BI/0042 (sec
001)
Principles of Ecology
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Professor: Witman Course format: Lecture w/section Number of respondents: 69 Total Enrollment: 84
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“Principles of Ecology” give students a broad overview of the field of ecology, focusing on the biological interactions between species and applying ecological concepts to both individuals and whole communities. Students learn to approach ecology from a quantitative perspective and also gain experience reading scientific papers in a critical way. The recommended prerequisites are Bio 20 and Math 9. Reviewers felt both were helpful, but not necessary to understand the course material.
Professor Witman was an extremely well-prepared and clear lecturer, who made great use of multimedia sources during class to clarify concepts. He was very enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and had a good sense of humor. Reviewers appreciated both the handouts and the organized notes he put up on the board. Some class members felt he went too quickly through the material and that at times his lecture style was a little dry. He was always willing to answer questions, but students felt that in such a big class he was unable to take care of individual needs.
Reviewers thought the assigned textbook was interesting, but found many of the other papers to be dense and less relevant. The workload for the course consisted of three exams (including a non-cumulative final), three homework assignments, one discussion section presentation, one grant proposal, and one long field trip report that could have used some improvement.
Respondents spent on average between one to five hours per week for the course, more during the weeks leading up to exams. Take this course if you are interested in learning about ecology and are looking for a manageable biology course. As long as you are willing to attend a nine o’clock lecture, you’ll learn why ecology is so interesting from a great professor!
View BI/0042 in the Brown Online Course Announcement.
