Biology 102: Human Biology

Common Course ID: BIOL 120 B

 CSU Instructor Open Textbook Adoption Portrait

Abstract: This open textbook is being utilized in a Human Biology course by Christopher Callahan, M.S., at California State University, Humboldt. It provides everyday applications of biology concepts and highlights careers in the biological sciences. Reducing costs for students particularly important as most are non-majors taking it as a general education course was very important. Students can access the textbook at the OpenStax College publisher site in the format that best meets their needs but a PDF of each chapter is also posted in the course management system for easy reference. My motivation for adopting the textbook was to reduce costs for students.

Reviews: The book has been reviewed by a CCC faculty member, a CSU faculty member and a UC faculty member from within the California higher education system. There is also an Accessibility Evaluation. 

About the Textbook

Biology

Description: 

Biology is grounded in an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand. To meet the needs of today’s instructors and students, some topics have been condensed and combined; for example, phylogenetic trees are presented in the various ways they are currently being developed by scholars, so instructors can adapt their teaching to the approach that works best in their classroom. The book also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand–and apply–key concepts.

Senior Contributors:

• Yael Avissar - Rhode Island College
• Jung Choi - Georgia Institute of Technology
• Jean DeSaix - University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
• Vladimir Jurukovski - Suffolk County Community College
• Robert Wise - University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh
• Connie Rye - East Mississippi Community College

Formats:  

This book is provided free online or as an ebook and in print for $41.60. 

Supplemental Resources: 

Online homework tools and interactive study guides for students and faculty provided.  

Peer Reviews: 

The book has been reviewed by a CCC faculty member, a CSU faculty member and a UC faculty member from within the California higher education system. There is also an Accessibility Evaluation.

Cost savings: 

Most biology textbooks cost around $200. By using the OER textbook, students can save substantial money.

Accessibility and diversity statement from publisher: 

Not all formats of the textbook have been evaluated but the most recent version of this open textbook is available in Bookshare format which supports Daisy and Braille-Ready-Format (BRF).

License:

Biology by OpenStax College is licensed under a Creative Commons License 4.0 International. This means you are free to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format and remix, transform and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially. You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. 

About the Course

BIOL 102: Human Biology

Description: The human animal as a biological entity: structure, function, health and disease, evolution and behavior. May be taken with BIOL 102L, a one unit laboratory focusing on human anatomy, physiology, and genetics.

GE Credit: 3 units lecture, 1 unit lab.

Advisory: Not intended for majors in science, natural resources, or kinesiology. 

Learning Outcomes:

• Students will be able to apply the scientific method to questions in biology by formulating testable hypotheses, gathering data that address these hypotheses, and analyzing those data to assess the degree to which their scientific work supports their hypotheses. 
• Students will be able to present scientific hypotheses and data both orally and in writing in the formats that are used by practicing scientists. 
• Students will be able to access the primary literature, identify relevant works for a particular topic, and evaluate the scientific content of these works.
• Students will be able to apply fundamental mathematical tools (statistics, calculus) and physical principles (physics, chemistry) to the analysis of relevant biological situations. 
• Students will be able to identify the major groups of organisms and be able to classify them within a phylogenetic framework. Students will be able to compare and contrast the characteristics of organisms that differentiate the various domains and kingdoms from one another. 
• Students will be able to use the evidence of comparative biology to explain how the theory of evolution offers the only scientific explanation for the unity and diversity of life on earth. They will be able to use specific examples to explicate how descent with modification has shaped organismal morphology, physiology, life history, and behavior. 
• Students will be able to explain how organisms function at the level of the gene, genome, cell, tissue, organ and organ-system. Drawing upon this knowledge, they will be able to give specific examples of the physiological adaptations, development, reproduction and behavior of different forms of life. 
• Students will be able to explicate the ecological interconnectedness of life on earth by tracing energy and nutrient flows through the environment. They will be able to relate the physical features of the environment to the structure of populations, communities, and ecosystems. 
• Students will be able to demonstrate proficiency in the experimental techniques and methods of analysis appropriate for their area of specialization within biology.

Curricular changes: None

Teaching and learning impacts:

More faculty collaboration: No  
Wider range of teaching materials: Yes
Student learning improved: No
Student retention improved: No
Any unexpected results: No

Changing to the OpenStax textbook was part of the larger effort to transform this into an online class with an optional online lab section.

Textbook Adoption

OER adoption process

I decided to use an open textbook because many of my students were not able to purchase the recommended textbook for the class. I asked some other professors what they would suggest and decided to use the OpenStax book

Student Access:  

A PDF of the textbook is posted in the course management system.  The book is available for free on the web or as an ebook and in print for $41.60. 

Student feedback or participation: 

Student reaction was very favorable. They loved the option of being able to access the book directly from the course website. Some students preferred to read it on the web, but most used the PDF version.

Christopher Callahan, M.S.

I am a biology lecturer at Humboldt State University and I have been teaching at Humboldt State University and College of the Redwoods since 2008.

My professional interests include evolutionary genetics, biogeography, and systematics of vertebrates, especially cetaceans. My most recent work has focused on the host-parasite systems of whales and their crustacean ectoparasites. I am also interested in molecular forensic techniques and systematic collections.