Biology A
Course Description:
Biology A introduces students to the scientific method and major concepts of biology from an historical and practical viewpoint. The three major themes of this course are the cell, the molecular basis of heredity, and taxonomy and speciation. Students who take this class will have a deeper appreciation for the complexities of living organisms. Life on this planet, unlike anywhere else in the observable universe, is complex and highly organized. Whether examining life on the molecular or the planetary level, it exhibits a highly organized structure that inspires awe by its genius and complexity. In the last 50 years, discoveries have launched new branches of biology that have transformed the daily routine, from conception to death. New challenges await, such as the current crisis in ecology, global warming, and the resurgence in viral disease. To make rational choices in the 21st century, the citizen must have a basic understanding of biological concepts and the reasoning behind them. Biology A is presented in a multimedia format using interactive modules, labs, narrated animation, text, and videos to present the study of life on this planet. Students work through and complete several self-check activities and quizzes for practice, and participate in self-reflection. In each module, students complete the module exam and a lab. Teacher feedback is provided throughout the course.
Course Details:
| Course Title (District): | Biology A | ||||||||||
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| Course Title (NCES SCED) : | Biology | ||||||||||
| Course Provider : | Michigan Virtual | ||||||||||
| Content Provided By : | Accelerate Education | ||||||||||
| Online Instructor Provided By : | Michigan Virtual | ||||||||||
| Standards Addressed : | Michigan Merit Curriculum, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Next Generation Science Standards | ||||||||||
| Alignment Document : | https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QPZT22T8QWSMjagV7EITbILqNBBJqEu71_J3S7tjeuY/edit?usp=sharing | ||||||||||
| Academic Terms : | Semester, Trimester, Accelerated | ||||||||||
| NCES SCED Code : 03051 |
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How To Enroll:
| Enrollment Website : | https://slp.michiganvirtual.org/ |
|---|---|
| Email : | [email protected] |
| Phone : | (888) 889-2840 |
Students and Parents: It is important to work closely with your local school counselor or registrar to follow the school's enrollment procedures. By clicking the "Start Registration Request" button below, you will be able to notify the school of your interest in registering for the online course. However, it is the responsibility of the district or school to review the registration request and approve or deny the request. Please make a note to follow up with your school after submitting a registration request.
Additional Course Information:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: (888) 889-2840
- Cellular Processes
- A Molecular Basis of Heredity
- Interdependence of Organisms
- Causes and Cures of Contagious Diseases
- Human Populations and their Impact on their Environments
Additional Cost: $0.0
Additional Cost Description:
Science lab assignments may at times require students to acquire additional materials in the form of common household or other widely available items. Materials needed includes, but may not be limited to, household or craft items appropriate for building a model of cells, one or two live flowers, scissors, a magnifying glass, fruit, a plant for observation, a mirror. NOTE: The above list is subject to change with updates or enhancements of activity and assessment experiences within the course. See individual assignment instructions within the course for final and up-to-date lists of material needs.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate understanding of the following scientific concepts...
iNACOL National Standards for Quality Online Courses
| Academic Content Standards and Assessments | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| The goals and objectives clearly state what the participants will know or be able to do at the end of the course. The goals and objectives are measurable in multiple ways. | Fully Met | Objectives at beginning of lesson. |
| The course content and assignments are aligned with the state’s content standards, Common Core curriculum, or other accepted content standards set for Advanced Placement® courses, technology, computer science, or other courses whose content is not included in the state standards. | Fully Met | NGSS aligned |
| The course content and assignments are of sufficient rigor, depth and breadth to teach the standards being addressed. | Fully Met | 60 auto-graded quizzes, 39 authentic assessments |
| Information literacy and communication skills are incorporated and taught as an integral part of the curriculum. | Fully Met | Unit 0 assignments |
| Multiple learning resources and materials to increase student success are available to students before the course begins. | Fully Met |
| Course Overview and Introduction | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Clear, complete course overview and syllabus are included in the course. | Fully Met | |
| Course requirements are consistent with course goals, are representative of the scope of the course and are clearly stated. | Fully Met | |
| Information is provided to students, parents and mentors on how to communicate with the online instructor and course provider. | Fully Met | Provided in the Michigan Virtual Blackboard learning management system (LMS). |
| Legal and Acceptable Use Policies | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| The course reflects multi-cultural education, and the content is accurate, current and free of bias or advertising. | Fully Met | |
| Expectations for academic integrity, use of copyrighted materials, plagiarism and netiquette (Internet etiquette) regarding lesson activities, discussions, and e-mail communications are clearly stated. | Fully Met | Provided in the Michigan Virtual Blackboard LMS. |
| Privacy policies are clearly stated. | Fully Met | Provided in the Michigan Virtual Blackboard LMS. |
| Instructor Resources | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Online instructor resources and notes are included. | Fully Met | |
| Assessment and assignment answers and explanations are included. | Fully Met | Provided for instructors only |
| Accessing Course Effectiveness | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| The course provider uses multiple ways of assessing course effectiveness. | Fully Met | Students have the ability to rate the lesson as completed and provide an evaluation of the course experience and support in an end-of-course survey. Michigan Virtual also has access to additional data regarding student success and satisfaction with courses. |
| The course is evaluated using a continuous improvement cycle for effectiveness and the findings used as a basis for improvement. | Partially Met | MV has access to student and instructor data to make changes to the course as needed. However, Accelerate Ed owned content may not be changed and it is unclear what their review cycle is. |
| Course Updates | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| The course is updated periodically to ensure that the content is current. | Partially Met | MV can update assessments and grading practices as needed. It is unclear how AE ensures their content is current. No course improvement data is cited. |
| Certification | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Course instructors, whether faceto-face or virtual, are certificated and “highly qualified.” The online course teacher possesses a teaching credential from a state-licensing agency and is “highly qualified” as defined under ESEA. | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual instructors are certified in the state of Michigan, endorsed within their assigned content areas and grade levels, and highly qualified under state and federal guidelines. |
| Instructor and Student Support | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Professional development about the online course delivery system is offered by the provider to assure effective use of the courseware and various instructional media available. | Fully Met | Michigan Virtual instructors complete an onboarding course prior to teaching, annual professional development and conference attendance, participate in monthly department meetings, and are provided online resources for various instructional media. |
| The course provider offers technical support and course management assistance to students, the course instructor, and the school coordinator. | Fully Met | Michigan Virtual instructors have access to the Michigan Virtual Knowledge Base with tutorials to assist them as well as a technical support ticketing system to request additional support for technical issues in a course. Students also have a Customer Care center that offers technical support and course management assistance. |
| Course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, have been provided professional development in the behavioral, social, and when necessary, emotional, aspects of the learning environment. | Fully Met | |
| Course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, receive instructor professional development, which includes the support and use of a variety of communication modes to stimulate student engagement online. | Fully Met | |
| The provider assures that course instructors, whether face-to-face or virtual, are provided support, as needed, to ensure their effectiveness and success in meeting the needs of online students. | Fully Met | |
| Students are offered an orientation for taking an online course before starting the coursework. | Fully Met | Students are offered Michigan Virtual-specific orientation lessons and activites within all courses in addition to the Online Learning Orientation Tool (OLOT) located on the LMS homepage for students with no prior experience in taking an online course. |
| Instructional and Audience Analysis | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Course design reflects a clear understanding of all students’ needs and incorporates varied ways to learn and master the curriculum. | Fully Met |
| Course, Unit and Lesson Design | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| The course is organized by units and lessons that fall into a logical sequence. Each unit and lesson includes an overview describing objectives, activities, assignments, assessments, and resources to provide multiple learning opportunities for students to master the content. | Fully Met |
| Instructional Strategies and Activities | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| The course instruction includes activities that engage students in active learning. | Fully Met | |
| The course and course instructor provide students with multiple learning paths, based on student needs that engage students in a variety of ways. | Fully Met | Instructor can add course content as needed (through feedback or SLP message) |
| The course provides opportunities for students to engage in higher-order thinking, critical reasoning activities and thinking in increasingly complex ways. | Fully Met | Labs and authentic assessments |
| The course provides options for the instructor to adapt learning activities to accommodate students’ needs. | Fully Met | Instructors can add supplemental materials as needed. |
| Readability levels, written language assignments and mathematical requirements are appropriate for the course content and grade-level expectations. | Fully Met |
| Communication and Interaction | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| The course design provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student interaction, including opportunities for timely and frequent feedback about student progress. | Fully Met | |
| The course design includes explicit communication/activities (both before and during the first week of the course) that confirms whether students are engaged and are progressing through the course. The instructor will follow program guidelines to address non-responsive students. | Fully Met | Michigan Virtual instructor guidelines ensure such interaction through welcome letters, instructor introductions, and regular progress reporting. |
| The course provides opportunities for appropriate instructor-student and student-student interaction to foster mastery and application of the material. | Fully Met | There are discussion boards in the class that allow for student/student interaction and student/teacher interaction. |
| Resources and Materials | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Students have access to resources that enrich the course content. | Fully Met | lrohde |
| Evaluation Strategies | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Student evaluation strategies are consistent with course goals and objectives, are representative of the scope of the course and are clearly stated. | Fully Met | |
| The course structure includes adequate and appropriate methods and procedures to assess students’ mastery of content. | Fully Met |
| Feedback | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Ongoing, varied, and frequent assessments are conducted throughout the course to inform instruction. | Fully Met | |
| Assessment strategies and tools make the student continuously aware of his/her progress in class and mastery of the content. | Fully Met |
| Assessment Resources and Materials | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Assessment materials provide the instructor with the flexibility to assess students in a variety of ways. | Fully Met | |
| Grading rubrics are provided to the instructor and may be shared with students. | Partially Met | Rubrics are not always shared with students. |
| The grading policy and practices are easy to understand. | Partially Met | MV grading policy is made clear and point values are given to students upfront. However, rubrics are not always available for student view. |
| Course Architecture | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| The course architecture permits the online instructor to add content, activities and assessments to extend learning opportunities. | Partially Met | Instructors cannot alter content provided by the course vendor, but Michigan Virtual instructors are permitted to add supplemental materials as needed via the Blackboard LMS. |
| The course accommodates multiple school calendars; e.g., block, 4X4 and traditional schedules. | Fully Met | The calendar within the learning management system permits adjustments to the pacing guides, though Michigan Virtual has established start and end dates for fall, spring, summer, and trimester enrollment terms. |
| User Interface | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Clear and consistent navigation is present throughout the course. | Fully Met | |
| Rich media are provided in multiple formats for ease of use and access in order to address diverse student needs. | Fully Met |
| Technology Requirements and Interoperability | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| All technology requirements (including hardware, browser, software, etc...) are specified. | Fully Met | Communicated in the syllabus, the Michigan Virtual website, and the Blackboard LMS. |
| Prerequisite skills in the use of technology are identified. | Fully Met | |
| The course uses content-specific tools and software appropriately. | Fully Met | |
| The course is designed to meet internationally recognized interoperability standards. | Fully Met | |
| Copyright and licensing status, including permission to share where applicable, is clearly stated and easily found. | Fully Met | Communicated within the Michigan Virtual Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) through the website and the LMS. |
| Accessibility | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Course materials and activities are designed to provide appropriate access to all students. The course, developed with universal design principles in mind, conforms to the U.S. Section 504 and Section 508 provisions for electronic and information technology as well as the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility guidelines (WCAg 2.0). | Fully Met |
| Data Security | Rating | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Student information remains confidential, as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). | Fully Met | Course is password protected; the privacy policy is communicated in the Blackboard LMS. |
Review Conducted By: Michigan Virtual
Date of Review:
07/23/2019
NSQ National Standards for Quality Online Courses
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| A1. A course overview and syllabus are included in the online course | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual course offerings contain a link to the course syllabus within the quick access menu located on the class homepage. The syllabus describes, among other things, a course description, prerequisite learning requirements, course objectives or outcomes, an outline of learning topics, resources included, scoring systems and grading policies, estimated time commitments, assessment requirements, technology requirements, additional material costs, technical and digital literacy skill requirements, contact expectations and academic support information. |
| A2. Minimum computer skills and digital literacy skills expected of the learner are clearly stated.* | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual course offerings contain a link to the course syllabus within the quick access menu located on the class homepage. The syllabus describes, among other things, a course description, prerequisite learning requirements, course objectives or outcomes, an outline of learning topics, resources included, scoring systems and grading policies, estimated time commitments, assessment requirements, technology requirements, additional material costs, technical and digital literacy skill requirements, contact expectations and academic support information. |
| A3. The instructor’s biographical information and information on how to communicate with the instructor are provided to learners and other stakeholders. | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual course offerings contain a quick access widget on class homepages displaying the instructor's name, photograph, contact information, office hours, and personalized messages. Additionally, instructors post a welcome letter for students in their Getting Started module describing further biographical and professional information. |
| A4. Learner expectations and policies are clearly stated and readily accessible within the introductory material of the course. | Fully Met | Michigan Virtual Student Orientation to Online Learning lesson content, linked in the Getting Started module common to all course offerings, describes in detail expectations and responsibilities for learners as well as for their instructors. Additionally, the course quick links located on the class homepage includes a link to Michigan Virtual policies, including policies for academic integrity, acceptable use, accommodations and web accessibility guidelines, anti-bullying, terms and conditions for dropping a course, student privacy, and purchasing terms and conditions. |
| A5. Minimum technology requirements for the course are clearly stated, and information on how to obtain the technologies is provided.* | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual course offerings contain a link to the course syllabus within the quick access menu located on the class homepage. The syllabus describes, among other things, a course description, prerequisite learning requirements, course objectives or outcomes, an outline of learning topics, resources included, scoring systems and grading policies, estimated time commitments, assessment requirements, technology requirements, additional material costs, technical and digital literacy skill requirements, contact expectations and academic support information. It is the responsibility of schools or parents/guardians enrolling their students to provide them with the necessary hardware and internet access. However, if the course requires additional software downloads, then this information is provided to students within the technology requirements description and/or in additional guidance located in the Getting Started module of the course. |
| A6. Grading policies and practices are clearly defined in accordance with course content learning expectations. | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual course offerings contain a link to the course syllabus within the quick access menu located on the class homepage. The syllabus describes, among other things, a course description, prerequisite learning requirements, course objectives or outcomes, an outline of learning topics, resources included, scoring systems and grading policies, estimated time commitments, assessment requirements, technology requirements, additional material costs, technical and digital literacy skill requirements, contact expectations and academic support information. |
| A7. The online course provides a clear description or link to the technical support offered and how to obtain it.* | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual course offerings contain a link to the course syllabus within the quick access menu located on the class homepage. The syllabus describes, among other things, a course description, prerequisite learning requirements, course objectives or outcomes, an outline of learning topics, resources included, scoring systems and grading policies, estimated time commitments, assessment requirements, technology requirements, additional material costs, technical and digital literacy skill requirements, contact expectations and academic support information. Additionally, the course quick links menu located on the class homepage includes a link to Getting Help, detailing who to contact for various common needs, a link to the online Knowledge Base articles maintained by Michigan Virtual, and contact information for the Michigan Virtual Customer Care Center. |
| A8. Learners are offered an orientation prior to the start of the online course. | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual students complete the Student Orientation to Online Learning module, containing introductory lessons and four assessments, prior to beginning their other coursework. Additionally, all courses include as their first activity an introductory discussion board as an opportunity to engage with the instructor and other classmates. |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| C8. The online course design provides opportunities for learner-instructor interaction, including opportunities for regular feedback about learner progress.* | Fully Met | Learner-instructor interaction in feedback from learning activities as well as discussion boards. There may also be opportunities in the Teacher Feed. |
| C1. The online course design includes activities that guide learners toward promoting ownership of their learning and self-monitoring. | Fully Met | Learners are active in the interactive pieces of the lessons, written assignments, labs and discussions. |
| C2. The online course’s content and learning activities promote the achievement of the stated learning objectives or competencies. | Fully Met | Alignment document shows where standards correspond to learning activities. |
| C3. The online course is organized by units and lessons that fall into a logical sequence. | Fully Met | Course has headings in menu that are easy to determine. The lessons appear in order and can be navigated with arrows: forward and backward. |
| C4. The online course content is appropriate to the reading level of the intended learners.* | Fully Met | Sentences are not overly long or complex. Vocabulary that is content specific is defined for students. Reading level is appropriate for high school students. |
| C5. The online course design includes introductory assignments or activities to engage learners within the first week of the course. | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual students complete the Student Orientation to Online Learning module, containing introductory lessons and four assessments, prior to beginning their other coursework. Additionally, all courses include as their first activity an introductory discussion board as an opportunity to engage with the instructor and other classmates. |
| C6. The online course provides learners with multiple learning paths as appropriate, based on learner needs, that engage learners in a variety of ways. | Fully Met | Learners are active in the interactive pieces of the lessons, written assignments, labs and discussions. |
| C7. The online course provides regular opportunities for learner-learner interaction. | Fully Met | Learner-to-learner interactions in discussion boards that are asynchronous. |
| C9. Online course instructional materials and resources present content in an effective, engaging, and appropriate manner.* | Fully Met | Alignment document shows where each standard is addressed, and lesson objectives are presented within each lesson and the content matches. There is also practice for students in achieving these objectives throughout lessons. |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| B1. The online course objectives or competencies are measurable and clearly state what the learner will be able to demonstrate as a result of successfully completing the course.* | Fully Met | Alignment document provides location of where each course object is met. Lesson objectives are listed at the beginning of each lesson. |
| B2. The online course expectations are consistent with course-level objectives or competencies, are representative of the structure of the course, and are clearly stated. | Fully Met | Student Orientation and Introductory Discussion |
| B3. The online course content is aligned with accepted state and/or other accepted content standards, where applicable.* | Partially Met | There is a document stating which assignments relate to which Michigan Science Standards. However, some of the connection appears to be loose. A lot of the lesson objectives are to help build up to meet the entire Michigan Science Standard listed. |
| B4. Digital literacy and communication skills are incorporated and taught as an integral part of the curriculum.* | Fully Met | Present in syllabus |
| B5. Supplemental learning resources and related instructional materials are available to support and enrich learning and are aligned to the specific content being delivered.* | Fully Met | "Student Orientation Review present in Getting Started section. Frequently Asked Questions present in Additional Resources." |
| B6. The online course content and supporting materials reflect a culturally diverse perspective that is free of bias.* | Fully Met | There is not an apparent bias within the course. Different cultures are not discussed, as it does not pertain to the course content. However, all images found in the course contain people who are Caucasian. There is no representation of other races. Suggest varying the people and skin tones that are represented in images. There are not many, but every one is a person who is white, including animated characters. |
| B7. The online course materials (e.g., textbooks, primary source documents, OER) that support course content standards are accurate and current. | Fully Met | Course materials have been updated as of 2022 and demonstrate current scientific practices and thinking. There is a wide variety in presentation of the material with regularly inserting interactive pieces that vary for students. There also appears to be enough material to cover everything the student needs to achieve the objectives. |
| B8. The online course is free of adult content and avoids unnecessary advertisements.* | Fully Met | There are no advertisements and all material is age-appropriate for a high school biology course. |
| B9. Copyright and licensing status for any third-party content is appropriately cited and easily found. | Fully Met | All materials are original to Accelerate Education. No citation is needed. |
| B10. Documentation and other support materials are available to support effective online course facilitation.* | Fully Met | Instructors Only section contains Answer Keys and guidance for course. |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| D1. Learner assessments are linked to stated course, unit, or lesson-level objectives or competencies. | Fully Met | Labs are regularly incorporated for students to investigate and explore concepts as well as analyze data and explain necessary relationships. Quizzes are present throughout the course to check on students' understanding of vocabulary and facts. |
| D2. Valid course assessments measure learner progress toward mastery of content. | Fully Met | Students complete written assignments, labs, multiple choice quizzes, discussions, and tests that have both multiple choice and essay questions. |
| D3. Assessment practices provide routine and varied opportunities for self-monitoring and reflection of learning.* | Fully Met | Self-check exercises are available throughout the lessons. They are presented as questions, matching practice, and various activities where students are self-assessing. |
| D4. Assessment materials provide the learner with the flexibility to demonstrate mastery in a variety of ways.* | Fully Met | Students complete written assignments, labs, multiple choice quizzes, discussions, and tests that have both multiple choice and essay questions. |
| D5. Rubrics that clearly define expectations for varied levels of proficiency are created and shared with learners.* | Not Met | Written assignments do not contain point distribution for students. There are only some answer keys for written assignments with point distributions for instructors. Written assignments without point distributions do not contain rubrics, except for discussions. Suggest using point distribution in written assignments that are not discussions. |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| E1. Online course navigation is logical, consistent, and efficient from the learner’s point of view.* | Fully Met | Course has headings in the menu that are easy to determine. The lessons appear in order and be navigated with arrows: forward and backward. |
| E2. The online course design facilitates readability.* | Fully Met | Passes WAVE inspection, the web accessibility evaluation tool from webaim.org. Consistency in set up and lessons contain headings to help organize content. |
| E3. The online course provides accessible course materials and activities to meet the needs of diverse learners.* | Fully Met | WAVE inspection performed and passed. Alt text is included for images. Contrasting colors are present so that text can be read easily. Videos have transcipts available and also subtitles. |
| E4. Course multimedia facilitate ease of use.* | Fully Met | Video and audio feedback is available and is embedded within the feedback window. Videos can be enlarged to view. |
| E5. Vendor accessibility statements are provided for all technologies required in the course.* | Fully Met | Syllabus contains required technology and accessibility statement. |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| F1. Educational tools ensure learner privacy and maintain confidentiality of learner information in accordance with local, state, and national laws for learner data. | Fully Met | Student data within Michigan Virtual's learning management system are password-protected and require single sign-on from a secure student information system in full compliance with FERPA requirements. |
| F2. The online course tools support the learning objectives or competencies.* | Fully Met | |
| F3. The online course provides options for the instructor to adapt learning activities to accommodate learners’ needs and preferences.* | Partially Met | Instructor role permissions within Michigan Virtual's learning management system permit instructors to add supplemental content and external resources both within lessons and announcements. Additionally, the learning management system permits online accommodations including text-to-speech tools, extended testing time, provision of multiple attempts, and scoring exemptions for extenuating circumstances. Course content is desgined, however, to meet state and national content standards alignment and provide a guaranteed and viable curriculum to all enrolled learners, and therefore there are restrictions on instructor permissions to modify the scope and sequence of course assessments. |
| F4. The course allows instructors to control the release of content.* | Partially Met | Michigan Virtual provides for flexible pacing and asynchronous delivery of its online course offerings. In order to maximize these opportunities for personalized learner preferences and flexibility concerning frequency or timing of individual learner availability or participation in courses during academic terms, with few exceptions, all course content is made available at all times throughout the term, and generally only midterm or final exams are password protected. Conditional release of content is intentionally avoided or used sparingly within Michigan Virtual course design and instructional delivery models. |
| F5. The course provides the necessary technical functionality to score and record assessments and calculate earned course points or grades.* | Fully Met | Michigan Virtual ensures that the gradebook items are pre-populated in its course offerings, and the association of grade items with individual assessments, and the inclusion of grade categories, progress check calculations, and total point scoring established prior to the enrollment of learners. |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| G1. The online course uses multiple methods and sources of input for assessing course effectiveness. | Fully Met | Michigan Virtual regularly examines enrollment trends, student performance data, student completion rates, student responses to end-of-course surveys, and technical support requests to continuously examine the quality and effectiveness of individual course offerings. |
| G2. The online course is reviewed to ensure that the course is current. | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual course offerings offered by third party content providers undergo formal evaluation and review for their degree of alignment to course design and content standards, including the currency of content where appropriate. |
| G3. The online course is updated on a continuous improvement cycle for effectiveness based on the findings from ongoing reviews. | Fully Met | Michigan Virtual maintains a continuous cycle of monitoring course functionality through multiple support ticketing systems for internal and external users, annual reviews of performance and perception data, as well as a 3 to 5 year cycle of updating, replacing, or retiring course versions in an effort to maintain currency. |
Review Conducted By: Michigan Virtual
Date of Review:
08/16/2022
Module 1: The Principles of Life
Module 2: The Principles of Inheritance
Module 3: Plants
Module 4: Classification
Module 5: Animal Invertebrates
Module 6: Animal Vertebrates
| Term Type | Enrollment Opens | Enrollment Ends | Random Draw Date | Enrollment Drop Date | Course Starts | Course Ends | # of Seats | Course Fee | Potential Additional Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 01/17/2025 | 01/03/2025 | 05/23/2025 | 100 | $350 | $0 |
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 01/24/2025 | 01/10/2025 | 05/30/2025 | 100 | $350 | $0 |
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 01/31/2025 | 01/17/2025 | 06/06/2025 | 100 | $350 | $0 |
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 02/07/2025 | 01/24/2025 | 06/13/2025 | 100 | $350 | $0 |
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 02/14/2025 | 01/31/2025 | 06/20/2025 | 100 | $350 | $0 |
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 02/21/2025 | 02/07/2025 | 06/20/2025 | 100 | $350 | $0 |
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 02/28/2025 | 02/14/2025 | 06/20/2025 | 100 | $350 | $0 |
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 03/07/2025 | 02/21/2025 | 06/20/2025 | 100 | $350 | $0 |
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 02/28/2025 | 06/20/2025 | 100 | $350 | $0 |
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 03/21/2025 | 03/07/2025 | 06/20/2025 | 100 | $350 | $0 |
| Accelerated | 01/02/2025 | 06/27/2025 | 04/01/2025 | 06/06/2025 | 05/23/2025 | 08/01/2025 | 100 | $350 | $0 |
| Accelerated | 01/02/2025 | 06/27/2025 | 04/01/2025 | 06/13/2025 | 05/30/2025 | 08/08/2025 | 100 | $350 | $0 |
| Accelerated | 01/02/2025 | 06/27/2025 | 04/01/2025 | 06/20/2025 | 06/06/2025 | 08/15/2025 | 100 | $350 | $0 |
| Trimester | 03/29/2024 | 01/03/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 12/06/2024 | 11/22/2024 | 02/21/2025 | 100 | $350 | $0 |
| Trimester | 03/29/2024 | 01/03/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 12/20/2024 | 12/06/2024 | 03/07/2025 | 100 | $350 | $0 |
| Trimester | 03/29/2024 | 01/03/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 12/27/2024 | 12/13/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 100 | $350 | $0 |
| Trimester | 03/29/2024 | 01/03/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 01/03/2025 | 12/20/2024 | 03/21/2025 | 100 | $350 | $0 |
| Drop Policy | Completion Policy | Term Type | Enrollment Opens | Enrollment Ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Accelerated | 01/02/2025 | 06/27/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Accelerated | 01/02/2025 | 06/27/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Accelerated | 01/02/2025 | 06/27/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Trimester | 03/29/2024 | 01/03/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Trimester | 03/29/2024 | 01/03/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Trimester | 03/29/2024 | 01/03/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Trimester | 03/29/2024 | 01/03/2025 |
Students can use email or the private message system within the Student Learning Portal to access highly qualified teachers when they need instructor assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside the learning management system. The Instructor Info area of their course may describe additional communication options.
| School Year | Enrollment Count | Pass Count | Completion Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23-24 | 197 | 162 | 82.23% | |
| 22-23 | 128 | 74 | 57.81% | |
| 21-22 | 401 | 301 | 75.06% | |
| 19-20 | 117 | 88 | 75.21% |
Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube. Students will need a computer or laptop for this course; tablets are not sufficient. Some YouTube videos are embedded within course.
Please review the Michigan Virtual Technology Requirements: https://michiganvirtual.org/about/support/knowledge-base/technical-requirements/