Course Syllabus

Spring 2024 | BIO-1030-VO17S - Introduction to Nutrition

Synchronous Class

Synchronous courses are delivered through a combination of online and regularly-scheduled Zoom sessions. In synchronous classes, students must attend Zoom sessions and actively engage with each other and faculty in course activities and discussions.

Faculty

Joseph Dionne
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Jennifer Guarino

General Education Requirements

VSCS Natural Science

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course introduces students to the physiological basis of nutrition and evaluates dietary requirements. Emphasis is placed on metabolism, digestion, and nutrients used in the human body and the nutrition involved in health, disease, and aging.

Essential Objectives

1. Utilize the scientific method to distinguish between well-researched evidence on nutrition and some of the basic fallacies and myths in this field.
2. Discuss how Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) are established and how they compare for individuals based on nutrition, disease, and aging.
3. Outline dietary strategies now recommended to minimize the risks of disease and describe the nutritional and caloric needs of individuals throughout the lifecycle.
4. Describe the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids with an emphasis on organs, hormones, and enzymes.
5. Evaluate and discuss the biological role of vitamins and minerals in maintaining homeostasis.
6. Analyze how carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are broken down to harvest energy and describe the conditions by which each of these molecules is metabolized.
7. Examine, record, and evaluate diets for nutritional and caloric adequacy and safety.
8. Demonstrate proficiency in understanding, interpreting, evaluating and applying quantitative data and information.
9. Explain how knowledge created in the natural sciences has contributed to the creation, maintenance and dismantling of social inequalities and discuss the impacts of diversity and inclusion on scientific research and practice.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV IT Support page. https://support.ccv.edu/general/computer-recommendations/

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

*** This is a no cost textbook or resource class. ***

This course only uses free Open Educational Resources (OER) and/or library materials. For details, see the Canvas Site for this class.

Methods

Videos
Homework

Dietary Intake Analysis

Quizzes
Class and Group Discussion (Zoom Classes)

Online Discussion Boards
Research Project/Presentation

Evaluation Criteria

Dietary Intake Analysis: 10% of final grade

Research Project/ Presentation: 30% of final grade

Quizzes (6): 40% of final grade (lowest score dropped)

Assignments/Activities: 10% of final grade

Participation/Attendance/Zoom Meetings: 10% of final grade

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

Everything you need for this course is provided to you by the instructor.I will be provided a free pdf version of the text at the start of the term. This saves you approximately $150 from the previous text used and allows you to access it easily throughout the term and print it if you wish.

Please read the chapter(s) in the course schedule prior to engaging in each week’s online activities and Zoom class as this will allow you to be better prepared for class discussion and learning. Please take your time to view all available PowerPoint slides and listen to all videos provided. These are part of your online “lecture” in addition to the posted readings. All assignments and activities are required, unless otherwise labeled.

I am always available via CCV e-mail. I check this several times per day, including the weekend. I make every effort to respond to e-mails within 24 hours. All messages will be sent to your CCV e-mail account for security purposes.

This is a synchronous course with some online components; however, we do meet together every Thursday, beginning 1-25-2024 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM (ET). This course is synchronous and is not self-paced. You must complete all required assignments, activities, quizzes, etc. by their weekly due dates.Each week will begin at 12:00 am on Thursday and end at 11:59pm the following Wednesday.You will have a minimum of one week to complete all assignments, with the exception of the discussion forum posts (more details to come).

All written assignments must be typed and turned in by 11:59 pm on the day they are due (Wednesday) via Canvas. No written assignment used in a previous or concurrent course will be accepted.

Assignments will only be posted using Microsoft Office Products as CCV provides these on all computers on campus. If you do not have Microsoft office on your personal computer, you will need to download it or make time to use the computers on campus to complete assignments in this course (if possible). As a student, you have access to download Microsoft Office products at little to no cost. Assignments must be submitted using Microsoft Office products, in a PDF, in a RTF, using Google Documents or copy and paste into the drop box. I do not have access to a Mac and am unable to accept assignments using Mac products.

Dietary Intake Analysis:More information to follow. This will be one of two major projects which will require your attention throughout the semester.

Research Project/Presentation:More information to follow. This will be one of two major projects which will require your attention throughout the semester.

Quizzes:Quizzes are not cumulative. Quizzes will have a mixture of Multiple Choice, True/False, and Matching. The lowest quiz of the term will be dropped. Quizzes cannot be made up under any circumstance. If you miss a quiz, this will be the quiz you drop at the end of the term. Please realize you will have one entire week to complete each quiz. You may use your notes for the quizzes; however, they are timed, and you will want to prepare for them. You will want to download the notes as leaving the quiz to exit the module could cause Canvas to submit your quiz unfinished.

Weekly Homework Assignments:Each week’s assignments will be posted in Canvas and will be due at the end of each week. No late assignments will be accepted.

Attendance/Online Discussions/ Online Assignments:More information to follow on the weeks when each activity is due. Please make the course Canvas page your friend and visit it often. Assignments and activities will be completed virtually via Canvas. All online assignments and quizzes must be completed by the due date (11:59 pm on Wednesday). Online participation is NOT optional and failure to complete a week’s online activities will result in an absence and loss of respective points. All discussion forums requiring you to respond to other students’ posts must be completed by the following days and times each week: Post your initial response to the discussion prompts by 11:59 pm Sunday and reply to other students by 11:59 pm Wednesday each week. Doing so allows your classmates ample time to read your thoughts and respond by the end of the week. Please plan carefully, as discussion forums will not populate on the “To Do” list because of the two due dates each week. Be certain to track assignment due dates through the Course schedule and the course Canvas page.

Discussion Forums:

You will participate in weekly discussion forums. All discussion forums requiring you to respond to other students’ posts must be completed by the following days and times each week: Post your response to the discussion prompts by 11:59 pm Sunday and reply to a minimum of two other students by 11:59 pm Wednesday each week. Please note, Canvas only allows one due date, so only the Wednesday due date will populate in the To Do List each week but please do not forget about posting your initial response by Sunday at 11:59 pm. All prompts must be completed on time to earn full credit. The following is the breakdown of points to be earned for each weeklydiscussion forum:

·Initial responseposted bySunday at 11:59 pmwith all prompts covered completely (3 points)

o If posted after Sunday 11:59 pm subtract 1 point

o If post is missing key prompt information, subtract 1 point

·Two repliesto fellow students posted byWednesday at 11:59 pmwith all prompts covered completely (2 points)

o Subtract 1 point if a reply is not present or is missing key aspects of the prompt

= 5 points total each week

Weekly Zoom Meetings

We will meet in the Zoom classroom (link to be provided at the start of the term) every Thursday from 9:00-11:00 AM (ET). These meetings are required and failure to participate in the entire two-hour sessions each week will affect your participation grade and your number of absences from the class. Please be respectful during our Zoom meetings. I will likely keep your microphones muted when lecturing and will field questions every few slides via the messenger box to limit confusion from multiple people speaking at once. Please do your best to find a quiet place with strong Wi-Fi, a device with a speaker, microphone, and camera each week for the Zoom meetings.

Online/Zoom-Class Etiquette:

Please note, that our online environment is a safe learning environment for all. Disrespectful behavior of any kind will not be tolerated. A warning may be issued for the first offense and academic action with administration will occur for any subsequent infractions.

Please give references whenever necessary. Always place answers in your own words. Never copy and paste from online sources (including ChatGPT or other AI), the text, the lecture notes or other students. Submit your own work only. Failing to do so is considered to be an infraction against the academic honor code of CCV and this course and will involve administrative action with the Dean’s office.

I ask that you provide the same respect and professionalism online as you would in traditional classroom settings.

Missing & Late Work Policy

Please note, assignments will not be accepted late, and make-up quizzes will NOT be provided. The lowest quiz score will be dropped at the end of the term. Exceptions may be made at the discretion of the instructor in the event of extenuating circumstances, such as hospitalization or natural disaster.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/discover-resources/students-with-disabilities/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity