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This distance learning course is based on a series of 13 video programs produced and narrated by celebrated British science filmmaker Sir David Attenborough. Attenborough travels the globe in the superb series.

Description of the course content (from the Study Guide):

“Life on Earth is an evolutionary approach to studying the many life forms on this planet. Beginning with the simplest forms of life, David Attenborough takes you around the world as he examines different living organisms. He explores the different characteristics of living creatures, especially as their bodies become more complex. Throughout the video episodes, he examines many organisms on an individual basis; however, their relationships with other life forms are also noted. As described in his companion book, Life on Earth, Attenborough presents the “history of nature” by surveying the changes that occur to major plant and animal groups as they evolve into more complex life forms.”

Course Materials

The videos are available in all ACC’s libraries, with some checkout copies. Unfortunately, due to copyright laws, the videos are not broadcast. The only DVDs we’ve been able to find are from the UK and do not run on American DVD players, so students are advised not to purchase DVDs from overseas unless they are sure that their computer, not their DVD player, can run them.

Five ACC Biology Department faculty members have written an excellent Study Guide for the course, which updates Attenborough’s information and asks detailed questions about the video episodes to direct students to the important information. The Study Guide serves as the textbook for the course, and is essential for passing the course. It can be purchased at the Rio Grande bookstore for under $15, or it can be downloaded for free from ACC’s Biology Department website. To see the Study Guide, go to:

http://www.austincc.edu/biology/labmanuals/loe3/loe3main.html

Attenborough’s companion book, Life on Earth, is available in ACC’s libraries and sometimes at used bookstores. But because the excellent book is out of print, it is not required in any way as course material for BIOL 1309, Life on Earth.

Course Organization

 This course is comprised of six units, each covering two video episodes, except for Unit 5, which covers three episodes. Students are tested over the units at any one of ACC’s Central Texas Testing Centers. Exam deadlines are spaced evenly throughout the semester, and are firm deadlines, which means if a deadline is missed, the student receives a zero on that exam. Any student who misses two exam deadlines is automatically dropped from the course.

However, there is an optional (makeup) comprehensive final that replaces the lowest grade, even if the lowest grade is a zero.

The exam format is objective, meaning multiple-choice and true/false questions. Each exam contains 50 2-point questions and is worth 100 points. Exams are scored as soon as they are turned in, so students know immediately how they did.

There is a written component, which involves students’ choosing an ecological area they would like to visit. Some of the suggested areas are within Austin’s city limits, some are within Travis County, and others are in Central Texas-- Bastrop State Park, Enchanted Rock, Hamilton Pool, McKinney Roughs, Westcave Preserve, McKinney Falls State Park, etc. Web addresses are provided so that students can choose which interests them the most. Some of these areas have people who lead tours, and some have self-guided tours using booklets. A written report answering questions about the students’ observations is submitted online.

OSD students who have submitted prior letters of accommodation have an alternate assignment.

Grading

The course grade is made up of the following:

Each exam is worth 100 points—the top six exam grades are counted
Written assignment—20 points
Extra credit—6 points total, 1 point available for each unit exam.
Possible points: 626

A: 558—626
B: 496—557
C: 434—495
D: 372—433
F: 371 or below

Students all submit contracts agreeing to the policies of the course.

Summary

Most people who have taken this course say that it gave them an in-depth appreciation for all of the ecological variety of our beautiful planet, and encouraged them to see as much of it as possible for themselves.