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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Dino 101: Dinosaur Paleobiology by University of Alberta

4.9
stars
3,422 ratings

About the 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....

Top reviews

JH

Apr 5, 2017

Thank you for this excellent course! I really enjoyed the short videos, the concise notes, and quick quizzes (both at the end of each lesson, as well as the main point quizzes throughout the videos).

PM

Oct 17, 2020

Even as a dinosaur nerd, I still learned a lot. Instructional videos with embedded quizzes were very well constructed. I'm just a bit bummed that I couldn't access the fossil viewer for some reason.

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26 - 50 of 1,166 Reviews for Dino 101: Dinosaur Paleobiology

By Папышева А С

Jun 11, 2020

I would like to thank the University of Alberta for such an opportunity to take this amazing course. I really enjoyed every minute of it. Also I would like to express my gratitude to Betsy Kruk for her great explanations and charisma. Thank you very much!

By Andreas A

Aug 17, 2022

good presenters, knowledge is delivered in an understandable way, good resources and many links to other sources. Videos keep you also engaged through quizzes.

had much fun with this course and learned a lot. My younger self would be very proud of me!

By Fazla Z A

Aug 10, 2020

The instructors' explanation are very clear and easy to understand. Would definitely recommend this to anyone who is interested in Paleontology or dinosaurs in general. I really had fun learning.

By Ricardo R F

Oct 31, 2020

Agradecemos al excelente equipo del CURSO DINO-101, liderado por el Profesor Philip John Currie, Ph. y presentado por Betsy Kruk, MSc quienes con su gran maestría nos han transportado al pasado y hecho soñar con estos animales maravillosos que dominaron el planeta cerca de 200 millones de años. Durante esta aventura pedagógica en que nos pasearon por grandes museos con bellas colecciones de fósiles, afloramientos, fotografías, técnicas modernas de laboratorio, metodologías para aproximarse a los problemas con gráficas y dibujos de fácil comprensión, hacen sencillo el acceso de ese conocimiento a públicos no especializados. La forma estructurada en que presentan los contenidos favorece la asimilación de conocimiento en contexto garantizando la comprensión de temas complejos. Además, los recursos interactivos son muy creativos vuelven divertido el aprendizaje.

Quienes tomamos este curso DINO 101 y hacemos algún tipo de divulgación del patrimonio paleontológico y geológico en nuestros territorios, salimos particularmente beneficiados, fortalecidos y completamente motivados para seguir haciendo nuestra labor de manera más profesional y efectiva. Siempre quedaremos agradecidos por compartir información valiosa con altos contenidos técnicos y con las facilidades de traducciones en diferentes idiomas para un acceso mundial a la información.

By Shauna B

Nov 17, 2021

I loved doing this course. I've always liked Dinos and I enjoy learning and teaching Biology, anything related to natural selection/evolution, and birds! This course both answered and created wonder about the dinosaurs - the conditions under which they dominated the Earth, what fossils tell us about their physiology (they had melanosomes, for colour!), and how we've used that information to classify them, and so much more. I loved that each video was peppered with little quiz exercises to get you thinking and reviewing. And then, the 5-question tests after each week were alternately straightforward AND challenging. Fun! The presenters were all very good - thank you Dr. Currie and Betsy. My only suggestion would be to provide a captioned illustration of every species mentioned in the videos. The visual to attach the species name to. Time to time, I would google a pic, for my own interest. I absolutely loved the geologic time interactive - that was a work of art. I only wish that I could keep playing with it. So nice!

Thank you to all the people who worked so hard to share their scientific knowledge with us. It's inspiring.

By Nissy I L

Jun 11, 2023

I gained a wealth of knowledge and valuable insights from this course, and it has significantly enhanced my understanding of geology, which is closely related to my field of study. Exploring the fascinating world of dinosaurs has been an incredibly enjoyable and engaging experience. The course provided a comprehensive overview of various aspects of dinosaurs, including their anatomy, behavior, and their significance in Earth's history. The interactive lessons, informative lectures, and engaging activities made the learning process both educational and entertaining. Moreover, the course materials were well-structured and easy to follow, allowing me to grasp complex concepts with ease. Overall, this course has not only deepened my passion for geology but has also sparked a newfound fascination for the incredible creatures that once roamed our planet. I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in expanding their knowledge of dinosaurs and their connection to the geological world.

By Dennis K

Dec 6, 2020

This has been one of the best courses I have studied and am really grateful to Betsy Kruk, Phil Currie and the team at Alberta for welcoming me to the wonderful world of dinosaur palaeontology.

The course was very well structured. The lessons built up knowledge and gradually expanded to Stratigraphy, Tectonics and Paleogeography to put the learning into context. I liked the way that the regular nonthreatening, interactive questions kept me engaged with the lessons and the quizzes gave me the opportunity to test my understanding. I especially likes the Glossary and Lesson Notes that helped reinforce the learning in each lesson.

A help to me, may have been a Cladogram that built up as the lessons moved on alongside the timeline to help me picture the evolution of species through time as we learned more. The names and language are challenging for beginner!

One disappointment was that the interactive museum did not work for me.

Once again, thank you to the whole team for a great course.

By Gwendolyn G

May 2, 2021

I have always been fascinated by Dinosaurs, even as a little girl. Imagine my surprise when I found out that I could take courses about the very things that have always been a love of mine? I want to thank the Teachers, Teaching Assistants, and the University of Alberta for putting together, not only this course, but other relatable courses for people like me.

You have done a fabulous job and I, not only learned so much (and have the notes to prove it!), but also had so much fun doing so. The lessons were well presented, easy to follow, and just challenging enough for a beginner course. I'm going on to do the other courses and I can't wait. Thank you all so much for giving me access to something that I would never have been able to have access to otherwise. I sincerely hope you continue doing what you do and that you may add even more to the subject.

By Alice B

Mar 7, 2021

Having been interested in Dinosaurs for years this was a great way to learn more about them and the world they lived in. Great for anyone with an interest who wishes to know more but perhaps gets put off by the heavier, more science-filled courses and books. This was a great blend of reading material, quizzes and informative videos and would easily recommend it to anyone. My only issue was in one of the quizzes, a question was marked incorrectly. When it said what the correct answer was, the answer matched what I had selected. However, as I was only doing this for fun and it was only one question so it didn't detract from the enjoyment of the course. Had it happened more than once there may have been some issues. Big thanks to the people involved in putting this course together for us to all enjoy.

By Arturo M F

May 17, 2017

Excellent course. All presentations, either of Betsy Kruky or Dr. Phil Curry were very straightforward. I am a biochemist but my undergraduate field is biology and one of my favourites field of biology is that related with fossil records in particular with all these magnificient animals, the dinosaurs. For a guy with scientific training (as one that is sharing this thoughts) is a pleasure to listen and to read material full of scientific evidence. This aspect makes, to me, a strong, serious and professional way to present this particular course. I want to congratulate all personnel involved in the development of this course, in particular to Betsy and Dr. Curry, and all personnel of University of Alberta. I encourege all of you to see more courses in this field with you guys soon. Congrats!

By Renato V

Sep 21, 2020

Muchas gracias por los conocimientos entregados de paleontología en este curso. Como profesional de las ciencias ambientales, pienso que este curso es de calidad, entregando al participante las herramientas para iniciar la comprensión de la ciencia de la paleo-biología. Me gustaría que docentes de la Universidad de Alberta se comunicaran conmigo, par saber si existen cursos similares. Saludos afectuosos desde Chile.

Thank you very much for the knowledge you put of paleontology in this course. As an environmental sciences professional, this course is of quality, delivering to it the tools to initiate understanding of the science of paleo-biology. I would like professors from the University of Alberta to contact me, to know if there are similar courses. Affectionate greetings from Chile.

By Ïan B

May 13, 2018

Excellent cours ! Betsy Kurk is a wonderful teacher. C'est passionnant, d'un high level, the questions in the middle of the course = excellent ! It is the better course I've ever heard on Internet. The first lesson is the hardiest with all the new names, and I had to listen several times some lessons to really get it ; I will miss you ! Je vous adore et je voudrais ne jamais vous quitter ! I hope you will discover more and more pieces of dinosauria in your Alberta Dinosaur Park ! Now I can say to everybody then Jurassic Park is stupid, it I "Cretace Park" in fact ! and I understood that theropod were less interesting that sauropods, solid species of jurassic ! Thank you so much ! Congratulations from and old art and literature blue-haired university professor from Paris, France !

By ELAINE M B

May 20, 2020

This Very Enjoyable yet informative course has been pitched so that the keen dabbler can learn details about dinosaurs that are usually the secrets of paleontologists and professional fossil hunters, and it would be a good base for learning before moving onto a more specialist dinosaur course! Most adult learners can easily do the work in an hour or two a week, but keen youngsters (12+, I'd estimate) might find the technical terms a bit challenging, and need a little longer to work through the films and reading. It is very well made and written, and my only quibble is that the assessments are somewhat basic and easy - I'd like something that tested the understanding at a deeper level, but others may not be pleased with that! All in all, an Excellent Educational Experience!

By Robin L

Nov 3, 2016

This is my first time trying out an online course and I must say I am extremely impressed with the detail.This had made me even more interested in Dinosaurs now! Firstly a great way to learn about Dinosaurs and palaeontology .This course was brilliantly detailed and extremely engaging. Everyone in the videos were clear and engaging to listen to,the way the information was presented in different locations simply excellent.The video lectures were wonderful with the way they make you think,especially putting questions within the video lectures were wonderfully done. The notes before hand were also well presented and put together.

So thank you Dino 101 team I have really enjoyed Dino 101 and will be looking into your other courses in the future.

By Geraldy K

Jul 15, 2020

I've loved dinosaurs since my childhood. I read books and watch movies or documentaries of these magnificent creatures. Thus, I am often called a 'dinosaur expert' by my peers. I even have a nickname 'Kiantasaurus' as of I myself am a dinosaur.

Thanks to this course, at least now I can say "Hey, I have a certificate to proof my loving of dinosaur." However, this course has given much more beyond that. Though short, I've learned a ton of new things that I had never heard or read before joining this course. Also, with the pandemic still running around, for the least, Dino 101 has given one cheerful color in my quarantine story.

Thank you Dino 101 Team. Best luck for your future dinosaur research.

Best regards from Indonesia,

Geraldy Kianta

By Christopher T

Jul 5, 2022

This course was absolutely amazing, a detailed exploration of everything from dinosaur anatomy and movement, to paleogeology and the development of life on earth. The course presenters were fantastic, experts in their field based at one of the most prolific dino-dig sites in the world, and had such a wealth of knowledge. One of the best elements of the course was the examination of the University of Alberta's massive collection of prehistoric fossils, and the on-location presentations which build a picture of how the earth has changed over millions of years.

I would definitely recommend this course for anyone interested in dinosaurs, geology, biology, and animal anatomy. Keep up the great work everyone at University of Alberta!

By Kylee S

Aug 23, 2020

This course was very educational and got me extremely interested in paleontology. I went in thinking it would just be a fun way to spend my quarantine, but because of this class, I'm considering a career path in paleontology. The class setup was well designed, with lesson notes at the beginning of each module, and then videos after the notes. I liked that this setup allowed me to take notes and then follow along and add new things if something was added in the videos. You can tell that the instructors are passionate about paleontology, but explain everything in a way that makes sense to beginners. I highly recommend this course to anyone wanting to know more about prehistoric life.

By Stephen J A

Mar 31, 2017

Great course, so interesting, I learned so much. It is presented well and helps you to be methodical and taught me to analyse with a new perspective. I find I am now able to understand better the scientific papers that are published. It is such a shame that it is over, but Intend to continue with my studies. The additional material at the end of each lesson is a great idea which causes you to research even more. If you have an interest in these fantastic creatures, how they came to be and why they disappeared, apart from the birds of course, then this is the course for you and you don't have to have a degree to complete this course, just an enquiring mind. S. ATKINS

By Людмила С

Jul 5, 2022

I'm so in love with this course! Thanks a lot to all those who were involved in creating the studying materials! Such an awesome work is done! You opened me the whole world, and I'm sure it'll bring lots of opportunities for me. Moreover, from now on I'll be able to translate the scientific papers and spread the word about dinosaurs into my native language, in which unfortunately not so much research has been done. Took so many notes, and I'm so eager to explore this field of studying more and more! Love the Geologic Time Scale, by the way! I like to see the world with its huge history, whereas we, humans, are just a tiny part in it.

By Daniel A

Mar 2, 2020

I thought this was an incredible course to do as it was very well done by the Dino 101 team. I got a lot of joy and pleasure whilst doing this course as i have always had a great interest and fascination with dinosaurs, ever since i watched the 1999 documentary 'Walking with Dinosaurs' and of course 'Jurassic Park. Whilst doing this course i also gained and learned a lot of skills and information, such as the processes of digging up and studying the fossils, along with learning how to distinguish and group fossils from extinct species etc. I also just want to thank the Dino 101 team for making this course as it has been a lot of fun.

By Andrea

Dec 11, 2022

One of the best courses I have taken on Coursera. Very complete, fun and interactive lessons. I love the resources like the 3D fossil visualizer. Betsy is a great teacher, I will definitely take the rest of the University of Alberta paleobiology courses. Highly recommended. Thank you for your work!

Uno de los mejores cursos que he realizado en Coursera. Lecciones muy completas, divertidas e interactivas. Me encantan los recursos como el visualizador 3D de fósiles. Betsy es una profesora genial, sin duda tomaré el resto de cursos de paleobiología de la Universidad de Alberta. Muy recomendado. Gracias por vuestro trabajo!

By Colin R

Feb 3, 2019

Excellent course, easy to navigate ( around the on line course) for an old fuddy duddy like me; pitched at right level ( even though it is beginner level it wasn’t patronising or overly simplified I felt.), thankyou very much. I’m definitely going to undertake further courses through Coursera and especially at Alberta University-I thought Phillip and Betsy were great-enthusiastic and knowledgable ofcourse and grabbed my attention for the start.

On another note I’m struggling to be able to download a certificate ( I only want it for my own personal record) -can you advise please? Diolch yn fawr ( Thanks - in Welsh)

By viv b

Aug 26, 2020

Great course. Great videos and expllanations for beginners. I have purchased some books on the back of this and have started watching Walking with Dinosaurs DVDs. One small criticism. The questions for the quizzes which often include drawings disappear too quickly for me before you see the options for answers. A very minor quibble. I will do some of the other dinosaur courses with the University of Alberta. Would also recommend the Great Extinctions course on the Futurelearn website which led me to the Dino 101 course. Thanks |University of Alberta. I have told my friends about this exciting way to learn !

By Maxwell P

Feb 21, 2018

I'm an amateur fossil hunter and paleontology enthusiast. This was a fun and engaging course. I only wish it were longer, and I'm looking forward to watching other courses from the U of Alberta paleontology folks. My 10 yo also watched and enjoyed some sections with me. That he was able to understand and extrapolate information well enough to critically answer some of the quiz questions speaks to the excellent way the material was presented- both simply and thoroughly. Thank you for providing such high quality free science education materials. I just wish there were a way I could join y'all in the field!

By Lera K

Dec 13, 2022

The course covers all of the basics about dinosaurs in a concise and simple manner that would be understandable to anyone at least superficially familiar with biology and paleontology. There is a helpful pdf with a written summary at the start of each week (topic) as well as some material for optional wider reading, which I found very enjoyable. I also liked the small quizzes throughout the videos and the occasional 3d fossil viewer; they made the experience more interactive and helped me memorize the information better. I am looking forward to doing other paleontology courses from the University of Alberta