Minneapolis Community College s2

MINNEAPOLIS COLLEGE

Biology 2200 29 Online Minneapolis, Minnesota Fall, 2009

PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY

Course Syllabus

Instructor: Mitch Albers, Office S2330 Science

Office Phone (612) 659-6002, E-mail Address:

Office hours as posted outside my office or by appointment or may be held online.

Biology Department's web site: http://db.mctc.mnscu.edu/biology/

Mitch Albers Personal Web site: http://home.minneapolis.edu/~albersmi/

Course Website: BIOL 2200-29 Online Students: Access to Course Compass - http://www.coursecompass.com/

Note: Online Students MUST purchase a Course Compass Access Code Kit in the MCTC Bookstore. This includes an online version of the Textbook (eBook). Biology Textbook (Hardcover) below is optional.

Semester Credits: 4

Pre - Corequisite: Introduction to Chemistry 1020 or transfer equivalent

Textbooks:

Target Population: Those students of any major, but especially biology or related science majors, nursing students and those who need a transferable, lab-science course.

Course Description An Inquiry into the nature of life with emphasis upon the fundamentals of the cell, its structure and functions; the dynamics of life as studied through bioenergetics; the continuity of life as studied through embryology, genetics, and organic evolution; the community of life as studied through ecology.

Course Objectives:

1.  To acquaint students with famous biologists, their work, and the development of the scientific method as an approach to a problem.

2.  To assist students in thinking about factors of life so often taken for granted and to provide an environment for students to ask questions about them.

3.  To instill in students a recognition of biology as a way of seeking knowledge rather than just a set of facts.

4.  To integrate new skills into the students customary ways of thinking by engaging them into practicing their thinking skills and applying them to open-ended problems.

5.  To develop in students an appreciation and knowledge of nature and their place in the living world.

6.  To aid students in understanding principles of genetics and the role of heredity and environment in the individual.

7.  To help students appreciate the diversity of life and yet the unity of pattern in living things in such factors as the biological roots of behavior, and the preservation of life in the face of change.

8.  To aid students in recognizing the cell as the fundamental living unit through studies of cell structure and function.

9.  To allow the student to communicate their experimental findings, analyses, and interpretations both orally and in writing.

10.  To formulate and test hypotheses by performing laboratory experiments and to introduce students to INVESTIGATIVE methods and techniques used in the laboratory.

11. To develop in students a functional understanding of the principles and generalizations of biology.

12. To stimulate interest in the field of biology (and when appropriate to prepare students planning to take other biology courses).

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Lecture Information:

Lecture support materials for this course will be supplemented via (Course Compass). Lecture presentation materials are provided to you in a variety of formats to fit a variety of learning styles. Below are the lecture resources that are available to you this semester:

·  Thinkwell's Biology CD-ROM series and Web site - A comprehensive series of interactive video lectures.

·  Instructor's detailed lecture outlines by chapter - Complete lecture notes taken from your textbook.

·  Instructor's In-Class lecture notes - Archives of lectures notes I've given during a traditional lecture class.

·  Instructor's Pre-Lecture Questions - Chapter specific questions that challenge your thinking and understanding of concepts.

·  Instructor's online Microsoft PowerPoint presentations by chapter.

·  Multimedia Resources (animations in QuickTime, Flash, Shockwave formats)

You will be responsible for information from these resources and the assigned textbook readings.

Class Requirements:

1. There will be three exams that will consist of 100 points each.

2. The final will be 30% cumulative and 70% covering chapters 22, 26, 52 & 53.

3. LAB IS REQUIRED. Make sure you have registered for a lab section and you also MUST attend them.

4. Mastering Biology (MB) Textbook chapter quizzes are required.

5. Lab quizzes and or writing assignments will be given at each lab meeting.

6. Lecture quizzes may be given throughout the semester.

7. Points will also be assigned for a variety of exercises, including (but not limited to) group discussion exercises, writing and Web assignments. Credit for these assignments will be based on the quality of work, neatness, the timeliness of work (i.e. handing assignment in on time), and the point value possible for the assignment.

8. No audible cellular phones or pagers may be turned on during lecture, lab or during exams. If your personal electronic communication device disrupts class in any way you will be asked to leave the class for that day which could result in your missing work for credit.

9. Student conduct in the course will follow the MCTC Student Handbook.

Academic Integrity: It is important in your learning process to maintain academic integrity. This means completing all assignments independently and taking on-campus/online exams, chapter tests and assignments in good trust (NO CHEATING). By maintaining academic integrity, you will increase your knowledge and skill, while upholding your personal and societal ethical standards. Any student who plagiarizes another student’s work or cheats will either withdraw or fail the course…I HAVE A ZERO TOLERANCE RULE. The Department of Biology adheres to the highest standards of academic integrity. Any violations of prohibitions against plagiarism or cheating will be treated with great seriousness, and they risk failure of the course or worse consequences. Consult the MCTC student handbook for advice about avoiding plagiarism/cheating, or talk to your instructor (me) about it. If you are aware of any cheating in this course, please contact me immediately. You MUST agree and sign the course Academic Integrity Policy form to continue with this course (See back page of this Syllabus).

Grading Standards:

Final semester grades will be calculated by placing your cumulative point total for the semester on a normal distribution/"curve" for determination of the grade. It is important that you keep track of all points earned throughout the semester on your point tally sheet that is included in this syllabus. By dividing the total points you have earned by the total points possible, you can calculate your percentage (i.e. 485 points earned/600 points possible = 81 % and would be a "B" grade as per the grading scheme outlined below). The following percentages may be adjusted, but are provided to give you a sense of where you stand at any one time during the semester.

Grading:

Students must receive a passing grade (70%) in the lecture portion of this course in order to receive a grade of C or higher in this course. Students who earn less than 70% in the lecture portion of this course, prior to adding the laboratory points to the final grade, will receive a D or F in this course, even if addition of the laboratory grade brings their total percentage above 70%. Passing grades will be determined by percentages (55% = D, 70% = C, 80% =B, 90%=A) of the 600 total points possible scheduled below. Regular class attendance is essential for success in this course, which means unexcused absences from labs will detrimental to the students overall grade. If students are absent more than 3 times (300 minutes) from the laboratory, they must withdraw by the deadline for withdrawing from a class or will receive an F in the course. Exam and assignment scores can be viewed by clicking on the "Grades" icon on the course web site. No incomplete grades will be given for missed work. Incomplete grades are for someone who has completed all of the course satisfactorily and misses the final exam because of an extended, doctor verified illness.

Point Breakdown:

Four Lecture Exams (100 points ea.) 400 points

MasteringBiology (MB) Chapter Quizzes 50 points (MB grading details posted on MB website)

Lab Quizzes / Lab Writing Assignments 100 "percentage" points

Online Lecture Quizzes 50 points

(approx.) 600 total points possible

Note: The above breakdown of points is only an estimate, the actual point total may deviate above or below the points scheduled at this time. Lab Totals will be determined by percentage points. Weekly lab scores will NOT be posted on the course web site. I reserve the right to alter the course schedule during the duration of the semester, and to lower the points needed for each grade if I deem it necessary.

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Lecture Attendance Policy:

I do not formally record attendance, but I do have some policies related to attendance that you need to be aware of. I use a variety of learning tools in the classroom, including group work and writing projects. We will use both synchronous (live) and asynchronous (not live) communication in this course, which does not happen in real-time. In other words, we will communicate asynchronously without needing to have a common time available for us to meet online. E-mail is an excellent example of asynchronous communication. So are electronic bulletin boards. I WILL EXPECT that you will be checking your E-mail every day (excluding weekends and holidays) and that your actively utilizing the online resources on the course Web site and the Thinkwell lectures. Announcements regarding the online lecture will be posted on the homepage of the course Web site. All online BIOL 2200-29 students MUST contact the instructor Mitch Albers prior to the end of the drop/add deadline. Any student attempting to start the online lecture after the drop date will NOT be allowed into the course even if they have registered. If you encounter an emergency situation that necessitates time away from class, it is your responsibility to contact me immediately and ask for my assistance in planning your return to class and determining the work that needs to be completed.

Note: If you need an accommodation due to a disability to enable you to fully participate in this course, contact MCTC's Office for Students with Disabilities at (612) 659-6730 For assistance.

Exam Attendance Policy:

Attendance is required for all exams. If you cannot take an exam as scheduled, YOU MUST NOTIFY ME PRIOR TO THE EXAM TESTING PERIOD. Exams administered in this course will be taken on-campus, online during a defined Testing Period or you will take your exams in the MCTC Testing Center or both. If any student is caught cheating while taking an exam or lecture quiz, the instructor has the discretion to discontinue all online testing and all online students will take their exams in the MCTC Testing Center. Make-up Exams: The timing, format, and content of make-up exams is at my discretion, and will differ from the original exam. All make-up exams will be administered at the same time on the last regular class day of the semester in the MCTC Testing Center and require my approval before they can be made-up. If a student has been approved by the instructor to make-up an exam, the student MUST contact the instructor during week 16 of the semester to schedule a make-up exam during the last week of the semester. If a student fails to schedule a make-up exam, he/she will receive a zero score for the missed exam.

Lab Attendance Policy:

Attendance will be taken in the laboratory. More than three unexcused absences from the lab will result in the automatic withdraw from the course prior to the drop date or failure if after the drop date. Your laboratory experience and attendance is essential for success in this course. The total points available from the lab equals 20% of your course grade.

Additional Notes:

1. An option to earn a limited amount of extra credit points will be offered near the end of the semester (see lecture schedule).

2. Your text and the lectures will present biological concepts and principles from an evolutionary perspective.

3. Some topics of a sexually explicit nature may be covered with aspects of reproduction.

4. You will be required to use a computer, hand in computer generated assignments and access the course web site.

5. You will be required to use the course web site, e-mail, bulletin board and turn-in web assignments throughout the semester.

Where to get Help:

If you have questions about the course or if you're struggling with any aspect of it, contact me as soon as possible. Let's talk it over. I can help. Just send me an E-mail or set-up an appointment to meet with me online of in my office. In addition, the Learning Center, room T4200 on the 4th floor of the T building is an invaluable resource. Peer tutors are available by appointment to coach you and help you succeed. We will also offer study group sessions in the Learning Center. These sessions have been extremely successful to many biology students in the past. These sessions allow discussions of the course content with fellow classmates and is facilitated by a peer tutor who has already taken the course. To set-up a tutor appointment in the MCTC Learning Center, phone (612) 659-6140.

If your chemistry pre-corequisite course was taken five or more years ago or your performance was below average or if you are taking this course at the same time you are taking CHEM 1020, I suggest that you purchase the optional text Introducing Chemistry for Biology Students by George Sackheim. If you are taking this course without the chemistry pre-corequisite I would highly consider dropping and taking chemistry first. I have witnessed too many students trying to beat the system with very limited success.