Deployed site: https://aroles.github.io/biol211/
Course Instructors
| Instructor | Darla French (coordinator) | Angie Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Lab Day | Tues Lab | Wed Lab |
| Office | SCTR K230 | SCTR A134 |
| dfrench@oberlin.edu | aroles@oberlin.edu | |
| Phone | 440-775-6632 | (work) 440-775-8319 (cell) 443-695-1680 |
| Student Hrs | TWF 11:00-12:00 or by appt | MWF 10:30-11:30am or by appt |
Teaching Assistants (TAs)
| Revanth Sudhireddy (Tue) | Riley Eaton (Wed) |
|---|---|
| Revanth.Sudhireddy@oberlin.edu | reaton2@oberlin.edu |
Statement on Accessibility and Inclusion
We aim to make this course accessible to and inclusive of all students. If you find yourself unable to fully access the course in any way, we encourage you to contact us to discuss possible solutions to address your needs. If you have a disability that may impact your work in this class and for which you may require formal accommodations, please notify your instructor, as well as the Office for Disability and Access (Room 127 Peters Hall; 440–775–5588; OSAS@oberlin.edu; https://www.oberlin.edu/accessibility-services). All discussions between you and the ODA staff members are confidential, and your lab instructor will only receive information that describes the type of accommodation(s) needed.
Required Materials
Access to our course website – All materials will be posted here: https://aroles.github.io/biol211/index.html
All assignment materials will be provided weekly by instructors, usually by Fridays of the week prior to the lab.
A device to gain in-lab access electronic materials and to submit assignments – Laptops are available to check out from the college library.
Laptops will be useful for many class meetings; instructors will help you plan for specific dates where you’ll need them
Access to R Studio for data analysis – An account will be created for you and details about how to access it will be shared
GEE Official Course Description
This lab features indoor and field exercises and discussions designed to develop critical thinking and quantitative skills. These include collection, analysis, and interpretation of ecological and evolutionary data using common field techniques and the R programming language. Working with the faculty member, small student groups will design and carry out individual research projects and present their findings to the class. Students must register for both the lecture (BIOL 210) and laboratory concurrently.
Instructor’s Note: This course is designed with natural science majors in mind. Much of what we will do will set you up for success in a science major and provide experience with typical techniques in the fields of genetics, evolution, and ecology. If it is not immediately apparent why we are doing a task, please ask! Rest assured that there is a strong rationale behind every activity related to this class.
GEE-Specific Learning Outcomes
Students completing this course will be able to:
appreciate how scientists collect and use data to study topics such as phylogenies, inheritance, adaptation, genetic drift, population ecology, community ecology, and ecosystems.
create models for basic ecological concepts and understand how models are used to predict outcomes of biological phenomena.
apply all parts of the scientific method to ecological and evolutionary questions.
formulate a hypothesis with testable predictions.
interpret graphical presentations of empirical relationships and theoretical models.
use R to create graphs and carry out statistical analyses of data.
analyze and communicate the results of an experiment.
In addition, as a course fulfilling the QFR requirement, you will also learn skills, content, and “habits of mind” in the following areas:
Interpretation – Explain information presented in mathematical forms and/or within a formal reasoning system.Representation – Translate information into a formal system or mathematical model; translate real world phenomena into formal/mathematical symbols.Implementation – Use formal reasoning/mathematical methods, tools, technology, and calculation to solve problems.Application/Analysis – Make judgments and draw appropriate conclusions based on the quantitative and/or formal analysis of data.Limitations – Identify the assumptions within formal reasoning/mathematical methods; assess the reliability, generalizability, and uncertainty of conclusions; recognize the risks of using methods improperly.Communication – Relay the results in a manner appropriate to the audience using suitable terminology, symbols, and conventions.
Attendance
Attendance is required for all labs. You must attend the lab section in which you are enrolled. Please access the semester’s lab schedule (last page of this document), make note of the dates on which lab meets, and plan accordingly.
Under rare circumstances, an unavoidable conflict may arise. Communication with your instructor is key.
For conflicts predictable in advance (e.g., away athletic events, family weddings, musical or other performances, etc.), notify your instructor AS SOON AS you are aware of the conflict.
If you are an athlete with conflicts on days of competitions, please provide a schedule to your instructor as soon as one is available. If your sport will result in repeated conflicts, it may be more beneficial to you to switch lab sections.
For unexpected illnesses, contact your instructor AS SOON AS you SUSPECT an illness might interfere with your coming to lab.
Requests to attend a different lab section will not be considered after noon on the day of your assigned lab section without a doctor’s note (indicating that a serious emergency prevented earlier communication). Unexcused absences from lab may not be made up and credit will not be given for that week’s lab report. The in-lab experience is a critical component of BIOL 211; thus, missing more than one lab may result in your inability to pass the course this semester.
Honor System
Lab assignments will be given under the Honor System as described at https://www.oberlin.edu/dean-of-students/student-conduct/academic-integrity/students. The application of the Honor System to laboratory work will be described during the first laboratory meeting. You are NEVER permitted to use or look at any material from previous semesters. It would also be a violation of the honor code for you to let others use any of your materials from this class in the future. If you become aware that anyone is in possession of unpermitted materials, it is your duty as a member of the Oberlin community to report such violations to the Student Honor Committee.
Discussion of the lab material is allowed and encouraged; it is especially helpful to discuss and analyze your in-lab results with your group. However,
Grading
The final course grade for BIOL 211 will be awarded on the Pass/No Pass system. According to college guidelines, all passing work (cumulative 70% and above for graded work) is given the uniform grade of Pass (P). Cumulative work below 70% is considered not passing and is given a grade of No Pass (NP).
For BIOL 211, your instructors will be rating your work as “Satisfactory” or “Room for Improvement”. An assignment that earns a “Room for Improvement” rating will be given one opportunity for revision, to be submitted within one week of earning the “Room for Improvement” rating.
To earn a course grade of “Pass”, a student must have attended every lab, completed all assignments, and accumulated at least 70% of those assignments with ratings of “Satisfactory”.
Anticipated* Assignment Categories
GEE serves as a foundational course for the biology major. As such, it is considered basic biology coursework in which you are not only learning content, but also learning how to critically think and observe the world around you, as a scientist would. In addition, you are training your brain with the tools you will need to be successful in upper-level coursework, including, but not limited to: Metacognition, critical thinking, application, analysis, ability to research a topic on your own, communication, etc. I am particularly interested in evaluating your ability to understand, interpret, and explain biology, biological information, and the nature of biology (and science) as an institution. Thus, the assignments for this course will focus on a range of assignment categories that will span all levels of learning, as follows:
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Attendance | Attendance is required for all labs. You must regularly attend the lab section in which you are enrolled. For more details, please see the Attendance section above. Participating in class discussions and learning activities to a satisfactory degree will also be required. |
| Projects | You will complete two collaborative research projects during this course: (1) A field-based project; and (2) A lab-based project. Additionally, we anticipate that one of these projects will be focused on plants and the other on animals. Each project will culminate in an oral presentation (either in poster format or conference-style talk) of your group’s findings as related to the principles of genetics, evolution, and ecology. More guidance will be given on each of these projects. Your active participation by completing projects and participating in the collaborative research process to a satisfactory degree will be required for this course. |
| Assignments | Please read through the Course Description and Learning Objectives in this document to get a feel for our goals, around which our assignments will revolve. Objectives for individual assignments will be outlined as we progress through the course such that it will be clear why we are completing each task. Assignments will be given each week and will generally be due by the start of the next lab period (1:30pm). Your active participation by completing assignments to a satisfactory degree will be required for this course. |
| Metacognition Reflections | Reflecting on your learning experiences enhances your learning. Throughout the semester, you will be given opportunities to think about what is and what is not working for you and what can be done as a result to improve your learning in lab. In most cases, you will be asked to complete these prior to leaving lab for the day. You will be given a set of prompts to guide your reflections. Honest and critical reflection will be required. |
| Lab Citizenship | Be an excellent lab citizen; provide timely responses to emails and correspondence; use appropriate communication with your group members; and complete other miscellaneous housekeeping tasks. Scientific research often involves collaborations. To be a valued and effective collaborator, you must demonstrate good lab citizenship and engagement with your experimentation and analysis. Lab Citizenship comprises your attendance and promptness, your preparedness for lab (such as understanding what you will be doing in lab each day so you do not make any major mistakes, etc.), your engagement with your research project, your demonstrated ability to follow class expectations and safety guidelines (such as cleaning up after labs, etc.), and how well you worked as a member of your research team. |
*We reserve the right to add or remove categories and assignments as we deem necessary, and to adjust overall total course structure to reflect those changes. Reasonable notice will be given in this event.
Lab Schedule
| Week | Date | Lab Activity | Assignment Due* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sep 3-4 | Intro (course structure, safety) / Library intro / Background for next time | None |
| 2 | Sep 10-11 | Field method intro / Generate hypothesis | Read 3 papers; find and annotate 1 source |
| 3 | Sep 17-18 | Data collection - If raining, go on your own | Metacognition |
| 4 | Sep 24-25 | Data collection - If raining, go on your own | R intro; Metacognition |
| 5 | Oct 1-2 | Data cleaning / Data analysis / Presentation prep | R homework; Metacognition |
| 6 | Oct 8-9 | Presentations | Presentation; Metacognition |
| 7 | Oct 15-16 | Duckweed intro (reading: secondary review; intro to organism) | Metacognition |
| 8 | Oct 22-23 | Fall Break - No labs | |
| 9 | Oct 29-30 | Readings (primary) / Develop protocol | Find a source; Metacognition |
| 10 | Nov 5-6 | Set up experiment / Data collection | Metacognition |
| 11 | Nov 12-13 | Data collection | Metacognition |
| 12 | Nov 19-20 | Data collection / Start data analysis | Metacognition |
| 13 | Nov 27-29 | Thanksgiving Break - No labs | |
| 14 | Dec 3-4 | Data cleaning / Data analysis / Presentation prep | Metacognition |
| 15 | Dec 10-11 | Presentations | Presentation; Metacognition |
*We reserve the right to additional assignments as the semester progresses.