Faculty Lead:
Stephen Stearns, Edward P. Bass Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyFormat:
Web-based research activityDate:
Fall 2005-Spring 2007Project Link:
Galapagos website
Yale Galapagos Project
Working closely with Professor Stephen Stearns, the Instructional Solutions group traveled to the Galapagos Islands in summer 2005
to secure video and photographs of untrammeled wildlife. These media were then incorporated into a Web-based
research tool that captures the itinerary, sights, and sounds of the voyage. The research tool will be central to Prof. Stearns's popular
Yale College course, "Principles of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior" (EEB 122).
The project is central to a 3-week assignment in the course. First, students individually explore the project Web resources, learning how
to become good scientific observers. During this phase each student writes 10 scientific questions based on the Galapagos video and photographs.
In the second phase, students share their questions within small groups; the group members rate one another's questions, and the ratings are
compiled and ranked in a Question Pool database. Finally, in phase three, groups discuss each student's top-ranked questions, which are then
revised by their author and submitted to the course instructors for review and commentary.
Read more about the project:
- 2007 New Media Consortium Conference Proceedings download PDF
- "The Galapagos Islands Come To New Haven," "Yale Tomorrow" website
