BSC1005: Life in its Biological Environmentweb.fscj.edu/Daudi.Langat/Syllabus424969.docx · Web...

BSC1005: Life in its Biological EnvironmentWelcome!

Welcome and thank you for enrolling in this course! I think you will enjoy our time together! For some, this may be your first online course. If you are not a computer whiz, don’t worry. You don’t need to be. From a computer standpoint, everything is simple to use and easy to navigate. Please take a few minutes to read the syllabus in its entirety. Exploring all the topics in this syllabus and related links will help you succeed in this course.I am looking forward to working with you and having a great semester! Professor Daudi Langat

BSC1005: Life in its Biological Environment

Professor Information

Professor: Daudi K. Langat, PhDVirtual Office Hours: Thursday, 8:00 – 10:00 pm ETVirtual Contact Methods Yahoo Instant Messenger (ID is [email protected])

GoogleChatOffice Location VirtualOffice Phone: 1-415-952-6428Email: [email protected]

Instructor Response

You can anticipate responses to inquiries and questions within 24 - 48 hours of receipt.

Campus Information

This online course is offered by the Florida State College at Jacksonville Open Campus. For questions or concerns, please feel free to call the Campus Resource Center (904-997-2628). For technical assistance, please contact the Help Desk at 877-572-8895 or (904) 632-3151 or via http://www.fscj.edu/campus-life/student-computing-resources/ .

Course Description

This course is an introduction to biological structure, processes, principles and concepts. This course fulfills the General Education Requirement.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:

Explain and apply major concepts in biology. Demonstrate knowledge of the scientific method. Communicate scientific ideas through oral or written assignments. Interpret scientific models such as formulas, graphs and tables. Demonstrate problem-solving methods in situations that are encountered outside of the

classroom.

Course Information

Course Number/Title: BSC1005: Life in its Biological EnvironmentReference Number: #424969Number of Credit Hours: 3Term/Year/Session/Length: Fall 2015, Session A8 (Aug 24 – Oct 18, 2015)Course prerequisites: NoneCourse co-requisites: None

Important Dates

Class Begins Monday, August 24, 2015

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.fscj.edu/campus-life/student-computing-resources/


100% Refund Deadline Monday, August 31, 2015Non-Attendance Drop September 1 through September 8, 2015Withdraw with “W” Deadline Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Course Evaluation October 5 – 18, 2015Class Ends Sunday, October 18, 2015

These dates are critical for this course. Additional critical dates for this course can be found by choosing the appropriate term links in the Academic and Registration Calendars (http://www.fscj.edu/academics/academic-calendar) at the Florida State College at Jacksonville website.

Instructional Materials and Equipment

If you have not done so already, obtain your textbook and related course materials. Visit your nearest campus bookstore or order online via the student portal, Connections ( https://connections.fscj.edu/web/guest/home ) , or the Follett Online Bookstore ( http://www.bkstr.com ) . Be sure to order using your course and instructor’s name and the six-digit course reference number. Please note that some courses may require a text plus additional software or a publisher Web access code. If purchasing a used text, be sure to check on and obtain all required materials.Required Text/Materials

Biology: A Guide to the Natural World, 5th edition with MasteringBiology accessDavid KroghBenjamin Cummings Publishing

Purchase options (choose ONE):Text with Mastering Biology: ISBN: 9780321943644

Electronic Text with Mastering Biology: 9780321696625

Online Delivery System

This course will be delivered using the Blackboard Learn™ course management system.


Blackboard™ Supported Browsers for Blackboard Version 9.1 SP13

View Blackboard’s Supported Browsers and Operating Systems (http://blackboard.force.com/publickbarticleview?id=kAB700000008Oom) to see if your browser and operating system are compatible. Please note the following when reviewing the Blackboard compatibility ratings.

Certified: 100% CompatibleCompatible: Compatible in most areas, but could have some incompatibility issuesUnsupported: Not tested and not recommended

Technology Requirements

Reliable and consistent computer and Internet access is encouraged to successfully participate in and complete online courses. Ensure that your computer meets the minimum system requirements noted below and on the Florida State College at Jacksonville Online Learning site (http://www.fscj.edu/academics/online-learning). Please use the following checklist to determine your computer readiness.You should own or have access to:

An email account Computer with high speed access to the Internet Access to College computers when needed Virus-checking software Word-processing software Software and plug-Ins that may include (choose the titles for the free downloads)

o Adobe Acrobat Reader ( http://get.adobe.com/reader/ ) o Flash Player (http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/)o Java (http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp)o Shockwave Player (http://get.adobe.com/shockwave/)o VLC (http://www.videolan.org/)

It is a good idea to check your computer at the beginning of each course and a couple of times throughout the term to ensure you have all the necessary software and plug-ins to use the Blackboard online system and course features. After logging in to Blackboard, choose the Browser Checker link. Review the results and choose the links to the recommended software.Please note that you will need to turn off your pop-up blocker to use all features of this online course.

Accessibility

If you require specific accommodations to complete this course, contact the Florida State College at Jacksonville Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (http://www.fscj.edu/admissions-aid/services-for-students-with-disabilities), located at 101 W State St, Room A1020, Jacksonville, FL 32202 with additional offices at Kent, North, and South campuses. You may reach the main OSSD office at (904) 633-8488.


Your Course Participation and Assessments

Learning Communities

Students learn through interactions with each other, with their instructor, and with the course material. A major goal of this course is to encourage you to build learning communities within the course. This course has special forums to aid in building our learning community. We will use the discussion area to meet each other and share our thoughts and concerns.

The “Questions for the Professor” discussion forum is used for general questions about course content, navigation, or flow. Please do not ask personal or specific grade-related questions in this forum, send individual communication instead.

The “Cyber Café” is available to discuss items of interest to you and your classmates. Please remember that in all discussion forums, you must follow all netiquette rules and guidelines.Assigned Work

In each module, you may have individual and/or team activities to complete. Detailed information, instructions, and rubrics for each assignment can be found below and in the module folders of the online classroom.

To see all the assignments due in this course, refer to the Calendar of Activities below. Be sure to check the Calendar of Activities carefully for due dates on all assigned work. Some weeks may require completion of more than one module.Original Writing, Style, and Sources

Written assignments must adhere to APA style guidelines. Writing style resources are available in the Tools and Resources folder within your Blackboard classroom.

Your written assignments should be original writing and include citations as described in the APA style guide. Turnitin® is an online tool that scans written assignments for signs of plagiarism and may be used to screen your assignment submissions. Please go to Turnitin® ( http://www.turnitin.com/en_us/products/overview ) for information about originality checks and reports, and to What is Plagiarism? (http://www.plagiarism.org/) for plagiarism prevention resources. Submission of plagiarized work will result in failure of the course.

Wikipedia is a tertiary (condensed) source of information and should not be used as a reference in your assignments and papers. It is, however, a good resource for finding primary and secondary sources that may be acceptable.Discussions

Greetings and Introductions

You will have a chance to introduce yourself to the class and meet your other classmates in Module 1. Participation in this discussion forum is worth 30 points toward your final grade.

Module Discussions


You will participate in 15 discussions. These discussions are worth 40 points for a total of 600 points toward your final grade. The links to the forums are located in the Course Content area.

The discussion board forums are an opportunity to have thoughtful discussions about a given topic. The questions raised will be general in nature and ask you to think deeply. In each discussion forum, you will be required to give a thoughtful and comprehensive response of at least five to eight sentences that are reflective and well-written, as well as respond to at least two other people (three response postings are required for an “exemplary score”). The discussion begins when other class members read what you wrote and respond.

Please note that you should complete all of the readings for the module prior to posting your discussion response. You are expected to post in correct sentence and paragraph format. Remember to check for correct spelling and grammar. Your initial posts are due by Wed. at 11:59pm on the week assigned to allow for interaction with classmates via “response postings” up to Sun. evening of the week assigned.

Class members are expected to contribute original thoughts as well as respond to classmates' posts. In order to assist you in assuring your work in consistent with the high academic standards expected in this course, it is required that you post each initial discussion post to Turnitin.com (via the link in the Module page) and attach your Originality Report to your post. If you do not do this, the highest achievement level you can receive for you initial post is "Novice" (D level). The best way to use the Originality Report is to upload a draft of your initial post and then use the Originality Report to improve it. Then upload the revised post to get a better score and submit that Originality Report with your post. Submission of plagiarized work will result in failure of the course.

In your responses, you will ask your classmates questions, expand on one of their ideas, ask for clarity on one of their points, and maybe even politely disagree and explain why. Please make an effort to move the conversation forward with your post. “That’s cool” or “Great post” are examples of poor response postings they do not move the conversation forward.

Discussions are graded using the Discussion Rubric included at the end of this syllabus and in the Blackboard classroom.MasteringBiology Assignments

You will complete 10 MasteringBiology assignments worth 10 points each. MasteringBiology assignments are worth up to a total of 100 points toward your final grade. These assessments will be graded for completeness only.Natural Science Assessment Artifacts

There are 3 science artifacts in this course (Modules 5, 13, and 15). Each assessment is worth 20 points toward your final grade. You will download the worksheet provided and fill it out according to the instructions in the module. Quizzes

There are 5 module quizzes in this course (Modules 9, 10, 11, 15, and 16). Each quiz consists of 20 multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, and true/false questions pulled from a larger pool of questions related to the chapter material. Each question is worth 0.5 points. Each quiz is worth 10 points toward your final grade.


You have 1 attempt and 25 minutes for each quiz. All quizzes will be presented one question at a time with NO backtracking.

PROCTORED Midterm Exam

In Module 8, you will take the PROCTORED Midterm Exam. This Exam consists of 80 questions worth 2 points pulled from a larger pool of questions related to Modules 1 through 8, inclusive. You will have 1 attempt and 2 hours to complete the Exam. This exam is a PROCTORED exam and MUST be taken at a College testing site (or through an approved online proctored exam service).

See the Proctored Test section on the Blackboard Tools and Resources page for more information on proctored exams, including how to schedule an appointment. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you schedule your midterm exam no later than the second week of the semester to assure a seat in the testing center.

Course Grade

Your final letter grade will be determined by totaling the points earned on all graded coursework.

ASSIGNED WORK POINTS GRADE POINTSDiscussions (1 @30 points; 15 @40 points) 630 A 900-1000MasteringBiology Assignments 100 B 800-899PROCTORED Midterm Exam 160 C 700-799Natural Science Assessment Artifacts (3 @20 points) 60 D 600-699

Module Quizzes (5 @10 points) 50 F 0-599Total Points 1000

FN Grade – Failure for Non-Attendance

A Failure for Non-Attendance (FN) grade indicates that a student has failed a course due to non-attendance. It is calculated as an “F” in the student’s grade point average. For students receiving financial aid, failure for non-attendance may require the student to refund to the College all or part of the aid received. The faculty member will assign the FN grade at any time following the final withdrawal date for the course. For additional information, please review the grading system and policies in the College catalog.

I Grade - Incomplete

Incomplete (I) grades may be awarded based on the criteria in the College catalog.

Repeating the Course

You may repeat a course in an attempt to improve a grade previously earned. However, you are limited in your attempts to courses where a “D,” “F,” or “FN” grade was earned. You have only


three total attempts in any course, including the original grade, repeat grades, and withdrawals. Upon the third attempt in a course, you must be given an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F”.

When you repeat a course at Florida State College, only the last grade earned is calculated in your cumulative grade point average (GPA). If you have an excessive number of “W” or “FN” grades and repeat courses to improve your GPA, you may jeopardize your admission to programs in the Florida State University System (SUS) or other institutions.

Calendar of Activities

The Calendar of Activities is a summary of the lessons and course activities for each module. See each specific Module page for directions on how to complete each assignment.

Dates Module / Topic

Readings & Resources

Assignments & Activities

Points Possibl

eDue Date

Week 1

August24 - 30

Module 1: The Building Blocks of Life

Read: Chapters 1 & 2 in the text (see Module 1 page for additional readings and resources)

Student Contract Required

Aug 30

Greetings & Introductions Discussion

30

Module 1 MasteringBiology Assignment

10

Module 1 Discussion: The Importance of pH 40

Module 2: Life's Components: Biological Macromolecules

Read: Chapter 3 in the text (see Module 2 page for additional readings and resources)


10

Week 2

Aug 31-

Sept 6

Module 3: The Cell



10Sept 14

Module 3 Discussion: Cell Specialization 40

Module 4: The Plasma Membrane

Read: Chapter 5 in the text (see Module 4 page


10


for additional readings and resources)

Module 4 Discussion: The Importance of the Plasma Membrane

40

Week 3

Sept7 - 13

Module 5: Fundamentals of Energy



10

Sept 13

Natural Science Assessment Artifact 1 20

Module 6: Cellular Respiration



10

Module 6 Discussion: The Theory of Endosymbiosis

40

Week 4

Sept14 - 20

Module 7: Photosynthesis



10

Sept 20

Module 7 Discussion: Guard Cells 40

Module 8: The Cell Cycle, Mitosis, and Meiosis



10

Module 8 Discussion: Chromosome Number Abnormalities

40

PROCTORED Midterm Exam 160

Week 5

Sept21 - 27

Module 9: DNA Replication and Gene Expression



10 Sept 27

Module 9 Discussion: Mutations 40

Module 9 Quiz 10

Module 10: Genetics

Read: Chapters 11 & 12 in the text (see Module 10 page for additional


10

Module 10 Discussion: Scanning Genomes for

40


readings and resources)

Disease Markers

Module 10 Quiz 10

Week 6

Sept 28-

Oct 4

Module 11: Biotechnology


Module 11 Discussion: Biotechnology and You

40

Oct 4

Module 11 Quiz 10

Module 12: Diversity of Life I


Module 12 Discussion: Viruses, Protists, and Fungi

40

Week 7

Oct5 - 11

Module 13: Diversity of Life II

Resource: Chapters 23 & 24 in the text (see Module 13 page for additional readings and resources)

Module 13 Discussion: Plants and Animals 40

Oct 11


Module 14: Evolution

Resource: Chapters 16, 17, & 18 in the text (see Module 14 page for additional readings and resources)

Module 14 Discussion A: Polyploidy 40

Module 14 Discussion B: Diversity in Bacteria

40

Week 8

Oct12 - 18 Module 15:

Ecology

Read: Chapters 34 (Introduction ONLY) & 35 in the text (see Module 15 page for additional readings and resources)

Module 15 Discussion: Ecological Communities

40Oct 18


Module 15 Quiz 10

Module 16: Ecosystems and Biomes

Read: Chapter 36 (see Module 16 page for

Module 16 Discussion: Earth: The Owner's Manual

40


additional readings and resources)

Module 16 Quiz 10

Total Points Possible 1000

Special Note: The instructor reserves the right to modify this syllabus. You will be notified of any changes.

Course Guidelines/Policies

Academic Dishonesty Policy

Academic dishonesty, in any form, has severe consequences. Please review the Student Rights and Responsibilities (http://catalog.fscj.edu/content.php?catoid=31&navoid=3998#conduct) section of the College catalog.

Attendance Policy

Attendance is measured in this course by your weekly access to the online content and timely completion of required course activities. If you fail to sufficiently participate in the online course prior to the official refund deadline, you can be dropped for non-attendance. If the official withdrawal date has passed and you fail to sufficiently progress in the online course, you can be awarded a Failure for Non-Attendance (FN) grade.

Late/Make Up Work Policy

Lateness in completing assignments is strongly discouraged; all assignments must be completed on time. The “Week” runs from Monday morning (12:01 am) to Sunday night (11:59 pm ET). You must complete and submit all the work due by the end of each week. Late assignments and/or makeup work may be accepted under special circumstances. If you miss any assignments due to unavoidable or unexpected occurrences, please contact the instructor as soon as possible. Expectations of Student Conduct

The College’s Expectations of Student Conduct (http://catalog.fscj.edu/content.php?catoid=31&navoid=3998#conduct) extends to the online classroom. It is expected that each of you use appropriate, professional language and respect when addressing classmates, as well as your instructor, in any part of the online classroom. That same level of professional conduct should extend to all assignments submitted.

It is expected that you will not make insulting or inflammatory statements to other members of the class. Read the comments of other classmates thoroughly before entering your remarks and responses. Be positive, thoughtful, and constructive in your comments and responses.Recommendations for Success in this Course

Have a place where you can study and set aside an appropriate amount of time to do it. Generally, a 3-credit hour course requires a minimum of 12 hours of self-study time each week in addition to the time spent completing assignments.


Practice and repetition are the best way to ensure your mastery of the material. Communicate with your instructor to ask any important questions and to discuss

important concepts. Complete all reading assignments and view and review all chapter resources. Complete and review all online course activities.

College Resources

Florida State College at Jacksonville offers many resources to help you become successful in your course and academic career. A brief description of some of these resources follows and others are noted in the Tools and Resources folder of the Blackboard classroom.Academic Advising

Counselors and advisors are available to assist students with the achievement of their academic goals. Academic advising is available to help students identify appropriate courses, select majors, select transfer institutions and assist with academic problems. Students are encouraged to seek advising on a regular basis in order to achieve their educational objectives. Appointments may be scheduled through the Counseling and Advising Office ( http://www.fscj.edu/admissions-aid/counseling-advising ) . However, students should know that appointment times will be severely impacted during peak registration periods. For more information, visit the Florida State College at Jacksonville Advising page (http://www.fscj.edu/admissions-aid/counseling-advising/advising/).Technical Helpdesk

If you have any problems with Blackboard, viewing online content, email or Connections, visit the Florida State College at Jacksonville Help Desk (http://www.fscj.edu/campus-life/student-computing-resources). There you can contact the technical support team directly via live chat or visit the Self-Help Portal (http://helpdesk.fscj.edu/content/default.aspx). Campus support phone numbers are also included on this page.

Please remember that answers to questions about your course materials, tests, quizzes, or assignments can only be provided by your instructor.Library and Learning Commons

The Library/Learning Commons (LLC) (http://www.fscj.edu/campus-life/library-learning-commons) is an instructional area of the College designed to offer a variety of teaching, learning and research resources to students enrolled in courses at Florida State College at Jacksonville. LLC services include individual and small group tutoring; traditional and virtual library services and materials; subject-specific instruction including orientations; free workshops; study areas; and access to tutorials, computers, and multimedia technology.Tutorials/Online Demonstrations

To view demonstrations of common Blackboard and computer activities, go to On Demand Learning Center for Students (http://ondemand.blackboard.com/students.htm).

The Next Step

I hope you have found this syllabus useful. Your next step is to become familiar with the Blackboard classroom and begin the assignments for Module One.


See you in the online course!


Rubrics

Discussion Rubric

Levels of Achievement

Criteria Exemplary Meets Expectations

Developing Novice Not Acceptable

Quality of Initial Post

12 PointsInitial comment fully addresses all aspects of the discussion board question. Comment includes more than 2 personal or professional experiences. Comment also includes at least two credible resources, cited properly within the work AND at the end of the work. Legitimate scientific resources can be in the form of website references. Ask your instructor if you have any questions on how to identify legitimate scientific resources. Demonstrates excellent critical thinking skills through multiple examples and ideas. Excellent discussion of course readings or other resources (if appropriate). Student has submitted their work through Turnitin and demonstrated an acceptable originality score.

10.5 Points

Initial comment addresses most aspects of the discussion board question. Comment includes 1-2 personal or professional experiences. Comment also includes one credible resource, cited properly within the work AND at the end of the work. Demonstrates adequate critical thinking through some examples and ideas. Good discussion of course readings or other resources (if appropriate). Student has submitted their work through Turnitin and demonstrated an acceptable originality score.

9.5 Points

Initial comment addresses part of the discussion board question or assigned readings. Comment includes minimal personal or professional experience. Comment also includes one credible resource, cited properly within the work OR at the end of the work. Demonstrates minimal critical thinking with minimal examples and ideas. Minimal discussion of course readings or other resources (if appropriate). Student has submitted their work through Turnitin and demonstrated an acceptable originality score.

8.5 Points

Initial comment minimally addresses discussion. Comment does not include personal or professional experience. Comment does not include any credible resources OR resources are not cited properly within the work OR at the end of the work. Does not demonstrate critical thinking. No discussion of course readings or other resources (if appropriate). Student has not submitted their work through Turnitin and demonstrated an acceptable originality score.

0 Points

No initial posting submitted.

Quality of Response

11 Points 10 Points 9 Points 8 Points 0 Points


Postings Responses are highly reflective, insightful and add to the discussion in a meaningful way moving it forward.

Responses are reflective, insightful and add to the discussion.

Responses are minimally reflective or insightful and do not significantly add to the discussion in a meaningful way.

Responses are present but are not reflective or insightful, and/ or don't add to the discussion in any meaningful way.

No response postings submitted.

Organization and Technical Aspects of All Posts

11 Points

Information is exceptionally well organized; spelling and grammar are correct and complete sentences are used. Proper citations are effectively used.

10 Points

Information is well organized; 1-2 spelling and/ or grammar mistakes are evident. Complete sentences are used. Proper citations are used.

9 Points

Organization is scattered; 3-5 spelling and/ or grammar mistakes are evident. Some incomplete sentences are used. Citations are used.

8 Points

Information is not well organized; more than 5 spelling and/ or grammar mistakes are evident. Incomplete sentences used. No citations.

0 Points

No postings submitted.

Posting Quantity and Timeliness

11 Points

Initial posting is made before 11:59 pm on Wednesday. At least three quality responses are made prior to the due date listed in the Calendar of Activities.

10 Points

Initial posting is made before 11:59 pm on Wednesday. Two quality responses are made prior to the due date listed in the Calendar of Activities.

9 Points

Initial posting is made before 11:59 pm on Wednesday. One quality response is made prior to the due date listed in the Calendar of Activities.

8 Points

Initial posting is made before 11:59 pm on Wednesday. No quality response postings are made prior to the due date listed in the Calendar of Activities.

0 Points

Initial posting is not made before 11:59 pm on Wednesday.

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