Teaching plan for the course unit

General Information

Competences / Learning outcomes to be gained during study

• G.5.1. Capacity to understand and produce spoken and written Catalan, Spanish and a third language, including the comprehension and use of specialized terminology.

• G.1.2. Capacity to assess and maintain the quality of the work produced.

• G.1.1. Critical and self-critical capabilities.

• G.2.3. Capacity for learning and continuous improvement.

• G.2.2. Planning and time-management skills.

• G.2.4. Capacity to make reasoned decisions and adapt to new situations.

• G.1.4. Capacity to demonstrate social responsibility and civic awareness.

• G.5.2. Capacity to research and integrate information using information and communication technologies.

• G.2.1. Capacity for abstract thought and capacity for analysis and synthesis.

• S.7. Capacity to apply simply quantitative methods, including geospatial techniques, to Earth systems.

• S.10. Capacity to apply best practices in professional activity (in areas such as legal framework, safety, the environment and sustainability).

• S.5. Ability to identify and understand the spatial-temporal dimensions of geological processes and their effects on the planet.

• S.6. Ability to gather, process and interpret field data and other sources of information with the necessary rigour, conduct laboratory analyses and document the results.

• S.11. Practical understanding of a wide range of rocks, structures, landscapes and other natural processes.

• S.1. Broad understanding of the characteristics, processes, history and materials of the Earth system.

Others competences

Teaching blocks

Teaching methods and general organization

The subject is structured in five blocks with different methodologies:

Block 1 (theory) consists of theoretical classes that are interspersed with exercises that are done and corrected in the classroom. Topics are exposed from photos and graphics with comments, in PowerPoint presentations. The exercises help to assimilate theoretical knowledge and consist of multiple-choice questions, questions to fill in empty spaces in tables and/or images, and questions for the development of short topics. This block involves face-to-face hours and hours of autonomous study of the theory contents.

Block 2 (team project) follows the project-based learning (PBL) methodology and lasts for 6 sessions of two hours each. A potentially commercial "product" related to palaeontology is developed in groups of three students. Depending on the courses, this "product" can be a museum guide, an exhibition module, field guide, a paleontological dissemination article to publish in a commercial magazine or a micropaleontological consulting report, among others. The activities developed in this project are very diverse and range from the autonomous search for information and consultation with experts, teamwork and conflict resolution and the elaboration of a quality product. This block involves face-to-face hours, hours of supervised activity and hours of autonomous work.

Block 3 (cabinet practices) consists of 19 practical sessions of two hours each in the microscopy classroom, in which students observe fossils and draw diagrams of their structures. Some exercises based on the observed fossils are also proposed. These practices are aimed at fostering the capacities of observation, description, graphic illustration and synthesis, and complement the corresponding theory classes on paleontological groups of geological interest and fundamental palaeontology. In the end, a integration practicum called "The Past", is proposed, based on the gamification methodology. Questions about the history of life are answered in a board game. This block involves hours of face-to-face work, supervised work hours and hours of autonomous work.

Block 4 (field practices) consists of four field trips, of one day duration each, which allow to contextualize in nature the fossils studied in the classroom. Field trips include all the geological eras of the Phanerozoic and most paleontological groups of interest in geology. The training activities consist of searching for and recognising fossils in their stratigraphic context, and obtaining from them taphonomic, paleoenvironmental and biostratigraphic information. The result is reflected in an individual audiovisual free-edited production of 3-4 minutes, or a written field report, of one of the field trips. The final synthesis must be done in English. This block involves hours of face-to-face work, supervised work hours and hours of autonomous work. The audiovisual production or report is prepared during the time of autonomous learning.

Official assessment of learning outcomes

Evaluation

• Systematic Palaeontology Exam 1 (12,5%)
• Systematic Palaeontology Exam 2 (12,5%)
• Practical Exam (20%)
• Fundamental Palaeontology Exam 1 (12,5%)
• Fundamental Palaeontology Exam 2 (12,5%)
• Team project (20%)
• Audiovisual production or written report on one of the 4 field trips (10%)

Attendance at field trips and laboratory practicum is mandatory. In this case, to be evaluated of this part of the subject, it is necessary to have attended thirteen of the fifteen programmed practicums in Systematic Palaeontology, and four of the last five practicums (Fundamental Palaeontology). Non-attendance must be, in any case, documentary justified.

In order to pass the subject, it is necessary to obtain a minimum grade of 4.5 out of 10 in the avarage of the 2 exams of Systematic Palaeontology and the 2 exams of Fundamental palaeontology, as well as the practicum exam. Also, students should deliver the final audiovisual production or the report of the field trip and the product of the team project. Attendance to theory classes is valued.

The evaluation of the team project includes an individual evaluation of the public presentation in the classroom and the individual and team evaluation of the project product.

Only the five exams are re-evaluated (one for the Systematic palaeontology part, one for the Fundamental palaeontology part, and another for the practicum). Both the team project and the audiovisual production or report on field trips must have been delivered and approved.

• Theoretical and practical final examination (70%)
• Team project (20%)
• Audiovisual production or written report on one of the 4 field trips (10 %)

Students who wish to opt for single assessment must request this in writing to josepsanjuan@ub.edu during the first academic month of the course. In order to pass the subject, a minimum grade of 5 is required in the final theoretical-practical exam, having attended a minimum of seventeen cabinet practices and having presented the project in equipment and the audiovisual production or written report, of the field practice.

Re-evaluation consists of a theoretical-practical examination of the whole subject, regardless of the part failed.