Are
you interested in taking an award-winning biology course that is completely online? If so, read on!
If so, read on! Are
you interested in taking an award-winning biology course that is completely online?
Biology 100 online is the recipient of one national and one international award:
the National Science Teacher's Association Gustav Ohaus award for instructional
innovation at the college level (2000), and it has been selected as a WebCT Exemplary
course (2001).
In
addition, Dr. Peg Johnson, the developer of Bio 100 Online, was named the Two-Year
College Biology Teacher of the Year for 2000 by the National Association of Biology
Teachers. This award was given in part for the development of Bio 100 Online.
Wow! Tell me more about this terrific course!
Bio
100 is a general education course in biology. It is designed for non-biology
majors. If you are an English
major, education major, business major, etc., Bio 100 will satisfy a requirement
for a four-credit hour laboratory science course. (If you are a biology major,
the course you should take is Biology 181.)
Bio 100 is a four-hour credit course with a laboratory that transfers to most universities. Everything is completed in the convenience of your own home - no campus attendance is necessary other than for the proctored midterm and final examinations. For these two exams, you must come to the Mesa Community College Southern and Dobson campus, during the scheduled times on one of three available dates. See course calendar for schedule dates.
Note: If you do not live in the greater Phoenix area, you may be able to arrange another suitable examination proctor. A full-time faculty or staff member at a college or university near you may serve as the proctor, pending prior approval by your Bio 100 online instructor, well-before the scheduled exam dates.
If you are an allied health major (nursing, physical therapy, dental hygiene,pre-med, pre-vet etc.) Bio 100 may or may not be the appropriate course for you. It depends on the school/program/major to which you plan to transfer. For some programs Bio 100 will serve your needs just fine. In allied health programs you need an introductory biology course to serve as a prerequisite for more advanced biology courses you will take (e.g. anatomy and physiology, microbiology). At Mesa Community College Bio 181 is the recommended course for allied health majors. If you are pursuing a degree at another institution, check their catalogue to see if Bio 100 is appropriate for your major. If you have any doubt as to the appropriateness of this course, contact the department of your major at the university to which you plan to transfer.
Is Taking Bio 100 Online The Right Course For Me?
Taking a course via the Internet offers many exciting possibilities as wells as some unique challenges, both to the student and the instructor. While providing flexibility, an online course demands more independent learning from a student than an oncampus course. Not everyone is ready to take biology via the Internet.
It is different from the traditional classroom in that it requires that you be more self-motivated and self-directed. You will need to take responsibility for your own learning. Your success will depend upon you keeping up with the assignments. While you do interact with classmates via email and/or bulletin board postings, it is not the same as being in a class and working with fellow students face-to-face. If you are taking this course online because you think it will be easier than the same course on campus, this is not the course for you. Drawing on many years of teaching Bio 100 on campus, this course is designed to follow much the same format and content. This is important so that credit for Bio 100 online is transferable to other institutions. Instead of a teacher leading you through the material in a classroom face-to-face situation, you learn the material individually, at the hours you choose. While student feedback is very positive on this course, it only works for students who are good at time management, independent learners, and highly motivated.
Vicky Phillips, in her book Never Too Late to Learn: The Adult Student's Guide to College, suggests that distance learning may work well if the following characteristics apply to you. I've adapted her suggestions to Bio 100 online:
Good at time management.
Comfortable with the technology used in course delivery.
Highly motivated to learn the subject at hand.
Not in need in a lot of emotional support or guidance to learn.
Able to learn best through written modes rather than through visual and oral means.
In possession of good reading and writing skills.
Comfortable not being a part of a class group.
Not prone to routine procrastination.
Able to enjoy working independently.
The more of these qualities that describe you, the more likely you are to be successful in Bio 100 online. If only a few of these characteristics apply to you, you would be better served by taking an on-campus course.
If
you have never taken a course on the Internet, I highly recommend that you
take the Internet
Readiness Questionnaire. Click on this link (underlined words) to view
it.
Other
considerations regarding whether you should take online courses are presented
at the MCC Distance Learning
Site.
You can see the answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Distance Learning Classes by clicking on this link.
The MCC Distance Learning Orientation is another great resource to investigate.
You do the exploration (experiment) in your home, using some materials that are provided you in a kit and some materials you purchase at the local grocery store or drug store. Click on this link for a list of the supplies you will need to purchase during the course. You will also need access to a stove and a refrigerator and some common kitchen equipment (teaspoons, measuring cups, etc.) Some Explorations will require that you share your results (data) with your classmates, get their data, and exchange conclusions online.
Each Exploration is followed by textbook and/or online activities that delve further into the concept and related
topics. Some activities utilize the CD-ROM that comes with your textbook. As you view the material you
interact by answering questions. Correct answers are provided for immediate feedback.
Although this course is an online course, there are deadlines. Explorations (lab activities) should be conducted early in the week. Some explorations require student purchases at the local store for use in the lab activity.
Questions are posted each week that often apply to the exploration conducted by the student that week. Student responses should be posted in time to provide the opportunity for feedback before the weekly quiz.
Each weekly online quiz covers the concepts addressed in that week's exploration (lab activity), online lessons (modules), textbook reading, and/or CD-ROM activity. The quiz is available for three days. The quiz is considered on time if it is taken the first two days. However, there is a ten-percent late penalty for taking the quiz on the third day.
Proctored
midterm and final examinations are to be taken as scheduled
on the course calendar. At least two days will be allocated for
each of these exams. For students who live in the greater Phoenix area, they must come to campus for a two-hour period on one of the days and times indicated on the course calendar. Students who live outside the greater Phoenix area must pre-arrange a suitable proctor with their Bio 100 instructor. Faculty or staff at testing centers at other
institutions of higher education may be suitable for this task; check with your instructor..
Click here to see a list of Course Modules.The links will not work (you cannot actually see a module) unless you have a password. You will receive a password at the beginning of the course.
For a demonstration lesson from this course, click on this link: BIO 100 Online Demo
To read comments from students who've taken Bio 100 Online click on this link: What Previous Bio 100 Online Students Say
You
will purchase a textbook, a lab manual, and a lab kit. The textbook is Biology:
The Unity and Diversity of Life, 11th ed., by Starr and Taggart,
ISBN 00-495-01599-7. Among other places, it is available for purchase at the
MCC bookstore (phone 480-461-7225). If
you live outside the greater Phoenix area and cannot come to the MCC bookstore
to purchase the lab kit, call the bookstore (phone 480-461-7225) and ask
to speak to the manager. He/she will make arrangements to mail the kit to
you for a nominal shipping fee.
The
lab manual (Investigating Life Online, revised 2nd ed., by Peg
Johnson) and the lab kit that accompanies it are available at the MCC
bookstore.
You
will be doing weekly lab experiments in your home. Some of the supplies
you will need for the experiments
are in the Bio
100 online lab kit you will purchase. The kit will cost you
$50.00 (plus any postage and shipping fees you incur) but $45.00 is refundable
when you return the supplies at the end of the semester.
Other supplies you must purchase at the local grocery store or drug store. Click on this link for a list of the supplies you will need to purchase during the course. You will also need access to a stove and a refrigerator and some common kitchen equipment (teaspoons, measuring cups, etc.) Some Explorations will require that you share your results (data) with your classmates, get their data, and exchange conclusions online.
You must own your own computer, a modem or high speed internet connection with an internet service provider, and be able to send email mesasges. You will be spending a significant amount of time using this equipment, so it is essential you have it all readily available and know how to use it.
Click here to see a description of the Minimum Hardware and Software Requirements and Supplies needed.
If you need computer help or have a question with regard to your computer system, click on this link: Computer Help
NOTE AOL USERS: In order to navigate this class you will need to close your AOL window and use a browser like Netscape or Internet Explorer. Course materials include specific instructions on how to do this.
How Much Time Does Bio 100 Online Take?
Most
students who are successful in Bio 100 Online spend five to ten
hours per week on the course. This includes doing the labs (explorations),
reading the text and/or working through tutorials on a CD-ROM, completing online
modules (the equivalent of lectures in an oncampus course), and posting to the
bulletin board. If you are a weak student or if English is your second language,
it may take you more time. In contrast, students in Bio 100 oncampus are in lab
three hours a week, lecture three hours per week, and then do lab reports, readings
and/or outside assignments that vary with individual instructors.
Mesa Community College is a member of Maricopa Community Colleges. Tuition is
$65.00 (U.S.) per credit hour for in-county residents for the 2006-7 school year. Since Bio 100 is a four credit course, the tuition cost would
be $240.00. Consult Cashier Services for fees in effect at the time of registration.
Out-of-county tuition and fees are higher than in-county costs. Consult Cashier Services for fees in effect at the time of registration.
In addition, there is a $25.00 lab fee.
Each Bio 100 online students must also purchase a Bio 100 Online Lab Kit. This is available at the MCC bookstore. The cost of the lab kit is $50.00 (plus a nominal shipping fee). However, $45.00 of the lab kit fee is refundable at the end of the semester if the kit is returned intact (minus the disposable supplies you use in the explorations) to the MCC bookstore.
Purchase of the textbook and lab manual are also required. The cost of these items can be determined by phoning the MCC Bookstore at (480) 461-7225.
For further information on how to register for this course, contact the Admissions office at Mesa Community College (480-461-7600), log on to MCC Online Classes .
Once
you’ve enrolled in Bio 100 online, you’ll need to set up your free MCC email
account, using directions on this same page (MCC
Online Classes). Use your new account to email
your instructor.
Assistance in
getting your software set up for online
courses can be obtained by calling the MCC Helpdesk at (480)
461-7217.
The MCC Distance Learning Office has a very helpful website, with student resources you may find helpful. You can access it at Distance Learning Office. If you are new to online classes, it is a "must see". If you're an experienced online student, you are still likely to find some helpful tips. Check it out!
An excellent tutorial regarding how to set up and use your MCC email account, how to use a bulletin board, how to use WebCT in an online course, etc. is available also. Click on this link Web Portal Tutorial and work your way through it.
To
view frequently asked questions, click on this link: FAQ's
Click here to see a description of General Policies.
Click here to see a description of how course Grades will be determined.
If you have a question or wish to converse with the instructor, click on the frog to send an email message.
-- Mark Van Doren