Student OrientationBIOL 2306 Living Planet

Summer 2010First 5.5-week Semester

2306-001, 10766

BIOL 2306 Living Planet

• Hello and welcome to the class. • This course is based upon Living Planet, an

amazing nature series consisting of 12 video episodes and a study guide written to accompany the video episodes.

• The series is narrated by Sir David Attenborough and produced by the BBC.

BIOL 2306 Living Planet

• This is an ecology course, designed primarily for non-science majors, although many science majors also take it for transfer credit.

• This is a fast-paced course during the short summer semester!

Living Planet Overview

• This series looks at various ecosystems, such as deserts, forests and grasslands.

• Attenborough takes us through each ecosystem, looking at characteristics of each ecosystem and the types of plants and animals that live there.

• Amazing photography. Excellent narrator.

Deserts: An Example of an Ecosystem

• Let’s look at a specific example of an ecosystem.• Deserts are covered in episode 6.• As Attenborough discusses deserts, he will cover

certain concepts about deserts. These include:• What makes a desert a desert? • Where do you find deserts on our planet? • What conditions cause deserts to form? • How do plants manage to live in desert conditions? • How do animals manage to live in these conditions?

Distance Learning Overview

• This section is designed as a distance learning course and requires the regular use of a computer.

• PCM = Personal Computer with Modem

Distance Learning

• If this is your first distance learning class, please go to the Distance Learning web site at http://dl.austincc.edu/students/ to get more information about distance learning courses.

Distance Learning

• “Distance learning” means that students do not attend traditional lectures at specific campus locations.

• “Distance learning” courses are designed to be taught through the use of videos, reading and activities (web-based or group discussion).

Distance Learning

• “Distance learning” does not mean that you are taking a class without deadlines.

• There are exam deadlines that you will be expected to meet.

• Exams are given only in the ACC Testing Centers.

Distance Learning

• “Distance learning” does not mean that the course is self-paced.

• You will be expected to regularly participate in online discussion groups every week.

Distance Learning

• Additional lecture material may be posted on Blackboard and you will be expected to read this material.– For example, there is a PowerPoint lecture for the

first section (Introduction) that expands the information in your study guide on page 17.

– You will be expected to go through the Species PowerPoint as part of your study materials. This is available as a print-based PowerPoint or as a narrated PowerPoint lecture.

Distance Learning

• You will be expected to participate in any web-based activities that are assigned.

• Many of the weekly discussion topics will have web-based components.

Time Commitments

• Distance learning courses provide opportunities for students to take classes in an alternate format.

• However, the typical distance learning student spends more time studying than traditional students and works more independently to learn the materials.

Time Commitments

• It’s a great way to learn if you are self-motivated.

• However, it does take more time and self-discipline.

• You will need to manage your time wisely, in order to successfully complete the course.

Syllabus

• Before you go any farther with this orientation, you will need to print out a copy of the syllabus.

• If you do not have a copy of the syllabus, you will find the syllabus on the Blackboard web page at http://acconline.austincc.edu/ or on my web page at www.austincc.edu/bspeer

Syllabus

• Read the syllabus carefully. • This presentation will only cover parts of the

syllabus, especially the materials you need to get started in the course.

• All course policies are explained in the syllabus.

Blackboard

• As explained on page 2 of the syllabus, we will be using Blackboard extensively in this class for:(1) Weekly online small discussion groups(2) Supplemental course materials (3) For posting grades & announcements(4) Sending e-mails

Blackboard Login

• The Blackboard login page is at: http://acconline.austincc.edu/

• If you have not used Blackboard before, click on the link “Student Guide – Getting Started with Blackboard”

• If you have problems, use the link for “Blackboard Support Site”

ACCeID

• You will need your ACCeID to use Blackboard and access ACC Online.

• If you don’t already have your ACCeID, go to the ACCeID Manager Login at: https://acceid.austincc.edu/idm/user/login.jsp

• Click on “First Time Login” and follow the instructions.

Using Blackboard

• Update your personal information in ACC Online as soon as possible.

• Blackboard automatically uses your ACC e-mail address.

• Any message sent out through Blackboard will only go to your ACC e-mail account. I do send out messages regularly to students.

Using Blackboard

• You can forward your ACC e-mail to another e-mail address, if you prefer. You can find more info at: http://www.austincc.edu/google/faq.php

• Click on “Can I use other email programs to access my ACCmail email”

Using Blackboard

• Check Blackboard regularly throughout the semester, at least 2-3 times per week.

• You should check “Announcements” frequently. I often post announcements to the class, especially if something needs to be corrected or if there is a problem at any ACC campus.

Checking Blackboard

• You should also check postings on your “Group Discussions” board.

• This discussion board will be used by members of your group to discuss weekly topics.

Using Blackboard

• You should also check postings on the “Class Discussions” board.

• This discussion board can be used by any student to post questions about the study guide and video episodes.

Required Course Materials

• Living Planet Concepts and Questions, 9th edition by Speer, Maxim and Strong. This study guide is available at the ACC bookstores or you can print it from this

• web site: • http://www.austincc.edu/biology/labmanuals/2

3069th/ind23069th.html

Required Course Materials

• Living Planet video episodes (12 total).• These video episodes are available:

– As streaming videos on Blackboard, – Available for watching or checking out at

the ACC libraries (syllabus, page 5) – Available for purchase (syllabus, page 20).

Online Discussion Groups

• Read this section on pages 4-5 of the syllabus.

• You will be assigned to a small group discussion forum by the instructor.

• I will post a different set of questions every week for your group to discuss.

Online Discussion Groups• Group discussions begin the first week of

class.• Read the questions for Week 1 Discussion

Topics. You will find this on the Blackboard site, in “Course Documents”.

• Then, click on “Group Discussions” and go to your group. Only your group will be highlighted.

• Post to the group discussion board by the deadline stated in Discussion Topics 1.

Online Discussion Groups

• You can also use your group discussion forum to introduce any new materials that you want to share with your group members.

• Topics will be posted for weeks 1-5. • Each topic will have deadlines for

posting. These are usually Monday (12:00 am) through Sunday (11:59 pm)

Online Discussion Groups

• You will be graded on participation in your group.

• There will be 5 weeks of online group activities.

Online Discussion Groups

• Read the guidelines for posting on pages 4-5

• Your participation in the group will earn up to 20 points per topic.

Exams• See pages 5-7 in the syllabus.• All exams are given in the ACC testing

centers. • Locations of ACC testing centers: Cypress

Creek, Eastview, Fredericksburg, Northridge, Pinnacle, Rio Grande, Riverside, Round Rock Higher Education Center, San Marcos and South Austin.

Exams• There are five required exams in this

course. • There are mandatory deadlines for each

exam.

Exams• There are no retests but there is an

optional final.• You cannot skip an exam and replace it

with the final. • You must take all five required exams in

order to receive any grade other than “F”.

Mandatory Exam Deadlines

• Information about exam formats and mandatory exam deadlines are on page 9 of the syllabus.

• I suggest that you print this page separately and keep it where you can easily refer to it throughout the semester.

Grace Period for Exams 1-7

• These are the test dealines.• Please note that you have an automatic

24-hour grace period for exams 1-5. • You do not have to ask permission to use the

grace period. • The grace period will not be extended for any

reason.

Check page 9 to see what each exam covers.

• The table on page 9 explains what each exam covers.

• Exam 1, for example, covers the introduction.• Exam 2 covers the first three video episodes

and corresponding material in the study guide.

Check page 9 to see the format for each exam

• The table also explains the format for each exam.

• Exam 1, for example, has 41 multiple choice questions and two short answer questions.

• Exams 2-5 have 45 multiple choice questions and one short answer question.

Review Page 9 before taking an exam at the Testing Center

• Before taking an exam, check to make sure that you know which exam to ask for!

• Don’t make the mistake of studying the materials for Exam 2 (episodes 1, 2 and 3) and then taking Exam 1.

• You will have studied the wrong materials for that exam! This is the most common mistake made by students.

Optional Final

• See page 8 of the syllabus.• There is an optional comprehensive final that

can be taken to replace your lowest (non-zero) exam grade.

• The final cannot substitute for an exam that you did not take.

Optional Final

• The final cannot hurt your grade in the course.

• If it is your lowest exam grade, it will not count.

• If higher, the final grade can be used to replace your lowest exam grade.

Deadline for Optional Final

• There is no grace period for the final. • You may take the final at any testing

center.

Extra Credit

• See page 8 of the syllabus. • Each exam has one extra question for

extra credit. • Exam 1 has one extra multiple choice

question for extra credit. • Exams 2-5 have a written (short

answer) extra credit question.

Extra Credit

• Exams 2-5 will also have an optional map quiz over the geographical locations covered in each episode.

• You will find the blank map in the study guide.

• You can find a list of geographic locations for each episode in Blackboard (see Course Documents).

Extra Credit

• You can earn up to 30 points of extra credit on the exams.

• This is the only way to earn extra credit in this course.

Course Grades

• See page 10 of the syllabus.• Your grade for the course will be based

on:5 exams at 100 points each = 500 pointsParticipation in your discussion

group (5 topics @ 20 pts) = 100 pointsTotal points for course = 600 points

Course Grades

• Course grades will be based on percentages:– A = 90-100%– B = 80- 89% – C = 70- 79% – D = 60- 69%– F = below 60%

Withdrawals

• Withdrawal policies are discussed on page 11.

• The last day to withdraw for the first Summer 2010 semester is June 30, 2010.

Withdrawals

• Please note that I withdraw students only for two reasons:(1) A student does not complete orientation materials by 11:59 pm, Saturday June 5, 2010 and send an e-mail confirmation to me. (2) A student does not complete exams 1-3 by the mandatory deadlines.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

• See page 15 of the syllabus.• Bloom’s taxonomy is a model that tries

to place mental thinking skills into categories. If you look over this page, you will see that “higher level thinking skills” fall into categories 2 through 6. Rote memorization (recall of facts) is category 1 in this model.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

• In this course, I write exam questions at levels 1-4.

• In Blackboard (under Course Documents), you will find a specific example of how test questions can be written at different levels over the same material.

Bloom’s Taxonomy• Several of the weekly discussion topics

will ask questions about the information covered in the video episodes or study guide, using different levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.

• These are often questions that ask you to compare two ecosystems or discuss the advantages and disadvantages of XYZ.

Bloom’s Taxonomy

• Answering these questions will help you prepare for the next exam.

• Your group should definitely try to answer these “more difficult” questions that require thought instead of just answering the “easier” questions.

Testing Center

• See page 16 of the syllabus.• Look at the hours of operation for the

different testing centers.• Then consider the mandatory exam

deadlines for the course and your schedule.

Choose Your Testing Center

• Choose the testing center that you intend to use during the semester.

• You may only choose one testing center to take exams 1-5.

• Exams will be placed at your testing center of choice.

Testing Center Policies

• See pages 17-18.• The testing center has very strict rules

about testing. • Please read their policies carefully. • If you are banned from the Testing

Centers for violating their policies, you will have no way to take the exams.

Testing Center Policies

• If you are banned from the Testing Center, you will have no option except to drop the class or take an “F” if it is past the drop deadline.

• Make sure you do NOT take your cell phones into ANY testing center. This is the major reason why students are banned from using the Testing Center.

Testing Center Policies

• If you do not have an ACC photo ID, go to the nearest Admissions & Records Office (any campus) and get your ACC photo ID.

• You will not be able to use the testing center without an ACC photo ID.

Testing Center Policies

• Admission to any Testing Center is on a “first come, first serve” basis.

• Please do not wait until the last minute to take an exam.

• If you wait to the last day (the grace period) and cannot get into the testing center to take an exam, you will have a zero grade. Don’t do this to yourself.

Read the syllabus carefully.• All course policies are explained in the

syllabus.• This presentation is just intended as an

overview of the syllabus.• Please refer to the syllabus for complete

details about the course and ACC policies.• If you have any questions about the syllabus

or the course, please send me an e-mail at bspeer@austincc.edu

The End

• You have now completed the Student Orientation PowerPoint Presentation.

• Complete the student information sheet, following all instructions.

• I hope you enjoy the course!