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University of Alberta

Dino 101: Dinosaur Paleobiology

University of Alberta via Coursera

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Overview

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Dino 101: Dinosaur Paleobiology is a 12-lesson course teaching a comprehensive overview of non-avian dinosaurs. Topics covered: anatomy, eating, locomotion, growth, environmental and behavioral adaptations, origins and extinction. Lessons are delivered from museums, fossil-preparation labs and dig sites. Estimated workload: 3-5 hrs/week.

Syllabus

  • Appearance and Anatomy
    • This lesson covers the diversity in dinosaur appearances, and will be able to identify major features of the major groups of dinosaurs.
  • Death and Fossilization
    • This module describes how fossils form, how we interpret the taphonomy of skeletons and bonebeds, and looks at the possible biases taphonomic events may create in the fossil record.
  • Eating
    • This module looks at the variety of food types, feeding habits, and feeding adaptations amongst the major groups of dinosaurs.
  • Moving Around
    • This module helps students understand the general modes and styles of locomotion in the major dinosaur groups. It also describes general methods of evaluating hypotheses on locomotion.
  • Birth, Growth and Reproduction
    • This module provides a generalized life history of a dinosaur, from birth through adulthood, including reproduction. The student will be able to describe major techniques of evaluating growth stages and rates in dinosaurs.
  • Attack and Defense
    • Examines the behaviours and structures that may have served for attack or defence through the lifetime of a dinosaur.
  • What is a Species?
    • This module will teach the different ways of defining what a species is. Students will be able to compare the strengths and weaknesses of different species concepts for different situations.
  • Evolution
    • This module will describe the basic theories of speciation, and discusses how how these different methods of speciation may have occurred, including both hypothetical and empirical examples.
  • Stratigraphy and Geologic Time
    • This method provides basic stratigraphic concepts and the scale of earth history. Students will understand the evolution of dinosaurs through time, including which groups evolved when and where.
  • Paleogeography and Plate Tectonics
    • This module presents the basic concepts in plate tectonics and the evolution of the earth’s surface.
  • Dinosaur Origins
    • This module will look at the evolution of dinosaurs from non-dinosaurian archosaurs.
  • Dinosaur Extinction
    • The module will examine the end-Cretaceous extinction event, and provide examples of vertebrate groups that both persisted and died out during the event.

Taught by

Philip Currie and Betsy Kruk

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Reviews

4.9 rating, based on 177 Class Central reviews

4.9 rating at Coursera based on 3827 ratings

Start your review of Dino 101: Dinosaur Paleobiology

  • Jeffrey Chiou
    19
    Great course! The lectures are very enjoyable to watch, much like watching nature documentaries. Overall the difficulty is extremely easy and requires minimal committment, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially if you are a busy person. In addition, all the lectures are made available at the beginning of the course, so you can watch multiple week's worth of lectures at once if you want.

    To get the most out of the course, I recommend reading the included class notes, which go into greater detail than the lectures and contain some wonderful diagrams and pictures.

    The only (very minor) criticism I have is that difficulty of the in-lecture quizzes varies greatly and depends on prior knowledge.
  • Profile image for Kinkin(li)
    Kinkin(li) @kiliti
    8
    Magic,maybe I need a dinosaur to turn a human,it is essential to study this animal and how to success to make this animal be myself image. After reading this content of this course,my comprehesion of english letters is hugely improving and have a l…
  • Profile image for Samantha Thompson
    Samantha Thompson @samisomsam
    3
    This class was a great overview of dinosaurs with engaging videos. I liked how the readings went along with the videos so it works for different styles of learning.
  • Profile image for Melissa Lobach
    Melissa Lobach @mlobach
    As an avid fan of dinosaurs, this course is amazing. I already have a degree in a field I love, so it's just great that I can get a high quality education on the subject without needing to enroll in college courses when it's just a hobby/passion.

    The hosts are well spoken and obviously knowledgeable, plus Dr. Currie is one of the greats in paleontology.
  • John Smith
    47
    I personally found this course to be far too basic. It is a very superficial introduction to and overview of dinosaurs that will not be very interesting to anyone with more than a passing interest in them. Having said that, the course was quite well done and would be perfect for someone who is just beginning to learn about dinosaurs.
  • Stephen D Swaney
    8
    Great intro to dinosaur biology. Engaging lectures and some good discussion in the forums. Plus there are some 3D scans of dino fossils you can play with in your browser.

    As one of the other reviewers implied, it is not a rigorous course, although they do go into some detail about dino anatomy. I thought it was perfect for a 100 level course. If UAlberta ever gives a follow-on, I am there!
  • Anonymous
    I was initially nervous about taking this course given that I don't come from a scientific background but I was pleased to discover that I struggled much less than I thought I would. It is a wonderful overview and introduction to paleobiology and inspired me to look for more courses in the same arena.
  • Profile image for Donato Rossella
    Donato Rossella @Jaqq
    77
    The course material is interesting for amateurs who wants to have a better understanding of dinosaurs and the videos are well done and interesting.

    However, at times I found the course notes to be written poorly (with repetitive, over-simplified language and some mistakes here and there) and the forums looks somewhat empty to me.

    I definitely recommend the course, because the material available is enough to understand the concept and gain a basic culture about that period.
  • Anonymous
    Excellent course, thank you for making the subject interesting and accessible. I will be enrolling in more courses like this from U of A.
  • Profile image for JUNAYED AHMED SUNNY
    JUNAYED AHMED SUNNY @solomadcoder
    1
    The is an awesome course. I teach a lot of Dinosaurs. Also I learn some few basics of biological science. The instructor and the media visualisation is very authentic and clear to understand. Thanks for such a great course.
  • Meg Bauer
    1109
    Another terrific MOOC featuring engaging material and presenters. This one gets points for variety – they regularly changed up the format of the video lectures and even took us on-site to excavations in the Alberta Badlands.
  • Anonymous
    The course was great it taught me new things about dinosaurs as well extinct animals. i learned about both fossils, animal bones, rocks and stones, and also animals who came before and after and a few who lived with the dinosaurs.
    I wished i could try a few more of the "digging simulation" and also build bones as well and also e to try dig bones of other extinct animals too, Mrine animals, "sky animals" as well other lizards relates to dinoossaurs but above all these things the course is great i learned new things and i continue to learn more about dinossaurs and extinct animals
  • Anonymous
    Execelente tema. Un buen manejo de enseñanza y ojalá más gente interesada en este tema se diera la oportunidad de tomarlo.
  • Joseph L Francis
    Very thorough course hitting all of the major aspects of Paleobiology and Dinosaur origin and history.
  • Profile image for Sonal P Patel
    Sonal P Patel @sonal
    52
    This class is about dinosaurs and Paleobiology! I enjoyed taking this class, along with the class central cohort. This class introduces an exciting field of research taught by the world expert paleontologist -- Prof. Phillip Currey and his resea…
  • Anonymous
    this is an amazing course this is amazing that i can get credit that i am done i am only in grade 7 and i already have a chance i love that there are videos to watch or to read an artical i love it the the question have information of what they mean and that they tell u what u did wrong but dont tell u the ansers but my fav is that we have 3 tries others should try it for sure!
  • Anonymous
    I absolutely loved this course ! I learned so much about a subject that I am passionate about, but didn't know where to begin from. The information is clear, well presented and interactive, helping a lot to comprehend and integrate it.
  • Anonymous
    This is an ideal way to learn about dinosaurs - a compact but concentrated course that teaches you all the concepts you need to know to have a basic but thorough understanding about dinosaurs and the context in which they rose, thrived, and finally…
  • Mona Fahmy Lang
    3
    Very interesting course. I did it for myself, because I wanted to know more about dinosaurs and I learned so much also about the Earth. What I also liked was to learn about the latest discoveries in that field. The content was well organised. The teachers were clear and agreable to listen to. I particularly enjoyed the visits on the field.
  • Anonymous
    I cannot thank Betsy and Philip enough for this course. I started the course because my 8 year old son is a huge dinosaur fan and he was learning so much so fast I just couldn't keep up with answer to his questions. I am so happy I found this co…
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