Student Orientation BIOL 2306 Living Planet

1. Student OrientationBIOL 2306 Living Planet Fall 2008 16-week Semester

2. BIOL 2306 Living Planet • Hello and welcome to the class. • This course is based upon Living Planet, an amazing nature series consisting of 12 videotapes. • The series is narrated by Sir David Attenborough and produced by the BBC.

3. 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.

4. Living Planet Preview • 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. • The photography is amazing and Attenborough is an excellent narrator.

5. Deserts: AnExample of an Ecosystem • Let’s look at a specific example. 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?

6. PCM Section • This section is designed as a distance learning course and requires the regular use of a computer. • PCM = Personal Computer with Modem

7. 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.

8. 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).

9. 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.

10. Distance Learning • “Distance learning” does not mean that the course is self-paced. • You will be expected to participate in online discussion groups every week.

11. Distance Learning • Additional lecture material may be posted on Blackboard and you will be expected to read this material. • You will be expected to participate in any web-based activities that are assigned.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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/ (available to students on 8/25/08) or on my web page at www.austincc.edu/bspeer

15. 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.

16. 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

17. 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”

18. 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.

19. Using Blackboard • Update your personal information in ACC Online as soon as possible. • Blackboard automatically uses the e-mail address in your personal information in ACC Online.

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. Using Blackboard • You should also check postings on the “Class Discussions” board. This discussion board will be used by all members of the class to post questions about the study guide and video episodes.

23. Required Course Materials • Living Planet Concepts and Questions, 8th 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/23068th/ind23068th.html

24. Required Course Materials • Living Planet video episodes (12 total). • These video episodes are available: • On ACC cable (syllabus, page 16), • As streaming videos on Blackboard, • Available for watching or checking out at the ACC libraries (syllabus, page 5) • Available for purchase (syllabus, page 22).

25. 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 the group to discuss.

26. Online Discussion Groups • Group discussions begin the first week of class. • Go to the Blackboard site, locate Group Discussions in the frame on the left, and go to your group. • Read the questions for Week 1. • Post to the group discussion board by Sunday, August 31.

27. 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. • Questions will be posted for weeks 1-14. • I will not post any new topics to discuss after December 1.

28. Online Discussion Groups • You will be graded on participation in your group. • There will be 14 weeks of online group activities. • Your participation in the group will earn up to 10 points per week.

29. 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.

30. Exams • There are seven required exams in this course. • There are mandatory deadlines for each exam.

31. 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 seven required exams in order to receive any grade other than “F”.

32. Mandatory Exam Deadlines • 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.

33. Grace Period for Exams 1-7 • These are the test dealines. • Please note that you have anautomatic24-hour grace period for exams 1-7. • You do not have to ask permission to use the grace period. • The grace period will not be extended for any reason.

34. 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 two videotapes and corresponding material in the study guide.

35. 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. • Exam 2 has 36 multiple choice questions and one short answer question.

36. 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 Unit 1 (episodes 1 and 2) and then taking Exam 1. • You will have studied the wrong materials for that exam!

37. 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.

38. 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.

39. Deadline for Optional Final • There is no grace period for the final. • There are different deadlines for the final, based on which testing center you decide to use. • You may take the final at any testing center.

40. 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 2-7 have a written (short answer) extra credit question.

41. Extra Credit • Exams 2-7 will also have an optional map quiz over the geographical locations covered in each unit. • You will find the blank map in the study guide. • You can find a list of possible geographic locations for each unit in Blackboard (see Course Documents).

42. Extra Credit • You can earn up to 44 points of extra credit on the exams. • This is the only way to earn extra credit in this course.

43. Course Grades • See page 10 of the syllabus. • Your grade for the course will be based on: 7 exams at 100 points each = 700 points Participation in your discussion group (14 weeks @ 10 pts) = 140 points Total points for course = 840 points

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

45. Withdrawals • Withdrawal policies are discussed on page 11. • The last day to withdraw for the Fall 2008 semester is November 24, 2008.

46. Withdrawals • Please note that I withdraw students only for two reasons: (1) A student does not complete orientation materials by midnight, Sunday August 31 and send an e-mail confirmation to me. (2) A student does not complete exams 1-5 by the mandatory deadlines.

47. 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) is category 1 in this model.

48. 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.

49. Testing Center • See page 18 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.

50. 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 1-7. • Exams will be placed at your testing center of choice.