Cyberbiology Announcements

August 3, 2005 - Summer Cyberbiology Students - your grades will be posted on the grade page this afternoon.

July 21, 2005 - Two announcements:

• As you head on over to BlackBoard to take your Tree Identification and Test #4 be sure to complete the end of course evaluation. Naturally, the evaluation is not graded and I won't look at the results until after the course and grades are submitted (scouts honor). Besides, I wouldn't be able to figure out who said what anyway :-)
• Just about all of the midterm averages have been posted now (4:30 PM). Only two have yet to come in and take their test. I may not be on campus tomorrow so I won't be able to post those last few until over the weekend or early next week.

July 20, 2005 - I've graded the midterms that were completed before noon today. I posted those the midterm averages for those invidividuals on the grade page (click the link and follow the instructions). I hope to complete the midterms for the rest of the class tomorrow evening.

July 19, 2005 - Well, tomorrow I start grading your midterm exams and begin calculating your midterm averages. I'll post those on your own personal grade page (link to posted tomorrow or Thursday).

July 11, 2005 - I'm mailing a letter to the Glenwood District Office today requesting permission for y'all to get into the Sherando Lake Recreation Area for no charge to perform your field study. Click on the link (on your schedule to learn more) and schedule time to go! Better give a couple of days for the letter to arrive and work it's way to the guard house at the entrance. If all goes as planned, the folks at the guard house will have a copy of the letter, a copy of your assignment, and a copy of the class roster. Be gentle when you remind them of this special relationship the 22 students of Murray's biology class has with Sherando. Not a bad idea to print out a copy of the letter and bring it with you.

July 7, 2005 - Deadline for taking your first test and quiz is tomorrow. Looks like I have a class of procrastinators this semester (only four of you have taken the test as of 7/7/05 4:15 PM). I know, I know, I know... there are at least three good reasons to wait until tomorrow: 1. recovery from the 4th of July weekend, 2. the dreary weather today, 3. the senseless bombing that occurred in London this morning. Ah well, go to bed with your notes tonight. Have breakfast with your notes. Have lunch with your notes. And after work, put on a pot of coffee and study some more and then take that test (and quiz).

July 5, 2005 - Sorry for not having announcements prior to today. I picked up a case of food poisoning late last week and I'm just now feeling relatively normal. Here's what's up:

• If you haven't done so... get on BlackBoard and take your practice quiz and say Howdy to your classmates on the discussion board.
• You should be finishing up with your first unit Mendel & Mutations
  • And taking your first test BEFORE the deadline (see schedule for availability on BlackBoard)
• You should be finishing your FlyLab and Pedigree Lab
  • And taking that quiz BEFORE the deadline (see schedule for availability on BlackBoard)
• You should be asking me questions on anything you don't understand

BIO 102 - June 28, 2005 -  Welcome campers! If you're new, take time to explore this web site (especially the FAQ and schedule) and then head on over to BlackBoard to post a "howdy" on our discussion board and take the practice quiz (no worries, it doesn't count for a grade but your completion demonstrates to me that you can successfully take quizzes on BlackBoard).

BIO 101 - June 28, 2005 - Your final grades have been posted. Head on over to the grade page and follow the instructions. Those of you taking 102 will want to log onto to BlackBoard tonight or tomorrow and make your "howdies."

June 23, 2005 - Two things:

• Stayed focused. Stayed organized. The end is near! I've placed a link to the second semester on your homepage... not to drastic you. It is there simply FYI. I reserve the right to make changes to it before the next semester. Please reserve questions and comments about the next semester until you can get on the second semester BlackBoard discussion board.
• Your final exam is heading up to the learning lab as we speak... sorry for the delay (in case anyone arrived early).

June 14, 2005 - I've cobbled together a very simple web page (link is on our home page) for extra credit sign-up (e-mail me with an approximate date/time) and a link to a map (WORD document) showing where the wood chips should be moved. After I get around 18 piles of wood chips around this tree I'll add another link to the next tree in need of wood chips.

June 14, 2005 - Sorry about the grade snafu. I've updated all-y'all's grades after I corrected the maximum points on the Scientific Method quiz from 22 to 17. Sorry about that. The most recent grades will always be located at the top of the page.

June 13, 2005 - From the campus bookstore...

• Mr. Murray,
     The Bio labs for your online class have come in.  We will contact those students for whom we have a phone number.  We now have twenty copies on-hand.  Thank you for your understanding and patience.  Have a good day.

  Pat Goldsborough, Manager
  Blue Ridge Community College Bookstore, Follett #618

June 11, 2005 - Well... that was a full day! I'm heading home and catch the end of the soccer game (Columbus & Chicago). Oh yes, nearly forgot. Your grades have been posted. Head on over to the grade page and follow the instructions. I'll post more information about extra credit opportunities early next week.

June 9, 2005 - Gettin' ready for Saturday? Good. Go to your schedule and click on the Saturday link and read everything. You'll find a link (Terms and Concepts) that will take you to another series of pages. Print out all of those pages (don't worry about the links that provide enrichment opportunities). Watch the microscope video too! (Just updated the link this evening.)

June 1, 2005 - How are things going?

• Not much movement on the discussion board. I'm assuming your silence means you're chugging away on your lecture assignments (answering the questions as you listen to the lectures on the CDs) and independent investigations. Please give a holler (posting question on BlackBoard or direct e-mail to me) if you have any questions.
• I'll be holding virtual office hours tomorrow: checking Blackboard every hour and checking my e-mail every 20 minutes.
• I'll be out of town on Friday. (I'll respond to e-mails and BlackBoard postings by early Saturday morning).

May 26, 2005 - Just heard from our bookstore that they ran out of the on-line lab manuals. New ones won't arrive until June 10. If you need an on-line lab manual for BIO 101 please contact me and I'll see if I can get a passcode so you can download the first on-line lab (Enzymes). Hopefully the manuals will arrive before the next lab assignment (Leaf Lab).

May 24, 2005 - For what it's worth.... I'll be out of the office, and away from my computer, for the afternoon and early evening tomorrow.

May 23, 2005 - Howdy! Welcome to your summer cyberbiology class!

• Please do three things for me today:
  • Please take some time to explore this web site (especially my syllabus, FAQ, and schedule page - links to these are on my home page).
  • Next, head on over to BlackBoard and take your practice quiz.
  • After that, enter our discussion board and say Howdy to your classmates.
• As of this morning... 50% of the class has completed the above.
• After completing the above, it's time to print out your assigned questions and settle down for some lectures (on your CDs) with your new best friend, Dr. George Wolfe ;-)
• You're going to have questions... please post those general questions on BlackBoard so your classmates and benefit from our exchange.

May 18, 2005 - Hello earlybirds! I hope you received my welcome letter in the mail. Please go to BlackBoard and post your "howdy" on the discussion board.  After posting your "howdy" be sure to take the practice quiz (also on BlackBoard). I'll be out of the office on Friday but should be on campus and in my office for most of Monday.

Archives (Announcements)

• Fall 2001
• Spring 2002
• Summer 2002 - Part 1
• Summer 2002 - Part 2
• Fall 2002
• Spring 2003
• Summer 2003 - Part 1 
• Summer 2003 - Part 2 
• Fall 2003
• Spring 2004
• Summer 2004
• Fall 2004
• Spring 2005

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