Bio 109 Genetics and Biotechnology Online at Fullerton College

Jo Wen Wu, Ph.D., Division of Natural Sciences, Fullerton College, 321 East Chapman Ave, Fullerton, CA 92832-4055
Please contact instructor by Email: jowu109@cox.net. After July 1, if you have not heard from me in 24 hours, please email jwu@fullcoll.edu
This summer, Jo Wu will not have telephone or office access. But we will hold class web chat sessions.

During the first half of the course, we will survey many common genetic diseases, their inheritance patterns, and resources for medical information.
During the second half of the course, we will explore the basics of molecular biology, current biotechnological advances and associated ethical problems for society. This is considered a non-majors course (with no prerequisites), though biology majors are certainly welcome. It will be an intense class ... and requires LOTS of reading, time, internet usage and self-motivation! Online courses usually are harder and require MORE time than campus courses, but have the advantages of convenience and flexibility.
After completing and passing the course, you should be able to understand how certain diseases are transmitted in your family and many of the biotechnology updates in future public news releases. It will not be an easy class, but it will be a very interesting course (I am biased, of course)!
This entire class can be taken entirely online! The lecture notes, quizzes, activities, discussion forums, and exams will be accessed via internet. You are required to read the textbook and additional readings from the internet. The web assignments include research of genetic diseases and weekly participation in discussions with other classmates electronically on bulletin boards. Other activities range from DNA isolation in your kitchen to interactive web activities to touring the Orange County Sheriff's Forensics Department.

WHY TAKE ONLINE COURSE???

ADVANTAGES of the online course: You will be able to work at your own pace and during any hour at your convenience - but you are responsible for meeting all course deadlines. You will need to interact with the instructor and classmates via electronic mail and discussion forums (bulletin boards). Instructor will attempt to answer all student questions via email and weekly chat sessions.
DISADVANTAGES of the online course: Although I may send you reminder emails about the course, this course requires much independence, self-motivation, responsibility and time-management skills! YOU need to remember to check emails, read the textbook, do activities, take quizzes and exams, and plan your schedule.
Do not miss the deadlines!! This is the biggest problem for online students. Points are awarded for assignments that are submitted by the deadline (Pacific Time). Do not procrastinate!! Genetics is definitely NOT a course that you can procrastinate and wait until the last day to cram all the readings for 5 chapters and expect to do well on the exam.
DISADVANTAGES of the summer session: The same course taught during the 17-week regular semester must be completed within 5 weeks!!
ADVANTAGES of the summer session: The course is finished after 5 strenuous weeks!!

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK: Human Heredity: Principles and Issues by Michael Cummings. EIGHTH edition. ISBN # 978-0-495-55445-5. The Seventh edition may be okay to use -- there should not be that many quiz questions that are specific to the eigth edition text.

GRADING SCALE: A > 90%; B > 80%; C > 65%; D > 55%.
I reserve the right to make minor adjustments to assignments during the semester, but the grading per cent scale will remain the same.

LECTURE NOTES and TEXTBOOK READINGS: My online lecture notes and powerpoints are simplified outlines of the most important concepts of genetics and biotechnology. The textbook gives a richer explanation with specific cases and examples. Web tutorials are recommended.

CROSSWORD PUZZLES. Students have really liked crossword puzzles to review vocabulary and prepare for quizzes. After you have filled in a puzzle, go to the associated Puzzle quiz. You will be given 10 minutes to correctly type the answers of 10 randomly-chosen puzzle clues. Spelling counts!! There is only one attempt allowed for each puzzle.

QUIZZES. There will be LOTS of quizzes that you can take, but only the top twenty scores will count. Yes, this sounds like way too many quizzes -- but the quizzes really help you to learn the course in small portions! You can use the lecture notes, textbook, and internet (but NO other person, past exams or quizzes) to find answers to the quiz questions. A multiple-choice quiz usually has ten questions that covers one or two lecture topics. You are allowed two attempts for each quiz topic, with the higher score recorded. Correct answers to the quiz questions will NOT be released, as you should be able to find most of the answers in the notes, book, or web links. You should review quizzes to study for exams.

EXAMS. Unit exams have multiple-choice and written questions. Only one attempt of each exam is allowed, with 120 minute time-limit during a specified time-period. Any changes to the exam schedule will be announced via email. If you are not able to complete the exam times on the course calendar, please contact me during the first week of school.

ACTIVITY PORTFOLIO. You will choose from various activities -- literature research on genetic diseases, compile current news articles, extract real DNA from food in your kitchen, draw your family pedigree, etc. This summer you will submit all 4-5 activities together on August 7.

HOW TO ADD CLASS. You will need to apply for Admissions to get a FC student #, then register online, and pay for the course. If the class is "Closed or Already Filled" when you register, then write me email to get an "ADD AUTHORIZATION CODE".

Syllabus for Summer 2008 (July 7 - August 9)