American Museum of Natural History
Evolution: A Course for Educators

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American Museum of Natural History

Evolution: A Course for Educators

Joel Cracraft, Ph.D.
David Randle, Ph.D.

Instructors: Joel Cracraft, Ph.D.

27,549 already enrolled

Included with Coursera Plus

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.7

(322 reviews)

9 hours to complete
3 weeks at 3 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
98%
Most learners liked this course
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.7

(322 reviews)

9 hours to complete
3 weeks at 3 hours a week
Flexible schedule
Learn at your own pace
98%
Most learners liked this course

Details to know

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Assessments

1 quiz, 4 assignments

Taught in English

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There are 6 modules in this course

What's included

1 video3 readings

The first module of the course introduces Charles Darwin’s revolutionary concept of a “tree of life” depicting the evolution of all life from a common ancestor; how evolutionary trees depict relationships among organisms; and how new species are formed. You will explore resources for discovering and addressing student misconceptions about evolution.

What's included

4 videos3 readings1 quiz1 assignment

You will learn about Darwin’s second breakthrough: that adaptation via natural selection is the basic mechanism of evolution. You’ll go behind the scenes with Dr. Cracraft to see how evolutionary biologists use the Museum’s collections. Lastly, you’ll choose a topic from the course and explain how to use it as empirical evidence that supports common ancestry and biological evolution.

What's included

7 videos1 reading1 assignment1 peer review

You will learn about the role of extinction in evolution, and find out what the relatedness of major groups of living things reveals about the history of life. You’ll also watch videos of scientists at work and learn how to use them in your classroom.

What's included

4 videos2 readings1 assignment

This module explores the rich variety of hominids on the tree of life, along with how and when different human species - including Homo sapiens - migrated around the world. You’ll also learn strategies for teaching evolution in culturally diverse classrooms.

What's included

4 videos3 readings1 assignment

What's included

1 video3 readings

Instructors

Instructor ratings
4.8 (54 ratings)
Joel Cracraft, Ph.D.
American Museum of Natural History
1 Course27,549 learners
David Randle, Ph.D.
American Museum of Natural History
2 Courses41,343 learners

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Recommended if you're interested in Basic Science

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4.7

322 reviews

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Reviewed on Apr 7, 2021

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