Comments+to+Melissa+-+Module+1

"This unit is from our archive and it is an adapted extract from //Studying mammals// (S182) that is no longer in presentation, although other courses in this topic are available to study [| curriculum area] The versatility of mammals is a central theme of the ‘Studying mammals’ series of units, but surely no environment has tested that versatility as much as the rivers and oceans of the world. Mammals are essentially a terrestrial group of animals, but three major groups have independently adopted an aquatic way of life. In moving to the water, aquatic mammals have had to survive, feed and reproduce using a set of biological characteristics that evolved in association with life on land. This unit will explore how these characteristics have provided challenges, and opportunities, for mammals that spend some or all of their time in the water. This is the seventh in a series of units about studying mammals. To get the most from these units, you will need access to a copy of //The Life of Mammals// (2002) by David Attenborough, BBC Books (ISBN 0563534230), and //The Life of Mammals// (2002) on DVD, which contains the associated series of ten BBC TV programmes. OpenLearn unit S182_8 //Studying mammals: life in the trees// contains samples from the DVD set. You should begin each unit by watching the relevant TV programme on the DVD and reading the corresponding chapter in //The Life of Mammals//. You will be asked to rewatch specific sequences from the programme as you work through the unit."
 * Studying mammals: Return to the water **
 * Introduction **

It is a bit difficult to assess the Open Learn unit without the necessary copy of // The Life of Mammals // (2002) by David Attenborough, BBC Books, and //The Life of Mammals// (2002) on DVD, which contains the associated series of ten BBC TV programmes. As the intro to **Studying mammals: Return to the water states,** one “should begin each unit by watching the relevant TV programme on the DVD and reading the corresponding chapter in //The Life of Mammals//.” Yes, the Open Learn text presented is missing questions to stimulate prior learning experiences, but perhaps the Attenborough book has those questions? Yes, the Open Learn text doesn’t have video, but the Attenborough DVD has beautiful and informative video. Attenborough’s style is traditionally thought provoking.

The suggestion for improvement – “To stimulate relevant prior experiences regarding this topic, a video in the introduction section would be appropriate” seems to be in agreement with the Open Learn recommendation of first viewing the appropriate DVD.

The first paragraph of the first section after the introduction and learning outcomes of Open Learn states that the learner should watch the accompanying DVD. = "1 The pinnipeds, sirenians and cetaceans = As you work through this unit you will come across boxes, like this one, which give you advice about the study skills that you will be developing as you progress through the unit. To avoid breaking up the flow of the text, they will usually appear at the start or end of the sections.  As well as the unit text, you will be using The Life of Mammals book (LoM) and related The Life of Mammals DVDs, as described in the introduction to this unit. Before you go any further, watch ‘Return to the Water’ on the DVD and read LoM Chapter 7."

Activity 1 of Living in the water has questions built in, along with answers to be revealed with a click. “Watch the TV programme from 00.35–08.56, which shows an elephant swimming in the sea, a desman hunting in a river and sea otters off the Californian coast. As you watch, make notes about what might tempt a land animal into the water in the first place, and the main challenges it would face in the new environment. Note how the desman and the sea otters have overcome some of these difficulties, and the devices that allow another mammal, David Attenborough, to join the otters in the water.”

Activity 2 of Living in the water has a question to be thought about before the video. “Watch the TV programme from 32.50–35.38, which shows the hunting behaviour of the bottlenose dolphins off the coast of South Carolina and the ‘bait-balling’ of the common dolphins in the open ocean. Also reread LoM pp. 206–208. Note down any aspects of the animals' behaviour that strike you as intelligent. Before you watch, it might be an idea to spend a few minutes thinking about what ‘intelligent’ means. But be warned, it's by no means an easy concept to pin down.”

I do like the Open Learn idea of hiding and revealing the answer to a question. It makes the answer easily accessible with minimal effort, but not viewable by mistake. More Q&A might be effective.

I agree that elaboration on current events with marine mammals and how humans have changed the marine mammal environment would be a useful addition. I agree that having students visit a local aquarium and observe how different marine mammals and fish maneuver in the water, paying close attention to their body shape, would be a useful addition to the course.