If we told you that you could take a trip to Mars or journey into a cell, would you believe us? You should, because it’s all possible through an innovative course called BioBeyond.
BioBeyond is an introductory biology course offered through ASU and ASU Online as part of their BIO 100 – The Living World class. And the best part is that full-time ASU Prep Digital students are eligible to take the course for free, allowing them to earn both high school and college credit simultaneously.
BioBeyond is the first online course of its kind, providing ‘education through exploration.’
The course strives to be unique to every student through adaptive, personalized learning. The learning pathway is designed to cater to each student’s individual learning pace and style, providing feedback and real-time guidance as they go through each unit.
You’ll start the course with a unit called “Biology Bootcamp” where you will be introduced to BioBeyond and the different scientific terms and practices you’ll need to be successful throughout the class.
You’ll quickly learn that you will not be taking exams or quizzes in this course. Simply put by the creators of BioBeyond, “you don’t like to take them, and we don’t like to grade them.” Instead, the course is designed like a game where you earn points as you learn new concepts. Who doesn’t love racking up points?
In order to ‘win’ points, you’ll be answering questions and interacting with simulations to demonstrate how much you’ve learned. There are four types of screens you’ll encounter during your lessons in which you will be able to earn points: Instructional, Simulation, Summative, and Formative. The point levels will vary based on how far along in the lesson you are and how much information you should’ve learned.
Once you learn about the structure of the course and the tools/skills you’ll need to be successful, you’ll be ready to journey forward with your lessons. You’ll learn everything from what organisms call the Galapagos home to how food is broken down into energy in the cell.
Along the way, you’ll be able to take virtual field trips during some of your lessons. And, as promised, you’ll have the opportunity to launch your crew on a mission to Mars!
BioBeyond keeps students engaged and having fun while ensuring they get through all of the course material they’d learn in a standard first-year biology course. And for those with a career pathway in mind, such as science, education, business, humanities, or communication, this can be the first step toward fulfilling grade 9 requirements—and discovering your love of all things science.
Interested in taking the course? Check out this introductory video and get started today.
