PNB 2250
Animal Physiology
Online Animal Physiology - Summer 2016
Alternative Summer Session 2 – July 11 – August 19
Course and Instructor Information
Course Title: Animal Physiology (PNB2250) Online
Credits: 3 credits
Professors:
Kristen Kimball, M.S., M.E.M. ()
Donnasue Graesser, Ph.D. ()
On campus office: TLS 19
WebEx Availability: Live access to instructors will be available through WebEx
- Day 3 of each unit (6pm-7pm) with unit Professor
- If you cannot make any live office hours, feel free to use the “Ask the Instructors” discussion forum
- Instructions for using WebEx posted on HuskyCT
Course Textbook
Sherwood, Klandorf, Yancey
Animal Physiology: from genes to organisms
2nd Edition
Course Description
A broad systems approach will provide background required to understand synthesis of physical and chemical sciences relative to life processes in animals. PNB 2250 may be used toward the PNB major and may be used as the PNB requirement for a Biological Sciences major; and also serves as prerequisite for higher level PNB courses. The prerequisites for PNB 2250 are Biology 1107 and Biology 1108.
Course Objectives
1) To provide students with an understanding of the physiological principles of vertebrate animals at both an organ-system level, as well as cellular and molecular mechanisms.
2) To integrate knowledge of individual body systems in order to understand the overall physiologic functioning of animals.
3) To compare and contrast the physiologic functions of various animal species, including humans.
4) To understand how various species of animals have adapted their physiological mechanisms in response to environmental conditions, at a cellular, organ-system, and organismal level.
Course Outline (Tentative Dates)
Please note: This course is run on a very intensive schedule, and time management will be critical. It is your responsibility to complete the work when it is available. A few portions of the course are self-paced and asynchronous, but most of the assignments are to be completed in a very narrow time frame. Each learning unit is scheduled for 3 days, and while you can pace yourself within each unit, the materials for the unit will only be accessible 3 days in advance of the start date. For example, the material for Unit 2, which is scheduled to begin on June 4, will be accessible on June 1. Each exam will only be available for a 24-hour period. In addition, due dates are strictly adhered to, and no late assignments will be accepted. Furthermore, note that TIME for due dates = EXACTLY THAT TIME and not one second later! 11:59 PM is 11:59:00, not 11:59:01. This is true for all assignments and tests.
Unit 1 / Homeostasis and Integration
❏ Readings Chapter 1
❏ Unit 1 Lessons
❏ Discussion Board Post
❏ Quiz due July 13 / Chapter 1 / July 11-13
(M/T/W)
Unit 2 / Membrane Physiology
❏ Readings Chapter 3
❏ Unit 2 Lessons
❏ Discussion Board Post
❏ Quiz due July 16 / Chapter 3 / July 14-16
(Th/Fr/Sat)
Unit 3 / Neuronal Physiology
❏ Readings Chapter 4
❏ Unit 3 Lessons
❏ Discussion Board Post
❏ Quiz due July 20 / Chapter 4 / July 18-20
(M/T/W)
Unit 4 / Communication Systems
❏ Readings Chapter 5
❏ Readings Chapter 7
❏ Unit 4 Lessons
❏ Discussion Board Post
❏ Quiz due July 23
❏ DYA blog post for Units1-4 due July 24 / Chapter 5
Chapter 7 / July 21-23
(Th/Fr/Sat)
Unit 5 / Circulatory Systems
❏ Readings Chapter 9
❏ Unit 5 Lessons
❏ Discussion Board Post
❏ Quiz Due July 27 / Chapter 9 / July 25-27
(M/T/W)
EXAM 1 / ❏ Unit 1
❏ Unit 2
❏ Unit 3
❏ Unit 4
❏ Unit 5 / TBD
Unit 6 / Respiratory Systems
❏ Readings Chapter 11
❏ Unit 6 Lessons
❏ Discussion Board Post
❏ Quiz Due July 31
❏ DYA Blog Post for Units 5-6 due Aug. 1 / Chapter 11 / July 29-31
** This unit will run FRIDAY-Sunday
Unit 7 / Excretory Systems (Renal)
❏ Readings Chapter 12
❏ Unit 7 Lessons
❏ Discussion Board Post
❏ Quiz due Aug. 3 / Chapter 12 / Aug. 1-3
(M/T/W)
Unit 8 / Fluid and Acid-Base Balance
❏ Readings Chapter 13
❏ Unit 8 Lessons
❏ Discussion Board Post
❏ Quiz due Aug. 6
❏ DYA blog post for Units 7-8 due Aug. 7 / Chapter 13 / Aug. 4-6
(Th/Fr/Sat)
Unit 9 / Digestive Systems
❏ Readings Chapter 14
❏ Unit 9 Lessons
❏ Discussion Board Post
❏ Quiz due Aug. 10 / Chapter 14 / Aug. 8-10
(M/T/W)
Unit 10 / Muscle Physiology
❏ Readings Chapter 8
❏ Muscle Phys. Exercise due July 5
❏ Quiz due July 5 / Chapter 8 / Aug 11-13
Th/Fr/Sat
****Assignment due Saturday August 13
Unit 11 / Energy Balance and Thermoregulation
❏ Readings Chapter 15
❏ Unit 11 Lessons
❏ Discussion Board Post
❏ Quiz due July 8
❏ DYA blog post for Units 9 & 11 due August 18 / Chapter 15 / Aug. 15-17
M/T/W
EXAM 2 / ❏ Unit 6
❏ Unit 7
❏ Unit 8
❏ Unit 9
❏ Unit 10
❏ Unit 11
❏ Comprehensive Questions / TBD
Course Requirements and Grading
Summary of Course Grading:
Course Components / Possible PointsExam 1 (Units 1-5) / 300 points
Exam 2 (Units 6-11 and comprehensive component) / 400 points
Discussion Board (10 units, 5 points each) / 50 points
Quizzes (11 units, 10 points each) / 110 points
Design Your Animal Blog / 100 points
Muscle Physiology Assignment / 50 points
Total possible points / 1010
Exams (700 points)
Two hour-long, multiple choice exams will be given. The exams dates are July 27 and August 15. The first exam is worth 300 points and will cover Units 1-5. The second exam is worth 400 points and will cover Units 6-11, as well as several comprehensive questions from the first half of the semester. Exams will be delivered through ProctorU web-proctoring service. Please see section below for more information.
Discussion Board (10 units, 5 points per unit = 50 points)
For each unit, all students are required to post on the discussion board. The discussion forum for each Unit will be opened the day the unit begins (not earlier). If you are assigned an initial post to the discussion board, it is due by the 11:59 on the second day of each unit (Tuesday or Friday) and a response is due by the third day of each unit (Wednesday or Saturday). Students will be divided into four Groups (A-D) and each group will be assigned a specific task, question or response for that week’s discussion forum. Instructions will be given each week. Your posts will be graded for accuracy of information, thoroughness of information, readability, and being on time. No points will be earned for late posts. Remember that “late” = one second after the posted time!
Quizzes (11 units, 10 points per quiz = 110 points)
Each unit will be followed by an online quiz, to be taken on the course HuskyCT site. Quizzes are due on the third day of each unit at 11:59pm. You will have 2 attempts to take each quiz, and each attempt will time-out one hour after you begin the quiz. All due dates for the quizzes are posted, and there will be no make-ups or late quizzes accepted. Remember that “late” = one second after the posted time!
Design Your Animal Blog (100 points)
Each student will design a type of animal and choose an environment/climate in which that animal lives. Four times during the semester, you will post to your DYA blog on HuskyCT. Your post will describe general physiology and adaptations that your animal might make based on the information you learned in the preceding units. Your blog posts will be guided by questions asked during each unit.
Muscle Physiology Assignment (50 points)
During the last unit students will complete a written critical thinking assignment on specific topics in muscle physiology. You will use your text-book to guide you through this assignment. Content on the Unit11 quiz and final exam will be derived from this assignment.
Grading Scale:
Your final grade will be based on the number of points you earn during the semester, according to the following point scale. Each letter grade corresponds to a minimum number of points earned out of 1000 points. You will have the opportunity to earn additional bonus points during the semester, but the maximum number of points you can earn is 1000. Because bonus points are available, there will be absolutely no rounding up of grades. For example, 919.99999999 points does not meet the minimum requirement of 900 points for an A.
Minimum Points / Letter Grade / Minimum Points / Letter Grade / MinimumPoints / Letter Grade / Minimum Points / Letter Grade
>920 / A / 870 / B+ / 770 / C+ / 670 / D+
900 / A- / 820 / B / 720 / C / 620 / D
800 / B- / 700 / C- / 600 / D-
<600 / F
Due Dates and Late Policy
All course due dates are identified in the syllabus. Deadlines are based on Eastern Daylight Savings Time; if you are in a different time zone, please adjust your submittal times accordingly. The instructor reserves the right to change dates accordingly as the semester progresses. All changes will be communicated in an appropriate manner. Remember that “late” = one second after the posted time!
Feedback and Grades
We will make every effort to provide feedback and grades within 48 hours after an assignment is due. To keep track of your performance in the course, refer to My Grades in HuskyCT.
ProctorU Exam Proctoring
Exams will be administered through ProctorU Web-proctoring service. Further information about ProctorU can be found here: In summary, for each exam, you will log on to the ProctorU web site, and be connected to a proctor who will verify your identity, and observe you and your computer screen as you take your exam.
- Go to to register for your exams. You must register for an exam time by 3 days before the exam. If you miss this deadline, you will be charged $5.00 for a non-scheduled exam. If you wait until an hour before you take your exam, you will be charge $8.75 for a rush exam.
The exam dates are June 18 (Exam 1) and July 10 (Exam 2). You can take the exam at any time during that 24 hour period of midnight-11:59pm. The exam must be started and completed in this 24 hour time frame. Exams submitted after 11:59:00 pm will receive a grade of zero. Remember that “late” = one second after the posted time!
- The proctor will verify your ID, so please have your UCONN ID, driver’s license, or passport. The proctor will also verify your ID with a 4- question multiple choice identity-check quiz on information gathered from the public records. You have to get 2/4 questions correct on this quiz to take the exam.
- Test your equipment well before your exam date, so that you can trouble-shoot if necessary.
- Technical requirements include:
- High speed internet access (any browser)
- NOTE! Using your mobile device (e.g. phone) as a wireless hot spot is NOT SUPPORTED due to inconsistent bandwidth.
- Otherwise, any high speed internet connection is allowed as long as it meets minimum download and upload speed requirements. Check out your connection using the helpdesk url given above.
- Web-cam, Audio and Microphone
- Other things you will need:
- Identification (UCONN ID, driver’s license, passport)
- Reflective surface (blacked-out cell phone or table, CD, mirror)
- Please read the ProctorU handout carefully and thoroughly and contact your instructor or ProctorU help with any questions. DO NOT wait until the day of the exam to familiarize yourself with this technology!
Student Responsibilities and Resources
As a member of the University of Connecticut student community, you are held to certain standards and academic policies. In addition, there are numerous resources available to help you succeed in your academic work. This section provides a brief overview to important standards, policies and resources.
Student Code
You are responsible for acting in accordance with the University of Connecticut's Student Code Review and become familiar with these expectations. In particular, make sure you have read the section that applies to you on Academic Integrity:
● Academic Integrity in Undergraduate Education and Research
● Academic Integrity in Graduate Education and Research
Cheating and plagiarism are taken very seriously at the University of Connecticut. As a student, it is your responsibility to avoid plagiarism. If you need more information about the subject of plagiarism, use the following resources:
● Plagiarism: How to Recognize it and How to Avoid It
● Instructional Module about Plagiarism
● University of Connecticut Libraries’ Student Instruction (includes research, citing and writing resources)
Copyright
Copyrighted materials within the course are only for the use of students enrolled in the course for purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.
Netiquette and Communication
At all times, course communication with fellow students and the instructor are to be professional and courteous. It is expected that you proofread all your written communication, including discussion posts, assignment submissions, and mail messages. If you are new to online learning or need a netiquette refresher, please look at this guide titled, The Core Rules of Netiquette.
Adding or Dropping a Course
If you should decide to add or drop a course, there are official procedures to follow:
● Matriculated students should add or drop a course through Peoplesoft.
● Non-degree students should refer to Non-Degree Add/Drop Information located on the registrar’s website.
You must officially drop a course to avoid receiving an "F" on your permanent transcript. Simply discontinuing class or informing the instructor you want to drop does not constitute an official drop of the course. For more information, refer to the:
● Undergraduate Catalog
● Graduate Catalog
Academic Calendar
The University's Academic Calendar contains important semester dates.
Academic Support Resources
Technology and Academic Help provides a guide to technical and academic assistance.
Students with Disabilities
Students needing special accommodations should work with the University's Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD). You may contact CSD by calling (860) 486-2020 or by emailing . If your request for accommodation is approved, CSD will send an accommodation letter directly to your instructor(s) so that special arrangements can be made. (Note: Student requests for accommodation must be filed each semester.)
Blackboard measures and evaluates accessibility using two sets of standards: the WCAG 2.0 standards issued by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act issued in the United States federal government.” (Retrieved March 24, 2013 from
Software Requirements and Technical Help
● Word processing software
● PowerPoint
● Adobe Acrobat Reader
● Internet access (Cannot use hot spot for Proctor U Exams)
● Web Cam
This course is completely facilitated online using the learning management platform, HuskyCT. If you have difficulty accessing HuskyCT, online students have access to the in person/live person support options available during regular business hours in the Digital Learning Center (www.dlc.uconn.edu). Students also have 24x7 access to live chat, phone and support documents through www.ecampus24x7.uconn.edu.
Minimum Technical Skills
To be successful in this course, you will need the following technical skills:
● Use electronic mail with attachments.
● Save files in commonly used word processing program formats.
● Copy and paste text, graphics or hyperlinks.
● Work within two or more browser windows simultaneously.
● Open and access PDF files.
(add additional skills as needed)
University students are expected to demonstrate competency in Computer Technology. Explore the Computer Technology Competencies page for more information.
Evaluation of the Course
Students will be provided an opportunity to evaluate instruction in this course using the University's standard procedures, which are administered by the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness (OIRE).