Teaching and learning methods
This module will use a combination of lectures, lab-based practicals, tutorials and fieldwork. Formal lectures (24h) are used to deliver and discuss factual content covering all learning objectives and helping to build an appreciation of the diversity and evolutionary history of fishes.
All module content will be supported by online materials arranged into lessons that coincide with the lecture slots. Online materials cover the core factual content and provide links to external literature and resources. Lectures are used to expand on the online content.
The practical classes and workshops (27 hrs) are designed to offer hands-on experience with specimens and opportunities to expand on concepts covered in lessons. Practicals will develop transferrable skills, including interpreting and building phylogenetic trees, fish dissection and morphological analyses, safe handling of museum specimens, and collection and analysis of data from digital repositories.
Field trips will 1) provide opportunities to directly explore the evolutionary history of fishes through the palaeontology and ichthyology specimens and 2) compare techniques for studying fish communities and offer hands-on opportunities to develop fish identification and survey skills.
A wide range of support can be provided for those students who have further or specific learning and teaching needs.
Study time
Type |
Hours |
Lecture |
24 |
Practical classes and workshops |
27 |
Independent Study |
90 |
Fieldwork |
9 |
Total study time |
150 |
Resources & Reading list
General Resources
Other resources. PDFs and/or links to key papers, book chapters and open-source software will be provided on the module's websites.
Internet Resources
3D Slicer.
Textbooks
Douglas E. Facey, Brian W. Bowen, Gene S. Helfman, Bruce B. Collette (2022). The Diversity of Fishes Biology, Evolution and Ecology. Wiley.
Zerina Johanson, Charlie Underwood, Martha Richter (2019). Evolution and Development of Fishes. Cambridge University Press.