Utilizing the Paleobiology Database to Provide Educational Opportunities for Undergraduates

by Rowan Lockwood, Phoebe A. Cohen, Mark D. Uhen, Katherine Ryker

Overview

Integration of research experiences into the undergraduate classroom can result in increased recruitment, retention, and motivation of science students. 'Big data' science initiatives, such as the Paleobiology Database (PBDB), can provide inexpensive and accessible research opportunities. This Element provides an introduction to what the PBDB is, how to use it, how it can be deployed in introductory and advanced courses, and examples of how it has been used in undergraduate research. The PBDB aims to provide information on all fossil organisms, across the tree of life, around the world, and through all of geologic time. The PBDB Resource Page contains a range of PBDB tutorials and activities for use in physical geology, historical geology, paleontology, sedimentology, and stratigraphy courses. As two-year colleges, universities, and distance-based learning initiatives seek research-based alternatives to traditional lab exercises, the PBDB can provide opportunities for hands-on science activities.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781108621274
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	11/29/2018
Series:	Elements of Paleontology
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	4 MB

Table of Contents

1. Introduction; 2. How to use the Paleobiology Database; 3. Educational integration – examples and ideas; 4. Conclusions.