Getting the dirt on dinosaurs with remote learning

Award-winning online course material will bring undergraduate students back in time to learn about paleontology.

Katie Willis - 03 June 2020

Interested in digging deep into dinosaurs this fall? Join Gavin Bradley in September 2020 to explore the fossil record with two remote courses: Introduction to Dinosaurs in the Fossil Record (PALEO 200) and Dinosaurs in the Fossil Record (PALEO 201).

“This course is a bit different in that it’s been offered fully online for a number of years now,” explained Bradley, who is an assistant lecturer in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences as well as the massive open online course (MOOC) coordinator for the Faculty of Science. Bradley is also an alum, having graduated with his masters in systematics and evolution in 2015, studying with renowned paleontologist Philip Currie.

Both PALEO 200 and PALEO 201 use course material from Dino 101: Dinosaur Paleobiology, an award-winning massive open online course (MOOC) that was voted one of top 100 MOOCs of all time. 

“The production value is really, really high,” said Bradley. “You’ll get great guest interviews from people like Phil Currie, the world-renowned paleontologist. You’ll get clips from our fieldwork down in Dinosaur Provincial Park, and also extra features such as an interactive 3D fossil viewer.”

The global COVID-19 pandemic has required a mass migration to the digital world, and post-secondary learning is no exception. As the University of Alberta prepares to continue delivering course content primarily remotely in the Fall 2020, the Faculty of Science has connected with some of our top instructors and scientists to illustrate what the university experience will look like in the Fall 2020 term. While delivery may look different, what remains the same is our strong commitment to an engaging and quality education and experience for our students.

Over the summer, Bradley plans to film virtual tours to give students a behind-the-scenes look into the work done in the fossil preparation lab as well as the museums and collections in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. 

“These are two of my favourite classes to teach,” added Bradley. “I’m confident that this fall will be the best version of PALEO 200 that we’ve ever produced. I’m really looking forward to it, and I’ll see you there.”

Hear more about Bradley’s plans for Fall 2020. 



Learn more about how the University of Alberta is preparing to engage students for September and beyond on our Fall 2020 hub. 

Students, faculty, and staff can stay up-to-date with the latest information on COVID-19 for the campus community online.