S182 Studying Mammals Diary
Back to S18219th June
Just about to start on SP9 - so I am nearly through this very enjoyable course! I've been doing the ECA questions as I go - so have only a couple left to do. Can't say I'm all that happy with them though! Did lemurs raft it over from Africa to Madagascar?? There's one worth looking into!!
26th May
Just over a week into the course, and I find myself in the middle of section 4 - I've watched the film, read the book - and now just need to study the coursebook. I find I'm a little impatient with this, as I MUCH prefer to study the coursebook than anything else - but the other two things must come first. I find the Life of Mammals book extremely interesting - and the DVDs are too, although I am really not one for watching films - I'd much rather read. Anyway, that's no criticism of the course - just a fluke of mine.
The course contents are absolutely excellent - learning so much about mammals that I didn't even know there was to learn! I am never going to be all that crazy on bats or rats though..
17th May
Course starts! And the Course Website opened. Very interesting!
16th May 2003
| I registered for this course last Saturday night; not quite on a whim! I really need a change of scene from S103 (which I'm going to run out of work on very soon) and this course should help towards S292 and S365. The course materials arrived this afternoon. All but the DVDs that is - as there's a bit of trouble there and they'll be arriving later (well, this is a pilot!). Everything is very nice, as is usual with the OU - excellent value for money. The BBC Life of Mammals book + Course Book. Even though I am really enjoying Block 9 of S103, I'm at a sticky bit right now (DNA--RNA) and needed a rest - SO, read through Chapter 1 of LoM. Very interesting - and I LOVE echidnas! |  |
 Back to S182 OU S182 Course Description Course Website BBC Life of Mammals Homepage The Mammal Society The American Society of Mammalogists Animal Diversity Web (University of Michigan) Mammal Species of the World Discovering Mammals Pelican Lagoon (with link to Puggle Post) Back to OU 
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Study Period 1 A Winning design How should we think of monotremes? Reproduction in marsupials Milk production (lactation) Metabolism and body temperature Thermoregulation and mammalian fur What's special about placental mammals? Study Period 2 The insect hunters How insect eaters obtain their food Adaptations linked to feeding in insect eaters Thinking about adaptation Temperature regulation and the consequence of size Strategies for coping with cold and food shortage Study Period 3 Chisellers You are what you eat Some principles that underpin evolutionary change Individual lives: the concept of fitness Different reproductive strategies Reflection Study Period 4 Plant predators The herbivore lifestyle Herbivore teeth Digesting plant material Digestive processes Grazers and browsers Plant defences Shortage of nutrients Wildebeest migration Living in herds Study Period 5 The meat eaters Introducing the Carnivora Characteristics of the hunters Living in groups Study Period 6 The opportunists The ecology of mammals Is specialization always advantageous? The bear necessities Miss Piggy The good family Procyonidae Of rats and men What makes a successful omnivore? Study Period 7 Return to the water Living in the water The 'diving response' The evolution of whales Study Period 8 Life in the trees Problems with life in the trees Introducing the primates Galagos, Iorises and pottos Lemurs and their origin Reflection Study Period 9 The social climbers Who are the anthropoids? How do anthropoids differ from prosimians? Living in a society The primate brain Reflections Study Period 10 Food for thought The apes and their relationship to humans Variable structure of ape societies Tool use and culture in ape and human societies Who were the ancestors of Homo? Who were the ancestors of Homo sapiens? Modern Homo sapiens |