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FrequentlyAskedQuestions |
What is the textbook for this course?
Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life 10th edition by Starr and Taggart. It can be purchased at the Mesa Community College bookstore (phone 480 - 461-7225) or online with a credit card from Follett's , Amazon or Barnes and Noble . (Clicking on the names of these two booksellers will take you to their web sites.)
What is the lab manual for this course?
Biology 100 Online, revised 2nd edition by Johnson. It can be purchased from the Mesa Community College bookstore, phone (480) 461-7225.
Are there any other purchases I need for this course?
Yes, you will also need to buy the Bio 100 Online lab kit. It contains many of the supplies you will need to conduct the weekly laboratory exercises. It can be purchased for $50.00 from the Mesa Community College bookstore, phone (602) 461-7225. If you follow the directions in your lab manual to return nondisposable items to the kit each week, you can sell the kit back to the bookstore at the end of the semester for $45.00. If you are unable to go to the bookstore, you may have it mailed to you for a nominal shipping fee. To make arrangements for mailing, contact the bookstore manager, phone (480) 461-7225. Some of the labs also require that you purchase additional supplies at your local grocery store or drugstore. These supplies are delineated in the lab manual.
What hardware will I need?
You will need at least a computer with a CD-ROM drive, a modem, and access to the internet (internet service provider).
What software will I need?
Internet Explorer version 5.5 or later, or Netscape Communicator 7.0 or later is used for email and lessons. Either version can be downloaded for free from the internet. For more information on these options, click on this link: Browser Tune-Up
Web CT is the navigational tool we use for the course. You do not need to download WebCT - it is already a part of the course. You simply need a browser (such as Netscape Communicator) to view it. You will need login information to access the course. The necessary information for login will be mailed to you in a a letter when the course begins (assuming you have emailed your instructor at johnson@mail.mc.maricopa.edu your current mailing address.
Mesa Community College offers a free email account to all its students. In order to access Bio 100 online materials, you must have an MCC email account, even if you have use another email account for other activities. If you are enrolled in classes at MCC, you can set up your email account by following the directions at this link: Setting Up Your MCC Email Account.
What happens the first week of class?
In addition to purchasing the textbook, lab manual,and lab kit, the following tasks are completed during the first week:
1. setting up your MCC email accountAlthough these tasks will take some time, they will have you well-prepared to proceed comfortably through Bio 100 online. You will receive credit for taking the pretests if they are taken on time.2. checking you have appropriate hardware, software, and internet service provider in place
3. submitting a Student Information Form and filling out a worksheet on course policies
4. sending an email to your instructor
5. posting a message to the class bulletin board
6. setting up your first experiment
Detailed instructions for each of these tasks may be found by clicking on the "First Week" icon on the course homepage.
How long do I have to complete the course?
The course is designed to be completed in sixteen weeks.
Why sixteen weeks?
Although many online courses are completed in eight weeks, taking Bio 100 is rather like taking two courses at the same time. On-campus Bio 100 students spend three hours in lecture and three hours in lab per week. In order to make online Bio 100 as rich as the on-campus course, activities similar to on-campus lecture and lab activities are included. Eight weeks would place undue stress on most students for successful completion of the activities involved. Thus we have opted to offer sixteen weeks to optimize your learning potential.
Will this course transfer?
Online Bio 100 transfers in the same way that the traditional Bio 100 course transfers. It simply appears on your transcript as Bio 100, with no indication whether it was taken on campus or online.
What is the format of the course?
The first week involves orientation activities and pretests. Subsequent weeks are divided into fourteen assignments. Each assignments consists of an Exploration, Module, and Quiz.
The Exploration is a hands-on activity similar to that performed in on-campus laboratory classes. The accompanying Module involves further mastery of the concepts via online text, online questions, readings in the text and/or visiting resources on the Internet. A timed quiz is taken on each week's assignment. The quiz must be completed by the due date (see General Information icon on course homepage for specific dates). A proctored midterm and final examination are also taken. In addition, students are expected to participate in weekly discussions of material via Bulletin Boards. Students are expected to communicate via email with the instructor regarding any questions and/or problems they are experiencing.
On what are grades based?
Grades are based on four components:
What are the quizzes like?
Each quiz contains questions on that week's biology concepts. Questions may involve application of concepts and/or reasoning ability. Format of the questions may be multiple choice, true/false, matching, short answer or essay. The quiz is taken online in WebCT. You simply click on the button that says "Submit" and your answers will be delivered to your instructor. The quizzes are timed and you are penalized if you go past the alloted time restriction. Quizzes are available for a limited time period - three days in the week the work is assigned. When the quiz is completed during the first two days it is availble, it is on time. Quizzes completed on the third day incur a 10% late penalty. Quizzes are unavailable after the third day.
What are the Exams like?
The questions on the exams are similar in format to those on the quizzes. However, the midterm exam covers all concepts examined in the first nine weeks of the course. The final examination is comprehensive and covers the entire course. For students who live in the greater Phoenix area, these proctored examinations will be administered at the Mesa Community College Southern and Dobson campus during the dates/times indicated on the course calendar. The midterm and final examination are available on at least two days each.
For students who live outside the greater Phoenix area, prior arrangements must be made with the Bio 100 online instuctor for a suitable proctor. Appropriate proctors are likely to be faculty or testing center staff who are employed at a college or university. The exam will be mailed to the proctor and returned to the Bio 100 instructor when completed.
Do I ever need to come to the Mesa Community College campus?
If you live in the greater Phoenix area, you will need to come to the Mesa Community College Southern and Dobson campus to take the midterm and final examinations (see explanation above). Otherwise, you will need to work with your instructor to designate a suitable proctor for these exams.
How do I contact the instructor?
For the most part we will communicate via email. We can also communicate via telephone or fax when desired.
Will I get to know my fellow classmates?
Although you will most likely not meet face-to-face you will have contact via class discussion Bulletin Boards and/or email.
How do I register?
Call (602) 461-7700 or visit the MCC Distance Learning Page for information.
I have further questions.
Contact me at by clicking on this link and sending me an email johnson@mail.mc.maricopa.edu or calling me at (480) 461-7703.