Big Sandy Community and Technical College Course Syllabus

PS Number: Faculty Name: Course Prefix and Number: Course Prerequisites: Course Title: Catalog Course Description: 4445 Semester: 4 ChenzhaoVierheller , Ph. D. BIO 120 None Human Ecology Interrelationships among humans, other organisms and the environment including principles of energy and matter, resource use, biogeochemical cycling, trophic structures, sustainability and environmental impacts by humans. Fall Title: Professor Course Credit Hours: 3 Yea r: 2010

Instructor Contact Information: Campus Location: Office Hours: Office Phone Number: Best Times to Call: KCTCS Email: Special Instructions: Pikeville Building & N310 Prestonsburg Room: Campbell 120d Will be posted on the Course website and beside office door. 218-2060 ext. 81248 During office hour Alternate Number:

chenzhao.vierheller@kctcs.edu All course related communication should be done via Course E-mail in the course website.

Supervisor Contact Information: Name: Campus Location: Office Phone Number: KCTCS Email: Text and Supplies: Charlene Carroll Prestonsbu Building & rg Room: 6068863863 ext. 64702 charlene.carroll@kctcs.edu Campbell 120F

Sustaining the Earth

9th edition 2008

G. Tyler Mille; Scott E. Spoolman

Cengage Advantage Books

ISBN-10: 0495556874 ISBN-13: 978-0495556879

Approved Course Competencies General Education: (KCTCS General Education Competency Statements and General Education Requirements) I. 1. Read and listen with comprehension. Communicat 2. Speak and write clearly using Standard English. e Effectively 3. Interact cooperatively with others using both verbal and nonverbal means. 4. Demonstrate information processing through basic computer skills. How Each student will be required to read the assigned chapters and write 3 Implemented projects using standard written English. Students are required to read in Class: addition materials from the library and/or internet in order to complete the assigned projects. The course is delivered entirely over the internet. Students are required have basic computer knowledge to use the course website and basic word processing skills in order to type the projects. Students will communicate with the instructor and each other via course Email using standard written English. II. Think Critically Make connections in learning across the disciplines and draw logical conclusions. 2. Demonstrate problem solving through interpreting, analyzing, summarizing, and/or integrating a variety of materials. 3. Use mathematics to organize, analyze, and synthesize data to solve a problem. Each student will be exposed to new knowledge while writing his or her projects. Students will also be required and encouraged to participate in Discussion Board on various topics through an inquiry process. Students are encouraged to engage each other about these topics and present their argument using logic and scientific evidence. Students will be required to answer short questions which will require synthesis of assigned materials. Use appropriate search strategies and resources to find, evaluate, and use information. 2. Make choices based upon awareness of ethics and differing perspectives/ideas. 3. Apply learning in academic, personal, and public situations. 4. Think creatively to develop new ideas, processes, or products. Students are required to use internet search engines for their projects. Many topics on the Discussion Board are controversial such as economic development vs. environmental concerns, energy independent, global warming. Students are strongly encouraged to engage each other on these topics. 1. 1.

How Implemented in Class:

III. Learn Independentl y

How Implemented in Class:

IV. Examine Relationship s in Diverse and Complex Environment s How Implemented in Class:

Recognize the relationship of the individual to human heritage and culture. 2. Demonstrate an awareness of the relationship of the individual to the biological and physical environment. 3. Develop an awareness of self as an individual member of a multicultural global community. The entire class is about natural environment, and how human activities impact the natural environment. Discussion topics on the Discussion Board include various environmental and social issues. Students from many parts of state, as well as other states even other countries can and will be in the class. Students with different economical, employment and culture background will interact with each other and express their opinions on various topics, such as coal mining, logging and oil drilling.

1.

Course Specific Competencies: Student achieving a passing grade will be able to demonstrate proficiency in the following areas, to a degree commensurate with the grade received. Analyze information using the Scientific Method. Demonstrate critical thinking about concepts of ecology and integrate that knowledge into practical application to daily life. Describe interrelationships among producers, consumers and decomposers and their environment. Describe human use and impacts on the environment. Describe environmental and resource issues and possible resolutions. Lab Competencies: (Enter N/A if this does not apply.) N/A Course Outline:

Week

Activities / Assignments

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17.

Chapter 1: Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability. Science, Ecological Principles, and Sustainability. Chapter 2: Science, Matter, Energy, and Systems. Quiz 1: Chapter 1 & 2 Chapter 3: Biodiversity and Evolution Chapter 4: Community Ecology, Population Ecology, and the Human Population. Quiz 2: Chapter 3 & 4 Exam 1: Chapter 1-4 Chapter 5: Sustaining Biodiversity: The Species Approach. Chapter 6: Sustaining Biodiversity: The Ecosystem Approach Quiz 3: Chapter 5 & 6 Chapter 7: food, Soil, and Pest Management Chapter 8: Water Resources and Water Pollution Fall Break Quiz 4: Chapter 7 & 8 Exam 2: Chapter 5-8 Chapter 9: Nonrenewable Energy Resources Chapter 10: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Quiz 5: Chapters 9& 10 Chapter 11: Environmental Hazards and Human Health Chapter 12: Air Pollution, Climate Changes, and Ozone Depletion Quiz 6: Chapters 11 & 12 Exam 3: Chapters 9-12 Chapter 13: Urbanization and Solid and Hazardous Waste Chapter 14: Economic, Politics, Worldviews, and the Environment Quiz 7: Chapter 13 & 14 Review Final Exam: Comprehensive

Grading Policy: I. General Grade policies: 1. Three Semester Exams (exam with the lowest score will be dropped): 100 point each (X2) 200 points 2. The final exam (comprehensive) 145 points 3. Self Quizzes: Chapter Quizzes 90 points. Course Information Quiz 10 points 5. Projects: 14 points each (X3) 42 points Bonus 10 points 6. Course Participation: Participation Activities 1-3 (Discussion Board) 13 points Bonus: Participation Activity 4 (Discussion Board) and Chats 10 points 7. Total points: 500 II. Self Quizzes: There are 8 quizzes, 1 Course Information quiz and 7 chapter quizzes, during the semester. Each quiz has a 30 minute time limit and 2 attempts. Quizzes contain mostly multiple choices questions. All quizzes need to be taken before the due date. The Course Information quiz covers information from Syllabus, Introduction, projects and Q&A which can be found in the course website. Each chapter quiz covers 2 assigned chapters. The chapter quiz with the lowest grade will be dropped.

III.

Examination: There will be 4 exams, 3 during the semester plus the final exam. Exams may include multiple choices, matching, true/false along with short answer questions and definitions. Each semester exam covers 4 chapters. The final exam is a comprehensive exam including materials from all chapters covered during the semester. The exam with the lowest grade will be dropped. Each exam has a time limit and must be taken before the due dates (check course website for details). Points will be deducted if the exam time exceeds the time limit. Only one attempt is allowed for each exam!

IV.

Projects: Students are required to complete a written project every 3-4 weeks. The detail of these projects will be posted in the course website. V. Participation: Students are encouraged to participate in various discussion forums in the Discussion Board and attend chat sections. All participation activities can be found in the class website. VI. Grading Scale: A= 90-100% (450 and above) B= 80-89% (400-449 pts) C= 70-79% (350-399 pts) D= 60-69% ( 300-349 pts) E= below 60% (299 and below) Attendance Policy: This course is delivered entirely over the internet. Participation is an important part of course and accounts for part of the grade. Students who fail to access the course website before the Wednesday of the first week of class may be dropped from the roster. The last activity (quiz, exam or posting) recorded will be considered as the last day of active participation. Missed Exam and quiz Policy: I. Exam Make-up and Reset Policy All make-up exams are conducted during a 2-day period after the regular exam due date. The make-up exam will have a time limit of 2/3 length as the regular exam. Each student is allowed to have ONE exam-reset during the semester. The exam reset will be only given to those students who cannot complete their exam due to computer difficulty. Request of exam reset MUST be sent to instructor before the regular exam due date. Students who have their exams reset will have a time limit of 2/3 length as the regular exam to retake the exam. One missed exam can also be dropped as the exam with the lowest score. II. Quiz make-up and Reset Policy Each student is allowed ONE quiz reset during the semester. The quiz reset will be given only to those students who cannot finish (submit) the quiz due to computer difficulty. Request of quiz reset must be sent to instructor 24 hour before the quiz due time and only one attempt of the quiz will be reset. The reset quiz MUST be taken before quiz due date. There will be No quiz make-up. No exceptions! One missed quiz can be dropped as the quiz with the lowest score.

Late Assignment Policy: Points will be deducted with each day the assignments (projects or participation activities) are late. No assignments will be accepted a week after the assignment due date, or after the grades of the assignments are posted, whichever occurs earlier. Withdrawal Policy: Students will be allowed to withdraw from the course and get a grade of W. No withdraws are allowed after taking the final exam or the last day possible, as designated on BSCTC calendar, whichever occurs earlier. ARTICLE II - ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES http://www.kctcs.edu/student/studentcodeofconduct.pdf (Referenced in the Rules of the Community College Senate, Section VII and in the Rules of the Technical College Senate, Section VII). The following information is available on the BSCTC Homepage: www.Bigsandy.kctcs.edu go to Current Students and under Right to Know click on Student Code of Conduct. Paper copies of all the documents listed under Right to Know are also available upon request at the Admissions Office or Library on the Mayo, Pikeville and Prestonsburg Campuses.
2.1 Academic Honesty Policy 2.2 Academic Rights of Students 2.2.1 Information about course content 2.2.2 Information about course grading criteria 2.2.3 Contrary opinion 2.2.4 Academic evaluation 2.2.5 Academic records 2.2.6 Evaluation of student character and ability 2.3 Student Academic Offenses and Academic Sanctions 2.3.1 KCTCS Academic Offenses 2.3.1.1 Plagiarism 2.3.1.2 Cheating 2.3.1.3 Student Co-Responsibility 2.3.1.4 Misuse or Student Falsification of Academic Records 2.3.2 Academic Sanctions/Penalties of Students 2.3.2.2 Other Academic Sanctions 2.4 Student Appeals and Responsibilities 2.4.1 Student Responsibilities 2.4.1.1 Responsibility Involving Academic Rights of Students (section 2.0) Please refer to flowchart: Appeals in Cases of an Alleged Violation of Student Academic Rights Figure 1) 2.4.1.2 Responsibility Involving Academic Offenses (section 2.3) When a student is believed to be guilty of any of the four academic offenses (2.3.1.1 2.3.1.4), a student will find information concerning responsibilities of college personnel in section 2.5.2.

Safety and Security - The following information is available on the BSCTC Homepage at: http://www.bigsandy.kctcs.edu/safety_security/index.html Safety Handbook v. 08-09, KCTCS Emergency Notification System Guidelines, Emergency Management in the Instructional Setting, and Opt-in for SNAP Safety Notification and Alert Process. Center for Enrichment Resources http://www.bigsandy.kctcs.edu/student_support/cer/ The BSCTC Center for Enrichment Resources (CER) offers students academic assistance in all subject areas. Campus Locations: Prestonsburg Campus: Magoffin Building 219; Pikeville Campus: N204; Mayo Campus: C200 and 202. Additional Information Available at the Current Student Portal http://www.bigsandy.kctcs.edu/current_students Online Access Student Services Registration

Information College Life

Academic Information

Right to Know

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)Statement http://www.bigsandy.kctcs.edu/student_support/disability Students with disabilities: If you are in need of an accommodation because of a documented disability, you are required to register with Disability Support Services each semester. Contact: Janie Beverley, Coordinator for Disability Support Services; Student Center Room 103; Ph: (606) 886-7359; Toll-free 888-641-4132, ext. 67359; Email: janie.beverley@kctcs.edu