INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

OFFICE HOURS - *online or in **MSU building ROOM 137

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (From Academic Course Guide Manual/Workforce Education Course Manual/NCTC Catalog

COURSE SUBJECT OUTLINE (Major Assignments, Due Dates, and Grading Criteria)

See the tentative course schedule uploaded into CANVAS.

GRADING CRITERIA

GRADING SCALE: 89.5 – 100% = A, 79.5 - 89% = B, 69.5 - 79% = C, 59.5 – 69% = D, Below 59.5% = F        

EXAMS: There will be 4 regular exams and 1 comprehensive final offered during the course of the semester. The multiple choice portion of all the exams will conducted in Canvas.  As noted previously, the lowest exam grade will be dropped and for this reason, make-up exams will not be offered for any reason except for approved college sponsored activities.

Students will not be allowed to leave class during in-class exams for any reason and all electronic devices must be completely out of sight and turned off. Any student caught cheating during an exam will be given a zero for that assignment. Any unauthorized use of electronic devices during exams will be considered cheating. Please take care of restroom needs PRIOR to the start of any exam; you will not be allowed to leave the room during the exam for any reason unless it has been completed and turned in. Students arriving late on exam day will not be allowed to take the exam if students have already turned theirs in and left the room.

COURSE STRUCTURE

This course is a blending of face-to-face and online learning. The lecture and laboratory will meet on the Midwestern State University campus. Refer to your class schedule for meeting times and room numbers. Attendance in lecture and laboratory is required and assignments cannot be made up, therefore please make sure your schedule is clear each week during the entire scheduled meeting times.

COURSE COMMUNICATION: Announcements will be posted using the Remind application.

Follow the link to sign up: https://www.remind.com/join/biology500 for section 500, and https://www.remind.com/join/biology501

It is your responsibility to join the class to receive announcements from me.

QUESTIONS: It is normal to have questions about things that relate to the course, such as clarification about assignments, course materials, or assessments. This term we will be using Piazza for Q&A. The system is highly catered to getting you help fast and efficiently from classmates, and myself. Rather than emailing questions to the me, I encourage you to post your questions on Piazza.

If you have any problems or feedback for the developers, email team@piazza.com.

Find our class page at: Section 500: https://piazza.com/nctc/spring2019/biol2406500/home or Section 501: https://piazza.com/nctc/spring2019/biol2406501/home

NETIQUETTE: When posting on discussion boards as well as sending private messages, it is important to understand how to interact with classmates/instructors online. You should plan to read about the rules of netiquette as a requirement for this course at  http://www.gadsdenstate.edu/elearning/netiquette This will be an assigned reading during the first unit of this course and assignments will follow to test your understanding.

LEARNING TEAMS: You will be assigned to a learning team the first week of class, which you will work with for the duration of the semester in lecture and lab. In-class team work will take place during the first 15-30 minutes of class, so for that reason please plan on arriving on time to each class and sit with your team members. You are expected to come to class prepared to work with your team and actively participate. Be sure to exchange contact information with your team members within the first week. Your team members will evaluate your participation efforts in the middle and end of the course.

PARTICIPATION:  Students are expected to participate by attending lectures and labs, asking questions, commenting (respectfully) on subject matter, engaging in the discussions and taking appropriate notes.  The required textbook is a valuable resource of information and students will be expected to keep up with its reading.  Lecture quizzes are un-announced and will be given to ensure that the textbook is being read and these cannot be made up.   Students are expected to participate in all lab exercises and attend all field trips unless arrangements are made with the instructor beforehand. Students must take responsibility for their own learning.

Since the goal of this course is to engage students in active discussions utilizing critical thinking skills, there will not be adequate class time to cover all the course material in lecture format.  Note however, that approximately 60 -80% of the tested material will come from the brief verbal lectures, class discussions/assignments, and PowerPoint lectures.  The remaining material will come from the required textbook readings and completion of textbook outlines and Canvas material. 

ATTENDANCE POLICY: Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered. Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence.

Students will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives. Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)

Last day to Withdraw for the Spring 2019 semester with a “W” is April 4^th, 2019

For other important dates visit: https://www.nctc.edu/_documents/academics/academic-calendar.pdf

If a student cannot complete all the requirements of this course due to illness or some unavoidable conflict, they must request in writing a grade of “I” (incomplete) in order to be allowed to finish the requirements at a later date. When the instructor receives the request, he/she must reply in writing to the request, explaining why the grade of “I” will or will not be assigned.

DISABILITY SERVICES - THE OFFICE FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES (OSD): provides support services for students with disabilities, students enrolled in technical areas of study, and students who are classified as special populations (i.e. single parents).  

Support services for students with disabilities might include appropriate and reasonable accommodations, or they may be in the form of personal counseling, academic counseling, career counseling, etc.  Furthermore, OSD Counselors work with students to encourage self-advocacy and promote empowerment. The Counselors also provides resource information, disability-related information, and adaptive technology for students who qualify.

If you feel you have needs for services that the institution provides, please reach out to either Wayne Smith (940) 498-6207 or Yvonne Sandman (940) 668-3300.  Alternative students may stop by Room 170 in Corinth or Room 111 in Gainesville. For more information, visit the NCTC Office for Students with Disabilities: https://www.nctc.edu/catalog/student-services/office-students-with-disabilities.html

CORE CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT AREA (For classes in the Core)        

          Communication

          Mathematics               

X          Life and Physical Science

          Language, Philosophy & Culture

          Creative Arts

          American History

          Government/Political Science

          Social and Behavioral Sciences

          Component Area Option

REQUIRED CORE OBJECTIVES

X          Critical Thinking

X          Communication

X          Empirical and Quantitative

X          Teamwork

X          Personal Responsibility

X          Social Responsibility