CCCOnline LogoCourse Snapshot for BIO112 - General College Biology II with Lab: GT-SC1

The information listed below is subject to change. Please review the course syllabus within your online course at the start of class.

Course Competencies

The competencies you will demonstrate in this course are as follows:

  1. Recognize terminology, specific facts, experimental methodologies, and general concepts related to evolution, classification, structure and function in plants and animals, and ecology.
  2. Read, analyze and apply the concepts learned to interpret new situations.
  3. Distinguish between the principles and purposes of procedures and techniques introduced in the laboratory.
  4. Inspect the role of research in the biological sciences and become aware of its impact on society.
  5. Employ the scientific method to the extent of formulating a hypothesis, designing a set of experiments with controls, analyzing results, and deriving conclusions.
  6. Experience the scientific method by examining current and/or classical research.
  7. Demonstrate the ability to select and apply contemporary forms of technology to solve problems or compile information.
  8. Write and speak clearly and logically in presentations and essays.
Learning concepts for this course are enchanced using illustrative models, video, and online discussions.

Module Outcomes Mapped to Competencies

Module 1
  Outcomes Competencies
1 Define an organization and what separates living from nonliving things. A, B
2 Describe how species, and populations within those species, change over time at both ecological and genetic levels. A, B
3 Explain how evolution is used to understand the history of living organisms through phylogeny. A, B
4 List the levels of biological organization, and consider how they relate to our current understanding of phylogenetics.  A, B
5 Explore how researchers have studied and continue to study mechanisms of speciation and population evolution in the field and laboratory. D, F, G
6 Recall evolutionary mechanisms to identify evolutionary processes in real or simulated biological systems. C, E
7 Explore evolutionary processes, including the evolution and origin of species, the evolution of populations, and the phylogenies and history of life. A
Module 2
  Outcomes Competencies
1 Recognize the differences between viruses, bacteria, archaea, and eukarya (protists, plants, animals, fungi), as well as their evolutionary relationships. A
2 Define the characteristics of a living organism. A
3 Reflect on the relationship between biological complexity and the value, successfulness, and importance of an organism.  A, B, G, H
4 Recall the defining characteristics of protists, plants, animals, and fungi, while examining real and simulated examples of each. C, E 
5 Reflect on and critically evaluate labs that are performed to evaluate wherein learning can be applied in new situations.  B, H
Module 3
  Outcomes Competencies
1 Recall the major plant groups, their defining characteristics, and their evolutionary relationships. A
2 Describe the adaptations that allowed plants to colonize land and the challenges that helped select for these traits. A, B, D, F
3 Compare structure and physiology between the major groups of plants.  A, C, E, G
4 Explore what it means to be a plant and the roles plants play in ecosystems across the globe.  A, B, D, F 
5 Identify the parts of flowers, fruits, and seeds and how they all work together. A, B, C, E 
6 Reflect on the ways in which photosynthesis and plant evolution impacted life on Earth. A, B, D, F, G 
7 Discuss connections between the colonization of land by plants, global CO2 levels, and climate change.  A, B, D, F, G, H
8 Reflect on and critically evaluate labs that are performed to evaluate wherein learning can be applied in new situations.  B, H
Module 4
  Outcomes Competencies
1 Explore what makes an animal different from the other living organisms we have already studied.  A
2 List the major invertebrate phyla, and explain how they address the challenges of life faced by all living organisms. A
3 Recall the main vertebrate phyla, and know the major features that are used to distinguish them from each other. A 
4 Review the primary evolutionary relationships of animals, and discuss why researchers still disagree about these relationships. A, B, D, F, G
5 Discuss how human beings fit into the rest of the animal kingdom. A, B, E, F, G 
6 Observe animal development and/or morphology, and design experiments to elucidate the function of various animal systems or behavior. C, E
7 Examine the process of research in the biological sciences: who does research and how the results are interpreted and communicated. B, D, G, H
8 Reflect on and critically evaluate labs that are performed to evaluate wherein learning can be applied in new situations.  B, H
Module 5
  Outcomes Competencies
1 Recall the basic roles living organisms play in communities and ecosystems and how they interact with each other. A
2 Explore how ecological processes scale up from the activity of individuals in local ecosystems to regional and global scales. A, B, D, F, G 
3 Examine biomes and the role they play in understanding ecosystems around the globe. A, B
4 Explore the relationship between evolutionary and ecological processes. A, B 
5 Recall ecological processes and descriptors to examine ecology in real and simulated systems. C, E
6 Explore the concept of ecosystem services, and explain how it can help place value on ecosystems for humans.  A, B, D, F, G, H
7 Examine the roles humans typically play in the ecosystems in which we live. A, B, D, F
8 Examine the research process in organismal biology, and interpret and present your findings.  B, D, G, H
9 Reflect on and critically evaluate labs that are performed to evaluate wherein learning can be applied in new situations.  B, H

Course Time Commitment and Expectations

The semester schedule for this course may be 15 weeks or 10 weeks in duration. Based on the course format, this table shows the approximate amount of time you should plan to spend per week on this course. This includes time to read/listen to the online content, participate in discussion forums, complete all assignments, and study the course material.

For accelerated courses, the amount of time required per week is greater. Note that regardless of course format, the course material is the same and all course competencies, module outcomes, and assignments will be covered.

Course Activity Hours and Student Learning Hours
Course Credit Hours Course Format (Duration) Pace Relative to a 15-Week Course Course Activity Hours Student Learning Hours per Week
5 15 Weeks - 225 14.5 to 15.5
5 10 Weeks 1.5x faster 225 21.5 to 23.5

Aside from typical reading assignments, this course has the following (Please Note: This list is subject to change based on the discretion of the instructor facilitating this course.):

Summary of Grading
Assignment Points %

Student Icebreaker Discussion (1 @ 5 points)
Discussions (5 @ 15 points each)
Think About It! Discussions (4 @ 5 points each)

 100 10%
Project (1 @ 50 points) 50 5%
Quizzes (3 @ 50 points each) 150 15%
Midterm and Final (2 @ 150 points each) 300 30%

Lab Activities (12 @ 30 points each; 1 lab report @ 40 points)

 400  40%
TOTAL 1,000 100%

 

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