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University course - marine reptiles


snolly50

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Last month, @Troodon kindly posted a notice of the offer of the Dino 101 course from U of Alberta. This online course (MOOC) was pursued by several Forum members. I hope they have enjoyed it, as I did, when I was previously enrolled.

 

Yesterday, I signed up for "Paleontology, Ancient Marine Reptiles" also an online course offered by U of Alberta. The course is available through Coursera.org, the same group that sponsored Dino 101. It is set to start on March 28. However, the lectures and all course material is currently available. I have already completed the first lesson. I assume, when the course officially kicks off there will be a real time discussion board added, that is monitored by U of Alberta grad students. That's the way other courses via Coursera have worked.

 

It's FREE!!!!! That is, unless you wish an official certificate of completion. snolly has all the official academic baggage he will ever need or want at this stage of life; so it's the cheap route for me! Parenthetically, I think these online courses are brilliant examples of the value of the Internet (This Forum being another).

 

There are a couple of profs listed for the course. However, the first lesson's lectures were all delivered by W. Scott Persons, a doctoral student supervised by Dr. Currie. While I chuckled at Mr. Persons' affectation of an Indiana Jones fedora, worn as he lectured; the content was first rate, fascinating! Mr. Persons' style of delivery, energy, and mastery of the subject insured that the lectures easily maintained my attention.

 

As an autodidact in the field, I find opportunities like this one extremely valuable.

 

Check it out. I think you will be pleased.   

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See

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I took all of the MOOCs offered through U of A pertaining to paleontology, and if you haven't taken them yet, I strongly recommend it. They are very informative and a great way to learn some new info!

Jay A. Wollin

Lead Fossil Educator - Penn Dixie Fossil Park and Nature Reserve

Hamburg, New York, USA

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I just finished the early vertebrate one last weekend and it was great! I certainly recommend it and I will take quite a few more from U of A! So well put together even a highschool freshman can understand it:P

“...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin

Happy hunting,

Mason

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Thanks for the post.  I am taking the Dino 101 currently and it is a great class and format.

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22 minutes ago, oldtimer said:

I am taking the Dino 101 currently and it is a great class and format.

I'm glad you are enjoying that course. I thought it was well worth the time. I was entertained and learned a few things - a great combination.

The other course cited above is very good so far. I will be "finished" before it officially opens; but will probably stick around to benefit from the discussion board.

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See

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Yeah I read well ahead and took the tests and then saw there were video presentations too.  I went back a watched them too, Very well done.

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56 minutes ago, snolly50 said:

I'm glad you are enjoying that course. I thought it was well worth the time. I was entertained and learned a few things - a great combination.

The other course cited above is very good so far. I will be "finished" before it officially opens; but will probably stick around to benefit from the discussion board.

I just joined the marine reptile one, perhaps I’ll see you on the boards:D

“...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin

Happy hunting,

Mason

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29 minutes ago, WhodamanHD said:

perhaps I’ll see you on the boards:D

I would always welcome contact with any person with the perspicacity to quote Douglas Adams. 

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See

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On 3/12/2018 at 9:13 PM, snolly50 said:

I would always welcome contact with any person with the perspicacity to quote Douglas Adams. 

Thank you, in my opinion the best books of fiction ever written are his! 

“...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin

Happy hunting,

Mason

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12 hours ago, WhodamanHD said:

Thank you, in my opinion the best books of fiction ever written are his! 

There is little doubt that Adam's works of fiction are great reads. If you are not familiar with his writing venture into natural history, I strongly recommend it. You will still benefit from his humor; but also be exposed to his insight as to the precarious situation of our Earth. The quote closing my Forum posts is from that work. It is the 1990 book, Last Chance to See. I recommend it without hesitation. 

 

If that volume proves to be of interest to you, I will offer another wonderful, but entirely serious work for consideration. The author is a fabulous writer and his skill paired with the gravity of the topic, make for an arresting read. David Quammen's 1996 book, The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinction.

 

After our post exchange on Adams I went to the book cases in my study to locate the Last Chance book. I wished to check the publication date. My books are shelved with no particular system, so it is an effort to quickly put my hand on any given text. However, yesterday the Adam's book was the first spine that my eye fell upon. I retrieved it and spent a few minutes idly thumbing through - stopping to briefly read, when I spotted a familiar, clever passage. Thanks.

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See

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5 hours ago, snolly50 said:

There is little doubt that Adam's works of fiction are great reads. If you are not familiar with his writing venture into natural history, I strongly recommend it. You will still benefit from his humor; but also be exposed to his insight as to the precarious situation of our Earth. The quote closing my Forum posts is from that work. It is the 1990 book, Last Chance to See. I recommend it without hesitation. 

 

I have heard of it, and heard good things, I plan to read it someday soon! I also need to get to reading the rest of The Long Dark Time of the Soul. I love his style, and of course the humor and cleverness he writes with. I’ll look into The Song Of the Dodo as well, island biogeography (and its products) are very interesting to me. Thank you for bringing it up!

“...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin

Happy hunting,

Mason

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