Faculty Syllabus

Course Information

Campus: RRC Room: 8306

Time: MW 10:30-11:50am.

Credit Hours: 3

Classroom Contact Hours per week: 3

Section number: 011

Synonym number: 26507

Instructor Information

Name: Amanda Quillen, PhD

Office location: 8323 (adjunct suite)

Office phone: 737-843-4795 (Google Voice)

E-mail: amanda.quillen@austincc.edu

Office hours: MW 12-1pm

Other hours by appointment on weekdays

Syllabus is subject to change. I will announce changes in Blackboard and date the syllabus version in the title.

Email or Blackboard messaging is the best way to communicate with me outside of class and office hours. Only use your ACC address to avoid being marked as junk. Include the common course number and section “BIOL1309-011” in the subject line. I am only on campus Mondays and Wednesdays, but I live nearby, so feel free to make an appointment to meet on other weekdays, via Zoom, phone, or in person. You do not need to make an appointment to see me during regular office hours.

Instructional Methodology

Lecture: This course is taught in person, with graded in person activities. You are expected to attend every class. Students will use the Blackboard learning management system for assignment instructions, submitting assignments, taking quizzes, and accessing materials. Exams will be held in class.

Student Technology Support: Austin Community College provides free, secure drive-up WiFi to students and employees in the parking lots of all campus locations. WiFi can be accessed seven days a week, 7 am to 11 pm. Visit the STS webpage for additional details about technology access.

Students who do not have the necessary technology to complete their ACC courses can request to borrow devices from Student Technology Services. Available devices include iPads, webcams, headsets, calculators, etc. Students must be registered for a credit course, Adult Education, or Continuing Education course to be eligible. For more information, including how to request a device, click here. Student Technology Services offers phone, live-chat, and email-based technical support for students and can provide support on topics such as password resets, accessing or using Blackboard, access to technology, etc. To view hours of operation and ways to request support, visit here.

Course Policies

Attendance/Class Participation: Regular and punctual class attendance is expected of all students. Quizzes must be completed on time outside of class. Assignments are generally completed in class, but may be turned in on Blackboard. Some assignments require attendance for credit. Exams will be completed in class. Students should contact the instructor ASAP if they will miss class. Instructor will determine if late work can be completed and if penalty points will apply to the work. If attendance or compliance with other course policies is unsatisfactory, the instructor may withdraw students from the class. Students must attend the first class or contact me ASAP if they cannot make it. I will drop students who do not attend or contact me. I will not automatically drop students who quit attending. You will be responsible for dropping or withdrawing if you attend the first day.

Important Dates (including last days to drop/withdraw): check here

Withdrawals: It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from the rolls should they decide to withdraw from the class. The instructor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should he or she feel it is necessary. If a student decides to withdraw, he or she should also verify that the withdrawal is recorded before the Final Withdrawal Date. The student is also strongly encouraged to keep any paperwork in case a problem arises.

Students are responsible for understanding the impact that withdrawal from a course may have on their financial aid, veterans’ benefits, and international student status. Per state law, students enrolling for the first time in Fall 2007 or later at any public Texas college or university may not withdraw (receive a “W”) from more than six courses during their undergraduate college education. Some exemptions for good cause could allow a student to withdraw from a course without having it count toward this limit. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor when making decisions about course selection, course loads, and course withdrawals.

Incompletes: An incomplete (grade of "I") will only be given for extenuating circumstances (determined at my discretion). If I give you a grade of I, the remaining course work must be completed by a date set by me. This date will not be later than two weeks prior to the end of the following semester.  A grade of I also requires completion and submission of the Incomplete Grade form, to be signed by both of us and submitted to the department chair. You may request an Incomplete from me if you believe circumstances warrant. I will determine whether the Incomplete is appropriate to award or not. The minimum requirements for assigning a grade of Incomplete (I) are that the student must have completed at least half (50%) of the course work (labs, exams, assignments, etc.) and have a minimum grade average of 70% on all completed work.

Statement on Student Conduct: Students are expected to conduct themselves appropriately, assume responsibility for their own behavior, and respect the learning environment for others in the College community. More information can be found at Student Rights & Responsibilities. Acts of academic dishonesty/misconduct undermine the learning process, present a disadvantage to students who earn credit honestly, and subvert the academic mission of the institution. Suspected cheating or other misconduct in this class will be subjected to the Academic Integrity Process.

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) Policy Statement: Use of GAI is not encouraged in this section. This is not a writing emphasis course, and using it to complete your quizzes or assignments is counterproductive. Even using search engines as a shortcut can lead to wrong answers.

Cell Phones: Please turn off cell phones and anything else that makes noise during class as a courtesy to me and other students.

College Policies & Student Support Services

This section is available at the College Policies and Student Support website, and is also linked in BlackBoard.

Course Schedule

Changes to the schedule will be noted in the announcements on Blackboard and the schedule will update. Some activities might change. I will post Blackboard materials when finalized.

*Due to the nature of some activities, attendance is required for credit.

Required Textbooks and Materials

• The Tangled Bank: An Introduction of Evolution, Custom edition for ACC (MacMillan), digital access via Blackboard
• BIOL1309 Life on Earth Study Guide, 4th edition, July 2018, by BIOL1309 Redesign Team, accessed via Blackboard
• Homework assignments, accessed via Blackboard
• Powerpoint lectures from Blackboard (partially presented in class)

This class is registered as a “First Day Inclusive Access Program” class. This means that the cost of the required materials is reduced and is included in your tuition and fees bill. This will include a digital text and access to digital content used in the course for assignments. You can find more information about it at this link.

Course Description

A survey of the living organisms on our planet for the non-science major. Emphasis on evolutionary and natural history, structural and behavioral adaptations, biological diversity and co-evolution.

Course Rationale: This course was designed for students who are primarily non-science majors. Through the use of lectures, good science videos and web-based homework assignments, students are introduced to the organisms that inhabit this planet, their characteristics, their evolutionary relationships and their adaptation to life on earth.

Student Learning Outcomes

Course-Level: Specific skills and competencies expected of students who complete this course include:

• ability to explain evolutionary relationships among different organisms
• ability to discuss adaptations, using several different examples
• ability to apply biological concepts to new examples

General Education: As a Core Curriculum course, students completing this course will demonstrate competence in:

• Critical Thinking - Gathering, analyzing, synthesizing, evaluating and applying information. 
• Interpersonal Skills - Interacting collaboratively to achieve common goals.
• Quantitative and Empirical Reasoning - Applying mathematical, logical and scientific principles and methods.
• Written, Oral and Visual Communication - Communicating effectively, adapting to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.

Departmental Common Course Objectives: The ACC Biology Department has specified the content for this course in the departmental common course objectives. The departmental objectives are located here.

Prerequisites (Skills Requirement): TSI Complete or Exempt in reading and writing, or by providing an official transcript from another college. This course does not require any prerequisite courses.

Grading Policies

Assignments requiring manual grading will usually be returned at the next class. If you notice a missing grade, let me know ASAP. Due to ACC policies concerning the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), I do not email students with information about their grades. Grades will be communicated via Blackboard and/or office hours only.

Late Work: Late work will be assessed penalty points (10-50%). I do this to discourage you from getting behind. The last opportunity to turn in any work is at 11:59 pm Central time on the official end-of-semester date for your semester (check here).

Learning Assessment Descriptions

Quizzes: Before each class, you are expected to read the material we will discuss. A short quiz will be due before class, available in Blackboard. Spelling counts because these quizzes are open book. Don’t google the answers or ask AI (you will get some questions wrong if you do this!). I’m expecting the terminology from the text and study guide in your answer. Search those locations to find the correct answer and spell it right. The two lowest quiz scores will be dropped.

In-class activities and homework: You will hand in or upload a worksheet on various types of activities that we will either perform in class or complete before class. These will reinforce the major concepts in the course. The two lowest activity scores will be dropped. You may work in groups to complete these activities.

Unit Exams and Comprehensive Final Exam: You will take exams, in person, designed to assess your understanding of the concepts introduced in class. The questions for these will come from your Study Guide. You will find the study guide and question sheets on Blackboard. The first five exams will focus on a particular unit, while the final exam will be comprehensive. The exams will be 50 multiple choice questions. Bonuses on the exam will be awarded ahead of time, during exam reviews, or in lecture class activities. The lowest exam score will be dropped, making the final exam optional.

Blackboard: I will post all grades and activities on Blackboard. Please check this site on a daily basis for announcements and all needed materials. I will announce any changes to the schedule, materials or syllabus in the “Announcements” section.

Expectations

Before class, you will:

1. Complete question sheets for assigned sections of the study guide. I will not collect this work, but doing this will improve your exam grade.
2. Complete the quiz over the reading (in Blackboard due before class).
3. Print materials needed for homework or the next in-class activity.
4. Do any additional homework listed on the schedule.
5. Prepare for upcoming exams.

During class, you will:

1. Take notes as the instructor gives a presentation of the topic covered that day.
2. Work in groups or individually to complete in-class activities.
3. Turn in any homework assignments.
4. Ask questions about and covered topics and/or any difficulties you may be having.
5. Take exams.