EBIO 1030 Biology: A Human Approach 1

Instructor Contact:

Amanda Edmiston Schaetzel, Ph.D.


Email: Amanda.Schaetzel@colorado.edu

Instructor Bio:

I have been teaching in the biological sciences for over 20 years, many of which have included teaching online classes. I love what online classes offer: a means for getting a quality education in a flexible setting. Having taken a number of online classes, I am very aware of what works and what doesn’t work in an online class. I know that having clear guidelines are important in detailing expectations for the students as well as the instructors. I know that clear communication is paramount for the functioning of a successful online class. I also know that much of what a student learns in an online class is done on their own; therefore some of the material can be difficult to understand. I will do my best to establish clear expectations for the class, to communicate in a timely and effective manner with you, and to help you understand challenging concepts.

A little about my background: My undergraduate degree in biology is from Boston University. My graduate degree is from the University of Colorado (Go Buffs!) and my focus of study was neuroscience. While in grad school I developed a real love for teaching and have been teaching since. I have taught different biological topics at a number of different schools (both online and in the classroom) including the University of Colorado, the Boulder College of Massage Therapy, Colorado Community College Online, and Front Range Community College.

Overview:

This lecture-based (no lab) class studies the principles of biology and the implications of these principles.  A central theme for this course is humans and the environment, emphasizing ecology, natural resource conservation, and the inter-relatedness of a growing human population.  This course is recommended for non-science majors and meets MAPS (minimum academic preparation standards) requirement for natural science.  It is approved for the Arts and Sciences core curriculum for natural science (3 Credits).

Objectives:

At the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of basic biological principles.
• Distinguish between credible and non-credible sources for biological inquiry.
• Apply scientific methodology to problem solving.
• Detail levels of biological organization, from chemical level to biosphere.
• Describe and differentiate the nature of various ecosystems, including energy flow and cycling of nutrients.
• Detail the influence of the sun on weather and ocean currents.
• Evaluate human influence on ecological systems.
• Apply genetic principles to solving genetics problems.
• Differentiate between microevolution and macroevolution.
• Summarize the early origins of life and complex organic molecules.
• Compare different taxonomical classifications and describe the organisms in these taxa.

Required Texts:

• Biology: Concepts and Applications, 9th Ed., Cecie Starr, Christine A. Evers, Lisa Starr, Cengage Learning, 2015, with associated digital course supplement MindTap®.

These can be purchased as a bundle:  ISBN 978-1-305-52276-3 (loose-leaf paper text with MindTap® access for 12 months, 2 terms) or ISBN 978-1-305-52277-0 (with loose-leaf paper edition of the text and one term, 6 months, access to MindTap®). Link to the publisher.

Grading: