QEP Matrix

Campus: Bryan

Course: BIOL 1406

Student Learning Objective (SLO)	High-Risk Issue (Why is it difficult for the students?)	Enhanced Academic Support (activity or way that the SLO is presented?) Be specific	Evaluation (How will you measure?) Be Specific [Post test questions]
(1) Differentiate between science and other fields of knowledge and learning.
(2) Understand the underlying unity to the diversity of life.			[41]
(3) Demonstrate knowledge of the role of natural selection in evolutionary change.
(4) Explain the major molecular structures basic to life.	Students have difficulty recognizing and understanding the role of the major organic molecules found within living organisms.  This may be in part their lack of chemistry background and the fact that they haven’t been asked to apply basic knowledge of chemistry in this way.  We hope that relating this information in a more personal way that students will absorb this information more easily.	Students will be asked to generate their own log for one day of food consumption.  They will then be given a worksheet in which they will be asked to determine the amount of calories their intake represents for each of the 4 major groups of organic molecules.  Additional questions will have the students identifying and drawing structural diagrams of individual food (organic) molecules, along with determining the ultimate use of these molecules within the body.	Grade on worksheet [3,9,15,17,19,20,26,34,33,34,36,44]
(5) Display knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of cells.			[1,2,6,7,8,11,16,18,31,38]
(6) Exhibit an understanding of the processes involved in cellular respiration and photosynthesis.	Students have a hard time understanding how oxidation and reduction reactions are linked to form the biochemical pathways that generate energy for living organisms.	Students will be given a take home assignment where they must complete a chart that targets key components of the four stages of cellular respiration.  They will then be asked to work in teams to complete an in class activity where they piece together a “puzzle” of sorts that contains the major steps associated with cellular respiration.  Components will include substrates, enzymes, and end-products	Grade will be a combination of take home assignment and in class activity. [4,10,12,23,24,27,28,29,33,39,40,43]
(7) Describe the structure and life Differentiate among the processes and stages of cellular reproduction.			[14,35,42,46,48]
(8) Demonstrate an understanding of the mechanisms of inheritance.			[21,32,37,47]
(9) Elaborate on the role of DNA in cellular function and homeostasis.	Before students can even hope to grasp gene regulation, they need to better understand how proteins are assembled through the process of translation.  They seem to get the “genetic code” but don’t follow the process in a cohesive way.	Following a traditional presentation of protein synthesis, students will be asked to role play the process of translation.  Serving as major components of the translation machinery, students will carry out the process of translation in a fun engaging way.	Quiz [5,13,22,25,30,45,49,50]
(10) Communicate an understanding of the regulation of gene expression.
(11) Evaluate environmental and genetic interactions.
(12) Communicate effectively an understanding of the role of genetic engineering and biotechnology in the areas of agriculture, medicine, and society as a whole.