Welcome to Biology 112

Please pick up the course outline handout and blank half-sheet of paper at the front of the room!

Welcome to Biology 112Your Instructors201 – Wade Bingle Wesbrook 131202 – Rosemary Oh-McGinnis Wesbrook 126203 – Karen Smith Wesbrook 115

Course assistantsMuizz Wahid (203 - this section)Jimmy Wang (201)Sandra Kim (202)

Teaching assistants for BIOLOGY 112Daniel Jun, Hilary Leung

Administrative questionsKaren Smith: Wesbrook Room 115

bacteria@interchange.ubc.ca

What do you need to Purchase?

• UBC bookstore:Textbook:Biological Sciencesby Scott Freeman: 3rd Custom Edition for UBC. • OK to use 1st or 2nd Cdn

edition but microbial growth chapter missing.

• NOT OK for 4th North American ed.

What do you need to Purchase?

• UBC bookstore:

iClicker device

-ask at the cashier.-register your iClicker # on our course management site called:

Web Access Required1.

Course Management websitehttp://resources.connect.ubc.ca/

-use your CWL to access.

2. Multiple choice question creation website.Details will be provided later in the term…

http://resources.connect.ubc.ca/

LoginUse your CWL :Campus wide login

Orientation video

If you have a used clicker, the number might be rubbed off. Go to the Barber Learning Center - they have a site where they can tell you your clicker numberor see Karen Smith in Wesbrook room 115.

Register your iClicker DeviceInput your device number and click “SUBMIT”

CONNECT - Weekly Folders

Choose “BIOL 112 Folders on the left menu

Each week will contain a schedule, assigned readings, pdfs of lecture slides, learning objectives, pre-class quizzes.

Weekly Schedule and Learning Objectives

Located in Wesbrook room 200.Room is open all day ≈8 am – 5 pm.

BIOL 112 Graduate Teaching Assistants and Undergraduate Course Assistants will be present at various times throughout the week.

Weekly hours will be posted on CONNECT

Mark Distribution

Assessment Method Component Percentage of Total Grade

Examinations Midterm 1 Exam 10%Midterm 2 Exam 30%Final Exam 45%

Learning Activities iClicker Questions 3%Pre-class Reading Quizzes

3%

In-class Activities 6%PeerWise Assignment 3%

Grading Scheme (see page 2 of course outline)

Course Examinations

Midterm 1 – held in class on Wed, Jan. 30th

Thurs, Jan 31st

Midterm 2 – held in the evening on Wed, Mar. 6th, 2013 at 7 pm.

Final exam – scheduled by Enrolment services. Usually schedule posted mid-Feb.

Typical Week for a BIOL 112 Student1. On CONNECT – starting on Friday at 3 pm

- check out the weekly schedule with assigned readings, quizzes, learning objectives etc

2. Complete the reading assignment in your textbook etc

3. Complete a pre-class quiz on CONNECT by Monday 2 pm.

4. Print off lectures slides for the week and bring to class.

5. In the lectures, bring your iClicker device, lecture slides etc. You do NOT need your textbook in class.Be prepared to interact in many, many types of activities in class!

The overall goals of the course are to: • promote learning concepts and facts to understand cells

and organisms.

• promote scientific thinking.

• improve your learning skills.

How will we promote these goals? By doing active learning exercises!

In-class activities (always with discussion):• Write/draw activities.• Clicker questions.• Investigation activities.

Outside of class activities (individual):• Weekly online pre-class assignments • Peerwise – create your own multiple choice questions.

Please note:For Biology 112, electronic communication devices should be put away during class. Laptops, iPad’s OK.

NO phones, cameras, texting, facebooking, tweeting, movie-watching, game-playing PLEASE!

Our Course Policy:Regarding Electronic Devices in Class

Why? These devices and behaviors are distracting to everyone’s learning!

What's important for this class?• You need to read material before class.• You will need to take notes in class. • Check weekly folders for additional information.• Be on time for class.• No electronic devices permitted in class – turn your cell

phone to silent!• It’s your responsibility to remind classmates to not be

disruptive. • Teaching methods only work if you do.

Biol 112 Clicker etiquette : 1. Participation points. Over the term, if you participate in

≈ 80% of the in-class questions = full points (3%, regardless if the answers are right or not).

2. Using other students’ clicker devices:a. Only 1 device may be used by any 1 student.b. You cannot share a device with another student in BIOL 112 even

if they are in another section.c. Students cannot give their device to another student if they know

they will be absent that day.This is academic misconduct.

All devices will be confiscated and students reported to the Dean for academic misconduct.

3. Clickers are fun and a great way to engage in your learning! You are supposed to discuss the questions asked with the person next to you. This is actually the important part of learning!

What is the approximate ratio of the number of human cells to microbial cells in/on your body?

A. 1 human cell per 100 microbes.B. 1 human cell per 10 microbes.C. 1 human cell per 1 microbe.D. 10 human cell per 1 microbe.E. 100 human cells per 1 microbe.

What is this course about?

It’s an introduction to modern biology. We are going to be talking about things that are critical for all of biology: cells and how they and their parts function.

• Since all of life is cellular, cell function is at the root of all living things.

• We’ll often use bacteria as examples of cells. WHY?

Today’s ActivityHere is our first in-class activity called

“Replicating Thing”What to do:-read the activity/instruction yourself.-think about some solutions.-talk with your neighbours and work together!-write your full name and student # on the half sheet of paper.-write your ideas on the half-sheet.

Assume you’ve gotten a job with a mad scientist. This person wants to create a non-organic “thing” which might be a machine or some kind of “device”(it’s not clear).

But the “thing” can self-replicate. That is, if left on it’s own it will make copies of itself and the copies will be able to make copies of themselves.

To start this task you decide you need to make a listof the properties this thing must have.

Confer with your neighbours and make the list.Write the ideas on the half sheet. We’ll collect ideas and see what we get.

Replicating thing criteria:

Generate a container Membranes (wall)

Gather raw materialGather or make parts ProteinsGather and transform energy

Have a set of instructions DNA

Pass instructions to replicas Proteins and DNA

Mechanism to read the instructions RNA and proteins

Replicating thing criteria:1. Generate a container2. Gather raw material3. Gather or make parts 4. Gather and transform energy5. Have a set of instructions6. Pass instructions to replicas7. Mechanism to read the instructions

By these criteria which of the following are self-replicating things:1. Human skin cells2. A human being3. Bacteria (“E. coli”)4. Self pollinating plants5. Viruses

A. All 5B. 1, 3, 5 onlyC.1, 2, 3, 4 onlyD.2, 3, 4 onlyE. 1, 3, 4 only

What is a concept?

Concepts are ideas that

• Organize or categorize.

• Are building blocks.

• Are mental representations or abilities.

Where can I find concepts?

• Weekly schedule – topics.• Learning objectives.• Pre-class quiz questions based on

readings.• Ideas emphasized in lectures.• Ideas emphasized in clicker questions.

How do you know what you are "supposed to know" for this class?

Example Learning Objective from Week 2:“Contrast lag phase, exponential phase, stationary phase and death phase in terms of division rate, cell composition and cell viability.”

You need to decide:What does “contrast” mean?What information are you supposed to contrast?Where is this information?How can this information be used to make a question for the exam?

How do you use learning objectives?Example: “Contrast lag phase, exponential phase, stationary phase and death phase in terms of division rate, cell composition and cell viability.”

What this is asking:1. What are the properties of cells in these 4 stages?

You need to look in the written sources for this information aswell as in lecture material.

2. How are these properties similar?3. How are these properties different?4. Why would cells have these differences?

Finally ask your self- and your study partners:What sort of multiple choice or short answer questionmight be asked about this?

Learning at University

Consider this investigation:Focusing on how students studyGurung et al, Jan. 2010

Researchers asked “What is the best advice to give students regarding

how to study?”

Journal of Scholarship of Teaching & Learning. Jan. 2010 Vol 1, No. 1 pp 28- 35

Correlated Study Techniques and Grades

Study behaviors associated with HIGH exam scores:

• Attending classes.• Answering study questions (e.g. from study guides

like learning objectives).• Use practice exams to study.• Explained problems using course material.

*120 students in a introductory psychology class

Correlated Study Techniques and Grades

Study behaviors associated with LOW exam scores:

• Reviewing lectures notes.• Highlighting material to review later.• Using other study materials (not associated with the

course)• Reading the textbook AFTER the lecture.

NOTE: Number of study hours did not relate to exam scores!!

Overall Result?

No strategieswork all the time, for all students, in all classes!

This is consistent with all the literature!

Discussing the Course Material with other BIOL 112 Students.

Use the discussion board on CONNECT!

• The discussion board allows you to interact with other students and talk about the material.

• Course assistants (CA’s) will be monitoring the discussion board for appropriate content AND will provide assistance when needed.

• Questions for the CA’s and TA’s ? Go to the Learning Centre in Wesbrook room 200 during their hours!

Also see CONNECT for

Recommendations from previous BIOL 112 students as to how to approach studying for BIOL 112

e.g., study in groups.

“I now need to discuss the concepts more with other students instead of just reading the material on my own.”

Weekend Reminders

• Check out week 2 folder on CONNECT for assigned readings, discussion topics, learning objectives.

• Complete readings.• Do CONNECT quiz before Mon 2 pm.

“Pre-class Assignment –Week 2”• Print lecture slides for Monday/Tuesday.