Introductory Microbiology MCB2000
Fall 2014
Instructor: Dr.
Miroslav Gantar
Office: OE 208
(MM Campus)
Office hours:
Tuesday/Thursday 11:00 -12:00
Or any other time
by appointment
e-mail:
gantarm@fiu.edu
Course Description
MCB 2000 is a 3-credit course intended to introduce
non-science major students to the principles of Biology using microorganisms.
The course is also a requirement for students in Dietetics, Nutrition and
Nursing. The role played by microbes in the earth, aquatic environments, air,
Biotechnology as well as in humans and other organisms, has a major impact on
human affairs. The course covers basic concepts of microbes as pathogens, food
spoilage and fermentative organisms. Microbial relationships to immunology,
sanitation, pollution and geochemical cycling will also be covered.
This is a Global Learning Course - therefore it will
enhance students’ Global Awareness, Perspective, and Engagement, so that all
students in this course will have knowledge that scientific discoveries arise
globally, affect human affairs globally and should be shared globally. This will
be achieved through (1) accentuating the multi-dimensional value of significant
discoveries in Microbiology, and (2) evaluating the significance of
microbiological issues to human affairs historically and geographically. For
example, the students will be asked to evaluate what was the socio-economic
characteristic of the societies in which the discoveries happened; if there are
any comparable discoveries in other geographic regions and to identify those;
what were the contemporary significant achievements in art, literature,
film-making etc.
As a Global Learning Course, in addition to textbook-based
information, this course will enrich the learning process with information
regarding the impact of Microbiology on social issues globally. This
interdisciplinary global aspect of the course will be covered through (1)
lectures, (2) lectures provided by guest speakers, and (3) students’
assignments. FIU teachers from different Departments such as Sociology,
History, Art and other non-FIU specialist will be invited to give talks as part
of regular lectures. The purpose of these invited lectures will be to connect
social or cultural events with microbiological crisis events or significant
discoveries (e.g. what historical event preceded to the big flu epidemic in
1918).
Course Objectives
The objective of the course is to teach students to:
-
Apply scientific principles and theories to
problem solving
-
Scientifically evaluate situations in which
microorganisms play role (relationship between microorganisms and diseases, food
spoilage, production of drugs etc.)
-
Distinguish between “good and bad microbes”
-
Understand the basic microbiological techniques
(concept of aseptic work, cultivation and identification of
microorganism)
-
Use scientific theories to test microbiological
hypothesis
-
Assess and critically evaluate claims made in
popular media for their scientific merit.
Global Learning Course - Specific Objectives
Global Awareness - Students will be able to show awareness of the global
interrelationship between human affairs on one side and disease causing
microorganisms, Biotechnology, and Environment issues on the other side. More
specifically it will include:
-
Understanding of the scientific concepts that
underlies the global nature of diseases caused by microorganisms
-
Developing critical thinking based on new global
scientific information obtained in class
-
Understanding the impact of discoveries in
Microbiology on global human affairs (novel cures, bioterrorism…)
-
Understanding the interrelationship between
microbiological diseases and social/economic factors
-
Navigating through time - connecting/associating
discoveries in Microbiology with the achievements in Arts and Humanities
The assessment for Global Awareness will be in the form of (1) embedded test
questions and (2) assignments.
Global Perspective - Students will be able to analyze health and
economic issues related to microbiological situations that occur globally. The
global industrial and agricultural use of microbes and their effect on social
interaction will be analyzed with respect to global economies and pollution.
This will include:
-
Comprehension of why microorganisms have a global
impact on human affairs
-
Analyze why socio-economic factors may be
responsible for outbreaks of diseases (Example: Outbreak of Cholera in post
disaster Haiti)
The assessment for Global Perspective will be in the form of (1) embedded test
questions and (2) assignments.
Global Engagement - Students will demonstrate a willingness to engage in
disease prevention/intervention to address individual or global health problems,
and other microbiological situations. This will include the development of the
following abilities:
-
To analyze students’ own willingness to be
involved in problem remediation regarding microbiological situations
-
To present their own plan for potential abatement
of crisis situations caused by microbiological issues
The assessment for Global Engagement will be accomplished by grading the papers
to be submitted by students.
Interdisciplinary
content - Invited lectures
Interdisciplinary content of the course will be covered
through invited lectures to be provided by FIU faculty from different
Departments as well as by other specialist (e.g. representatives from County
Health Department, Health care institutions, etc.). These lectures will be
embedded in regular lectures for the purpose of interconnecting
microbiology-caused events and some social or cultural developments. One
example:
Chiropractic practice – can it improve the function of the immune system?
These lectures will be organized on contingency bases and
will depend on the availability of the speakers and they might vary between
semesters.
Common reading for Global Learning:
Appiah, K.A., “The Case for Contamination,” New York Times,
January 1, 2006. Online at
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/01/magazine/01cosmopolitan.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print
Why this course belongs to Global
Learning Initiative
Microbes are global. No other organisms affect human lives
as microbes do. They can be found in any environment. Their global significance
can be found in the facts that they sustain life on planet Earth through the
recycling of elements, by providing food (through fermentation), by maintaining
health (probiotic activity), and by causing diseases (pathogenic
microorganisms). They are not restricted by time or social/political system. In
others words, microbes are truly global.
Prerequisites
None
Required Text
Cowan, 2012 (3rd edition), MICROBIOLOGY - A Systems Approach, McGraw Hill Higher
Education
or
Cowan and Talaro, 2009 (2nd edition), MICROBIOLOGY - A Systems Approach, McGraw
Hill Higher Education
The text can be purchased:
- at the FIU bookstore
- as an E-BOOK for a much lower price from the publisher
http://www.coursesmart.com/
- from abebooks.com for discounted versions of new and used books,
- from amazon.co.uk and others or international editions. The international
editions are paperback and about half the cost, give them a week to send from
the UK.
i-clicker
You will be required to have an i-clicker. You can either buy it or
rent it from the FIU Bookstore. After obtaining the i–clicker you will need to
register your device
http://www1.iclicker.com/register-clicker/ by using your Panther ID #.
Assignments:
The active learning strategy includes the following components:
- Required:
- Writing an essay
- Global Learning Questions
- Optional: A Power
Point presentation – extra credit (see bellow)
Writing an essay. You can chose to write a paper (3-5 pages, double
space, font 12) on a microbiology topic of your choice. It has to cover
microbiological aspect as well as an aspect of the global perspective.
Examples
of essay titles:
- Tuberculosis – a social aspect of a disease
- Is globalization preventing or contributing to spread of AIDS
- Microbial water contamination in beaches of South Florida
- HIV in Miami-Dade County
- Dengue Fever: how does it affect underdeveloped countries?
The essay should provide basic information on the medical and
microbiological aspects of the disease (causative agent, symptoms, treatment,
etc.) as well as the social aspect (e.g. socio-economic characteristics of those
suffering from this disease, geographic distribution; historic perspective,
etc)]. A paper should present the perspective/position of different
nations/countries in regard to measures for preventing disease outbreaks (e.g.
type of health care system, vaccination programs etc.) and compare those to WHO
standards.
Please request an approval of the title of your paper by sending an
e-mail to Dr. Prabhakar Pant (TA)
ppant002@fiu.edu and submit the paper as a Word document to the same e-mail
address.
Global Learning Questions - Will
be provided during each class. You will have to look for the correct answer (not
to be found in the text book). The same questions will appear on the exam. Each
exam will contain 10% of Global Learning questions.
Power Point presentation. The
topic of the presentation should have a global perspective and it should cover
new or controversial information of a microbiology problem. If you decide to
give a PP presentation, then you will
not have to write an essay. In addition, you will earn between 1-5% points
as extra credit. For an example of the topic, please see above (same as writing
an essay). If there are more registered students for presentation than available
spots, then your teacher will select presentations that are the most relevant
for this Global Learning course. Students’ presentation will be given during the
regular classes. (see the course calendar).
To get an approval for the title of oral presentation
please send an e-mail to gantarm@fiu.edu.
Once the title is approved, you can
start working on your presentation. You are expected to send your PP to your
teacher one week ahead of time, so that all necessary corrections can be done in
timely manner.
Before you start writing an essay or preparing an oral presentation
The topic and the title of the essay/field work/oral presentation need to be
approved beforehand by your teacher (check the due date in the Course Calendar).
For the title approval for the paper send an e-mail to Dr. Prabhakar Pant (TA)
ppant002@fiu.edu
For the title approval for oral presentation send an e-mail to
gantarm@fiu.edu
The essay and presentations will be graded based on a rubric that will evaluate:
Scientific and Global aspect of the selected topic.
Attendance
Grading
Your final letter grade will be based on:
(1) The average score of three exams (worth 70% of your grade)
(2) The
score obtained for the paper on Global-Interdisciplinary aspect of the course
(worth 30% of your grade). In addition, you can choose to accomplish additional
assignment for extra credit (see below).
(3) Extra
credits earned – see below
The letter grade will be given
after the 3rd exam and will be based on a class curve. If a regular grade
distribution occurs, the standard grading scale (90%-100% = A, 80%-89% = B,
70%-79% = C, 60%-69% = D, <60% = F) will be used. If the average score of the
whole class is below 75%, then the curving will be applied.
Exams
There will be 3 exams over the course of the semester - each consisting of 50
multiple choice questions and each worth 100% course points. Each exam will have
10% questions covering the global aspect of the course. Exam #3, though
scheduled during the week of finals, will not be cumulative.
Exams will be multiple-choice with sense-mark (Scantron) answer sheets.
You will be required to bring #2 pencils with at least one eraser. Laptops, palm
pilots, cell phones or other electronic devices ARE NOT ALLOWED during the EXAM.
You will be required to bring your FIU student ID to every exam. Wearing brimmed
hats or baseball caps during exams is not permitted.
Extra points can be
earned by:
(1)
Participating in sessions with the PLTL program
(Peer Led Team Learning). By actively participating in PLTL you will gain extra
points that will increase your final grade by up to 5% points. Please reference
the PLTL Syllabus (http://pltl.fiu.edu/ ).
Why should you use their services? Each week you will be meeting with a PLTL
leader and a small group of students. A PLTL Leader is a peer who has taken the
course before and will guide you through the worksheets each week. This will
definitely help you score higher on the exams. Learn how to get those extra
points by contacting the PLTL team.
(2)
Giving a 10-minute Power Point presentation.
Please see above.
Make-up Exam
If you are unable to attend an exam, contact the instructor
at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled exam time to discuss
alternatives. Missed exams may result in a score of zero if the instructor is
not notified in a timely fashion. Alternatives to a score of zero for the exam
may be discussed with the instructor.
Make-Up Exams will be given only to students providing
valid documentation of a medical or other serious problem. Make-Up exams are
not based on multiple choice
questions; they will be in the form of essay questions.
Academic conduct
Florida International University is a community dedicated
to generating and imparting knowledge through excellent teaching and research,
the rigorous and respectful exchange of ideas, and community service. All
students should respect the right of others to have an equitable opportunity to
learn and to honestly demonstrate the quality of their learning. Therefore, all
students are expected to adhere to a standard of academic conduct, which
demonstrates respect for themselves, their fellow students, and the educational
mission of the University. All students are deemed by the University to
understand that if they are found responsible for academic misconduct, they will
be subject to the Academic Misconduct procedures and sanctions, as outlined in
the Student Handbook.
Cheating
Cheating will not be tolerated! Students caught cheating
during an examination will be removed from the exam and given an "F" for the
course.
Plagiarism is academic misconduct that involves using
words, opinions, and information of others as your own. Written work will be
analyzed in "turnitin.com" and any document identified as plagiarism will
generate an “F” and charges for “Academic Misconduct” against the student will
be brought up. Academic Misconduct becomes a permanent part of a student record.
Incomplete Grades
An incomplete grade is a temporary symbol given at the
discretion of the instructor for work not completed, because of serious
interruption not caused by the student's own negligence. An incomplete grade
must be made up as quickly as possible, but no later than two semesters or it
will automatically default to the grade that the student earned in the course.
There is no extension to the two semester deadline. The student must not
register again for the course to make up the incomplete. Incomplete grade will
require written documentation (doctor's note, accident report, etc.) of the
underlying condition that impedes student progress. A form will need to be
signed by the student detailing the procedure and agenda for completing
course-work. Students who receive an incomplete grade and have applied for
graduation at the end of that term, must complete the incomplete grade by the
end of the fourth week of the following term. Failure to do so will result in a
cancellation of graduation. That student will need to reapply for graduation.
Pre-Nursing
Students
Note of Advice
MCB2000 and Lab are required along with other science
courses for entry into BSN in the School of Nursing. This course will cover the
basics of biological sciences as well as the basic nature of microbial diseases,
immunology and epidemiology. This course is not simply a requirement, but rather
one that can provide the fundamental scientific background to Nursing.
Please note that the admission requirements to FIU's
Nursing program do not allow repeats in science courses. That means you must
earn at a minimum a grade of C (not C- or lower). Nursing program is very
competitive and a grade of C does not guarantee that you will get in.