education biBiol 1121 — BIOL 1121: Biology 1 for Health Studies Majors
Course Description: This course introduces main concepts in biology, common to most living organisms. It covers topics in biochemistry, cell biology and genetics, which illustrate how molecules are organized into cells. Cells constitute the basic unit of life and genes are central to information flow within and between cells. This course makes use of assignments, conceived as mini-projects, to introduce experimental methods and research data repositories. Through these activities, the goal is to learn how to approach methodically a complex problem and find information relevant to a specific question. This course is, thus, meant both as a prerequisite to the study of biology at the organism or population level, and as a general introduction to how biological knowledge is being produced.
Required Textbook and Materials: UoPeople courses use open educational resources (OER) and other materials specifically donated to the University with free permissions for educational use. Therefore, students are not required to purchase any textbooks or sign up for any websites that have a cost associated with them. The main required textbooks for this course are listed below, and can be readily accessed using the provided links. There may be additional required/recommended readings, supplemental materials, or other resources and websites necessary for lessons; these will be provided for you in the course’s General Information and Forums area, and throughout the term via the weekly course Unit areas and the Learning Guides.
- Biology from OpenStax College. Available online at http://cnx.org/contents/185cbf87-c72e-48f5-b51e-f14f21b5eabd@9.85:1/ or for download at the following links:
- Chapters 1–10
- Chapters 11–20
- Chapters 21–29
- Chapters 30–38
- Chapters 39–47
- Additional freely-available online materials are referenced in the learning guide and assignments for each unit.
- Learning Objectives and Outcomes:
- By the end of this course students will be able to:
- Classify the structure and properties of biological molecules.
- Explain cell organization and functions.
- Examine how genetic information is encoded in DNA and transmitted.
- Design experiments and execute experimental protocols.
- Perform research in discipline specific databases and locate information in scientific-based articles.
Course Schedule and Topics: This course will cover the following topics in eight learning sessions, with one Unit per week. The Final Exam will take place during Week/Unit 9 (UoPeople time).
Week 1: Unit 1 — The Chemical Foundation of Life
Week 2: Unit 2 — Biological Macromolecules
Week 3: Unit 3 — Cell Structure and Membranes
Week 4: Unit 4 — Metabolism
Week 5: Unit 5 — Cell Communication and Reproduction
Week 6: Unit 6 — Meiosis and Genetic Transmission
Week 7: Unit 7 — DNA Encoding of Genetic Information
Week 8: Unit 8 — Gene Expression and Molecular Biology
Week 9: Unit 9 — Course Review and Final Exam
Learning Guide: The following is an outline of how this course will be conducted, with suggested best practices for students.
Unit 1: The Chemical Foundation of Life
- Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
- Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
- Take the Self-Quiz
Unit 2: Biological Macromolecules
- Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
- Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
- Complete and submit the Written Assignment
- Make entries to the Learning Journal
- Take the Self-Quiz
Unit 3: Cell Structure and Membranes
- Peer assess Unit 2 Written Assignment
- Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
- Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
- Complete and submit the Written Assignment
- Take the Self-Quiz
- Take the Graded Quiz
Unit 4: Metabolism
- Peer assess Unit 3 Written Assignment
- Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
- Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
- Make entries to the Learning Journal
- Take the Self-Quiz
Unit 5: Cell Communication and Reproduction
- Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
- Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
- Complete and submit the Written Assignment
- Take the Self-Quiz
Unit 6: Meiosis and Genetic Transmission
- Peer assess Unit 5 Written Assignment
- Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
- Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
- Make entries to the Learning Journal
- Take the Self-Quiz
- Take the Graded Quiz
Unit 7: DNA Encoding of Genetic Information
- Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
- Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
- Complete and submit the Written Assignment
- Take the Self-Quiz
Unit 8: Gene Expression and Molecular Biology
- Peer assess Unit 7 Written Assignment
- Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
- Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
- Make entries to the Learning Journal
- Take the Self-Quiz
- Complete and submit the anonymous Course Evaluation
- Read the Unit 9 Learning Guide carefully for instructions on the Final Exam
- Take the Review Quiz
Unit 9: Course Review and Final Exam
- Read the Learning Guide and take the Review Quiz, if you haven’t already done so
- Prepare for, take, and submit the Final Exam
- The Final Exam will take place during the Thursday and Sunday of Week/Unit 9 (UoPeople time); exact dates, times, and other details will be provided accordingly by your instructor
Course Requirements:
Discussion Assignments & Response Posts/Ratings
Some units in this course require that you complete a Discussion Assignment. You are required to develop and post a substantive response to the Discussion Assignment in the Discussion Forum. A substantive response is one that fully answers the question that has been posed by the instructor. In addition, you must extend the discussion by responding to at least three (3) of your peers’ postings in the Discussion Forum and by rating their posts. Instructions for proper posting and rating are provided inside the Discussion Forum for each week. Discussion Forums are only active for each current and relevant learning week, so it is not possible to contribute to the forum once the learning week has come to an end. Failure to participate in the Discussion Assignment by posting in the Discussion Forum and responding to peers as required may result in failure of the course.
Written Assignments & Assessment Forms
Some units in this course require that you complete a Written Assignment. You are required to submit your assignments by the indicated deadlines and, in addition, to peer assess three (3) of your classmates’ assignments according to the instructions found in the Assessment Form, which is provided to you during the following week. During this peer assessment period, you are expected to provide details in the feedback section of the Assessment Form, indicating why you awarded the grade that you did to your peer. Please note that each assignment grade is comprised of a combination of your submission (90%) and your peer assessments (10%). Failure to submit Written Assignments and/or Assessment Forms may result in failure of the course.
Learning Journals
Some units in this course require that you complete a Learning Journal. In this course, Learning Journals are aimed at emulating lab activities and must be completed as assigned, because its entries will be assessed by your instructor directly as a part of your final grade. Learning Journals will only be seen by your instructor, and failure to submit them may result in failure of the course.
Quizzes
This course will contain three types of quizzes — the Self-Quiz, the Graded Quiz, and the Review Quiz. These quizzes may contain multiple choice, true/false, or short answer questions. The results of the Self-Quiz will not count towards your final grade. However, it is highly recommended that you complete the Self-Quiz to ensure that you have adequately understood the course materials. Along with the Reading Assignments, the results of the Self-Quiz should be used as part of an iterative learning process, to thoroughly cover and test your understanding of course material. You should use the results of your Self-Quiz as a guide to go back and review relevant sections of the Reading Assignments. Likewise, the Review Quiz will not count towards your final grade, but should also be used to assist you in a comprehensive review and full understanding of all course material, in preparation for your Final Exam. Lastly, the results of the Graded Quiz will count towards your final grade. Specific instructions on the format and content of the Graded Quiz will be provided by your instructor.
Final Exam
The Final Exam will take place during the Thursday and Sunday of Week/Unit 9, following the completion of eight units of work. The format of the Final Exam is similar to that of the quizzes, and may contain a combination of different question types. You will have one attempt to take the exam, and it will be graded electronically. Specific instructions on how to prepare for and take the exam will be provided during Week/Unit 8.
Course Forum
The Course Forum is the place to raise issues and questions relating to the course. It is regularly monitored by the instructors, and is a good place to meet fellow students taking the same course. While it is not required to participate in the Course Forum, it is highly recommended.
Course Policies:
Grading Components and Weights
Each graded component of the course will contribute some percentage to the final grading scale, as indicated here:
Discussion Assignments15%
Written Assignments20%
Learning Journals10%
Two Graded Quizzes (2 @ 15% each)30%
Final Exam25%TOTAL100%
