Getting Started
A. Your Syllabus
Everything you need to know regarding the workings of this course can be found in your syllabus. The first thing you need to do is carefully read every page of the course syllabus. You can read it on-line or print a PDF hard-copy from the menu on the course website at http://student.ccbcmd.edu/courses/bio141/index.html. My lecture E-text, the on-line version of my Laboratory Manual, syllabus, and all other materials needed in this course can be found on my college website at http://student.ccbcmd.edu/~gkaiser/goshp.html.
A quick guide to your syllabus:
1. Instructor information: p. 1-2.
2. Course description: p. 2
3. Testing and grading for lecture: p. 3-4.
4. Testing and grading for lab: p. 5.
5. Determination of final grade: p. 5-6.
6. Required textbook and lab manual: p. 7.
7. Important dates: p. 7-8.
8. Study Tips: p. 9-11.
9. College policies and services: p. 11-14.
10. Lecture schedule: p. 15-27.
11. Laboratory schedule: p. 28.
12. Course philosophy: p 29.
The number one reason why students do not successfully complete this course is procrastination! The estimated amount of time you should spend is 12 hours/week outside of class, every week. Keep up with both lecture and lab learning objectives each week!
B. Getting Started in Lab
Lab is worth 35% of your grade. Since lab provides a critical hands-on component to the understanding of Microbiology, attendance in the majority of labs is essential. Lab quizzes are a combination of multiple choice, matching, short answer, practical, and creative thinking questions.
1. Print off a hard-copy of your lab manual The Grapes of Staph: A Microbiology Laboratory Manual by Kaiser and bring it to each laboratory session. You can either purchase a copy of this manual from the Catonsville campus bookstore in the K-building or print your own PDF copy from the link on my website at http://student.ccbcmd.edu/~gkaiser/pdflm/LabManual_2009.pdf. When using the hard-copy of your Lab Manual for studying, make sure you use it in conjunction with the on-line version to take advantage of the hundreds of illustrations, animations, photomicrographs, and electron micrographs included.
2. Read the labs exercises in advance of lab so you are familiar with what is being done that day. (Laboratory schedule is on p. 28 of your syllabus.)
3. Lab quizzes will be a combination of multiple choice, matching, short answer, and practical questions. Questions will come directly from the Learning Objectives found at the end of each lab exercise in your lab manual. As soon as possible after each lab session, write out the answers to each objective. Remember that your on-line lab manual contains a color photograph of everything we look at in lab. Reviewing these photographs will be a big help in preparing for the practical portion of each lab quiz. Using the Learning Objectives as a guide, make up and ask yourself possible test questions and write and say the answers.
4. Lab quizzes will be given in lab prior to beginning that day's assigned lab exercise. Lab quiz dates can be found under "Important Dates" on p. 7-8 of your syllabus.
5. We have no facilities for making up a missed lab unless you attend one of the other lab sections on the Catonsville campus doing that lab that week.
6. Review the "Hints for Success" on p. 9-11 of the syllabus.
C. Getting Started in Lecture
Lecture is worth 65% of your grade in the course. Lecture exams are a combination of multiple choice, matching, discussion questions, and creative thinking questions.
1. You will need a hard-copy of your microbiology E-text, BIOL 230 - Microbiology: Lecture E-Text and Learning Objectives by Kaiser. You can either purchase a copy of this manual from the Catonsville campus bookstore in the K-building or print your own PDF copy from the link on my website at http://student.ccbcmd.edu/~gkaiser/goshp.html and clicking on "PDF Lecture E-Text. When using the hard-copy of your E-text for studying, make sure you use it in conjunction with the on-line version to take advantage of the hundreds of illustrations, animations, photomicrographs, and electron micrographs included.
2. Your lecture E-text for this course, has been created as a series nesting Learning Objects. A Learning Object is basically a digital resource that is used as an element to support learning experiences. In constructing each of my Learning Objects I've tried to include:
- A list of learning objectives for that object telling the learner what they should be able to do after completing that Learning Object;
- Illustrations, photographs, and/or animations to help the visual learner; and
- A self-assessment component.
3. First read the overall purpose for the Learning Object you are going to study. This gives you a general description of what we are going to learn in that Learning Object.
4. Now click on "Learning Objectives for This Section" and write out these objectives on which you will be tested. Any objective could be tested for by way of multiple choice or matching questions. Only those objectives indicated by (*) or (**) will be possible discussion questions.
5. Go back and carefully read the Learning Object you are studying and answer each Learning Objective you have just written down. Don't forget to look at all illustrations, animations, and photographs for that section. Make note of any visuals that are particularly useful in understanding and learning a particular objective. Review the "Hints for Success" on p. 9-11 of the syllabus for further study tips.
6. Study the objectives until you can answer each without looking at the answer.
8. Click on "Quiz Yourself on This Section" and try to answer the self quiz. Click on (ans) to see if you are correct.
9. You will also write a formal paper on a selected viral infection. The paper will be written following the instructions and format provided by your instructor in a separate handout and will be graded based on the rubric in that handout. The paper is worth 50 points. Your paper will be submitted through the Turnitin.com. You can print an extra PDF copy of the instructions for the viral paper by going to the menu at my website at http://student.ccbcmd.edu/~gkaiser/goshp.html and clicking on "PDF Lecture E-Text.
10. The Lecture Schedule can be found on p. 15-27 of your syllabus and the exam dates can be found under "Important Dates" on p. 7-8. The deadline date for each exam will be the same date as that scheduled for my on-campus lecture sections. The exam will be available in the testing center one week before that deadline date.
11. You will notice many "boxed" links as you go through the on-line E-text. Some are required viewing, others are optional. They include the following:
a. Yellow boxes with links indicate reusable Learning Objects. These either review a Learning Object previously covered or preview a future Learning Object. These are for optional viewing.
b. Brown boxes with links indicate sources outside my website such as on-line journals or textbooks. These are for optional viewing.
c. Blue boxes with links indicate highlighted microorganisms. These are required viewing and are tested by a matching question where you match the microbe with its description as part of the lecture exam.
d. Green boxes with links indicate brief, student-authored descriptions of microbial infections. These are for optional viewing.
e. (def) indicates a definition of a term previously used or a term that will be defined later in the course. These there if you need them but you won't be tested on definitions not listed in the Learning Objectives for the Learning Object you are studying.
Gary E. Kaiser, Ph.D.