About this course: 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.
Created by: University of Alberta
Taught by: Philip John Currie, PhD, Professor and Canada Research Chair, Dinosaur Paleobiology
Department of Biological Sciences
| Level | Beginner |
| Commitment | 12 weeks of study, 1-2 hours/week |
| Language | English, Subtitles: Italian, German, French |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
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.
7 videos, 4 readings
Graded: Appearance and Anatomy
WEEK 2
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.
3 videos, 1 reading
Graded: Death and Fossilization
WEEK 3
Eating
This module looks at the variety of food types, feeding habits, and feeding adaptations amongst the major groups of dinosaurs.
4 videos, 1 reading
Graded: Lesson 3
WEEK 4
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.
4 videos, 1 reading
Graded: Lesson 4
WEEK 5
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.
3 videos, 1 reading
Graded: Lesson 5
WEEK 6
Attack and Defense
Examines the behaviours and structures that may have served for attack or defence through the lifetime of a dinosaur.
3 videos, 1 reading
Graded: Lesson 6
WEEK 7
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.
3 videos, 1 reading
Graded: Lesson 7
WEEK 8
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.
3 videos, 1 reading
Graded: Lesson 8
WEEK 9
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.
3 videos, 1 reading
Graded: Lesson 9
WEEK 10
Paleogeography and Plate Tectonics
This module presents the basic concepts in plate tectonics and the evolution of the earth’s surface.
4 videos, 1 reading
Graded: Lesson 10
WEEK 11
Dinosaur Origins
This module will look at the evolution of dinosaurs from non-dinosaurian archosaurs.
3 videos, 1 reading
Graded: Lesson 11
WEEK 12
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.
4 videos, 1 reading
Graded: Lesson 12
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Ratings and Reviews
It was a real pleasure for me to take this course. I had the opportunity to learn about so many aspects of ancient dinosaurs that were previously unknown to me. I am grateful to the team of University of Alberta and coursera for giving me the opportunity to learn more about this incredible subject. Thank you all for giving me the opportunity to learn .
This was a Great Learning Experience for me and my 5 year old son, Muaziz H Jatoi.
At the age 2, he been telling us that he wants to become and for a year he been claiming of being a Paleontologist, even he claimed, of being A Paleontologist, to the Researchers at Carthage Institute of Paleontology in Kenosha, WI.
Thanks a lot for such a resource & the opportunity to learn in the comfort of home. We would love to talk with Dr Philip Currie and his team of Graduate Students.
I love these courses. I have take all four of the paleontology focused classes available from Coursera. The staff at the University of Alberta have done an outstanding job putting together interesting and informative lectures on one of my favorite subjects. Well done. I hope that there may be more coming in the future.
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MK
Loved every minute of it!!