The following template is intended to serve as a guide to you as you prepare your class syllabus in accordance with St. Petersburg College policies and Quality Matters (QM) standards. The following template includes the components required in course syllabi, a few additional suggestions, and questions for you to consider as you prepare for your course(s). Required portions appear in bold letters for which you must use the exact language. Instructors may vary the wording for other non-bold areas although the bolded general topic area is required. You may add other information but this template includes all required basics. If an item is listed as an option or an additional resource it is not required that you use it, although it may reflect common student concerns/issues that often arise.
To Edit this Syllabus:
1. Go to the Course Content area of your course and click the BEGIN HERE module on the left.
2. In the list of topics, next to the Syllabus topic, click the context menu (dropdown arrow), and select Edit HTML.
3. Make the necessary changes to the file, including deletion of this informational text intended only for faculty, and click the blue Update button at the bottom to save your changes.
* Your changes to the HTML file in the BEGIN HERE module are automatically shown in the Syllabus module, since they both contain the same file.
Introduction to Biology
BSC 1005C, Section # 4237
Online Instruction
Enter semester code (510): Enter semester and year (Spring 2016)
View the Syllabus Addendum, which provides the most current version of fluid information, such as the academic calendar.
Biology is an exciting and ever-changing field. Both amateurs and professionals frequently make new discoveries that contribute to our understanding of living organisms and the biological processes occurring on earth. In this course, we will investigate the cellular structure of living organisms, the molecular basis of inheritance, mechanisms of evolution, the diversity of living organisms on earth, discuss how these organisms adapt to their environments, and explore how ecosystems function. Most importantly, I want you to learn lifelong skills that will help you in understanding the role of biology in your life. These skills include critical thinking, interpersonal relationships, an understanding of how living organisms function, an appreciation for biodiversity, and knowledge of the dynamics of ecosystems. I promise to present biology in an exploratory context, and hope that you will become as excited about biology as I am.
I know that many of you have been out of high school for a number of years, never took science courses in high school (or did not pay too much attention), and have been told by other people that science is supposed to be hard and no fun, and thus you are coming into this course with preconceived notions that the course will be too hard, you won’t do well, and it won’t be any fun for you. However, past students (just like you) have repeatedly told me while this is not a course that is “a piece of cake” (this is college, after all) and they had to work hard to master the course material, that the material was not beyond their comprehension and that the course was fun and do-able. Be forewarned, though, that this is a college-level course, and to do well in the course, you must be able to read and write at a college level. If your placement test scores indicated that you need Preparatory English courses, I would strongly encourage you to postpone taking this course. If you can’t read the textbook, your grades will suffer, and you would be better off getting the proper background before attempting to take this course.
Name: Dr. Warren Hunnicutt
Email: Hunnicutt.warren@spcollege.edu
Phone: (727) 744-8688
Office and Online Chat Hours: No Office hours; Online Chat hours TBA
Office Location: N/A
Instructor Web Page: http://webapps.spcollege.edu/instructors/id/hunnicutt.warren
Name: Dr. John Chapin
Office Location: Seminole Campus, UP 337
Office Phone Number: 727-394-6995
Email: chapin.john@spcollege.edu
Name: Dr. Amanda Gilleland
Office Location: Seminole Campus
Office Phone Number: (727) 394-6024
Email: gilleland.amanda@spcollege.edu
URL: http://webapps.spcollege.edu/instructors/id/gilleland.amanda
Course Description: This course introduces the essential principles relevant to the biological sciences through combined lecture and laboratory activities. Contemporary issues are applied to topics in biology and include the process of science, evolutionary theory, organisms and ecology, cell structure and function, basic biological chemistry, diversity of life, and genetic mechanisms. The course has 7 modules with dated assignments in each section. The dates of the opening and closing of each module/section are listed in the course schedule.
Course Goals: Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 70% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through online measures developed by individual course instructors.
Course Objectives:
1. The student will demonstrate their understanding of the process of science by:
a. explaining the terms and premises involved in solving problems scientifically, scientific research, and peer review.
b. identifying an observation of interest, developing a hypothesis and designing an experiment to test it.
c. discussing scientific contemporary issues using essential science skills including, but not limited to, critical thinking, efficient written and/or oral communication, and the ability to identify reliable scientific information.
2. The student will be able to explain the diversity of life and identify the general characteristics of each of the major life groups by:
a. naming characteristics of major biological taxonomic categories.
b. comparing major taxonomic categories, distinguishing similarities and differences among them.
c. identifying live and/or preserved specimens belonging to each of the major taxonomic groups.
3. The student will describe the underlying organization of nature, including the basic structure, function and homeostatic integration in select biological organisms by:
a. recognizing levels of complexity in nature.
b. identifying major cellular structures and their functions.
c. describing the processes of cell division and its role in the life cycle of organisms.
d. describing how organisms obtain and process energy, with special emphasis on photosynthesis and aerobic cellular respiration.
e. describing how organ systems function in order to provide homeostasis.
f. performing dissection of selected organisms to identify major structural components relevant to their function and maintenance of homeostasis.
4. The student will explain the conceptual basis of evolutionary theory by:
a. applying the principles of evolutionary theory to the understanding of changes in abundance and kinds of life with time.
b. describing different mechanisms of evolution such as natural selection, genetic drift, and gene flow.
c. describing the importance of mutation in producing variation.
d. explaining the evidence of evolutionary change.
5. The student will describe the basic concepts and application of genetics by:
a. differentiating among chromosomes, genes, alleles, genotype and phenotype.
b. solving genetics problems involving complete dominance, incomplete dominance, sex-linked traits, multiple alleles, multiple genes and simple pedigrees.
c. describing the role of meiosis in heredity.
d. describing technology that arises from our understanding of genetics and explaining its uses and implications.
6. The student will demonstrate their understanding of basic ecological principles by:
a. explaining the flow of energy through ecosystems with respect to the laws of thermodynamics governing flow through successive trophic levels.
b. analyzing biotic and abiotic factors in ecosystems.
c. explaining community ecology and interactions among populations.
d. describing population dynamics, human population growth and topics in sustainability.
7. The student will demonstrate the use of basic scientific equipment and techniques by:
a. using a microscope to observe cellular structures and other specimens as well as identifying the parts of the microscope.
b. using various types of scientific equipment to collect specimens or conduct scientific experiments.
c. applying the knowledge of use of the equipment to real world scenarios.
Prerequisites: ENC 1101 or equivalent with a minimum grade of C
Availability of Course Content: All assignments have posted due dates, and students may not work ahead or make up past due assignments unless a valid reason for missing the class work has been submitted to the instructor. The course will open on the first day of class, and close on the completion of the final exam, when grades will then be posted to MySPC
Other Critical Course Expectations: This course has a proctored midterm exam and final exam. Please make the appropriate arrangements through the link below.
View the Proctored Testing Information site
Required Textbook: Discover Biology. 6th edition. 2015. Singh-Cundy, Cain and Dusheck. WW. Norton & Company.
ISBN: 9780393936728
Recommended Text or Other Reading Material:
Discover Biology website assignments are not mandatory; however have helpful resources for studying for quizzes and exams.
StudySpace is free to students and included flash cards to quiz yourself on chapter materials.
View the college bookstore site
View the college librararies site
View the Disability Resources site
View the Academic Support Services site
View the On-Campus Support site
View the Student Services and Resources site
Course Dates: Feb. 08 - May 06, 2016
Drop Date: Feb. 12, 2016
Withdrawal Date: Apr. 03, 2016
View the college-wide attendance policy included in the Syllabus Addendum.
The policy notes that each instructor is to exercise professional judgment and define “active participation” in class (and therefore “attendance”), and publish that definition in each syllabus.
For this class, attendance is defined as: daily log-ins Monday through Thursday, and all work complete/submitted within the posted time frame. Any missed assignment may potentially be a condition for being dropped from the class. Missing an exam will guarantee you being dropped. An absence is considered excused when documented and verified by the instructor. Since this course is available online, you can participate from any location with internet access. In addition, have a backup plan-a place to go this has access to a computer in case your computer fails to function. Not having a computer/having a broken computer is no excuse for missing assignments.
This class uses a point system, and your grade is based on the number of points earned divided by the total points available. Each category holds a certain value towards your overall grade.
Here is the breakdown of all grade categories:
|
Exams-200 pts ea.-2 |
50%-400 points-Proctored |
|
Quizzes-20 pts ea.-18 |
20%- 280 points (lowest dropped) |
|
Graded Online Activities-20 pts ea.-32 |
30% -640 points |
Grading Scale:
|
Letter Grade |
Percentage |
Points |
|
A |
90-100 |
1188-1320 |
|
B |
80-89 |
1056-1187 |
|
C |
70-79 |
924-1055 |
|
D |
60-69 |
792-923 |
|
F |
>60 |
>792 |
Rubrics have been provided for written assignments to help understand grading. Most written assignments are graded within 48-72 hours excluding weekends and holidays.
Student expectations of the instructor:
Instructor’s Expectations of Students
REQUIRED INTERACTION
You are required to check D2L on a daily basis Monday through Thursday, and are responsible for all due dates, assignment modifications, and class general information. Updates occur almost daily, so that is your expected participation level. Tests and assignments can be due on weekends, and holidays-but it is generally avoided.
PARTICIPATION AND CONDUCT
View the Online Student Participation and Conduct Guidelines in the Syllabus Addendum
View the Academic Honesty statement
SPC has outlined expectations for student behavior and interaction for online discussions, email, and other forms of communication. View the Netiquette expectations in the Syllabus Addendum.
The instructor of this course may require use of Turnitin.com as a tool to promote learning. The tool flags similarity and mechanical issues in written work that merit review. Use of the service enables students and faculty to identify areas that can be strengthened through improved paraphrasing, integration of sources, or proper citation. Submitted papers remain as source documents in the Turnitin database solely for the purpose of detecting originality. Students retain full copyright to their works. Review the Turnitin Usage Agreement. Students who do not wish to submit work through Turnitin must notify their instructor via course email within the first seven days of the course. In lieu of Turnitin use, faculty may require a student to submit copies of sources, preliminary drafts, a research journal, or an annotated bibliography.
The Student Survey of Instruction is administered in courses each semester. It is designed to improve the quality of instruction at St. Petersburg College. All student responses are confidential and anonymous and will be used solely for the purpose of performance improvement.
View the MyCourses Minimum Technology Requirements
Students should know how to navigate the course and use the course tools. Dropbox-style assignments may require attachments in either Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) or Rich Text Format (.rtf), so that they can be properly evaluated. If an attachment cannot be opened by the instructor, students will be required to re-format and re-submit an assignment so that it can be evaluated and returned with feedback.
Minimum Technical Skills: Specify the minimum technical skills expected of the learner: general and course-specific learners must have to succeed in the course.
MyCourses tutorials are available to students new to this LMS and are located at the beginning of the course. Most features on MyCourses are accessible on mobile devices, although it is recommended that you use a computer for quizzes, tests, and essay assignments.
ACCESSIBILITY OF TECHNOLOGY
View the MyCourses (Brightspace by Desire2Learn) Accessibility Statement
PRIVACY
View the MyCourses (Brightspace by Desire2Learn) Privacy Statement
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Technical support is available via the St. Petersburg College Technical Support Help Desk
Much has been written about the characteristics that make some learners successful. The list below represents a compilation of the most common features of successful online learners and some of the best practices that can lead to success.
The successful online learner should:
1. Possess self-motivation and self-disciplined study habits. Since the online environment lacks much of the structure present in the face-to-face classroom, you must exercise real commitment when adhering to deadlines. In an online course you will need to:
a. Log in regularly - usually several time per week
b. Plan to spend 10-12 hours per week on each 4-credit course
c. Be prepared to interact in large or small group written "discussions" with other students
d. Be able to complete individual or group projects and submit electronic files
e. Ask for help if technical or academic problems arise
2. Be proficient with time management: students often decide to take online courses because they do not have the time to attend class in person. But to be successful online, you must carve out time from family and work commitments to spend on your online coursework.
3. Meet the technical and computer skill requirements below:
a. Have access to a reliable, internet-connected computer with an operating system that supports standard web browsers and word processing applications.
b. The ability to download plugins and media readers that may be necessary to access some course content.
c. Students with disabilities need to have access to ay assistive technologies needed to navigate and read web content. The SPC Disability Resource Center can help you determine what tools you need to study online.
4. Be able to communicate through writing: Moving from the face-to-face classroom to the online environment involves a transition from the spoken to the written word. Many online courses also require a great deal of reading in the course site. You should also:
a. Have good research skills and understand basic web navigation and search strategies.
b. Be able to work collaboratively, even when communication is via email or course discussion boards. You may not meet your fellow students in person or in a "synchronous" conversation, but online learning requires good social skills and "netiquette".
Student Online Assessment
The following is a survey you will take online in the course. It is useful as a way to evaluate your abilities as an online student. I am giving it to you now as a way to prepare yourself for the questions when they are asked. You should demonstrate a strong response to the questions asked to show that you are prepared to put forth the effort required to do well in an online course, as well as assessing your skills to use the LMS-D2L. I will be looking at all responses to see how you do and to let those that do not score well find possible ways to remediate deficits in skills or to recommend that this course be taken face to face. You are not required to do so, but a good score on this would be predictive of doing well in an online class.
Self-assessment
Below is a useful checklist of questions and a key to evaluating your self-assessment. Remember that this is not a definitive assessment: it can also be a guide to help you work on the skills you need as an online learner.
Scale: 1. Strongly Disagree; 2. Disagree; 3. Neutral; 4. Agree; 5. Strongly Agree
1. I prefer to take control of my own learning.
2. Most people consider me a self-motivated person.3. I do not have a problem completing tasks without feedback or input.
4. I am self-confident about my skills as a learner.
5. I enjoy solving problems.
6. I enjoy the learning process.
7. I am the kind of student who can figure out what needs to be done from the directions that are given and will seek help when I do not understand the directions.
8. I can be self-motivated and self-starting.
9. I can easily set goals and objectives for my learning tasks.
10. I enjoy reflecting on meaningful learning experiences.
11. I can function as a learner without face-to-fact contact with the professor even thought it may not be my preferred mode of learning.
12. I believe that the experiences adults bring to the classroom are valuable for learning.
13. I manage my time well.
14. I believe that the professor is a facilitator for learning.
15. I am comfortable with computer technology.
16. I am aware of my preferred style of learning but can easily adapt to other ways.
17. I know what it takes to get tasks completed.
18. I am not easily discouraged when technology gets in the way of learning.
19. I have an above-average facility for navigating the Internet.
20. In most learning situations I enjoy challenging requirements.
Total the values you used to rate yourself. The highest number you can get is 100. The higher your score, the more likely your success in self-directed learning opportunities like online courses. The evaluation summaries below may help you in determining your readiness for taking an online course:
100 - 75: You should be well suited for taking courses online. You are self-aware and should easily navigate courses taken at a distance.
74 - 55: You should do fairly well in taking courses online. Establishing goals and setting timelines will be necessary for you.
54 - 25: You may be more suited to hybrid (partially online) learning prior to taking a fully online course.
24 and below: You would benefit by taking some further assessments of your learning prior to taking an online class.