This is a two credit course that can be taken for undergraduate (Gen 308) or graduate credit (Gen 508). Those taking the course for graduate credit must also complete a creative component. The course will cover scientific principles and techniques in biotechnology; products and applications in agriculture, food and human health; and ethical, legal and social implications of biotechnology. All course materials except the textbook can be accessed with a personal computer (PC or Mac) via the World Wide Web. Your internet provider should support TCP/IP software and the speed of your connection should be at least 14.4 Kbps. See Frequently Asked Questions for additional information.
Students will complete five of the six modules which vary in length from 1 to 5 weeks. All students complete Modules 1-4. Students choose either Module 5 or Module 6.Modules consist of on-line lectures, reading from the textbook or on-line biotechnology resources, and learn-as-you-do assignments. There will be an exam at the end of each module except for module 1. The length, start date, due date for assignments and due date for exams are given in the table below.
All course materials except the textbook are available on-line 24 hrs/day. Work within modules is self-paced. You choose the order in which the module components are completed. You may work ahead and take the exam for a module at any time you feel you are ready. You should contact the instructor to request the exam about one week before you wish to take the exam.
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Note: March 15 - 19 is Spring Break
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*Students complete either Module 5 or Module 6
Total for Five Modules = 1600 points
Biotechnology in the News = 100 points
Total for Gen 308 = 1700 points
Creative component for Gen 508 = 300 points
Total for Gen 508 = 2000 points
"DNA Technology: The Awesome Skill", by I. Edward Alcamo, State University of New York-Farmingdale.
How to obtain the textbook.
All exams will be taken on-line using ClassNet. In order to take an exam you will need a proctor. Jim Cheaney (jcheaney@iastate.edu), the Teaching Assistant for the course, will act as proctor for all on-campus students. He will arrange test-taking provisions through e-mail as each test approaches. Off-campus students will need to identify a suitable proctor in your local community. For more information about proctors and taking exams see Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
You MUST have an e-mail account, and you MUST check your e-mail EVERY DAY!!!! For more information, click here.You can use ClassNet to communicate with the instructor or with other students. ClassNet supports three types of communication: e-mail, a discussion forum and a live chat room. See Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for more information.
In addition, Jim Cheaney, the Teaching Assistant for the course, will be holding virtual "office" hours in ClassNet Chat for synchronous "real-time" communication. These "office" hours will be at the following times (all times are Central Time):
Tuesdays, 2 - 4 p.m.
Fridays, 10 a.m. - 12 noon
Assignments:
Assignments may be submitted in person (on-campus) or via fax, e-mail, or snail mail. Late assignments may be penalized 10 points per day, at the instructor's discretion. Assignments will be returned to on-campus students at the exam for the following module (i.e.: Module 2 assignments will be returned at the Module 3 exam). For off-campus students, assignments will be returned via snail mail following Module 3, Module 4, and at the end of the semester.