Bio 93, DNA to Organisms Summer 2010 Class Meeting Information This course meets online from June 21, 2010 to July 28, 2010 th th Onsite proctored exams: July 8 , 7-9 pm and July 28 , 7-9 pm Instructor Information Name: Dr. Diane O’Dowd Email:
[email protected] Websites: Research URL: http://www.healthaffairs.uci.edu/anatomy/odowd.html Teaching URL: http://www.researchandteaching.bio.uci.edu Prerequisites None Course Sequencing This course is the first in the series of 5 core classes (Bio 93, 94, 97, 98, 99) required for all UC Irvine Biology Majors Course Description This course is 5 weeks long and will cover all of the material normally taught in Bio 93 during the 10 week fall quarter of the academic year. By the end of this class you should be able to explain basic concepts in cellular and molecular biology using correct terminology. What you learn in this class both in terms of content, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills will form the foundation on which all of your subsequent biology core courses will build. To maximize the strength and breadth of your foundation you need to commit to staying on top of the material including doing all of the readings, activities and quizzes, and participating in online discussions. We estimate this will require ~20 hrs/week. Course Objectives After completing this course, students should be able to: • Explain basic concepts in cellular and molecular biology using correct terminology • Construct and critique logical arguments associated with biological concepts • Accurately describe what you observe • Solve problems while learning • Work effectively with others Course Format • •
8 Units in the course corresponding to different areas in biology 3-6 Lessons/Unit: Each lesson looks like this on the online course management system:
Introduction and learning goals
First topic in lesson, with introduction Reading and activities for this topic
Second topic in lesson Reading and activities for the second topic Summary and comprehension questions to practice
Lesson Quiz
The reading will explain the biological information you need to understand, but the material we believe is MOST IMPORTANT is in the activities. The exam material is drawn from concepts in the activities rather than from the other details in the reading. Because it would require too much grading time to collect each activity, we will only be collecting ONE for each lesson. But we highly recommend you complete all activities in order to do well in the course.
Course Text and Required Resources th 1. Biology with MasteringBiology (8 Edition), Campbell and Reece. Benjamin Cummings, ISBN 0321-54325-4. • The Biology 93 Custom Edition of this text is available in UC Irvine bookstore. This contains the chapters necessary for the class from the full text and is about half price of new full text. • While a used textbook is cheaper, you will not have access to the online activities that may be helpful during the course. A new book is not essential but may be helpful. 2. 3-ring binder (or spiral notebook)
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You are required to complete several hand-written activities for each lesson. I recommend a 3 ring binder so you can printout worksheets, complete assignments and keep them organized in Lesson order. This will be handy for studying, reference, etc. and will help keep you organized. 3. A camera or scanner • You will be uploading images of some assignments to verify completion 4. An up-to-date computer and broadband internet access • Linux, Windows or Mac operating system • Be able to view flash, quicktime and other online animations • Be able to access YouTube and other websites • Manage usernames and passwords for several activity sites • Be able to check your regular and UCI email accounts daily • Be able to print some assignments • Be able to manipulate images and standard text files (edit, upload, etc.)
Evaluation and Grading In this course, you will be evaluated in the following way: Class Element Lesson Quizzes Forums and assignments Course Quiz #1 Course Quiz #2 Midterm Exam Final Exam Evaluation & Survey
Scoring 0.1 pt / question 1 pt each 0.5 pt / question 0.5 pt / question 50 pts 100 pts 1 pt each Total =
Total Points Possible 14 24 5 5 50 100 2 200
Percent of Total Grade 7% 12% 2.5% 2.5% 25% 50% 1% 100%
The total number of points possible for quizzes and assignments may change slightly during the course.
Assessments: •
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Lesson Quizzes: Lesson quizzes are an assessment of how well you understand the topics of the lesson. You will earn 0.1 points for each question answered correctly. If you do not answer most of the questions correctly, you should return to the course material and determine how to improve your understanding before the midterm or final. Required Activities: there are many activities, such as forums and worksheets, provided for each lesson. You should complete as many of these activities as you need in order to learn the material. Generally only one activity per lesson will be “required” to be turned in. These will usually be uploaded as a photograph and graded for timely completion, rather than accuracy. Course Quizzes: Course quizzes are lower-stakes mini-midterms that you complete online. The questions are at a difficulty level comparable to those of the midterm and final. If you feel you have fully studied for these course quizzes and perform poorly, it is an additional indication you need to modify your study techniques. Midterm and Final Exams: These exams are summative and are meant to assess your final understanding of course material. The final exam is cumulative, so you should look at your graded midterm exam and determine what concepts you do not fully understand. Together, these two exams represent 75% of your total course grade. These exams MUST be taken in person at UCI on the dates below. If you cannot take the exams under these proctored conditions at UCI, you must th th not enroll in this course. Midterm: Thursday July 8 , 7-9 pm. Final: Wed July 28 , 7-9 pm. Course Quiz and Exam dates and times: Posted at the top of the course web page.
Grading Scale A = 90% – 100% B = 80% – 89% C = 70% – 79% D = 60% – 69% Types of Communication In an online course, the majority of our communication takes place in the course forums. I will also be holding a webinar 1-2 times/week. The dates and times will be posted on the course site. The webinars will serve as virtual office hours. I will go over activities that have been completed from previous lessons and will answer any questions. If we have a need for communication that is private, whether personal, interpersonal, or professional, we will use individual email or telephone. Netiquette In an online classroom, our primary means of communication is written. The written language has many advantages: more opportunity for reasoned thought, more ability to go in-depth, and more time to think through an issue before posting a comment. However, written communication also has certain disadvantages, such a lack of the face-to-face signaling that occurs through body language, intonation, pausing, facial expressions, and gestures. As a result, please be aware of the possibility of miscommunication and compose your comments in a positive, supportive, and constructive manner. Emailing Dr. O’Dowd If you feel it is necessary to contact Dr. O’Dowd by email, please follow these guidelines: • Can your question be answered by the syllabus or the textbook? Look there first. • Use your UCI email, not your personal Yahoo or Gmail account • Begin your email “Dear Dr. O’Dowd” or “Dear Professor O’Dowd.” Do not use “Hey” or “Hi there” or “Dear Mrs. O’Dowd,” as these salutations are not considered professional. • Type “Online Bio93” and the subject of your email (like “missing homework”) in the subject line • Use complete sentences and correct punctuation and grammar in the body of your email • Sign your email with your full name and your student ID number Faculty expectation of students Be responsible for your learning • Complete the readings • Do as many of the activities as you need to do to understand the material • Complete activities and quizzes by yourself and without unapproved resources Faculty commitment to students Be professional with my students • Post all assignments accurately and on time • Be available for student contact as promised • Provide accurate and helpful feedback when promised • Grade all assignments promptly, fairly, and accurately
Code of Conduct All participants in the course are bound by the University of California Code of Conduct, found at http://www.ucop.edu/ucophome/coordrev/ucpolicies/aos/uc100.html.