Cyberbiology Announcements - Spring 2003

May 10, 2003 - Your final grades have been posted. You know the routine.... go to the grade page for instructions.

April 13, 2003 - Your grades have been updated. Test #4 (Plants) has not been included because people are still taking it (deadline midnight). Remember how to access your grade page?

April 11, 2003 - Here's that map to help you find your trees. The file is about 172 Kb and should legible after printing (at least it looked fine on the campus printers. I'll post some copies on my door. Remember, they have a bright orange ribbon tied on a limb or around the trunk.

April 9, 2003 - You have each been assigned a tree to complete your tree identification activity (see link on schedule). Please note that I haven't posted a map yet (I need to return to campus to scan it). I hope to complete this tomorrow. 

April 6, 2003 - Two things:

• You may begin signing-up for extra credit. See the extra credit link on our cyberbiology page.
• Received a last minute offer to score grants with the VA Department of Forestry on Monday & Wednesday. I'm going to take them up on this offer (these "offers" usually result in BRCC receiving funding for the upcoming year). I'll respond to e-mails in the late afternoon and through the evening.

March 30, 2003 - Listen up... here are some very important announcements: 

• Sherando (Field Study). I believe all systems are go on my end. I've placed a special message at the top of your worksheet. Make sure a copy of this updated worksheet goes with you to Sherando. If someone is at the gatehouse, politely explain what you are attempting to do and show them your worksheet. Remember, this special permission only allows you to walk around the lake to complete your assignment. If you're going to picnic, camp, swim or fish - pay!

• Tree Identification. I was planning on heading out to the arboretum today to tag trees when... IT SNOWED! I will work on tagging trees for identification tomorrow and post your name with a tree, and some instructions on how to find your tree, on a special web page in the near future. The arboretum, in case you didn't know, is that patch of trees located just east of route 11. Because of the screwy weather, I can't promise your that your tree will unravel its leaves within next week. Be patient. If your tree doesn't produce foliage by the third week in April, then let me know and I'll assign you another tree.

• Urban Forestry. For your last unit you will learn about an ecosystem close to home - the urban ecosystem. Click on the urban forestry link on your schedule and read the instructions for your class (i.e. Cyberbiology). Your last investigation will be the Urban Forestry Field Study. Go ahead and click on that link and read through the entire field study. Hook-up with others in the class, or enlist the support the help of family and friends. Get started by reading the urban forestry notes and then cruise around your local urban ecosystem (i.e. Harrisonburg, Staunton, or larger city) to identify some possible sites to make your observations and measurements.

• Keep an eye on your schedule.... you have another test you should be taking. I've also updated the information for your final exam (link on schedule).  

March 26, 2003 - I'm back. I was in Asheville (North Carolina) for the last five days living like a big dog! I apologize for not being able to respond to your e-mails and posting on BlackBoard... hotel room internet connection problems. I was just responding to the BlackBoard discussion board when it locked up on me. Y'all are posting great questions and I'll continue to respond to those, but I will make a more general announcement concerning your upcoming field investigations. Give me one more day to unpack :-)

March 15, 2003 - You can check your interim now. Head on over to the grade page for more instructions.

February 27, 2003 - Oh brother! Can you believe this weather? I don't see how we can "do" lab this Saturday so I'm making the following announcement: Cyberbiology lab will be cancelled for Saturday.  In fact, lab is just plain cancelled.No lab. No lab quiz. We don't have a make-up date and I know it will be impossible to get 24 people to re-arrange work schedules (including me) to come up with another Saturday. I'm making this decision for two reasons. First, for your safety. They're calling for up to 10 inches of snow to fall my Friday afternoon. I can't guarantee that the snow will be removed by Saturday morning. I'm also not sure that I can get word out to you by Saturday morning that the lab will be cancelled. Especially since we have students coming in from all over the state. The second reason involves the logistics of putting this mega-lab together. Normal cyberbiology lab preparation involves filling-up the laboratory with models, slides, specimens, solutions.... My lab assistants are walking out the door as I type due to the college closing today at 1 PM. I'm trying to get out of here too ;-) So, there you have it - no cybersaturday lab. However, you still must take your midterm exam. I will place you exams in the learning assistance center of our library (second floor). I will do that Monday morning (around 10:00 AM). I will do my best to get in here Saturday to administer the exam for those folks that don't get this message and arrive to the lab at 9:00 AM. For the rest of you... please make arrangements to get to the learning assistance center (second floor of the library) to take your mid-term before the end of next week (3/7/03). Call ahead to the learning assistance center (Monday - Thursday 8:30 - 9:00 PM; Friday 8:30 - 4:30 PM). When they say they close at 9:00 PM, they close at 9:00 PM. Don't think about waltzing in there 20 minutes before closing and think they'll stay open late or let you come back the next day to finish. Give yourself enough time to get in there to take the test way before closing. 

February 23, 2003 - I just made a few changes our CyberSaturday Mandatory Meeting list of activities. Go to your schedule (see link on March 1) and print it out, if you haven't already done so. Note that you have some "things" to do before you come to class - those "things" are designed to help you in lab and especially on your midterm.

February 21, 2003 - This weekend I'm updating your assignments for our cybersaturday (March 1). I'll finalize everything over the weekend so you can begin preparing. 

February 18, 2003 - Weird weather. Nice thing about on-line courses... there are no virtual snow days... or every day is a virtual snow day... or... I can't remember how it goes. I'm going out of town for Thursday and Friday. I'm not sure I'll be able to respond to emails before late Friday afternoon.

February 9, 2003 - I'm a little tardy in posting your Lab Investigation Quiz (Population Genetics and Evolution Labs). Sorry about that. It was suppose to come up automatically, but I entered the wrong year :-(  It's up and running now. Good news! It's an open note quiz. Deadline is February 17, 2003.

January 23, 2003 - Hi folks! I'm back, and I brought some snow with me (they actually have more snow in Virginia Beach than we have here.... strange winter). Check your schedule and make sure you're up to date on your assignments (topics, investigations, test, etc...). I'm being told BlackBoard will be down this morning until around 11:00 AM.

January 19, 2003 - Okee Dokee folks... I'm bugging out. Read the previous announcements and do what they say.  I'll be back on Thursday.

January 17, 2003 - Are you settling in? CDs working? Able to access BlackBoard? If you're having difficulties it's important that you solve them now. Your first quiz has been posted on BlackBoard. Look at your schedule to see which quiz I'm talking about and how long it will be posted. I won't be in my office today, but will be able to respond to e-mails and BlackBoard postings. 

I will be out of town next Monday and Tuesday (maybe Wednesday). I'm not sure if I will have Internet access during this time so I may not be able to respond to e-mails, however... if you have an urgent question go ahead and post it on BlackBoard and maybe your fellow cyberstudents can help you! (Thanks Cherie ;-)

January 15, 2003 - If you haven't read/performed the tasks assigned below (1/13/03), please do so ASAP. Thanks so much everyone for logging BlackBoard and saying Howdy and taking the practice quiz. You should now have your CDs and lab manual. Get started on listening to those immediately and doing all of that other stuff in your schedule. 

January 13, 2003 - Howdy everyone! Welcome to cyberbiology (Biology 102-60). Those of you continuing from last semester, welcome back! For all of the new students you better take some time and click everywhere on this web site (FAQ, Syllabus, Schedule, etc...). Everyone needs to read the syllabus. To show me that you're in the class and have a handle on how things are going to work I need for each you to do two things:

• log onto BlackBoard and say howdy to your classmates. It's customary to say where you're from, possible major(s), hobby, and anything else you feel like saying.  Do this on the on the Discussion Board (on BlackBoard) under the discussion group called "Ask Mr. Murray." Click on "Add New Thread" and then make your salutations. I'll go there and get it started.
• take the silly practice quiz posted on the assignment page (the opening page on BlackBoard). I need  for you to do this so you can demonstrate to me that you can open, take, and submit a quiz. Thanks :-) 

January 12, 2003 - I will be out of my office Monday morning through early afternoon. I'm doing some recruiting at Buffalo Gap High School. If you're just logging on... please take that practice quiz announced below.

Archives (Announcements)

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• Summer 2002 - Part 1
• Summer 2002 - Part 2
• Fall 2002