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BIOL12107 - Genomes, Genetics & Evolution

General Information

Unit Synopsis

This unit focuses on the role of the genome in adaptive change in living organisms, particularly animals. It brings together recent advances in our understanding of the genome and the impact of these on the traditional areas of zoology, particularly those involving evolutionary processes. The unit provides you with a link between molecular biology and other areas of biology including genetics, evolution, taxonomy, embryology and behaviour. In the latter part of the unit, you will focus on various aspects of human evolution.

Details

Level Undergraduate
Unit Level 2
Credit Points 6
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 2
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.125
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Prerequisites

BIOL11099 Living Systems or BMSC11002 Human Body Systems 2 or BIOH11005 Introductory Anatomy and Physiology or BIOL11102 Life Science Laboratory

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Class Timetable View Unit Timetable
Residential School No Residential School

Unit Availabilities from Term 1 - 2022

Term 3 - 2022 Profile
Online
Term 3 - 2023 Profile
Online
Term 3 - 2024 Profile
Online

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task Weighting
1. Written Assessment 30%
2. Online Quiz(zes) 20%
3. Online Quiz(zes) 50%

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%).

Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades

Past Exams

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Previous Feedback

Term 3 - 2022 : The overall satisfaction for students in the last offering of this course was 91.67% (`Agree` and `Strongly Agree` responses), based on a 40.00% response rate.

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Source: SUTE Teacher Evaluations
Feedback
Found the essay planning lecture very helpful - looking forward to implementing that advice in the future. Lectures were all highly interesting and informative. Really enjoyed the bonus content too!
Recommendation
Continue to offer the essay planning lecture and additional support for essay writing.
Action Taken
This was done throughout the term and reflected and appreciated by students that left feedback.
Source: SUTE Teacher Evaluations
Feedback
Has an incredible way of explaining things so you can understand them. Also excellent and timely responses and feedback
Recommendation
Continue to offer materials and lectures that simplify complex topics and take a scaffolding approach that moves from less complex to more complex understandings.
Action Taken
The recommended approach was implemented making sure that the genetics complexity is better explained rather than diluted or reduced.
Source: SUTE Teacher Evaluations
Feedback
I have the greatest appreciation for Dana and the amount of time, effort and feedback she has applied to this unit. I have never had a lecturer so committed to the learning of their students and I this has made learning the sometimes difficult content easier to absorb. I also appreciate the time for her to accept drafts and provide constructive feedback, so that we may achieve the best results possible and find where we can improve as scientists. Thank you so much Dana!
Recommendation
Continue to offer support to students on draft assessment work and to promote the resources in the writing workshop section of the Moodle site.
Action Taken
The writing support was highly appreciated by students.
Source: Feedback
Feedback
A number of students expressed gratitude for the support, for example, "Dana was fantastic. I could not survive a unit like this without her explanations, drawings and enthusiasm. "
Recommendation
Continue to provide all levels of support to students that use offered one on one meeting options to help with assignments or understanding difficult-to-grasp concepts.
Action Taken
Nil.
Source: Feedback
Feedback
Additional support was offered to students with disability and working full-time. This included meetings outside of working hours and helping with meeting deadlines. This is also reflected in feedback "Dana is by far the best lecturer I have had whilst at CQU. Her flexibility and understanding of my position as a student in full time work allowed me to be comfortable and confident in my assessment and growth throughout the subject."
Recommendation
Continue to offer help to the most vulnerable students and encourage them continually to feel free to ask for that help.
Action Taken
Nil.
Source: Feedback
Feedback
"Students would benefit from a residential school, learning from Dana face to face and applying knowledge in the lab."
Recommendation
Residential schools are not possible and this type of feedback started when I introduced videos about labwork and bioinformatics. This shows that the videos achieved intended interest among the students, with one more of them sating they consider career in bioinformatics. I will continue to encourage them to learn more about practical work without the need for residential school
Action Taken
Nil.
Source: Feedback
Feedback
One student left feedback pointing at some ppt slides that were not covered in lecture. This refers to material removed from the lecture based on number of students feedback.
Recommendation
The PowerPoint will be updated to match the video.
Action Taken
Nil.
Unit learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Use correct terminology to describe genetics, genomes and evolution
  2. Discuss the concepts of heritability, mutation, development, Mendelian genetics, extranuclear and multi-allelic inheritance, the Hardy-Wienberg Law and related topics in quantitative genetics
  3. Explain the mechanisms of change in the genome including the concepts of genetic disorders adaptation and speciation
  4. Discuss behavioral and population genetics, socio-biology and ethics.

NA

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Written Assessment
2 - Online Quiz(zes)
3 - Online Quiz(zes)
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Communication
3 - Critical Thinking
4 - Information Literacy
6 - Information Technology Competence
7 - Cross Cultural Competence
8 - Ethical practice
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 - Written Assessment
3 - Online Quiz(zes)
2 - Online Quiz(zes)