Biology
Bootcamp
What It Is
Biology Bootcamp is an online course that reviews the introductory chemistry, biology, math and terminology that students need to succeed in Health and Allied Health college programs.
Biology Bootcamp can be used as both an online, self-paced course or a classroom-led course. In the classroom, teachers can use Biology Bootcamp as a science review/college healthcare training for high school seniors, paced for a semester-long or summer review timeframe. And the digital resource travels with students to college to be referred to again and again!
Students want to pursue healthcare careers, but the deck can be stacked against them. College-level Anatomy & Physiology I is designed to weed out students who aren’t prepared. As a result, more than half of students in college A&P fail out and/or drop out. Together, we can help prepare them for educational success before college, saving them time, money, and frustration.
This program uses our proprietary Spiraling Curriculum to empower students to master foundational concepts. Read to learn more about this exciting pedagogy!
How It Works
Socratis, the publisher of Biology Bootcamp, is on a mission to help passionate but struggling students become good students, and good students become great students!
Our Spiraling Curriculum builds upon a “flipped classroom” approach, encouraging students to:
- Review course material and apply it through Active Learning Activities (ALA).*
- Contextualize the information by examining real-life scenarios specific to healthcare.
- Complete an objective self-evaluation (through pre-section quizzes) and gauge retention and build confidence (through post-section quizzes).
*ALA worksheets are downloadable Word documents.
What is the Spiraling Curriculum?
Socratis’ proprietary Spiraling Curriculum combines proven pedagogies into one comprehensive approach. The curriculum revisits key concepts multiple times during a cycle, each time through a different lens to enhance connection and retention. with it differently and making different connections.
By learning this way, we help the student…
Identify and address pre-conceptions about biology concepts
Develop a deep conceptual framework so that facts are never learned in isolation; instead, every concept builds on and connects to the next and the next.
Track their own work, at their own pace and allow them to “think about their own thinking.” This way, we employ a meta-cognitive approach to help students examine what they are learning critically.
The Spiraling Curriculum helps students look at simple concepts deeply and in context.
What Students Learn
Biology Bootcamp includes four different Cycles of Study (CoS, sort of like a “Unit”). Each CoS is broken down into brief, focused Sections. These topics lay the foundation for success in Anatomy and Physiology and beyond:
- How do chemicals interact?
- Why is water so important for life?
- What are the functions and differences between proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and nucleic acid in the human body?
- How do cells work?
- What are the compartments in our cells and why are they important?
- How does what we eat get converted into energy?
- How do things like nutrients and oxygen get into and out of a cell?
- What is DNA and how does it work?
- What is RNA and how does it work?
- How is DNA divided when our body makes new cells?
- How does inheritance work?
- What is the language of medicine?
- What are the levels of organization and organ systems of the human body?
- What are the processes of homeostasis?
Proof
Our approach has been adopted by high schools as a biology review for seniors, and 2- and 4-year colleges and universities as a pre-Anatomy and Physiology I course to improve the likelihood of student success.
Our students consistently perform better. In our work at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Xavier University and University of Cincinnati, data shows that students who use our preparatory course show a full letter grade improvement over their peers who did not use our course.
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FAQ
Who is Biology Bootcamp designed for?
Anyone! We built Biology Bootcamp to prepare students for a 2- or 4-year program in health and allied health programs.
- We find that more advanced, adult students can complete the course individually, in a matter of weeks.
- High school seniors often cover the material over a summer session or semester.
- Some high schools use our course for sophomores and juniors as a full-year course replacement for Biology.
How long does the course take?
It depends! The time it will take to complete these materials are entirely up to the student and/or the instructor. It is designed in short, easily digested sections that build upon one another. Students can choose to do one section a day, several over a weekend, or work at a slower pace over a summer session or full semester.
How is Biology Bootcamp different from any other biology course?
- We’re digital. All course content is delivered completely online*.
- We’re gamified! Students earn points by completing learning activities, pre-quizzes and post-quizzes. Schools can use this gamification to incentivize students to learn and succeed.
- We’re affordable. We offer more content at a lower cost.
- We’re your partner. If you’re a school purchasing a group of licenses for students, we provide back-end access to a gradebook. Instructors can monitor student progress, performance, and understanding, allowing them to reach out to students to provide encouragement or extra support when needed.
- We’ve got your back. We offer teacher training for instructors implementing this curriculum in schools. We also have periodic webinars to help schools and instructors get the most out of Biology Bootcamp.
How much does it cost?
For students purchasing this curriculum for self-study, we offer 6- and 12-month subscriptions at $49 and $79. Schools or workforce development programs can purchase a group of licenses to reduce the per-subscription cost (volume discounts available).
How can I see more?
Contact our client development team at bootcamp@socratis.net or 402.983.4230 to learn more or get a temporary access to preview the Bootcamp.