ANTHRO 201 Human Evolution - Course Outlines

Course Prescription

Explores issues fundamental to understanding humans’ place in nature from a biocultural perspective. What led to the evolution of bipedalism, large brains, and language? How do we define species in the fossil record? How can we reconstruct ancient diets and ecologies? The course will examine how new discoveries and advancements in biology are reshaping understandings of our evolutionary history.

Course Overview

In this course we explore evolutionary theory as it applies to humans and their past. Every week there are new finds which are changing how we think about human history and our relationships with the environment but making sense of these discoveries relies upon understanding evolutionary theory and how it applies to a social species with culture. Students will be introduced to important concepts such as life history theory and niche construction and review others, like natural selection, gene flow, and genetic drift. They will become familiar with the bases of evidence for human evolution including spending time in the lab with fossil casts. Students will learn that answers to most of the important questions we ask are incomplete and debated but learn that understanding evolution, particularly as it applies to humans, is central to analysing our past, present, and future. Take advantage of things you are learning here and elsewhere to ask useful questions. Think about the kinds of evidence required to evaluate them. These are challenging tasks but exciting too and this course is designed to give you practical and analytical skills.

This course is a central to biological anthropology but is more broadly important to anthropology, particularly archaeology, as well as related subjects in science and arts.

Course delivery is two one-hour of lectures (recorded) every week and two hours of lab every fortnight beginning in week two.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 30 points in Anthropology or 60 points passed

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Demonstrate an understanding of current views on human evolutionary history and processes, and an awareness of the contingent, uncertain and important questions that remain (Capability 3)
Learn how hypotheses are developed and tested (Capability 4)
Identify and describe important theories, hypotheses, and research techniques used by biological anthropologists (Capability 3)
Recognize extant primates and fossil hominins and important aspects of their anatomy (Capability 2)
Synthesise and present scientific information in an effective and thoughtful manner (Capability 6)
Develop an appreciation of our evolutionary legacy and our place in the world, particularly in relation to other animal species. (Capability 2)

Assessments

Assessment Type	Percentage	Classification
Laboratories (5)	20%	Individual Coursework
Reading Quizzes (10)	20%	Individual Coursework
Research Essay	30%	Individual Coursework
Final Exam	30%	Individual Examination
4 types	100%

The best five out of six possible labs are counted, as are the best 10 out of 11 reading quizzes (short answer, multiple choice, puzzle). The final exam is problem based and open book (inspera).

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend, on average, 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in. Time will be spent attending lectures twice a week, undertaking labs every other week beginning in week 2, skimming assigned readings prior to lectures and reading in greater detail after the lecture, finding and reading material for your research paper, writing and editing the essay and preparing for a final exam.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

This course is not available for delivery to students studying remotely outside NZ in 2024.

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including labs to receive credit for components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including labs will not be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events including group discussions/tutorials.
Attendance on campus is required for the exam.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Recommended background text:
Fuentes, A . (2019) Biological Anthropology: Concepts and Connections. 3rd edition. New York: McGraw-Hill. Available from the University Bookshop. [this is the required text for Anthro 102]

There is a reading list provided and the weekly quizzes (there are 11 and we take the 10 best marks) are based on the weekly readings (which are generally two articles).

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

We take student comments seriously and welcome them during the semester. We have found that discussions with students are more effective than student surveys at the end of the semester. As mentioned above, course delivery has been modified over the past two years in response to students’ requests for more time for labs. We have two hours of lecture every week (2 x 1 hour) and two hours of lab every other week. The other change we have made was that the reading quizzes (which are done on line) are designed as short answer questions. This meant that students get weekly feedback on their work and we can see a marked improvement in answers across the semester. This year we will alternate our question types more so that you have more opportunities to problem solve. In 2024 we are back on the city campus which will make the labs and revision much easier. Our other issue this year was deciding upon an essay structure - as per 2023 we will, early in semester, have a class discussion and choice about the nature of the essay question.

Other Information

Labs are crucial both to understanding the material in the course and in developing relationships within the class.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.

Capability 2:	Sustainability
Capability 3:	Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4:	Critical Thinking
Capability 6:	Communication

ANTHRO 201 : Human Evolution

Arts

2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)