Online Open Genetics
Subject: Sciences
Course Level: 1st Year Undergrad, 2nd Year Undergrad, 3rd Year Undergrad
Resource Type: Activities and Labs, Module, Images, Graphics and/or Illustrations
Date Released: N/A
Description: The OER resource Online Open Genetics (opengenetics.net) was reviewed in order to assess its relevance and utility as an additional resource for BIOL 311 (Principles of Genetics) at Medicine Hat College. BIOL 311 is a second-year undergraduate course, providing an introduction to the discipline of genetics within our University Transfer Science program. This course transfers directly to other institutions including the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary. This course currently uses Introduction to Genetic Analysis by Griffiths et al. (11th edition). While students begin BIOL 311 with some genetic knowledge from both high school and their first-year biology courses, key concepts continue to be a challenge. The assessment of this OER was to determine whether it would be a useful supplemental resource in order to aid student understanding of and skills in these challenging concepts. In particular, the subject matter around nomenclature, the concepts of dominant/recessive alleles and linkage, and their relationship to the processes of meiosis and mitosis continues to confuse students and are all covered by this OER. This resource provides opportunity for students to actively engage in sample exercises with immediate feedback as to their accuracy. For BIOL 311, the resource could be used for the students’ benefit with only minor modification to accommodate slight nuances in language. While the use of this resource will not reduce the student cost, it has the potential to enhance their learning experience and to solidify key genetic concepts that will impact not only their success in BIOL 311, but also in future courses.
Date of Review: 2017-03-17
Review Details
Rubric V Scoring Guide
3: An object is rated superior for its opportunities for deeper learning only if all of the following are true:
- At least three of the deeper learning skills from the list identified in this rubric are required in the object.
- The object offers a range of cognitive demand that is appropriate and supportive of the material.
- Appropriate scaffolding and direction are provided.
2: An object is rated strong for its opportunities for deeper learning if it includes one or two deeper learning skills identified in this rubric. For example, the object might involve a complex problem that requires abstract reasoning skills to reach a solution.
1: An object is rated limited for its opportunities for deeper learning if it includes one deeper learning skill identified in the rubric but is missing clear guidance on how to tap into the various aspects of deeper learning. For example, an object might include a provision for learners to collaborate, but the process and product are unclear.
0: An object is rated very weak for its opportunities for deeper learning if it appears to be designed to provide some of the deeper learning opportunities identified in this rubric, but it is not useful as it is presented. For example, the object might be based on poorly formulated problems and/or unclear directions, making it unlikely that this lesson or activity will lead to skills like critical thinking, abstract reasoning, constructing arguments, or modelling.
N/A: This rubric is not applicable (N/A) to an object that does not appear to be designed to provide the opportunity for deeper learning, even though one might imagine how it could be used to do so. Even if one might imagine ways an object could be used for assessment purposes, if it is not the intended purpose, not applicable is the appropriate score.
| Quality of Explanation of the Subject Matter | 2 |
| Utility of Materials Designed to Support Teaching | N/A |
| Quality of Assessments | 2 |
| Quality of Instructional and Practice Exercises | 2 |
| Opportunities for Deeper Learning | 2 |
Accessibility Standards
| Yes | No | N/A | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accessibility Statement and/or policy | clear | clear | done |
| Text Access | clear | clear | done |
| Text Adjustment | clear | clear | done |
| Reading Layout | clear | clear | done |
| Reading Order | clear | clear | done |
| Structural Markup/Navigation | clear | clear | done |
| Tables | clear | clear | done |
| Hyperlinks | clear | clear | done |
| Colour and Contrast | clear | clear | done |
| Language | clear | clear | done |
| Images | clear | clear | done |
| Multimedia | clear | clear | done |
| Flickering | clear | clear | done |
| Assistive Technology Compatible | clear | clear | done |
| Interactive Elements | clear | clear | done |
Subject Matter: Sciences
Subcategories: Applied Science, Biology, Genetics; Cell Biology
Levels: 1st Year Undergrad, 2nd Year Undergrad, 3rd Year Undergrad
Format: Video, Interactive, Downloadable Documents (ie: PDF), Text/HTML
Type: Activities and Labs, Module, Images, Graphics and/or Illustrations
Comments: Thank you, Todd and Isabelle, for creating this OER. I appreciated the opportunity to review it. As the student interactive exercises were so relevant to the student struggling with these concepts, I would love to see additional exercises added. I found the use of symbols for phenotype in the latter exercises to be a potential point of confusion for students as they struggle between the use of symbols (genotype) and the trait description (phenotype). I hope to integrate this OER into BIOL 311 in 2017.
Peer Reviewer Name: Dr. Nancy N. Brown
License for this resource:
Except where otherwise noted. Online Open Genetics is licensed for use and reuse under a Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike license.