Africa Virtual University - AVU

Mode of Delivery

1. Rationale

This unit is part of a university biology course. It is intended for 3rd-year students. It is meant to facilitate comprehension, in physical and biochemical terms, of the mechanisms that occur in living organisms from cell to animal, to vegetable. It is a study of the functions and mechanims for all living things. For convenience purposes, subdivisions were created for the physiology unit. However, some subjects overlap since many functions involve the coordination of several organs and tissue.  The learning of the content and methods that are proposed should lead the student to understand actual facts, particularly in agriculture, medicine and they should be able to use this knowledge in other fields of activity.

2. Prerequisite or knowledge

The students must have passed courses on animal and vegetable biology.
To take this course, understanding of animal and vegetable cell organization and mechanisms is mandatory.  The students understang what is a system (a group of organs that contributes to one function). Basic knowledge of hormones is also required.

3. General Objectives

1. General learning objectives (knowledge).
- Learn the basic notions of vegetable and animal physiology.
- Understand the differences between animal and vegetable physiological functions.

2. General method objective (know-how). Master the steps of experimental investigation and problem solving

3. General attitude and values elucidation objectives (behaviour). Make sure that life is respected in its integrity.

4. Time

120 hours divided between theory, tutorials and evaluation.
20 hours for homework
20 hours for tutorials
20 hours for links and reference consultation
20 hours for projects
40 hours for formative and final evaluation

5. Material