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Student Blackboard Help Desk 872-2598 or click on eSupport

Stay tuned for future class communications! Scroll down for earlier postings! (Today's posting is not the first!.) To sign in to STC Blackboard (click the reddish brown link above) your browser must have JavaScript enabled! (Otherwise nothing will happen when you click on the log-in link.) If JavaScript is not enabled you can enable it in the browser PREFERENCES. (Exactly how this is done varies with each browser.) This is the Class Communication page! Log-in to Blackboard from this page For persons who don't like animated icons (e.g., dancing tomatoes or smiling apples) or background photos (e.g., rainforest photos with a lot of leaves, or artistic interpretations of nature by the instructor), set your browser preferences so it will NOT display icons and graphics. You will then get a clean text page with the background color you have specified in the preference -- if you want the feeling of reading a book, specify white (sorry, you must still scroll to move down the page). Scroll down for a clean picture of the rainforest! The cartoon above is used for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES by Dr. Nilsson, South Texas College, scanned from The Monitor, McAllen Monday, Aug 30, 2010. Students, welcome to the Environmental Biology Class Communication page! On this page, the Class Communication Page, the instructor will put weekly messages about various topics. Daily messages will be posted on the Environmental Biology Hub -- in the communication box, and when needed messages will be posted in the STUDY GROUP / CLASS HELP DESK folder in the TOWN HALL course. (See more about the Town hall below.) This is also the good entry page to the STC Blackboard for all Environmental Biology classes taught by Dr. Nilsson. To login to Blackboard click the wine colored button with the text Blackboard. Below are the spring 2010 semester letter grades. Understanding what to expect from a class by looking at EARNED grades and student comments from previous semesters can be very useful information. Below that table are some additional useful information, and a welcome message from the instructor, which also has useful information you don't want to miss. Letter Grade Distributions, all classes Spring Semester 2010 . A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A (25) B B B B B B B B B B B B(12) C C C C C C C C C (9) D D D D D D D D D D (10) F F F F (4) One comment about the F F F F F and the D D D D D D D D D D . All these students decided that it was not worth their time to do all the assignments in class. In this class you EARN your grade. These students EARNED their F F F F F or D D D D D D D D D D . Note that there are many more A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A and B B B B B B B B B B B B . They DID all assignments and EARNED the A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A or the B B B B B B B B B B B B . How about the C C C C C C C C C ? Well, some students didn't do all the assignments. However, some just didn't want to spend that much time on the class, thought the class was fairly easy, and was happy with letter grade C. And there is nothing wrong with that... If you found this page by clicking on a link from Blackboard you probably already know that Blackboard is only one part of the Environmental Biology class. This page is on the non-Blackboard part called Dr. Nilsson's CyberOffice. Click on the Environmental Biology icon on top of the page (just below the big welcome sign) to get the Environmental Biology Hub page -- where you find most class information and most reading assignments. Test and other assignments are on Blackboard. The Blackboard button above (on top of this page) is a link that takes you to the STC Blackboard server. You can also enter the STC Blackboard server over the STC homepage, but doing so you will miss the introductions and useful instructions on this page. Many pages on Dr. Nilsson's CyberOffice can be identified and recognized by the background photo. The background picture may take some time to download the first time if you are dialing in from home -- depending on your browser, computer, and/or service provider. However, the web master has tried to reduce the resolution to a level sufficient for web pages -- so unless you have an outdated browser and/or computer, it should not cause a problem. It is, however, faster to browse on STC's networked computers if you don't have fast Internet connection from home (Broadband or "Roadrunner"). Blackboard is usually always faster on STC's computers. I assume that all students who have registered for the online class have Internet access from home (slow or fast). Although, you don't necessarily have to, but if you don't you should not (seriously!) have registered for an online class. Hybrid students are not required to have a computer at home, but must find an STC computer for regular use IMMEDIATELY at the beginning of the semester. There are no deadlines the first week of the semester. Use the first week to learn where things are located. But I recommend that you get the "Student Contract" and the "Start Quiz" taken care of as soon as possible. MAKE SURE YOU DON'T MISS THE DEADLINES FOR THESE TWO ASSIGNMENTS! Most of the things you are going to do during the semester are listed in the Semester Calendar and the Grading Criteria. However, to help you get a good start here is a short list of things I recommend you do the first few days: Read this page and navigate around the pages on Dr. Nilsson's Cyberoffice. (You may do so by clicking on the icon below.) Obtain your textbook. 5/e 4/e an old copy of edition 4 might also work, but there will be some differences (which may make it harder to follow the course) Student Blackboard Help Desk 872-2598 or click on eSupport Make sure you have functioning username, password and computer software to access Blackboard. Login to Blackboard and navigate around the Blackboard pages for the class. (You may do so by clicking on the icon below.) READ the information on the REGULAR course shell Homepage for the class (also called Course Content page) and -- when opening up -- on the TOWN HALL course shell Homepage for the class. READ the information contained in the Syllabus -- especially the Semester Calendar and the Grading Criteria Answer the one-questions on the Student Contract Quiz (also sometimes called Syllabus Acknowledge Quiz, based on your reading of the Student Contract, here. A link to nthe quiz is located on the Blackboard Home Page. You must pass it with 100 before you can continue with the course. (You can take the quiz as many times as needed to get a 100.) This is the first assignment deadline. See the Semester Calendar. Answer the questions on the Start Quiz based on your reading of the "Welcome -- Start Here" page and navigating the class pages to find the answers. A link to the Start Quiz will open up as soon as you have passed the Student Contract Quiz with 100. You must pass it with minimum 90 before you can continue with the course. The quiz will open up a page on Blackboard called Blackboard Plaza where you will find all class assignments. (You can take the quiz as many times as needed to get a 90.) This is the second assignment deadline. See the Semester Calendar. Take the Class Discussion Key Quiz on Blackboard so that you can start participating in the Class Discussions. A link is located in the REGULAR course shell in the Class Discussions/Reflections folder on Blackboard. The quiz is short and you must pass it with 100. The reading assignment for the Evolution Worksheet quiz is located here. This is the third assignment deadline. See the Semester Calendar. Start the Chapter Quizzes and Geography Drills All chapter quizzes and geography drills must be passed with minimum 94. The links to the quizzes and drills are located on the Blackboard page called Blackboard Plaza, which will open up as soon as you have passed the Start Quiz. Take the Evolution Worksheet Quiz on Blackboard in the TOWN HALL, so that you are ready start participating in the Town Hall Evolution Discussions when they open. A link is located in the TOWN HALL course shell on Blackboard. The quiz is longer than the quiz mentioned above and you must pass it with a minimum of 94. The Town Hall may or may not be open the first few days of the semester, since the Town Hall course shell must be set up separately by the Blackboard people. The reading assignment for the Evolution Worksheet quiz is located here. Again, welcome to class! Dr. Nilsson Below is a message from a former student, with an interesting poem. It is for students like this I teach! Thank You! Dr. Nilsson Money well spent At the beginning of the semester, I made known my intrest in the environment. Before the semester began, I had been checking out books, about the environment, from my school library, and reading them. I am an avid reader and if it deals with environment, I become more absorbed in the reading. That said, (typed) the quizzes were just like eye candy to me. Having to not only read the information, but also answer the questions without having to flip back and forth thru the pages, was like a challenge in which I tested my self. In this class I learned more than I already knew about the negative effects of our behaviour towards our earth and its precious resources. I make it a point to educate others, especially those near me, about the consequences we bestow upon ourselves when we don't act intelligently or responsibly towards what God has provided for us. We must be good stewards and take care of our resources...that means our brains also. I must finally say that as a college student, few have been the instructors who have made me feel that I am getting my $$$ worth in education. Numerous times I've been grouped with other students who have not the slightest idea about how to put together a sentence. Here we are taking college courses and even though we might not be taking an English class, we should be well prepared to spell names and words that should have been part of our vocabulary from an earlier time in our education. I thank Dr. Nilsson for having the grading criteria he had and taking into account what we should have known by now. I learned alot from this class, not only from Dr. Nilsson, but from fellow students, and me. I learned that in becoming a teacher in the future, I must not cheat my students from a good education. In order to do that, I must not cheat myself. I must study and do my part. My employer pays for my education and I am proud to say that their money is being well spent. With instructors like Dr. Nilsson, there is real learning going on, if the student so desires. Let me also share with you that I am a Mexican national and English is my second language, but I embraced it since I began to learn it and I will continue to improve, not only the language, but education as a whole. Thanks Dr. Nilsson! I forgot one more thing............ Pretty Good By: Charles Osgood There once was a pretty good student, Who sat in a pretty good class And was taught by a pretty good teacher, Who always let pretty good pass. He wasn't terrific at reading, He wasn't a whiz-bang at math; But for him education was leading Straight down a pretty good path. He didn't find school too exciting, But he wanted to do pretty well, And he did have some trouble with writing And nobody taught him to spell. When doing arithmetic problems Pretty good was regarded as fine. Five plus five needn't always add up to be ten, A pretty good answer was nine. The pretty good class that he sat in Was part of a pretty good school, And the student was not an exception, On the contrary, he was the rule. The pretty good school that he went to Was in a pretty good town. And nobody seemed to notice He could not tell a verb from a noun. The pretty good student in fact was Part of a pretty good mob. And the first time he knew what he lacked was When he looked for a pretty good job. It was then, when he sought a position, He discovered that life could be tough, And he soon had a sneaky suspicion Pretty good might not be good enough. The pretty good town in our story Was part of a pretty good state, Which had pretty good aspirations, And prayed for a pretty good fate. There once was a pretty good nation, Pretty proud of the greatness it had, If you want to be great, Pretty good is, in fact, pretty bad (Students name removed. I don't put student names on my web pages without permission. If you want your name on the page -- I am a stickler for correct sources, let me know. :-) It deserves to be mentioned!) I felt elated when I saw my opinion on your web page! Thanks! OF COURSE you may post my name. I am proud of it. And because my father instilled in me the love of reading and learning, I think I should include my maiden name... Maria Susana Ramirez-Escobedo

Copyright © 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 Jan A. Nilsson. Page designed and created 23.II.2004, most likely during the wee hours of the morning on a G3 PowerBook owned by Jan A. Nilsson. Web page layout and design © and intellectual property Jan A. Nilsson. Content on Dr. Nilsson's CyberOffice may not be used for commercial purposes. All rights reserved. Except for educational purposes and 'fair use' (see below), reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited. If used for educational purposes and 'fair use', including photographs, source must be given. (Some clip art, texts and backgrounds used on Dr. Nilsson's CyberOffice downloaded for educational purposes and/or 'fair use' from Internet free domain has no source.) Background photo of New Zealand rainforest. Downloaded from http://www.Breathtaking-Photos.com, by John Macken, "Breathtaking-Photos - Free Wallpaper Pictures for Your Computer". -- Disclaimer: "Dr. Nilsson's CyberOffice", at the time of writing located as a file under the South Texas College's (STC) web server with the general URL http://www.southtexascollege.edu/, is the intellectual property of Dr. Jan A. Nilsson, member of STC biology faculty. The content of Dr. Nilsson's CyberOffice does not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of the STC faculty, staff, administration, and Board of Trustees. -- Fair Use Notice: Web pages on Dr. Nilsson's CyberOffice are used for educational purposes; I understand the "fair use notice" below as the correct interpretation of the copyright law. Fair non-commercial use is necessary in order to maintain an open and free Internet -- as originally intended. As an educator I thank whom it may concern for allowing the use of material under the "fair use rule" for educational purposes to educate this and future generations. Several evolution cartoons used on this page are reposted from http://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/cain/projects/ejn/ejn_comics/, a web page with similar fair use policy as the web master of this page. As stated on the page: "Every effort has been made to not include materials copyrighted by other people and to respect the intellectual property of others. Should some item be identified as not in the public domain, simple notice is requested so Dr Cain can ensure this material is removed. He wants to respect everyone's copyright." The page with the evolution cartoons provides information about the otherwise lost journal "Evolution" in the 1920s and 1930s devoted to promoting the teaching of evolution in US public schools. Several anti-evolution cartoons used on this page are also reposted from http://www.answersingenesis.org/aftereden/ free downloading site -- of what is supposed to be anti-evolution cartoons. All cartoons are not anti-evolutionary even though it must be assumed that was the intent, since "Answers in Genesis" is an anti-evolution web site. If anyone feels that his or her material cannot be used this way I will immediately remove it if notified. (Statement originating from www.sullivan-county.com/) "This site [may contain] copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner." .. Rule of Thumb advice Merry Van Loy Rule of Thumb Calculation