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BIOL 1309 Spring 2012
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12-Week Session (48645) (016) February 13 –
May 10, 2012 |
Life On Earth - SYLLABUS
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Course
Description & Rationale Keeping in Touch & Using Blackboard Requirements – The Short Version Study Tips
Course Format LRS Web Resources Schedule &
Deadlines 12-week Videos
Email Miscellaneous Official ACC Stuff
Scholastic Integrity Withdrawals
Exams and Testing Centers Objectives Student IDs
Extra Credit Orientation Information Student
Information Sheet
Grades Print Materials Students With Disabilities
Incompletes Professor & Office Hours
PROFESSOR: Dr. Steve Muzos OFFICE: Room 820 Pinnacle Campus (PIN) TELEPHONE: 223-8228 (with voice mail)
Email:
smuzos@austincc.edu
ALWAYS add
BIOL 1309 to the subject line. - Do
NOT send attachments - Add this address to your email “safe” list.
WEB PAGE: http://www2.austincc.edu/muzos FAX: (512) 223-8900 Add a cover sheet with Dr. Muzos' name.
OFFICE
HOURS at PIN 820
Spring 2012
February 13 – May 10
Tues. 8:00 - 8:50 a.m. & 4:25 - 6:05 p.m.
Thurs. 8:00 - 8:50 a.m. & 1:30 - 3:10 p.m.
Other Hours by Appointment
Please feel
free to drop by or call during these office hours, or make arrangements in
advance in order to contact Dr. Muzos at other times.
What You
Have To Do for BIOL 1309 - the Short Version
Enrollment
in BIOL 1309 requires that you have demonstrated reading and writing proficiency as determined by the
COMPASS or ASSET test, or by the statewide THEA test, or by providing an
official transcript from another college. Dr. Muzos may drop you from this class without notice if you do not meet
this prerequisite.
Required Stuff
Complete the required online orientation by the deadline. This means that you read and abide by the entire syllabus.
Study the material for each unit, including the study guide, video episodes, and Blackboard (Bb) information. See the schedule in the syllabus.
Take the exam for each unit at an ACC testing center. Details are in the syllabus.
Read Bb regularly.
Read all email which goes to your ACC Google Apps email.
Optional Stuff
Turn in extra credit by the deadlines.
Take a retest for any units in which you want to try to improve your test score.
What you do not have to do
You do not have to turn in your answers to the study guide questions.
Course
Description & Rationale for BIOL 1309
BIOL 1309 LIFE ON EARTH (3-3-0). A survey of the living organisms on our planet for the non-science
major. Emphasis on evolutionary and natural history, structural and
behavioral adaptations, biological diversity and co-evolution Skills: E -
Course Type: T
This course was designed for students who are primarily non-science majors. Through the use of lectures, good science videos and web-based homework assignments, students are introduced to the organisms that inhabit this planet, their characteristics, their evolutionary relationships and their adaptation to life on earth. Specific skills and competencies expected of students who complete this course include:
• ability to explain evolutionary relationships among different organisms
• ability to discuss adaptations, using several different examples
• ability to observe phenomena and to record information
• ability to apply biological concepts to new examples
• ability
to demonstrate higher level thinking skills
Note: To view these video programs, you need to install
the current Adobe Flash Player. This is a free download.
For Blackboard to work
properly you also need Java,
which is a free download.
(Even though the streaming video mentions an email list, ignore that.)
You are required to do the following for this class.
Ø
Students are required to use their ACC email address to receive messages from the
instructor. This is the only email
address that Blackboard will use and the only email address that will be used
to send out official notices to students.
Information about ACCmail (and how to forward
it) can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/google/
Ø Have internet access (available for free from student-accessible computer labs or libraries at ACC campuses).
Ø Use the ACC Blackboard system as your main source for class announcements and communications.
Ø Log in to Blackboard every few days. Check the announcements (current and past) and read the Discussion Board postings for this course.
In order to learn how to do these things, go to the Blackboard login site and click on the "Student Guide - Getting Started With Blackboard" link. You can also access the Blackboard system itself from the "Log In to Blackboard" link on Dr. Muzos’ web site. Using the Blackboard (Bb) system is required as a source for announcements, grades, e-mail, web access, out-of-class discussion, some assignments, etc., for this course. The material in Bb is updated regularly and provides greater detail on most course materials than are found here in the syllabus. You are responsible for what is posted in Bb.
Blackboard has several problems if you use
Internet Explorer (IE). Instead, use Firefox from Mozilla.
It is a good idea to stay in touch with other students who are enrolled in this course in order to form real or virtual study groups. You can post questions and comments to everyone through the Blackboard Discussion Board or you can use the real time Chat Room from the site. You will receive Super Extra Credit for asking and answering questions about BIOL 1309 in the Bb Discussion Board (the button on the left side of the 1309 Bb screen).
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Your Guide to Finding Information in
Bb |
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Getting
Started Log in, click the “My ACC” tab at the top of the page, then click on the “Life On Earth” link. The “Announcements” page for BIOL 1309 should appear. Now, use the table below. |
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Button on left side of the screen |
Topics Available |
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Getting Started |
Overview Required Orientation for BIOL 1309 Syllabus and Schedule Study Tips and Help With Exams Your Responsibilities |
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Assignments |
The Video Episodes Study Guide - Information & Corrections Using the Discussion Board Extra Credit Grades BIOL 1309 Chat Room and More Resources you use, citations, and bibliography |
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Info: Units 1-6 |
General Information and Links Information and Resources for each unit |
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Discussion Board |
This is where to post and read messages about the course |
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Email etc. |
Send email and more |
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Faculty Information |
Dr. Muzos’ office hours and contact information |
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Tools |
Glossary My Grades User manual |
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Announcements |
All course announcements Glossary My Grades |
ACC has a free email system for all students through Gmail which
you are required to use.
All College e-mail communication to students will be
sent solely to the student’s ACCmail account, with
the expectation that such communications will be read in a timely fashion. ACC will
send important information and will notify you of any college related
emergencies using this account. Students should only expect to receive email
communication from their instructor using this account. Likewise, students
should use their ACCmail account when communicating
with instructors and staff. Instructions for activating an ACCmail
account can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/accmail/index.php.
Students occasionally say that they have trouble understanding David Attenborough's British accent. Here are suggestions if you have that happen to you.
Although it is out of print and not required, the book Life on Earth: A Natural History, by David Attenborough, which was written to accompany the videos, may be available for purchase at used bookstores or from web-based book vendors. Copies are also on reserve (two hour, one day, or three day) in the ACC library at RGC, NRG, PIN, and SAC. VCT students may find copies at their local campus library or through interlibrary loan. Be aware that some topics covered in the book are not mentioned in the videos and vice versa. This book may be useful for the names of various organisms and places.
This course is offered through the Virtual
College of Texas (VCT) as well as for students enrolled through
ACC. See the ACC VCT Student
Information page as well. VCT students should be in touch with the
local contact person at their local campus for information about facilities and
testing for this course. The names of local contacts may be found at the VCT
web site, then click on the Administrative button, click on VCT Contacts, then
click on the region for your local college.
If you have questions about ACC or Distance Learning courses call the DISTANCE LEARNING HELP LINE at 223-8026, or toll free at 1-888-223-8026, from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Mon.-Fri.
These videos are not
available as streaming video.
Purchase
There is a commercially available set of 2 VHS tapes which is a shortened version and it will not work for this course. The complete series with all 13 episodes is available on DVD for Region2 (the UK), so it may not work on DVD players in the USA. Sometimes the episodes can be found on various web sites, but they are not authorized by the publisher, so I am not allowed to add links to them. Be creative.
The video episodes are numbered, and each one also has a title, which corresponds to the titles given in the Study Guide.
1 The Infinite Variety
2 Building Bodies
3 The First Forests
4 The Swarming Hordes
5 The Conquest of the Waters
6 The Invasion of the Land
7 Victors of the Dry Land
8 Lords of the Air
9 The Rise of the Mammals
10 Theme and Variations
11 The Hunters and the Hunted
12 A Life in the Trees
13 The Compulsive Communicators
LIBRARY CHECKOUT
Episode copies are available in the ACC Library at each of the following
locations: Cypress Creek (CYP)*, Eastview (EVC),
Fredericksburg (FBG), Northridge (NRG)*, Rio Grande (RGC)*, Riverside (RVS)*,
Round Rock (RRH), Pinnacle (PIN)*, South Austin (SAC)*. All these locations have VHS or DVD copies
available for 3-day checkout in addition to copies for use in the library. For
hours and locations of these sites, and availability of the checkout copies,
see ACC Library
ONLINE CATALOG.
There are various places in this course where the video (or other sources) and the Study Guide do not agree completely. The Study Guide and its references provide the most recent information, so you should consider it to be the more accurate source. Dr. Muzos may post corrections or additions to the information in the Study Guide in Bb, in which case assume that what he says is the most accurate.
EXAM QUESTIONS ARE BASED ON MATERIALS IN THE VIDEO EPISODES,
STUDY GUIDE, REFERENCES AND WEB SITES LISTED IN THE STUDY GUIDE, AND ANY
POSTINGS OR ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM DR. MUZOS.
The Study Guide includes the learning objectives for the course.
The ACC Biology Department Common Course Objectives for BIOL 1309 are available with this link.
Each
ACC campus offers support services for students with documented disabilities.
Students with disabilities who need classroom, academic or other accommodations
must request them through the Office
for Students with Disabilities
(OSD). Students are encouraged to request
accommodations when they register for courses or at least three weeks before
the start of the semester, otherwise the provision of accommodations may be
delayed.
Students
who have received approval for accommodations from OSD for this course must
provide Dr. Muzos with the ‘Notice
of Approved Accommodations’ from OSD before accommodations will be
provided. Arrangements for academic accommodations can only be made after Dr.
Muzos receives the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ from the student.
Students with approved accommodations are encouraged to submit the ‘Notice of
Approved Accommodations’ to Dr. Muzos at the beginning of the semester because
a reasonable amount of time may be needed to prepare and arrange for the
accommodations. For additional information about the Office for Students with
Disabilities see http://www.austincc.edu/support/osd/ .
All students
who require accommodations must give Dr. Muzos a current copy of their ACC
accommodations letter and discuss their situation with Dr. Muzos during office
hours, or FAX or email them no later than during the first week of class.
All exams are available in
the ACC Testing Centers at Cypress Creek, Eastview,
Northridge, Pinnacle,
If classes are cancelled, or testing centers are
closed, because of bad weather, ACC notifies instructors and students on the
ACC homepage (http://www.austincc.edu) and on local radio and
television stations.
Students should read the entire
“Student Guide - Use of ACC Testing Centers” guide before going to take exams
in the testing centers. ACC Testing Center policies can be found at http://www.austincc.edu/testctr/
To request an exam, one must have:
• ACC Photo ID
• Course Abbreviation (e.g., BIOL)
• Course Number (e.g.,1309)
• Course Synonym (e.g., 48645)
• Course Section (e.g., 016)
• Professor's Name
Do NOT bring cell phones to the Testing Center. Having your cell phone in the testing room, regardless of whether it is on or off, will revoke your testing privileges for the remainder of the semester.
In order to enroll in BIOL 1309 and take your exams at a location other than ACC, you need to contact the ACC Distance Learning Office at 223-8026, or toll free at 1-888-223-8026, from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Mon.-Fri, or see http://dl.austincc.edu/. They will help you make the necessary arrangements.
There are two different exams for each unit (Form A and Form B) from which to choose. You may take either one of them first and use the other form as an alternate exam. Each exam is scored as being worth 167 points, even though there are extra points available on the exam. Take your initial exam for each of the 6 units in sequence. Exams may include material from previous units.
Form
A has all three of the following three types of questions.
1) 41
multiple-choice, true-false, or matching questions worth three points each. The
2) 30 points of fill-in-the-blank and short answer questions
Samples: The free-floating / swimming form of jellyfish is called the _________________ stage. It undergoes sexual / asexual (circle one) reproduction.
3) Six Geography/ Map Questions worth three points each. You will be asked to identify and locate features, populations, and places that were mentioned in the study guide and the videos. A list of these can be found in Bb by clicking on the “Info: Units 1-6” button on the left side of the BIOL 1309 page. Look up the locations as you study the material. World atlases are available at various ACC Library locations to help you. One suggested web site for looking up locations is World Atlas.Com , others are listed in Bb at the "Assignments" link
Sample map questions:
Shade in the
proper location of Brazil, and label it B.
Put an X where coelacanths are found naturally.
Form B is an essay exam requiring you to answer 10 of 14 questions, worth 17 points each.
Here is a sample question.
1. Assume that you are in a
forest and are watching an animal called an XXXXXXX.
a. Name and describe the type of forest in which you
must be standing.
b. Name five other specific organisms that you might
find in this forest.
c. Which specific areas of the world contain these
types of forests.
d. Describe the feeding style of this animal.
You may
not repeat the same exam form once you have taken it for a unit.
Dr. Muzos will count the higher score if you take both forms.
Be sure to fill out the
The
Exams are generally graded and posted to the Bb Grade Book within one week of students taking the exam.
If you are not satisfied with your grade, you may take the other exam form for that unit, but you must wait at least 24 hours before taking the alternate exam for the same unit. You may go back and take the alternate exam form for a unit at any later time during the semester, until the Absolute Exam Deadline.
Dr. Muzos will keep all exams and grade sheets. Students are not allowed to copy or keep any of these materials.
GRADES AND
HELP are available from Dr. Muzos by any of the
following.
If you have
questions about ACC or Distance Learning courses, call the Distance Learning
Help Line Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., at 223-8026, or toll
free at 1-888-223-8026, from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Mon.-Fri.
The maximum number of extra credit points which you may
earn for the entire course = 25
Listed below are the ways to get extra credit in this course.
1. FIND ONE WEB SITE which applies to the material in a Unit. You may not post web sites already posted in Bb. (maximum of 3 points per unit)
· Post (to the Bb discussion for that unit) a description of how the information in the site is useful for the Unit, and explain why you picked that particular site. Include the complete web address (URL), including http:// . . . . so that it becomes an active link. References from Wikipedia and other encyclopedia-type sites are not allowed.
You may post one URL per unit, as long as no one else has already posted that URL.
For the 12-week class: URLs for any unit must be posted no later than four calendar days after the recommended deadline for the exam for that unit except that Unit 6 URL’s are due the day before the Absolute Deadline.
2. LEARNING STYLE SELF ASSESSMENT
(3
points)
Complete the online workshop called Learning Style Self Assessment before you take your
first exam for this course. Click the "Assignments"
button, then the “Extra Credit” link in Bb for specific instructions.
3. CHARITABLE WEB DONATIONS (free to you) --- (maximum of 10 points total for the course) --- Visit and "donate" to any or all of the web sites on the clawz page described below. You may donate to each site only once per day. Each of the sites uses support from sponsors, and each time you "donate" at that site the sponsors actually provide real donations to the cause supported by that web site. These donations are free to you, and do not result in you receiving any junk email or spam in return. Basically you receive ½ point for each ‘donation.’ Click the "Assignments" button then the “Extra Credit” link in Bb for specific instructions.
4. DISCUSSION BOARD CREDIT (maximum of 12 points total for the course)
Ø Ask a relevant question on the Bb Discussion Board. (1 point for each posting)
Ø Be the first one to post a correct answer to another student's question on the Bb Discussion Board. (1 point for each posting)
Ø Be the first student to point out any errors (typos, content, etc.) in any of the BIOL 1309 ACC and Bb web materials. (1 point for each posting)
Extra credit materials are generally graded within two weeks of the Recommended Deadline for each unit.
o Send them by ACC campus mail or FAX to Dr. Muzos at PIN, to arrive by the deadline.
o Bring them to Dr. Muzos' office at 820 PIN during office hours there, or at other times just slide them under his office door (not under the door to the hallway) by the deadline.
o Send them by U.S. mail to Dr. Muzos, ACC, Biology Department, 7748 Highway 290 W, Austin, TX 78736, to arrive by the deadline.
o Send by email to smuzos@austincc.edu in the message of the email, not as an attachment. You can copy and paste from your word processing program. ALWAYS add BIOL 1309 in the subject line of all email.
To find your grades in Bb, click on the “Tools” button, then click the “My Grades” link.
Due to ACC policies concerning the Family Education Rights and
Privacy Act (FERPA), faculty cannot post grades or call or e-mail students with
their specific grades. Grades for BIOL 1309 will be posted in Blackboard site
for the class. In Blackboard, a student
can only see his/her own grade.
Your points for all the course activities are totaled at the end of the course, and in Bb. Scores for this course are not "curved." The following scale is used to determine your final course grade:
Total Points Earned Course Grade
900 or
more
A
800-899.5
B
700-799.5
C
600-699.5
D
below
600
F
Please note that
Ø any exams which
are taken after the Absolute Deadline will not be graded
Ø any extra credit
submitted after the deadline will not be graded.
Use the chart below to keep
track of your grades.
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UNIT |
Form A 167 points/exam |
Form B 167 points/exam |
URL EXTRA CREDIT 3 pts./unit |
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1 |
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2 |
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3 |
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4 |
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5 |
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6 |
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Web Donations (10) Learning Style (3) |
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TOTALS |
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Extra Credit maximum =
25 |
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COURSE TOTAL |
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COURSE GRADE |
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Use the following scale if you want to know a letter grade for each of your individual exams.
A = 150-171
B =
133.5-149.5
C =
116.5-133
D =
100-116 F = below 100
Please note that
Ø any exams which
are taken after the Absolute Deadline will not be graded
Ø any extra credit
submitted after the appropriate deadline will not be graded.
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BIOL 1309
DEADLINES for Spring 2012 |
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VIDEO EPISODE NUMBER |
RECOMMENDED DEADLINE (these are flexible) |
ABSOLUTE DEADLINE* |
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Exam 1 |
Intro. in Study Guide, & Episodes 1 & 2 |
February 27 |
May 10* |
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Exam 2 |
3 & 4 |
March 9 |
May 10* |
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Exam 3 |
5 & 6 |
March 28 |
May 10* |
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Exam 4 |
7 & 8 |
April 11 |
May 10* |
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Exam 5 |
9, 10 & 11 |
April 25 |
May 10* |
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* ALL exams taken on May 9 & 10, 2012 must be taken at
the PIN Testing Center. |
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Exam 6 |
12 & 13 |
May 10* |
May 10* |
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Required Online
Orientation |
February 19 |
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Withdrawal from the course without a grade of “W” |
February 23 |
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Unit 1 URL extra credit |
March 2 |
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Unit 2 URL extra credit |
March 20 |
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Unit 3 URL extra credit |
April 1 |
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Unit 4 URL extra credit |
April 15 |
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Withdrawal from the course with a grade of “W” |
April 23 |
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Unit 5 URL extra credit |
April 29 |
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Unit 6 URL extra credit |
May 9 |
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Discussion Board Extra Credit |
May 9 |
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Web Donations extra credit |
May 9 |
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* ALL exams taken
on May 9 & 10, 2012 must be taken at the PIN Testing Center.
Be careful to
pay attention to the hours for the
The ACC Distance Learning web site has a Distance Learning Online Student Handbook with suggestions on how to succeed in courses with this type of format. Read it. There are lots of links there. Be sure to try Student Success Tools and Resources.
For tips on preparing for tests see Study Tips and Help With Exams in the Getting Started button in Bb.
In addition, the following are recommended for each of the six units.
· In Bb, click the “Info: Units 1-6” button, and then read the material for the unit.
· In Bb click the “Assignments” button and then the “Study Guide - Information & Corrections” link and read the Study Guide corrections for the episodes.
· Read through all of the materials in the study guide which correspond to the episode you wish to view, including the Materials, Learning Objectives, Concepts, and additional information.
· Many students find it useful to watch the entire episode once without stopping to answer the questions.
· Watch the episode (again) and stop and rewind as needed in order to write the answer to each question in the study guide. This usually requires 3-4 hours for each episode (really!).
· Watch the episode again and follow along with what you have written to be sure your answers are clear and accurate.
· Follow the same procedure for both episodes in the unit.
· Study and learn the material in the study guide for that unit.
· LEARN THE DETAILS. Following are examples of what may be on the exams. The exams are not limited to the following examples.
names of
organisms, materials, and places
detailed
characteristics, adaptations, diets, behaviors, and reproductive cycles of
organisms
explanations of
processes and physical phenomena
dates
interactions of organisms with each other and with their
environment
specific examples for everything
exact locations
habitats
evolutionary relationships
etc.
· Use the Blackboard Discussion Board to ask questions and get answers.
See Student ID Card
Unless Dr. Muzos gives you specific instructions otherwise, do your own assignments and only your assignments.
All students must adhere to the current policies and procedures of ACC. Students should be familiar with the current ACC policies in the Current Students Need To Know (available in the Student Development Office), and the current ACC General Catalog (also available in the Admissions and Records Office. Violations of ACC policies and procedures will be handled according to the Student Discipline Procedures as described in the current ACC Student Handbook.
Dr. Muzos will keep all exams and answer sheets. Students are not allowed to copy or keep any of these materials.
A
student attending ACC assumes responsibility for conduct compatible with the
mission of the college as an educational institution. Students have the
responsibility to submit course work that is the result of their own thought,
research, or self-expression. Students must follow all instructions given by
faculty or designated college representatives when taking examinations,
placement assessments, tests, quizzes, and evaluations. Actions constituting
scholastic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, cheating,
fabrication, collusion, and falsifying documents. Penalties for scholastic
dishonesty will depend upon the nature of the violation and may range from
lowering a grade on one assignment to an “F” in the course and/or expulsion
from the college. See the Student Standards of Conduct and Disciplinary Process
and
other
policies at http://www.austincc.edu/current/needtoknow .
Students are responsible for withdrawing themselves from the course. Students who have not successfully completed at least four of the six exams (with a minimum grade of at least 70%) before the WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE should withdraw themselves from the course, since they are likely to have a difficult time completing the course on schedule.
If a student plans to withdraw voluntarily from the course, he or she must complete all necessary paperwork at the Admissions and Records office by the withdrawal deadline in the ACC Course Schedule. Dr. Muzos does not need to sign it.
Dr. Muzos may withdraw students for not completing the required online orientation by the deadline, for not using their ACC Gmail, for lack of progress, or the violation of course/syllabus requirements, however he is not required to do so. It is the responsibility of all students to check their status at all times and to turn in their own withdrawal form if they decide to drop the course. Students not completing all work by the Unit 6 deadline, and who do not withdraw themselves will receive a letter grade unless they qualify for, have requested, and been approved by Dr. Muzos for an Incomplete grade.
Students
who exit the course before the Official Reporting Date are considered to have
“dropped” the course. Dropped courses are not considered withdrawals and are
not posted on the student transcript and thus not affected by the Texas Six Drop Rule. Students who
exit the course after the Official Reporting Date and before or on the Final
Withdrawal Date are considered to have “withdrawn” from the course thus receive
a “W” on their transcript and are affected by the Texas Six Drop rule.
The State of Texas has a policy on how many times a student can drop a class. This applies only to students who begin college as of Fall 2007 or later. For details, talk with an ACC advisor or counselor.
It
is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed
from the roll should he or she decide to withdraw from
the class. Dr. Muzos does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should
he feel it is necessary. If a student decides to withdraw, he or she should
also verify that the withdrawal is submitted before the Final Withdrawal Date.
Students are also strongly encouraged to retain their copy of the withdrawal
form for their records.
Students
who enroll for the third or subsequent time in a course taken since Fall, 2002 may be charged a higher tuition rate for that
course.
State
law permits students to withdraw from no more than six courses during their
entire undergraduate career at Texas public colleges or universities. With
certain exceptions, all course withdrawals automatically count toward this
limit. This applies only to students who begin college as of Fall
2007 or later. For details on this “Six Drops” policy, consult the ACC course
catalog, and see http://www.austincc.edu/admrule/1.04.010.htm.
The deadline to drop this course without
receiving a grade or a ‘W’ is listed in the course schedule.
Dr.
Muzos is not required to withdraw students for the above reasons. It is your
responsibility to determine your status in the course with the ACC Admissions
Office at all times and withdraw yourself if you decide to drop the course. Students who are not passing the course before
the WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE listed in
your class schedule, should talk with Dr. Muzos about
withdrawing themselves from the course, since they are likely to have a
difficult time passing the course.
Students
who do not complete all work by the end of the course, and who do not withdraw
themselves will receive a letter grade unless they qualify for and have
requested an Incomplete grade.
Reinstatement procedures will follow those outlined in the current ACC General Catalog.
A professor may award a grade of “I” (Incomplete) if a student was unable to complete all of the objectives for the passing grade in a course. An incomplete grade cannot be carried beyond the established date in the following semester. The completion date is determined by the professor but may not be later than the final deadline for withdrawal in the subsequent semester. “Incomplete” grades (I) will only be given in cases where a genuine emergency prevents a student from completing all course work on time. A grade of “I” will be given only if all of the following requirements are met before the end of the semester.
A grade of "I" (INCOMPLETE) will be given only if all of the following requirements are met.
Incompletes will not be given for procrastination. Please note that exceptions to these guidelines will NOT be made for extenuating circumstances.
ACC library on-line services are available to all ACC students,
including additional ACC Library service available to Distance Learning students, including access to reference librarians .
The full library web site is http://library.austincc.edu/ .
Miscellaneous Official
ACC Stuff
Six Drop Rule
Texas Education Code Section 51.907 mandates that all students who enroll as first time freshmen at a Texas public institution of higher education in Fall 2007 or later may not drop more than six courses during their academic career. Information about this rule is located at: http://www.austincc.edu/business/documents/SixWdraft.pdf
Rule of Three
Students are charged a higher tuition rate for courses they repeat for the third or more time. This is generally referred to as the “Rule of Three”. Information about this rule is located at: http://www.austincc.edu/support/admissions/thirdattempt/index.php and http://www.austincc.edu/support/admissions/thirdattempt/faqs.pdf .
Statement on Academic
Freedom
Institutions
of higher education are conducted for the common good. The common good depends
upon a search for truth and upon free expression. In this course the professor
and students shall strive to protect free inquiry and the open exchange of
facts, ideas, and opinions. Students are free to take exception to views [but
not facts] offered in this course and to reserve judgment about debatable
issues [but not facts]. Grades will not be affected by personal views.
With this freedom comes the responsibility of civility and a respect for a
diversity of ideas and opinions. This means that students must take turns
speaking, listen to others speak without interruption, and refrain from
name-calling or other personal attacks.
Student Services
Information about other services for students, such as
financial aid, counseling, and grade reports can be found at: http://www.austincc.edu/current/. The ACC student handbook can be found at: http://www.austincc.edu/handbook/ .
Instructional Services for Students
The web address is: http://www.austincc.edu/tutor/ .
Student Discipline
Student
behavior should support and enhance learning. Behavior that disrupts the
learning process will be dealt with appropriately. In serious cases, disruptive
behavior may lead to a student being withdrawn from the class. ACC's policy on
student discipline can be found in the Student Handbook at http://www.austincc.edu/handbook/ .
ACC Policy Concerning Copyrighted Materials
All class materials provided on the instructor’s web page,
Blackboard, CD, and/or in printed form (labs, objectives, assignments, etc.)
are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the
copyright holder. This may be the
instructor, ACC, or a publisher.
Reproduction consists of photocopying, scanning and copying files, or
posting on a server or web site.
Students currently registered for this section have permission to print
one copy of course materials for their own personal use. No permission is given for posting any course
materials on web sites.
After
you have read this entire syllabus you are almost done with the orientation.
In order to
finish the on-line orientation you must complete the Student Information Sheet, and submit it electronically to Dr
Muzos.
When you submit it online you will get to a page called "THANK YOU FOR FILLING OUT THIS FORM," where your information is listed. PRINT A COPY OF THAT PAGE for your own records. You will receive a confirmation email from Dr. muzos within a few days. If you have problems, send email to Dr. Muzos for help at smuzos@austincc.edu (always mention BIOL 1309 in the subject line).
THE ENTIRE STAFF HOPES THAT YOU
ENJOY THE COURSE!
HAVE A GREAT SEMESTER!!!
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Last Updated April 23, 2012 by Steve Muzos
Technical wizardry by Peg Raiford