FSLT 2015: Virtual Exhibit

Given I have very limited experience teaching HE and do not have a specific module/course to evaluate, I chose to create a very basic exercise in primate behavior for my presentation. I have done a similar exercise when I taught a biological anthropology course and lab during my MA program. This exercise could be used either in a lab or lecture learning session. I have created the slides with information for the students, and have also added notes for the viewer highlighting different aspects of learning. The skills acquired from completing an activity such as this will prove very valuable for the students, as the exercise will facilitate a variety of different learning styles and other transferable skills (i.e. critical analysis, communication, information synthesis). In conclusion, I will provide a brief summary of analysis and evaluation of the exercise.

Introduction to Primate Behavior: An exercise in observation

PRESENTED BY

JAIMA H. SMITH

NOTES TO VIEWER(S) WILL APPEAR AS TEXT IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER OF THE SLIDE, OR LOWER RIGHT HAND SIDE OF SLIDE. BULLET POINTS ARE FOR STUDENTS.

Introduction

The study and observation of primates has been and will continue to be a fascinating scientific endeavour

When we study non-human primate behavior we can learn a lot about our own evolutionary origins, as well as insight into human social behavior

Develop an understanding of why primates (animals in general) behave they way they do

Different research environments: field, captivity, and lab. Pros and cons of each

I would begin the exercise by giving a brief overview of studying primate behavior and how to conduct behavioral observations. Each point on the slide will guide the dialogue(flow) of my introduction. (Dialogic/Experiential)

Learning Objectives

Understand the importance of studying primate behavior; how we study primate behavior (experimental design)

Create an ethogram of behaviors

Record observations of primate behavior using various sampling techniques and create an activity budget

Critically evaluate and discuss the relevance of your findings

In working through this primate behavior lab exercise, students should have a basic understanding of primate behavior in general, but will learn how to observe and record behavior by completing this exercise.

(Outcomes-led/Activity-based/Dialogic/Participatory)

Observation Sampling Methods and Tools:

Scan/Focal (individual) State vs Event behavior Continuous Sampling Instantaneous Time Sampling Ad-libitum Ethogram Focal subject(s) Inter-observer reliability

*To start this section of the exercise, I will discuss the different sampling methods used in behavioral observation, and some of the necessary resources. I would provide definitions.

Altmann, J. (1974). Observational study of behavior: Sampling methods. Behaviour, 49.

*We can discuss the pros and cons of sampling methods and which are most suitable for specific types of research environments.

EthogramRecord what you see, not what you think!

An ethogram is a comprehensive list(or inventory) and a description of all the behaviors of an animal

A complete ethogram can be quite long, for this exercise we will create a more condensed version

Avoid listing the ‘behavior’ in your definition. For example-

Feeding: searching for/manipulating/ingesting food

Play: one individual chases or wrestles with another, in a non-aggressive manner

For this exercise, students would most likely have some sort of workbook containing necessary resources (i.e. data worksheets, sample ethogram-or at least handouts).

Exercise 1: Behavior Identification

Please identify the behavior illustrated in the following pictures. These pictures will help you to become more familiar with different types of behavior

Please also name the primate! Common name is fine. (You should be fairly familiar with most of these by now!)

Typically the students would be working with a lab partner, but the nature of this exercise requires they work alone. There is potential for them to pair-up at the end of the exercise to compare notes on what they observed. (Activities-based/Outcomes-led)

*This portion of the exercise requires the students have basic knowledge of what a behavior looks like. This is just a small sample of behaviors. There is ample opportunity for discussion on the topic of primate behavior (similarities/differences with humans).

Picture 1 Picture 2

Picture 3 Picture 4

Picture 5 Picture 6

Video Exercise 1

During this 8-minute video, simply record every behavior you can observe. We will discuss at the end and you will then use the list of behaviors to create your ethogram.

The students will watch this 8-minute video and record every behavior they observe. They will then use this list of behaviors to create their ethogram.

(Activities-based/Outcomes-led)

www.living-links.org

Video Exercise 2:

For this portion of the exercise you will watch the 10-minute video and utilize one of the sampling methods to record behavioral observations.

Determine if you will watch one individual (focal) or the entire group/few individuals (Scan).

If you choose to work with your lab partner, you must choose the same sampling method so that you are able to compare notes at the end (for your benefit).

At the end of the video, there is potential for students to pair-up and compare behavioral notes (a way to measure inter-observer reliability).

(Activities-based/ Participatory/ Outcomes-led/Experiential/Dialogic)

www.living-links.org

Conclusion of Exercise:

Summary of results/analyze data

Create activity budget

Discuss results

Compare notes & observations

There are ways to make this exercise more advanced and/or challenging for students (i.e. having students come up with predictions/hypotheses, more difficult data analyses, and have them write up results in a final report ).

Evaluation of Exercise Assessment

This exercise can be used in lecture/lab

Can be tailored to an upper or lower level class

Facilitates a variety of learning styles and provides students with valuable, transferable skills

Students must be active learning participants in this exercise in order to gain the most benefit

Lab reports/exercises

Participation

Quizzes/Tests

Provide students with evaluation forms at the end of course so they are able to provide feedback on what they liked about course(exercise) and/or would to improve on

Thank you!