Welcome to Bio109 Online!

My name is Brad Fiero, but please feel free to call me Brad. I have been teaching here since fall 1990, and this is the 16th semester I've been teaching this class online. The class website is extensive, so this will serve as a brief introduction to the 4 main class components. Please feel free to schedule an appointment with me if you want to have a face-to-face orientation (206-6897, bfiero@pima.edu).

First, if you have not already done so, PLEASE EMAIL ME NOW at bfiero@pima.edu. Please tell me Your Name, the Email Address you want me to use, the Secret Code (6 or fewer letters and/or numbers) you want me to use so that you may view your grades anonymously, and any other information I need to know.

Second, let me answer the most common question I receive... How often do I have to come to class? This class requires you to come to West Campus 4 times, once every approximately three weeks to take an Exam and Identification Test in the Testing Center (plus there is an optional final exam/test at the end of the semester). For each Exam/Test you have one week during which to take the Exam/Test. There are also two Saturday Lab Days scheduled to make doing the labs easier for you, but they can be done on your own too and are not required to attend. All dates are found in the class schedule.

Component 1: Exams
You study for exams by going through the appropriate PowerPoint presentations and by practicing for the Exam by taking the appropriate self-quizzes. Exams are taken at the West Campus Testing Center, are untimed (unless you cut it too close to closing time), you cannot use notes, and they may include multiple choice, matching, short answer, and long answer questions.

Component 2: Identification Tests
You study for indentification (ID) tests by looking at the pictures and reading the descriptions linked to from the Species List, and by practicing by taking the appropriate self-quizzes. ID Tests are untimed, and you have to write down the complete, correctly-spelled common name of each species pictured (this is taken by looking at pictures on a computer in the West Campus Testing Center).

Component 3: Labs
There are 8 labs. You can do all 8 labs with me and other students during the two Saturdays scheduled or you can do them on your own. On the first Saturday we do the hardest labs (we stay on campus); on the second Saturday we go to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum to complete the rest of the labs.

Component 4: Project
There is one project, broken down into steps: coming up with a research question, writing a proposal, collecting and analyzing data, and then writing a report based on your data collection and literature review. This is a hands-on (vs. just library) project requiring 8 hours of data collection (not necessarily all in one day). There are ideas and samples to help you online. I am always available to help you every step of the way too. At the end of the semester, students always say that this was an important, and fun, component of the class.

Final Messages:

• I want you to learn and be successful in this class. I make myself as available as I can to help (room E-214 in the Tortolita Building, 206-6897, bfiero@pima.edu). Please contact me if you are ever unsure about something in the class so I can help you.
• Very importantly, turn in all lab and project assignments at least one week early and ask me to give you feedback so that you can fix things and resubmit by the deadline.
• Continue on to What to Expect