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Understanding and Teaching Evolution

Dr Momna Hejmadi, Laurence Hurst (Educator), Leslie Turner, Matthew Wills, Daniel F, and E Feil

Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more The course is aimed at primary and secondary school teachers, students, parents, and anyone interested in understanding evolution. You can use the hashtag #FLevolution to talk about this course on social media.

Topics Covered

Inheritance and Variation
Natural Selection and Adaptation
Speciation
Macroevolution
Geological time
Human evolution

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Reviews summary

Clear, accessible evolution for educators & beginners

According to learners, this course provides incredibly clear explanations of evolution, making complex topics like natural selection and human evolution highly accessible. It's particularly valued by educators for its invaluable pedagogical strategies and classroom application. Students highlight the instructor's passion, the well-structured modules, and the quizzes that solidify understanding. While it offers a comprehensive overview and is excellent for beginners, some with prior scientific backgrounds found it too superficial for advanced study, suggesting it caters best to those new to the subject or seeking teaching methods.

Instructor's enthusiasm enhances the learning experience.

"The instructor's passion truly shines through, making the learning process engaging."

"The best course on evolution I've taken... the instructor was amazing."

"I appreciated how the course covered core topics well and was very well-structured by the instructors."

Offers practical methods for teaching evolution.

"As a primary school teacher, I found the pedagogical strategies discussed invaluable for explaining evolution to young minds."

"Fantastic resource for teaching. The way they broke down inheritance and variation was perfect for classroom application."

"This course is a gem for any science educator looking to refresh their knowledge or find new teaching methods."

Complex evolutionary concepts are presented clearly.

"The explanations were incredibly clear, especially for complex topics like natural selection. Highly recommend for educators."

"This course strikes a perfect balance. It's truly accessible for general learners and offers great insights."

"The teaching approach is very clear and the examples used are excellent. I appreciate the effort put into making complex ideas digestible."

"I found the explanations easy to follow, and it really helped me understand the topic more deeply and confidently."

Some older videos have dated production quality.

"My only minor critique is that some of the earlier videos felt a bit dated in terms of production quality..."

"...the visuals were sometimes low resolution, which could be distracting."

"I found some parts a bit slow-paced, and the visual delivery could have been more dynamic."

Best suited for beginners; lacks advanced scientific detail.

"If you have a science background, you might find it a bit too superficial. I was hoping for more depth in macroevolution."

"As someone with a university-level biology degree, I felt much of it was basic review. It might be better suited for those completely new to the subject."

"The course is good for beginners, but I would not recommend it for those seeking advanced understanding in specific topics."

Career center

Learners who complete Understanding and Teaching Evolution will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Reading list

We've selected 50 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Understanding and Teaching Evolution.

The Ascent Of Man

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This classic book provides a comprehensive overview of human evolution. It covers a wide range of topics, from the origins of life to the development of modern humans. It is written in a clear and engaging style, and is suitable for readers of all levels.

Understanding and Teaching Evolution

Topics Covered

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Reviews summary

Clear, accessible evolution for educators & beginners

Career center

Reading list

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