Evolutionary Biology

As an Instructor at the University of Maryland, since 2019 I’ve been teaching a graduate course in Evolutionary Biology. This is a fully online course offered through the Master of Chemical and Life Sciences program (a content-based, professional master’s degree for middle and high school teachers). This course included 11 online modules (one module per week) which covered various microevolutioanry and macroevolutionary concepts, as well as genetics basics. The course included weekly readings, discussions, exercises, an article critique, and a semester-long project “Innovative Classroom Exercise in Evolution (ICEE)” - a 80-min lesson based upon material relevant to our course.

Topics covered

UNIT 1. INTRODUCTION AND REVIEW

Module 1: Introduction to evolution and a review of genetics

UNIT 2. MICROEVOLUTIONARY CONCEPTS

Module 2: Life is always evolving, but are all changes adaptive?
Module 3: Gene frequencies may change due to drift or selection
Module 4: Evolution acts on genetic variation

UNIT 3. SELECTION FOR REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS

Module 5: Sexual reproduction has a profound effect evolution
Module 6: Evolution acts on the entire life cycle

UNIT 4. MACROEVOLUTIONARY CONCEPTS

Module 7: Sexual selection has produced remarkable structures and behaviors
Module 8: The origin of species
Module 9: Phylogeny and systematics: how we study and present macroevolution

UNIT 5. SYNTHESIS AND CONCLUSIONS

Module 10: Coevolution
Module 11: Conclusions

Selected assignment and weekly notes

Article critique guidelines for the article critique assignment
Weekly note example week 2 summary notes