2. Is a web based course easier than a traditional course?
NO. You will be learning the same material and skills here as you would in the traditional lecture/lab course.

3. How is the material presented?
Class material is in the form of PowerPoint presentations and webpages.

4. What if I have difficulty understanding the material?
Feel free to contact me by email (bfiero@pima.edu), phone (206-6897) or in person (West Campus, Tortolita (E) Building Room E-214). Whenever you email me, please always include your name and "Bio 109" in the Subject Line of your email (I get a lot of spam and so am quick to delete any message without an informative subject line).

5. What do I need to be successful in this course?

• Time: This is a lab science course and requires a big commitment of time (a minimum of 8 hours/week for most students).
• College Reading/Writing/Study Skills: you will be learning the material in this course through your reading of class materials and you will be communicating your understanding to me through your written exams and assignments. To do well on exams and identification tests, you will have to have good reading/writing/study skills (see my Fail Safe Study Technique).
• Computer Hardware and Software: You need an email account that you check regularly. You need access to a computer connected to the internet (web and email) that can play PowerPoint presentations (requires Microsoft PowerPoint or the free PowerPoint Viewer which is available online -- download from http://www.microsoft.com/.
• Self Discipline: Without the structure of a regularly scheduled class and without the motivational influence of an instructor standing in front of you, you will have to rely on yourself to make time to study effectively and to remember to take the exams and identification tests, meet for the labs, and complete your project on time.

6. How do I take the exams and identification tests?
The exams and identification tests are taken at the West Campus Assessment/Testing Center (see more info here on exams and tests) during the week they are scheduled. You must bring a picture ID to the Assessment Center. You do not have to take the exam and the identification test at the same time, but both must be completed by the end of the scheduled week. The WC Assessment/Testing Center is open M-Th from 8:15 am to 7:00 pm, Friday from 8:15 am to 4:45 pm, and Saturday from 8:15 am -1:00 pm. Please note that the WC Assessment/Testing Center stops handing out exams one hour before closing, but you should allow yourself at least 2 hours to take each combined exam and identification test. If you cannot make these times, please contact me as soon as possible to make other arrangements.

7. What are the exams and identification tests like?
Exams may have multiple choice, matching, fill in the blank, short answer, and long answer questions. Practicing the self-quizzes is good preparation for taking the exams. The identification tests will ask you to give the complete, correctly spelled, common name of plants/animals pictured. Exams should take about 2 hours to take, depending on your level of preparedness, and identification tests should take less than 30 minutes to take.

8. What if I do badly on/miss an exam or identification test?
The exams and identification tests cannot be made up, but your lowest exam grade and lowest identification test grade will be replaced by the Final Exam grade and Final Identification test grade (if it is to your advantage).

9. Must I attend the Saturday Laboratory Meetings?
No, but I recommend attending Lab Day 1 because this is when we do the more complex labs (plant community study, wildflower/pollinator, and owl pellet labs). If you can also come to Lab Day 2, then you will have completed all your labs. But if you cannot, then you may also do all the laboratory assignments on your own if you prefer.

10. How do I submit assignments?
You will submit assignments by email (bfiero@pima.edu). Please always include your name and the topic of the email in the subject line of your email. When attaching documents to me (e.g., labs, project), please send Microsoft Word documents (I cannot always convert from other file types).

11. How will I know how I am doing in the class?
When you submit a secret code to me (no more than 6 letters and/or numbers), I will post your grades anonymously online. This system will allow you to always know your grades in the class and to double check my bookkeeping. If you do not wish to have your grades posted anonymously on the web, please contact me to make other arrangements.