Syllabus

Post Baccalaureate in Pre-Health

BIOL 1015: Introduction to Zoology – Fall A 2024 – 8 Weeks

Credits - 3

Description

This course explores the animal branch of the family tree of all living things, focusing especially on vertebrates. We will learn what makes animals different from other organisms like plants or fungi, and also how the various animal species differ from each other. Major themes running through the course include: phylogenetics (how animal species are related to each other); evolution (how we got all the different kinds of animals); metabolism (how different animals survive and regulate their bodies); reproduction strategies (how animals make more animals); and ecology (how animals interact with other living things and their environments).

Materials

Textbooks

Clark MA, Douglas M, Choi J. Biology 2e. Openstax.org. Published March 28, 2018.

Available free online: ISBN-13: 978-1-947172-52-4

Prum RO. The Evolution of Beauty : How Darwin’s Forgotten Theory of Mate Choice Shapes the Animal World– and Us. Anchor Books, A Division Of Penguin Random House Llc; 2018.

Purchase required: ISBN 9780385537223

Hardware

An external webcam is required for proctored exams. If you do not have one, you may order one here: External Webcam.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

Course Outcomes

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

  • Apply the tools zoologists use to communicate their science (examples include ethograms and phylogenies)
  • Produce externalized mental models of your understanding of these big questions in the course:
    • What do all animal species have in common, and what are the ways they vary from each other?
    • Why and how did we end up with millions of different species of animals on the Earth?
    • How does success in sexual reproduction sometimes mean less success in basic survival for a specific animal?
    • What are the challenges of survival that all animals have to deal with? How do different species deal with those challenges?
    • What are the different ways animals can interact with each other and with their environments?
  • Create a science communication project that converts information presented in specialized scientific language or graphs into a format that a non-scientist could understand

Assignments

Lectures

Course content is presented through a series a of interactive lectures. Pause points with questions are built into the videos as an opportunity to reflect on new material and test your knowledge. Responses are graded on participation.

Worksheets

Each week, you will apply new concepts and skills within a worksheet. Length and question formats will vary to allow for application across different contexts and scenarios. 

Discussions

Weekly discussion boards are structured in a give and get help format. These discussions will be a space for you to share classwork, perspectives, and questions in a collaborative environment. The prompts are open-ended and meant to help you identify personal knowledge gaps or curiosities. You will also respond to several peers using what you learned from the week to help them gain a deeper understanding of the content.

Portfolio

Throughout the modules, you will build an individual portfolio detailing your learning process and evolving understanding of the overarching questions identified in the course outcomes. The portfolio is divided into a midterm, final, and weekly individual prompts. Building a record of current perspectives and mental models through weekly portfolio assignments will aid in the completion of the midterm and final. 

SciComm Project

The SciComm project is separated into two submissions and a discussion. The goal of the project is to interpret scientific information and present it in a format that can be understood by non-scientists. The first submission is an illustrative representation of a journal article abstract. This is followed by a discussion based peer interview examining the decisions behind the illustrated abstract. The second submission is a written or audio supplement accompanying a peer’s illustration. The final product will be an article that presents to readers/listeners complex ideas from the chosen scientific journal in a way that is easy to understand. You will have a chance to resubmit the article at the end of the course after incorporating instructor feedback from the draft. 

Exams

You will complete multiple choice midterm and final proctored exams. The midterm exam will focus on the first three modules of the course while the final will be a summative assessment of content from the whole course. 

Grading Policy

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

CategoryPoints Available
Discussions10%
Worksheets20%
Weekly Portfolio Journal5%
Midterm Portfolio 10%
Final Portfolio15%
SciComm Part One: Illustration5%
SciComm Part Two: Article15%
Midterm Exam5%
Final Exam10%
Lecture Questions (Participation)5%
Total100%

Grade Scale

Grade Points Grade Point Average (GPA)
A 94 – 100% 4.00
A- 90 – 93% 3.75
B+ 87 – 89% 3.50
B 84 – 86% 3.00
B- 80 – 83% 2.75
C+ 77 – 79% 2.50
C 74 – 76% 2.00
C- 70 – 73% 1.75
D 64 – 69% 1.00
F 00 – 63% 0.00

Schedule

Course Schedule

Week 1: Sep 4 – Sep 10
Week 2: Sep 11 – Sep 17
Week 3: Sep 18 – Sep 24
Week 4: Sep 25 – Oct 1
Week 5: Oct 2 – Oct 8
Week 6: Oct 9 – Oct 15
Week 7: Oct 16 – Oct 22
Week 8: Oct 23 – Oct 29
 
Week  Learning Activities Due Dates
1

Introduction & Give Help/Get Help Discussions

Individual Journal Portfolio Entry

Weekly Worksheet

Weekly Interactive Lecture Questions

Discussions (Initial Post) – Sunday, 11:59 PM EST

Discussions (Response Post) – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Individual Journal Portfolio Entry – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Weekly Worksheet – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Weekly Interactive Lecture Questions – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

2

Give Help/Get Help Discussion

Individual Journal Portfolio Entry

Weekly Worksheets

Weekly Interactive Lecture Questions

Discussion (Initial Post) – Sunday, 11:59 PM EST

Discussion (Response Post) – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Individual Journal Portfolio Entry – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Weekly Worksheets – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Weekly Interactive Lecture Questions – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

3

Illustrated Abstract & Give Help/Get Help Discussions

SciComm Illustrated Abstract Assignment

Individual Journal Portfolio Entry

Weekly Worksheet

Weekly Interactive Lecture Questions

Mini-Portfolio Midterm

 

Discussions (Initial Post) – Sunday, 11:59 PM EST

Discussion (Response Post) – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

SciComm Illustrated Abstract Assignment – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Individual Journal Portfolio Entry – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Weekly Worksheet – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Weekly Interactive Lecture Questions – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Mini-Portfolio Midterm – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

4

Science Journalist Interview

Individual Journal Portfolio Entry

Weekly Worksheet

Weekly Interactive Lecture Questions

Midterm Exam 

Interview Discussion (Initial Post) – Friday, 11:59 PM EST

Interview Discussion (First Response Post) – Sunday, 11:59 PM EST

Interview Discussion (Second Response Post) – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Individual Journal Portfolio Entry – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Weekly Worksheet – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Weekly Interactive Lecture Questions – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Midterm Exam – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

5

Give Help/Get Help Discussions

Individual Journal Portfolio Entry

Weekly Worksheet

Weekly Interactive Lecture Questions

 

Discussions (Initial Post) – Sunday, 11:59 PM EST

Discussion (Response Post) – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Individual Journal Portfolio Entry – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Weekly Worksheets – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Weekly Interactive Lecture Questions – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

6

Give Help/Get Help Discussions

Individual Journal Portfolio Entry

Weekly Worksheet

SciComm Project Draft

Weekly Interactive Lecture Questions

Discussions (Initial Post) – Sunday, 11:59 PM EST

Discussion (Response Post) – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Individual Journal Portfolio Entry – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Weekly Worksheet – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Weekly Interactive Lecture Questions – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

SciComm Project Draft – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

7

Ethology Pie Chart & Give Help/Get Help Discussions

Individual Journal Portfolio Entry

Weekly Worksheets

Weekly Interactive Lecture Questions

Discussions (Initial Post) – Sunday, 11:59 PM EST

Discussion (Response Post) – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Individual Journal Portfolio Entry – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Weekly Worksheets – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Weekly Interactive Lecture Questions – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

8

Give Help/Get Help Discussions

Individual Journal Portfolio Entry

Weekly Worksheet

Weekly Interactive Lecture Questions

Final SciComm Project

Final Portfolio

Final Exam

Discussions (Initial Post) – Sunday, 11:59 PM EST

Discussion (Response Post) – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Individual Journal Portfolio Entry – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Weekly Worksheets – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Weekly Interactive Lecture Questions – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Final SciComm Project – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Final Portfolio – Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Final Exam- Tuesday, 11:59 PM EST

Student Resources

Online Student Support

Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies. Questions? Email: prehealth@une.edu.

Online Peer Support

Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.

Instructor and Support Contact Information

Check Brightspace for specific instructor and support specialist contact information.

UNE Libraries

Further Assistance

Your student service advisor monitors course progression and provides assistance or guidance when needed. They can assist questions regarding ordering course materials, University policies, billing, navigating the course in Brightspace, and more.

Policies

Attendance Policy

Online students are required to submit a graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. If a student does not submit a posting to the graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET, the student will be automatically dropped from the course for non-participation. Review the full attendance policy.

Assignments

Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted. Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded. Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.

Proctored Examinations

The University of New England has contracted with ProctorU to provide students with the most convenient online exam proctoring system. This system provides a simple, no cost to the student, secure, online proctor for exams and allows the student to take all the exams at home and on their own schedule.

Upon enrollment into the course, each student will register with ProctorU and establish a login name and password. This will give the student access to all of ProctorU's services. When ready, students will schedule each of their proctored exams with ProctorU. Exams must be scheduled at least 72 hours in advance to avoid fees. Prior to taking their exams, students must be sure that they have downloaded the ProctorU Chrome or Firefox extension and are using the most current version of Chrome or Firefox. They must also be sure their testing site's connection meets the minimum requirements by using ProctorU's "Test It Out" utility.

Upon the exam day and hour, students will log in to ProctorU and click on "exams". After following the procedures outlined at ProctorU's website, the student will log in to Brightspace and locate their correct exam. The proctor will then allow student access to that exam.

Students must use ProctorU and must follow all proctoring requirements for their exams to be credited.

Information about exam attempts can be found in your course.

Technology Requirements

Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Programs: Technical Requirements

Course Length

A schedule of lectures and assignments is included in this syllabus.

Courses in the program are equivalent to one-semester courses designed to be completed in 6 or 8 weeks

  1. Enrollment in the course begins the day your section opens which is listed in the Academic Calendar found on the Student Success Portal.
  2. Course due dates, start and end dates are in respect to Eastern Time.

Withdrawal and Refund Policies

Please review the policies in your confirmation email. Contact PreHealth@une.edu with any questions.

Grade Policy

Students are expected to attempt and complete all graded assignments and proctored exams by the end date of the course. Contact support with any questions.

Transcripts

Due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, only the student may request official transcripts. This may be done online by going to the University of New England Registrar website and following the directions on the page.

Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

  1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
  2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
  3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
  4. Multiple submission of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
  5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.

Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.