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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Paleontology: Early Vertebrate Evolution by University of Alberta

4.8
stars
1,150 ratings

About the Course

Paleontology: Early Vertebrate Evolution is a four-lesson course teaching a comprehensive overview of the origin of vertebrates. Students will explore the diversity of Palaeozoic lineages within a phylogenetic and evolutionary framework. This course examines the evolution of major vertebrate novelties including the origin of fins, jaws, and tetrapod limbs. Students also explore key Canadian fossil localities, including the Burgess Shale (British Columbia), Miguasha (Quebec), and Man On The Hill (Northwest Territories). Watch a preview of the course here: https://uofa.ualberta.ca/courses/paleontology-vertebrate-evolution...

Top reviews

TO

Jun 20, 2016

WOW, I learned a lot form this and it was fairly educational but not overwhelming or difficult. This instructor really gets the points across without being to easy or hard. A very good class.

JC

Mar 2, 2018

Celebrate your inner fish as you swim along with this awesome course charting our earliest ancestors. Very well constructed and delivered once again by the team at the University of Alberta.

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276 - 300 of 315 Reviews for Paleontology: Early Vertebrate Evolution

By Francisco L A B

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Aug 3, 2020

The course is very well structured, and the drawings are fantastic to help the people visualise the different vertebrates that lived once on the planet. However, I found that it would be more dynamic for the course to have short animations of those fishes while the subject is being explained in the background. I guess it would catch more the viewer's attention throughout the course.

By Daniëlle v d B

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May 3, 2020

A great way of getting me more familiar with palaeontology. With a background in biology, I had already a basic understanding of phylogeny but in this course, that was quickly explained and then moved onto other things that perfectly fitted my level of learning. I learned a lot and loved all the examples of different genera and different types of fish and early tetrapods.

By Zoltán V

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Oct 10, 2016

The professor could have been a bit more serious, he acted as if he was a kindergarden teacher. Seriously: do you really need to imitate with your hand how a fish swims? I don't think so.

Also, the pronounciation of the latin words was horrible - then again, all native English speakers have problems with it, so don't take this remark personally.

By Om M V

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Aug 26, 2020

A very detailed, comprehensive course for those interested in Vertebrate Evolution and have no background in Palaeontology. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. My sincere thanks to the University of Alberta and all its faculties involved with this course. I hope to see many more such courses on Coursera!

By Alexis P

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Apr 11, 2016

Very interesting and compelling course, and I liked the questions every few minutes during the lectures as that helps me to retain information.

My only complaint is that the lecturer's manner of speaking is very rhythmic and repetitive and that makes it kind of hard to lose track of his words.

By Charles R B

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Jun 19, 2017

Very fast short course, which does not go into much detail. Once again, the quiz questions are far too few to make a comprehensive test of knowledge. Save your $ for an actual full-on rated University credit course, with 30 hrs of lecture and 60 hours of homework/study/lab work.

By Caroline K

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Sep 22, 2023

I jut hope coursera gives a fair amount of the fees to the student who did all the presentations: the professor may have written it but did not show up even once !He deserves it more than her! That said, the course is great and I leanred a lot of things !

By Paul A K

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Sep 4, 2020

All the anatomical details of early fishes got a bit too dense for me to fully absorb but I enjoyed learning about this crucial period of tetrepod evolution. There were certainly some strange looking creatures in the early seas.

By Karthy S

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Jun 27, 2016

I have learned so much from this course, thanks to Coursera and University of Alberta. This course is highly recommended for students with a passion for Evolution and Phylogeny. The handouts are also very useful.

By Henry F G

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Oct 15, 2017

I believe the course should have been six weeks long instead of four. I enjoyed the course, however should have contained more detail and the quizzes should have had more questions, at least ten.

By Lloyd V C

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Feb 24, 2020

Overall very interesting course and videos. It would be nice to have a page at the end of the course showing the evolution of each fish discussed (along with features and timeline).

By Richard K

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Jul 21, 2019

Pretty in tense but the quizzes are pretty straightforward and the course goes pretty quickly. The diagrams helped. My first stab at real paleontology and it was a good intro.

By Maria M

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Jul 30, 2017

I found the material and the lessons very useful and clear,. I have deduced one star, because I found it a bit difficult to assimilate so much information in such short time.

By Peter G

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Feb 6, 2017

The presenter is world class, and I really enjoyed the interactive maps. The quizzes should be a bit more challenging though - perhaps learn how to identify a few fossils,

By Kate K

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Feb 9, 2017

Difficult subject to get your head around but ultimately worth the effort. The teaching, as always with the University of Alberta's MOOCs, is second to none.

By Arash R

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Nov 15, 2018

A great course with useful and complete information. The only negative point is that there were not enough assignments for practicing and remembering.

By Mahendra A

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Aug 23, 2020

This course is very informative to students as will as teaching profession, we learn basic concept about early vertebrates

By Cameron M

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May 17, 2020

Interesting content and informative lectures. Wish the course was longer and more in depth on certain subjects.

By Zenab b

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May 10, 2020

i really enjoyed it aloot and learn alooot of new knowledge about early vertebrates....thumbs up...

By (25) B Y

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Jul 5, 2021

It was little hard to keep the names of all the strange named livings. Also the quizzes were hard.

By Vivek S

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Jun 5, 2020

Nice Course on Early Vertebrate Evolution. The interactive sections of the course were Amazing.

By john p

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Mar 3, 2018

Definitely an appetiser for the subject although the names and terminology are a challenge.

By Pam H

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Oct 22, 2019

enjoyed the course very much, lots of good information in manageable pieces.

By Adam M

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May 3, 2016

i like this. this is good. good can be fun. fun has rewards...yay, i win

By Clotilde A

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Sep 28, 2019

Very interesting course and concepts clearly explained, thanks !