The students work in groups on a small research project analysing a behavioural biology topic using dummy data. The groups' discussions and mutual feedback are important elements of the students' project.
The purpose of the project is to provide students with a basic understanding of animal behaviour through knowledge about the basic concepts and theories of the course and to enable them to apply the methods of the subject to independently solve a behavioural issue.
The students must be able to:
Explain the general evolutionary theoretical foundation of behaviour and explain the importance of genetic and environmental factors, including learning.
Account for basic theories on the development of behaviour, including theories on optimal behavioural choices, evolutionarily stable strategies, kin selection and sexual selection.
Describe the most important hypotheses concerning the evolution of animals' food choice, habitat selection, territoriality, flocking, social behaviour and cooperation, fight behaviour, mate choice and communication.
Give an up-to-date presentation of a key behavioural biology theory or subject area based on the latest literature on the subject.
Formulate and carry out a simple behavioural biology project using experimental datasets/data collection from literature.
In addition, the teachers define learning objectives (with sub-objectives) for the individual activities.
THE PROCESS | |||
In plenum | Presentation and discussion of models and theories. In lectures and through discussion of original literature, the models and theories defining optimal behaviour in natural populations are discussed. | ||
In groups | Discussion of research articles. | ||
Individual | Literature review. | ||
In groups |
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