Bio 202 Course Orientation, Canvas Navigation, and Academic Policies

Canvas Navigation, Resources, and Learning Materials

• Publishing Schedule: Course materials and weekly modules are published on Fridays whenever possible to accommodate students who prepare and work ahead over the weekend.

• Canvas To-Do List Unreliability:

  • The Canvas To-Do list is automatically generated across all enrolled courses and is unreliable.

  • Professors must execute specific system manipulations for assignments to appear on the To-Do list; as a result, McGraw Hill Connect, SmartBook, and Canvas assignments may not display.

  • Students must never rely exclusively on the To-Do list to track upcoming coursework.

  • Navigation must occur directly through the Weekly Modules (e.g., Week 1 Assignments, Week 2 Assignments), where all required items are listed in order.

• Course Resources and Study Guides:

  • The Chapter 1 study guide is posted directly within the Week 1 Canvas module alongside lecture presentations and chapter readings.

  • Supplemental Videos: Embedded resources include $3\text{ to }5\text{ minute}$ external videos designed to reinforce complex concepts (e.g., DNA structure).

  • External video resources provided include Crash Course, Amoeba Sisters, and higher-order instructional videos.

Artificial Intelligence Policy and Lecture Presentations

• Lecture Presentation Access:

  • Lecture presentations are posted early in PDF format within the weekly modules, allowing students to follow along, view slides in advance, or annotate directly using tablets (e.g., iPads).

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Integration:

  • Presentations are provided in PDF format specifically to facilitate compatibility with AI study tools such as ChatGPT, Claude (referred to as Quad), and Gemini.

  • AI is endorsed as an effective study resource for generating study guides, creating practice quiz questions, and clarifying difficult concepts.

  • Utilizing AI to think on behalf of the student or substitute for authentic learning is strictly prohibited.

E-Textbook Access and McGraw Hill Connect Setup

• E-Textbook Readings:

  • Chapter reading links within Canvas direct students directly to the e-textbook on McGraw Hill Connect (e.g., Chapter 1, Tissues, Human Organization).

  • Grading Policy: Readings designated with "Read" are optional, non-graded resources provided solely for reviewing or catching up on course material.

  • Date ranges displayed on reading links (e.g., September 2 to September 20) represent open accessibility windows and do not denote graded assignment deadlines.

• Account Registration Requirements:

  • Students must register for McGraw Hill Connect using their official UW email / UW ID.

  • Personal email addresses or parents' email addresses must not be used, as they disrupt grade synchronization between systems.

• Initial Grade Synchronization Procedure:

  • To link McGraw Hill Connect with Canvas, students must access their first SmartBook assignment by clicking the assignment link directly within the Canvas module.

  • Skipping this initial step prevents grades from automatically synchronizing with the Canvas gradebook. If skipped, students must enter a Connect assignment via Canvas on a subsequent attempt to establish the sync.

SmartBook Adaptive Assignments

• Standard Weekly Deadlines:

  • SmartBook assignments are due every Monday at $11:59\text{ PM}$, prior to the first lecture of the week on Tuesday morning.

  • Exception: The first SmartBook assignment deadline is shifted by one day due to the Labor Day holiday.

• Adaptive System Mechanics:

  • Assignments utilize adaptive learning technology that presents questions while reading.

  • Answering questions incorrectly triggers the platform to assign additional adaptive questions, significantly increasing the time required to complete the assignment.

  • Focused completion typically takes $20\text{ to }35\text{ minutes}$ (or approximately $1\text{ hour}$ during the initial assignments). Distracted completion leads to incorrect answers and extended assignment lengths.

• Recommended Student Workflow:

  1. Read the assigned textbook chapter.

  2. Complete the pre-lecture adaptive SmartBook assignment.

  3. Review lecture PowerPoint presentations prior to attending class.

• Recharge Mode and Completion Verification:

  • Completion can be verified by checking the Canvas gradebook for a recorded grade or observing that the assignment status has shifted to Recharge.

  • Recharge Mode Features: Allows students to practice questions for exam preparation without risk of lowering their achieved score.

  • Warning: An assignment will automatically display as "Recharge" after its due date passes, even if the student failed to complete it before the deadline.

Lecture Wrap-Up Quizzes and Attendance Policy

• Quiz Format and Access:

  • Administered at the conclusion of lectures (typically following a $15\text{ minute}$ instructional segment).

  • Access requires an entry code displayed at the end of class.

  • Consists of $5$ questions with unlimited attempts.

  • Students are permitted to collaborate with classmates during the quiz.

• Attendance and Grade Weight:

  • Quizzes require physical in-class attendance to obtain the entry code and complete the assignment.

  • Lecture wrap-up quizzes account for $3\%$ of the total course grade.

  • Drop Policy: The lowest $2$ lecture wrap-up quiz scores are automatically dropped at the end of the term (equivalent to $1\text{ week}$ of missed lectures).

  • No make-up opportunities are provided once the dropped quota is exhausted.

• Academic Integrity Warning: Transmitting or texting lecture wrap-up codes to absent students constitutes academic dishonesty and results in formal academic integrity proceedings.

Attendance Exceptions, Absences, and Administrative Contacts

• Valid Excused Absences:

  • Illness supported by an official doctor's note.

  • Student-athletes traveling for competitions (official travel letters required).

  • Active military personnel with mandatory duty commitments.

  • Major planned life events (e.g., a family member's 80th birthday or a sibling's wedding) provided advance notice is given and approved at the instructor's discretion.

• Medical Documentation via Shaw Nurse Line:

  • Students who are ill but unable to visit a clinic due to medical costs can call the campus Shaw nurse's hotline.

  • Following a phone consultation, the nurse can issue an official doctor's note for absence documentation.

• Invalid Absence Reasons (Strictly Unexcused):

  • Inability to find campus parking (including delays caused by inclement or rainy weather).

  • Vehicle failure or a car not starting in cold winter weather.

• Administrative Contact for Absences:

  • All excused absence requests, doctor's notes, and attendance documentation must be submitted directly to the Bio 202 course grader, not the primary instructor.

  • Grader contact details will be posted on Canvas once finalized.

Exam Structure, Pre-Exam Quizzes, and Course Schedule

• Course Rhythm: Standard assignment rhythms and weekly schedules are fully established by Week 3.

• Pre-Exam Quizzes:

  • Function as modified practice exams.

  • Due on Mondays at $11:59\text{ PM}$ prior to exam days.

• Exam Administration Rules:

  • All exams are delivered online and are fully proctored (requiring stable Wi-Fi and proctoring hardware/software capabilities).

  • Exam availability windows run from $12:00\text{ AM}$ to $11:59\text{ PM}$ on scheduled exam days.

  • Exams are timed.

  • No lectures are held on exam days.

• Major Schedule Milestones:

  • Week 1: Semester start; Labor Day schedule adjustments.

  • Week 2: Laboratory sessions begin (starting Tuesday).

  • Week 5: Exam 1 (held on Tuesday online; Pre-Exam Quiz due Monday at $11:59\text{ PM}$; no class Tuesday).

  • October: Exam 2.

Laboratory Structure and Section Policies

• Laboratory Commencement:

  • Labs do not meet during Week 1.

  • Sessions officially begin in Week 2, starting on Tuesday due to the Labor Day holiday.

  • Teaching Assistants (TAs) for Monday lab sections email expectations directly to enrolled students.

• Section Size and Enrollment Limits:

  • Each lab section contains approximately $24\text{ to }26\text{ students}$.

• Section Transfer Policy:

  • Requests to swap or change lab sections via email are strictly denied due to capacity constraints.

  • Rare exceptions are evaluated solely for students with documented full-time employment schedules.