No materials will be sent to you prior to the start of the course; everything you need to get started is detailed on this page. Please read through it carefully, in full, before starting the course.

PRIOR TO THE FIRST DAY OF TERM, it is your responsibility to do the following:

1. Activate your Dalhousie NetID, i.e., the name that precedes the '@dal.ca' in your Dalhousie e-mail address (Item 1 below).
2. Ensure your computer has all the required software and peripherals (Item 2 below).

It is also desirable to obtain the textbook prior to the start of term (Item 3 below), but it is possible to get started in the course without the textbook if necessary.

Read on for full details about how to get started in BIOL 1020 and BIOL 1021.

1. Dalhousie NetID
2. Technical Requirements and Software
   • Respondus LockDown Browser
3. Textbook and Reading Ahead
   • Ordering Online from the Dalhousie Bookstore
4. Proctored Exams - Agricultural Campus (Truro, NS) Only
5. Logging In
6. Lesson 1: Orientation
7. BIOL 1020 and BIOL 1021 Contact Information
8. Dalhousie Contact Information

1. Dalhousie NetID

You are automatically issued a Dalhousie NetID upon acceptance to Dalhousie University, but you must activate your NetID yourself. For more information about obtaining and activating NetIDs, see: NetID and Password. You cannot log in to the class until your NetID is activated.

• Dalhousie e-mail: E-mail is an official form of communication at Dalhousie University. The 'NetID@dal.ca' e-mail address provided to students by the university is the ONLY e-mail address used for official communication. You should activate your NetID and check your 'NetID@dal.ca' e-mail address regularly. Detailed information on e-mail, web hosting, and other computing-related issues is available from Dalhousie's Information Technology Services (ITS).

Return to Contents

2. Technical Requirements and Software

Your computer must meet these minimum standards and have the following plug-ins properly installed and tested prior to the first day of class.

Browsers

Brightspace is compatible with recent versions of Firefox, Safari, and Google Chrome.

Internet Connection: high-speed recommended

Plug-Ins

The following plug-ins should allow you to view most of the media in the course; you may be prompted to update or install others on a case-by-case basis.

• Adobe Reader, Flash Player, and Shockwave Player
• RealPlayer
• Quicktime
• Java

Peripherals

• speakers or headphones + microphone: a simple headset + microphone is satisfactory
• access to a digital camera (3 megapixel or higher) or phone with a camera
• printer (optional)

Software

• Dalhousie e-mail
• word processing software, such as Microsoft Word or WordPerfect
• basic photo processing software that allows you to resize (by dimension and file size), crop, and and text to images; free options such as Gimp are available on the web
• a spreadsheet program such as Excel
• PDF-making software or the capability to convert documents to PDF (or to save as PDF); PrimoPDF is a free option
• ImageJ: image analysis software required for labs in both BIOL 1020 and BIOL 1021 (will also do photo processing); click on Download and choose the version for your operating system

Microsoft Office for PC and Mac is available for free to Dalhousie students, faculty, and staff and can be downloaded from Dalhousie Libraries/Software Download (activated NetID and password required). Free productivity suites such as Apache OpenOffice are also available on the web.

Respondus LockDown Browser

Students taking BIOL 1020 and/or BIOL 1021 from or near the Agricultural Campus in Truro may write their exams online. In order to do so, students must use special software called the Respondus LockDown Browser. This software is available for Windows and Mac via the site above (activated NetID and password required): Respondus LockDown for Windows, Respondus LockDown for Macintosh.

The Respondus LockDown Browser resembles other browsers (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, etc.), except that while it is running, it locks down all other software on the computer. The user cannot run any other programs, print, or make screen captures. Respondus LockDown Browser permits access only to exams specified by the instructor, and is the ONLY way a student can access their midterm and final exams.

The Respondus LockDown Browser may be downloaded and installed at any time prior to the scheduled examination time. If the exam is to be written on the student’s own computer, then the student may download and install the software at any time. If the exam is to be written on the proctor’s computer, then the student and proctor must arrange a time before the scheduled exam time to download, install, and test the software (the student’s NetID and NetID password is required). Download and installation should only take a few minutes, but we recommend doing it as soon as possible, to allow time for trouble-shooting if necessary.

Return to Contents

3. Textbook and Reading Ahead

Note that this is the same book that is used in BIOL 1010/11 (the face-to-face courses).

If you'd like to start reading the textbook before the course begins, consult the links below.

BIOL 1020 Topics and Readings
BIOL 1021 Topics and Readings

Books may be bought in person or online from the Dalhousie Bookstore. (For 'Choose your Campus...', click on 'Bookstore - Student Union Bld'.)

NOTE: The same textbook is used in both BIOL 1020 and BIOL 1021, as well as in BIOL 1010 and BIOL 1011. If you are taking any two of these courses concurrently, or if you are taking one course and anticipate taking another one in another term, you only have to buy one textbook.

Other Textbooks

Other textbooks (including previous editions of Campbell Biology Dalhousie Edition and Campbell Biology 9th Edition) are not directly supported in BIOL 1020/21, but they may be used with the caveat that you are responsible for meeting each lesson's learning objectives with your chosen book.

Return to Contents

4. Proctored Exams - Agricultural Campus (Truro, NS) Only

Students from the Agricultural Campus in Truro are eligible to write their midterm and final exams online, under the supervision of a proctor. They may also choose to travel to the Halifax campus to write their exams.

Effective Summer 2016, all other students must write their midterm and final exams on campus, in Halifax. In the summer term only, students who are unable to travel to Halifax to write their midterm exam may be permitted to write a cumulative midterm and final exam at the end of the course. The course schedule will be finalized prior to the start of the summer term; please check back for updates or contact the instructor for additional details.

Proctored Exams

Students located on or near Dalhousie’s Agricultural Campus in Truro may write their exams under the supervision of any faculty or staff member associated with the Faculty of Agriculture, subject to the conditions below:

• The exam must be written online, using the Respondus LockDown Browser.
• The proctor must agree to be physically present with you in the testing room for the duration of the exam.
• The proctor must be fluent in English.

If your prospective proctor is unable to meet the conditions above, then you will not be permitted to write the exams online. You may have to travel to Halifax to write the exams, consider deferring the course to a future term when you can either locate a suitable proctor or write the exams on campus, or reconsider taking the course at all.

Proctor Information Required

To submit information about your proctor to the instructor, you will be asked to submit the following information in an online Proctor Information Survey:

• the proctor's full name
• the proctor's job title or affiliation with Dalhousie University
• the proctor's Dalhousie e-mail address
• the proctor's telephone number
• the date you have arranged to write the exam (which may be on the scheduled exam date, or one day before or after)
• the time you have arranged to write the exam

Proctor information is due at least two weeks prior to the scheduled exam date. Students and their proctors will be contacted by the class instructor with detailed instructions about downloading, installing, and testing the Respondus LockDown Browser (see section 2 above) and writing the exam online.

Special Arrangements

Students are expected to make every reasonable effort to attend the exams on campus at their scheduled times. We will, however, consider alternate arrangements in the case of sudden illness or injury, or professional or academic commitments.

If you have an anticipated conflict with an exam, you MUST contact the instructor IN ADVANCE. If you experience a sudden illness or injury then you MUST contact the instructor as near to the scheduled exam time as you are able. All students requiring alternate arrangements must be prepared to provide supporting documentation, in the form of a medical note, letter from an employer, etc.

Students who require special accommodation due to physical or learning disabilities should contact Dalhousie's Advising and Access Services Centre as early in the term as possible.

Return to Contents

5. Logging In

Please read through the following instructions in full and unless otherwise indicated WAIT UNTIL THE FIRST DAY OF TERM before attempting to log in to BIOL 1020 and/or BIOL 1021. Normally, all students are denied access to the course until the course start date. If the course does not appear on your Brightspace 'My Courses' list, or if you attempt to log in and get a message that you have been denied access, this is probably the reason. If you have any trouble logging in on or after the first day of the course, contact the instructor.

To access BIOL 1020 & BIOL 1021, you will need your activated Dalhousie NetID and NetID password. To log in to the course, take the following steps:

1. Go to the Dalhousie University Brightspace log-in page.
2. Enter your NetID in the 'USERNAME' box, and your NetID password in the 'PASSWORD' box. If you are not sure what your NetID password is, visit NetID and Password.
3. You are now on the Brightspace home page, which lists BIOL 1020 and/or BIOL 1021 as well as any other courses you may be taking that have a Brightspace component (look under 'My Courses' at right).
4. Click on the hyperlinked course title under 'My Courses' to enter the course.

Alternatively, you can log in to Brightspace via either of these routes: www.dal.ca --> myDal --> Quick Links --> Brightspace or www.dal.ca --> OWL --> Brightspace.

What If I Don't Have the Textbook Yet?

If you don't have a textbook, you can and should still log in to the course. You can get started and do much of the work required for the first lesson without the textbook.

IMPORTANT:

The course officially begins on its start date (i.e., it is not a 'continuous intake' course). Students who register for the course prior to the start date should log in and get started as soon as possible on or after the start date. Students who register for the class AFTER the start date may have to wait up to 24 hours before they are able to log in, as the Brightspace database is synced with the Registrar's database once per day.

Assignment and test submission deadlines WILL NOT be extended for students who log in late, or for students who add the course on or near the last date to add courses for the term. If you register for the course relatively late in the term, it is your responsibility to catch up with the work as soon as possible. You may lose a very small number of marks due to missed deadlines, but these can typically be made up by the end of the term. -->

Return to Contents

6. Lesson 1: Orientation

The first lesson for both BIOL 1020 and BIOL 1021 is an Orientation lesson, designed to familiarize you with the technical workings of the course. There are a number of tasks that you will be asked to complete before the start of Lesson 2. It is important that you log in and work through the Orientation as soon as possible during the first few days of term. Please complete all of the Orientation tasks, even if you have taken BIOL 1020 or BIOL 1021 in the past, and even if you are taking both courses concurrently and the tasks are duplicated. Completion of the Orientation tasks confirms that you are present and actively participating in the course, and helps us to troubleshoot any technical problems that you may have.

Return to Contents

7. BIOL 1020 and BIOL 1021 Contact Information

Primary Instructor: Jennifer Van Dommelen

I often work from locations other than my physical office; particularly between terms. Typically the best way to reach me is via e-mail, but I am happy to arrange phone calls, face-to-face meetings, and web conferences as required. I do not have voice mail - if you can't reach me by phone, please send an e-mail!

For the summer term, there may be other instructors for BIOL 1020/21; their contact information will be provided in the course site.

Department of Biology
phone: 902-494-3515 (speak with the office manager or leave a message)
e-mail: biology@dal.ca (office manager will forward message to appropriate recipient)

Return to Contents

8. Dalhousie Contact Information

Dalhousie University (main site)

Dalhousie Libraries

The libraries have a wealth of resources for students, including Distance Services.

Registrar's Office

Money Matters (formerly Student Accounts)

Academic Support (advising and related services)

Campus Life

Online Learning

New Student Orientation

Dalhousie faculty and staff make a special effort each September to help you with your questions - look for our green and gold AskMe! buttons.

Return to Contents

Return to top of page