Syllabus for BIO-251
INTRODUCTION TO MICROBIOLOGY WITH LAB
The goal of Introduction to Microbiology with Lab is to help students make the connections between microbiology and the world, whether the student is considering entering the healthcare field or not. Fundamental concepts in microbiology, as well as the relationship of microorganisms to disease and epidemiology, will be discussed. This course will also include a lab with emphasis on bacteria, including preparation, use of selective and differential media, and using aseptic techniques.
After completing this course, you should be able to:
CO 1 Utilize the tools of the laboratory, such as types of media, microscopy, and gram staining, to study microorganisms.
CO 2 Analyze the different parts and structure of the cell wall of bacteria.
CO 3 Analyze the structure of and diseases caused by eukaryotic cells in the Kingdom Fungi, the Kingdom Protista (Algae and Protozoa), and the Kingdom Animalia (Helminths).
CO 4 Describe various viruses, differentiating between their structural parts, and the diseases they cause.
CO 5 Describe the nutritional and environmental conditions that influence microbial growth.
CO 6 Explain the principles of antimicrobial therapy and the mechanism of drug action.
CO 7 Analyze how different transmission routes enable microbes to infect humans and spread disease.
CO 8 Explain the relationship between infectious diseases and the various body systems, including clinical manifestations.
CO 9 Analyze both the advantages and disadvantages of microorganisms.
You will need the following materials to complete your coursework. Some course materials may be free, open source, or available from other providers. You can access free or open-source materials by clicking the links provided below or in the module details documents. To purchase course materials, please visit the University's textbook supplier.
ISBN: 978-0073402437
Your course laboratory kit is provided by eScienceLabs. Please click the following link to access instructions on how to order your lab materials: Lab Kit Requirement - Ordering Instructions.
A few additional materials, all common household items, are required to complete your lab experiments (in addition to what is included in your eScience lab kit). Detergent to clean your equipment and hot water will be needed for all of the experiments that use labware.
Additional items include:
You will need either a smartphone or camera to complete some of the assignments in this course. You are also encouraged to voluntarily share videos of your lab setups or procedures. You may do this to request help from your classmates or when you can provide advice to a classmate to resolve his or her setup or procedure issues.
For instructions and assistance on how to upload a video file (or create and upload a video file) using Kaltura, visit the following link: Using Video Tools in Moodle.
Introduction to Microbiology with Lab is a four-credit, online course consisting of three modules. Modules include an overview, topics, learning objectives, study materials, and activities. Module titles are listed below.
For your formal work in the course, you are required to participate in online discussion forums, complete laboratory assignments, take chapter quizzes, and take three proctored module exams. See below for details.
Consult the Course Calendar for due dates.
One or more of your course activities may utilize a tool designed to promote original work and evaluate your submissions for plagiarism. More information about this tool is available in SafeAssign.
You are required to complete three graded discussion forums. Discussion forums are on a variety of topics associated with the course modules. Please note there is an ungraded but required Introductions Forum. An evaluation rubric for discussion forums can be found in the Evaluation Rubrics folder in the top section of the course website.
Communication among fellow students and with the mentor is a critical component of online learning. Participation in online discussions involves two distinct activities: an initial response to a posted question (discussion thread) and subsequent comments on classmates' responses. Meaningful participation is relevant to the content, adds value, and advances the discussion. Comments such as "I agree" and "ditto" are not considered value-adding participation. Therefore, when you agree or disagree with a classmate, the reading, or your mentor, state and support your agreement or disagreement. You will be evaluated on the quality and quantity of your participation. Responses and comments should be properly proofread and edited, professional, and respectful.
Introduction to Microbiology with Labs includes thirteen laboratory assignments, worth 30% of your course grade. Each laboratory assignment asks you to complete experiments from an eScience lab, paying close attention to the instructions provided on the eScience Labs website. You are then required to download and submit the Lab Workbook provided in each lab to the mentor for grading.
Important Note: Although your lab kit comes with a Lab Manual, you should not use the lab procedures or directions found therein. Obtain all of your lab procedure information and submission forms from either this course site or through logging into the eScience Labs website. The printed materials that come inside the kit are somewhat outdated and may contain errors. The online materials, on the other hand, are revised regularly.
As stated earlier in this syllabus, some additional materials, all common household items, will be required to complete your lab experiments. Also, as noted, some labs may require you to submit pictures of your setup and/or procedure.
Click General Lab Instructions for guidelines on completing laboratory assignments.
You are required to take fifteen quizzes. These quizzes will assess your mastery of basic terminology and concepts. All quiz items are multiple choice. You may use any materials that you like in taking the quizzes, and there is no time limit for taking each quiz.
You will be able to take each quiz an unlimited number of times, and the gradebook will record your most recent score. This arrangement will allow you to go back and reread portions of the text that you need to review and then take the quiz again for further practice.
For a list of key concepts that may appear on your exams, refer to the study guide available in the respective Exam section of the course website.
You are required to take three proctored online examinations. The exams require that you use the University's Online Proctor Service (OPS). Please refer to the Examinations and Proctors section of the Online Student Handbook (see General Information area of the course website) for further information about scheduling and taking online exams and for all exam policies and procedures. You are strongly advised to schedule your exams within the first week of the semester.
Online exams are administered through the course website. Consult the Course Calendar for the official dates of exam weeks.
Examination 1 is a closed-book exam worth 10% of your course grade, and it will be administered in Week 4 of the course. It is one hour long and covers all topics and material from Module 1 of the course. The exam consists of multiple-choice questions similar to those on the chapter quizzes.
Examination 2 is a closed-book exam worth 15% of your course grade, and it will be administered in Week 8 of the course. It is one hour long and covers all topics and material from Module 2 of the course. The exam consists of multiple-choice questions similar to those on the chapter quizzes.
Examination 3 is a closed-book exam worth 20% of your course grade, and it will be administered in Week 12 of the course. It is one hour long and covers all topics and material from Module 3 of the course. The exam consists of multiple-choice questions similar to those on the module quizzes.
You are on your honor not to cheat during the exam. Cheating means:
If there is evidence that you have cheated or plagiarized in your exam, the exam will be declared invalid, and you will fail the course.
Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:
All activities will receive a numerical grade of 0–100. You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted. Your final grade in the course will be a letter grade. Letter grade equivalents for numerical grades are as follows:
A | = | 93–100 | C+ | = | 78–79 | |
A– | = | 90–92 | C | = | 73–77 | |
B+ | = | 88–89 | C– | = | 70–72 | |
B | = | 83–87 | D | = | 60–69 | |
B– | = | 80–82 | F | = | Below 60 |
To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of C or better (for an area of study course) or D or better (for a course not in your area of study), based on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, discussion postings, etc.).
To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:
Consider the following study tips for success:
To ensure success in all your academic endeavors and coursework at Thomas Edison State University, familiarize yourself with all administrative and academic policies including those related to academic integrity, course late submissions, course extensions, and grading policies.
For more, see:
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