disciplinary action by the university. Students are also expected to adhere to the Dress and Grooming Standards. Adherence demonstrates respect for yourself and others and ensures an effective learning and working environment. It is the university's expectation, and every instructor's expectation in class, that each student will abide by all Honor Code standards. Please call the Honor Code Office at 422-2847 if you have questions about those standards.

Sexual Misconduct

As required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the university prohibits sex discrimination against any participant in its education programs or activities. Title IX also prohibits sexual harassment-including sexual violence-committed by or against students, university employees, and visitors to campus. As outlined in university policy, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking are considered forms of "Sexual Misconduct" prohibited by the university.

University policy requires any university employee in a teaching, managerial, or supervisory role to report incidents of sexual misconduct that come to their attention through various forms including face-to-face conversation, a written class assignment or paper, class discussion, email, text, or social media post. If you encounter sexual misconduct, please contact the Title IX Coordinator at or 801-422-2130 or Ethics Point at to an external site.)or 1-888-238-1062 (24-hours). Additional information about Title IX and resources available to you can be found at to an external site.).

Student Disability

Brigham Young University is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere that reasonably accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have any disability which may impair your ability to complete this course successfully, please contact the University Accessibility Center (UAC), 2170 WSC or 422-2767. Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified, documented disabilities. The UAC can also assess students for learning, attention, and emotional concerns. Services are coordinated with the student and instructor by the UAC. If you need assistance or if you feel you have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of disability, you may seek resolution through established grievance policy and procedures by contacting the Equal Employment Office at 422-5895, D-285 ASB.

Cheating

I have a STRICT cheating policy. If I find evidence that you have cheated on assignments, explore assessments, apply assessments, or the final exam, you willfail the course, NO EXCEPTIONS!