Bioethics is a one-semester course designed to raise student awareness of the social and ethical implications of life science, medicine, and biotechnology. This course focuses on building critical thinking and analytical skills using a variety of strategies and higher-order thinking opportunities appropriate to the resolution of controversial medical and scientific dilemmas. Topics include organ donation, the use of animals in medical research, healthcare coverage, and genetic engineering. Students enrolled in this course will build and use compassion and empathy skills to participate in healthy and safe text-based and video discussions.
Prerequisites: None, but basic knowledge of human biology is recommended.
Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to...
- Define bioethics and list the 4 principles of ethics.
- Utilize reliable academic sources to develop a thoughtful argument for and against an ethical topic or issue.
- Identify ethical issues in the fields of healthcare and scientific research.
- Examine legislation and policies in the United States that influence ethical challenges.
- Analyze case studies in bioethics and outline the primary ethical concerns.
- Discuss the unique challenges presented by global ethical situations.
Course Outline:
Unit 1: Introduction to Bioethics and Reliable Sources
Unit 2: Research Ethics
Unit 3: Cells
Unit 4: Life and Death
Unit 5: Genetics
Unit 6: Human Biology and Organ Systems
Unit 7: Healthcare and Insurance
Unit 8: Global Bioethics
Resources Included: Online lesson instruction and activities, opportunities to engage with a certified, online instructor and classmates, when appropriate, and online assessments to measure student performance of course objectives and readiness for subsequent academic pursuits.
Additional Costs: None
Scoring System: Michigan Virtual does not assign letter grades, grant credit for courses, nor issue diplomas. A final score out of total points earned will be submitted to your school mentor for conversion to their own letter grading system.
Time Commitment: Semester sessions are 18-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1 or more hours per day in the course to be successful. Summer sessions are 10 weeks long: Students must be able to spend a minimum of 2 or more hours per day, or about 90 hours during the summer, for the student to be successful in any course. Trimester sessions are 12-weeks long: Students must be able to spend 1.5 or more hours per day in the course to be successful.
Technology Requirements: Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube.
Please review the Michigan Virtual Technology Requirements: https://michiganvirtual.org/about/support/knowledge-base/technical-requirements/
Instructor Support System: For technical issues within your course, contact the Customer Care Center by email at [email protected] or by phone at (888) 889-2840.
Instructor Contact Expectations: Students can use email or the private message system within the Student Learning Portal to access highly qualified teachers when they need instructor assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside the learning management system. The Instructor Info area of their course may describe additional communication options.
Academic Support Available: In addition to access to a highly qualified, Michigan certified teacher, students have access to academic videos and outside resources verified by Michigan Virtual. For technical issues within the course, students can contact the Michigan Virtual Customer Care by email at [email protected] or by phone at (888) 889-2840.
Required Assessment: Online assessments consist of formative and summative assessments represented by computer-graded multiple choice, instructor-graded writing assignments including hands-on projects, model building and other forms of authentic assessments.
Technical Skills Needed: Basic technology skills necessary to locate and share information and files as well as interact with others in a Learning Management System (LMS), include the ability to:
- Download, edit, save, convert, and upload files
- Download and install software
- Use a messaging service similar to email
- Communicate with others in online discussion or message boards, following basic rules of netiquette
- Open attachments shared in messages
- Create, save, and submit files in commonly used word processing program formats and as a PDF
- Edit file share settings in cloud-based applications, such as Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides
- Save a file as a .pdf
- Copy and paste and format text using your mouse, keyboard, or an html editor’s toolbar menu
- Insert images or links into a file or html editor
- Search for information within a document using Ctrl+F or Command+F keyboard shortcuts
- Work in multiple browser windows and tabs simultaneously
- Activate a microphone or webcam on your device, and record and upload or link audio and/or video files
- Use presentation and graphics programs
- Follow an online pacing guide or calendar of due dates
- Use spell-check, citation editors, and tools commonly provided in word processing tool menus
- Create and maintain usernames and passwords
Additional Information: Students enrolled in this course will be exposed to controversial medical and scientific dilemmas. They should be prepared to participate in healthy and safe text-based and video discussions.