HSCI3020-904 HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY SYLLABUS (FALL '07)

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
  • HSCI-3020-904 is a 100% online class.
  • There are NO class meetings and NO scheduled live chats.
  • The main e-text is provided online by the instructor, and is divided into weekly "physiological systems" and subdivided into major areas of study within each physiological system.
    • The  notes have been extensively revised by students in previous years to make the notes "more readable."
    • The notes have been reviewed by over 40 health care practitioners to determine that major relevant concepts have been addressed, with a view to dramatically reducing the amount of material students would be required to read in a traditional paper textbook.
  • The supplemental e-text is MediaPhys3.0 (see required software below).
  • The lab is completed by performing CD-based simulations using PhILS2.0 (see required software below).
  • To succeed, you should...
    • above all... read, read, read, read, read, read
    • have home internet access (this is a "must")
  • Major areas of study include body water compartments, membrane transport mechanisms, metabolism, reproductive and general endocrinology, neurophysiology, hematology, cardiovascular physiology, respiratory physiology, renal physiology, acid-base balance, and digestive physiology. Numerous pathologies are used as examples and study models.  See list of topics!
CONTACT THE INSTRUCTOR:  The most reliable way to contact me is to e-mail currie@etsu.edu.  I will try to respond within 24 hours or less.  Don't hesitate to call me at (423) 439-8567.  My office is in Academic Technology Support on the main floor of the new Sherrod Library; feel free to call Sherry at (423) 439-8611 and make an appointment to visit.

Shruti Patel is the Teaching Assistant for this class, and you may also email her regarding any questions at zshp4@imail.etsu.edu.  She can also be reached at the office of Academic Technology Support (423) 439-8611.
LATE ADD:  Under no circumstances will additional assignments be provided for anyone who joins this class after the first day of classes (AUG 27th, 2007).
HOME INTERNET  ACCESS:  If you do not have home internet access, do not take this class!  Under no circumstances will allowances be made for lack of home internet service, or failure of home internet service.
THE MAJOR ELECTRONIC TEXT & POWER POINTS:  Links to the e-text material are provided in the "Content" area.  The online text includes lecture material, definitions, tables, and figures.  Read all course notes and explore all links. Click on the "antique radio images" for additional insights into some of the tougher material.  Click on the "ear images" if you just want to hear portions of the text to get an idea of how to pronounce terms used in the electronic text.

This course site runs throughout the year, including 12 weeks in the summer; for this reason, course notes must be updated while classes are running.  Weekly course notes may be updated any time up to the start date of a given week in class; for example, the week 6 course notes could be updated any time up until the start of week 6 of class, but would not be updated following the start of week 6.
POWERPOINTS:  In addition to the weekly course documents (the major text), there are also links to powerpoints on related information (A&P review) in many weeks.  Be sure to click on the links to powerpoint presentations in weeks in which they are available.  To get to the powerpoint links, just click on "course docs," and then click on "slide show" links if they are available.
SUPPLEMENTAL SOFTWARE (E-TEXT, and LAB CD):  You are required to purchase a single copy of "the PhILS Combo" pack which is available only from the ETSU bookstore.  Call the ETSU bookstore at (423) 439-4436 and ask for "textbooks department."  Your combo pack will include...
  • lab CD (Ph.I.L.S. 3.0 - Physiology Interactive Lab Simulations by Dr. Stephens)
  • interactive electronic-text CD (MediaPhys 3.0 - An Introduction to Human Physiology by Dr. Stavraky)
  • the Laboratory Atlas of Anatomy & Physiology 5th edition (by Dr. Eder)
    • please purchase or order the combo pack immediately

Please note that we do not specifically use the Lab Atlas.  It is included in the pack so we can get the software for half the regular cost.  Watch the weekly assignments area for instructions on what to cover in PhILS2.0 or in MediaPhys3.0 in any given week.
ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS & STUDY GUIDE LINKS: The first thing you should do each week is click on the "Weekly Instructions" link, and read the instructions carefully.  Click on "content" on the course home page, and look for the "Weekly Instructions."
A WEEK IN CLASS:  A "week" in class begins Monday at 6 pm and ends the following Sunday at midnight.  Links to course materials and assignments become active by 6 pm each Monday.  That means that, during most weeks, graded study guides will be available by Monday at 6 pm. Study Guides must be submitted before midnight Sunday of the week in which they are posted.  Weekly Study Guides include questions on weekly course documents, powerpoints, assigned MediaPhys presentations, and assignments from PhILS3.0.
STUDY GUIDES:  Study Guides are multiple choice tests to gauge your understanding of weekly materials. Each weekly STUDY GUIDE is available from Monday at 6 pm until Sunday midnight.  Once you enter the study guide, you trigger a 300 minute timer.  You are able to leave and re-enter the Study Guide, but it must be submitted within 300 minutes of the time you first access the study guide.  You are strongly advised to electronically save answers (frequently) while working on the Study Guides.  It is possible to change saved answers at any time, right up until the time you submit the completed Study Guide.

Study guides are sets of multiple choice questions drawn from "question pools." While questions on your study guide may not be identical to questions on others' study guides, the principles being examined are the same. Do not hesitate to work in groups or discuss Study Guide questions with others in class.

Please note that you are allowed to submit each Study Guide as many as 4 times... and you will receive the highest grade from your 4 attempts. You are not required to submit the Study Guide 4 times... submit it 1,2,3, or 4 times.  Please note, however, if you do not score a minimum of 25% when you submit the Study Guide, you will not be able to submit the Study Guide more than once.
OUR CLASSROOM; DISCUSSION FORUMS:  "The Hyperbaric Chamber" is our open discussion forum... and you can access this forum at any time.  It is a place for civil discussion of anything you like... including course material, assignments and related topics.  Everyone is expected to participate. You must post a minimum of 1 "academic" (related to course content) message in the Hyperbaric Chamber each week in order to be eligible to enter in the Study Guide in that week.  But remember, you are free to post as many messages as you like in "The Hyperbaric Chamber."

There will be a specific forum for each week in the discussion area, For eg. for week 1, the thread will be  '' Week1 Aug 27 to Sept 3 " .You should post minimum one message in the appropriate thread only to fulfill the participation requirement. You cant post messages after the week gets over.

 
GRADE BREAKDOWN (and assignment dates);  The grades break down as follows:

Study Guide = 400 Points

  • week 1 (Aug 27 to Sept  2)       Week 1 Study Guide - 30 Points
  • week 2 (Sept 3 to Sept  9) Sept 3 - Labor Day holiday,  Week 2 Study Guide -  30 Points
  • week 3 (Sept 10 to Sept  16)    Week 3 Study Guide -  30 Points
  • week 4 (Sept 17 to Sept  23)    Week 4 Study Guide -  30 Points
  • week 5 (Sept 24 to Sept 30)     Week 5 Study Guide - 30 Points
  • week 6 (Oct 1 to Oct  7)             Week 6 Study Guide - 30 Points
  • week 7 (Oct 8 to Oct 14)            Week 7 Study Guide -  30 Points
  • week 8 (Oct 15 to Oct 21) Fall Break Oct 15- 16 - No Study Guide this week
  •                                                                                      
  • week 9 (Oct 22 to Oct 28)          Week 8 Study Guide - 30 Points
  • week 10 (Oct 29 to Nov 4)         Week 9 Study Guide - 30 Points
  • week 11 (Nov 5 to Nov 11)        Week 10 Study Guide - 30 Points
  • week 12 ( Nov 12 to Nov 18)     Week 11 Study Guide - 30 Points
  • week 13-14 ( Nov 19 to Dec 2) Thanksgiving Break Nov 22- 23, (Week 12 and Week 13-14 course documents covered) Study Guide - 30 Points
  • week 15 ( Dec 3 to Dec 9 )   Week 15 Study Guide - 40 Points 
VIEWING GRADES:  You can view your grades by clicking on the 'GRADES' on your course home page.

WEEKLY STUDY GUIDES AND THE FINAL EXAM:

  • There are 12 WEEKLY STUDY GUIDES worth 30 points each.

  • There is a Comprehensive Final Exam during the last week of class worth 40 points.

  • WEEKLY STUDY GUIDE questions require that you read and use material presented in the course site to think your way to an answer (ie. rarely will you find answers by simply scanning notes).  Occasionally, an internet search may be helpful in determining an answer to a question, but for the most part, internet searches are unnecessary.

  • Links to weekly Study Guides are found along with other documents in the weekly materials in the "content" area.

  • In order to enter the weekly Study Guide you have to post minimum one message with academic contents in the appropriate thread of that week in the discussion forum every week.

  • during weeks in which labs are assigned in the PhILS 3.0 manual, submit the regular weekly Study Guide, which will include questions based on the lab procedures; nothing other than the regular weekly Study Guide needs to be submitted during weeks that you complete labs.

  • WEEKLY Study Guide will be available online from Monday at 6 pm until the following Sunday at midnight (6.25 days or 150 hours).

  • You may enter and leave WEEKLY Study Guide as often as you wish, you may print WEEKLY Study Guide, and you may save partially completed WEEKLY Study Guide using the "save" button at the bottom of the WEEKLY Study Guide form.

  • You may submit the WEEKLY Study Guide only once, and must do so before midnight of Sunday night on the day the assignment is due. Use the submit button found at the bottom of the WEEKLY Study Guide form.

  • WEEKLY Study Guide cover material found in the course docs, in the supplementary MediaPhys3.0 material assigned, in PowerPoint provided, and in the PhILS2.0 lab procedures during certain weeks of the course

  • WEEKLY Study Guide may include questions based on previous weeks' materials.

  • You are required to discuss assignments with others in the course (including the instructor) as a means of learning.
LAB HELP (in the Content area):  We will try to post a few screen captures depicting a few of the major steps in each lab... so you will have some visual cues to determine that you are moving in the right direction.  Click on the "Lab Help" navigation button on the left side of the screen to view these screen captures.
Antivirus.etsu.edU:  Symantec (Norton) antivirus software is available for free download by ETSU students at http://antivirus.etsu.edu.  Please follow the instructions provided at that location.
LATE SUBMISSION OF STUDY GUIDE: It is not possible to submit Study Guides "late." Late submissions are electronically blocked.
MISSED ASSIGNMENTS: If an assignment is simply not submitted, without legitimate reason, or if a participant receives grades of ineligible for failure to participate in discussion, there are no "make-up" assignments; these missed assignments represent grades which are permanently lost.