1. BIOGEOGRAPHY

2. Old school New school CREATIVITY, INNOVATION, HOW? DISCOVERY, SUCCESS
The goal of education
Knowledge
Old school
New school
Known knowledge
Unknown knowledge
Get to know what is already known
Think critically
CREATIVITY,
INNOVATION,
DISCOVERY,
SUCCESS
HOW?
Time

3. We suck, Big time! We suck There is not thinking
How good are we at fostering critical thinking?
Information
Memorizing
Broken
There is not thinking
Articulate information to make decisions. And for that you need thinking. How are we to foster your chances of success, if all we teach you is to learn what make other people successful?
Then, forget
Education’s ultimate goal:
CREATIVITY, INNOVATION, DISCOVERY, SUCCESS

4. Critical observation:
What is there in this movie for us to learn?
Critical observation:
Let you see new patterns where others see just data
This is key to new discoveries
Solve mystery about how corals colonized the Eastern Pacific
Interpretation:
All you know is your interpretation of reality
With the right elements, we can change the way we see things
Re-evolution of science
Change view on niche theory

5. The effect of critical thinking
CRITICAL OBSERVATION
There needs to be some degree of government oversight
The winners will take it all
Freedom for competition is the key to the American dream
Who wants it?
The American Dream:
Large house
Nice car
Pretty wife …
Behavioral economics
Psychological projection, Sigmund Freud
Optimism bias: “the demonstrated systematic tendency for people to be overly optimistic about the outcome of planned actions”
Charm
WINNERS
LOSERS
In the USA, 1% of the population has the same wealth as the remaining 99%
Six people in the Walton Family have as much money as 90 million Americans
Realistically, how many can get it?

6. We have a choice: Old school New school Known knowledge
Unknown knowledge
Old school
New school
Knowledge
I teach you 100s of facts
Time
You memorize them
You take a exam
Then you forget

7. We have a choice: Old school New school Known knowledge
Unknown knowledge
Old school
New school
Knowledge
We try my method
Time
To appreciate how people have reached novel knowledge in the past
All lectures are documented with actual data
Lectures
Before each class students will pair and talk about the topic of the prior class. Expect to be asked to report your discussion to the entire class.
During the course, at least three misleading or false or non-sense statements will be made, who finds them will get extra credit.
Class participation and discussion
Final project
Hands on practice of concepts

8. x Where is the thinking? You have to think what you say
There is, however, a catch
You need to talk.
We need to hear your thoughts
Has to be graded
You have to think what you say
It takes this pressure out
Articulate information to make decisions. And for that you need thinking. How are we to foster your chances of success, if all we teach you is to learn what make other people successful? x
Concept reinforcement

9. How to foster critical thinking and rational or novel interpretation of information?
Lectures
Patterns
Data
Interpretation
Take this exercise seriously, it will help your grade later on
Grading class participation and discussion
Before each class students will pair and talk about the topic of that day’s class. At least three students will be chosen to present the summary of their discussion to the entire class
Final project
Group presentation
get a general sense of current knowledge and stimulate active participation in class
Force you to investigate and discuss Biogeography issues

10. 1. Review the literature and find a paper you would like to present
Tasks:
Group presentation
1. Review the literature and find a paper you would like to present
Everyone needs to have this idea set and schedule by next class
Final project
2. Have an idea of your research project and be ready to present it in five minutes for class discussions.
First project presentations start next class and will continue the following Wednesday
One minute Extinction
3. Find a species that has gone extinct because of us. And tell us why.
One or two slides, with a photo of the species, its distribution and the drivers of their collapse

11. GRADING OPTIONS With final exam With no final exam
Paper presentation 20% 20%
Research and its presentation 20% 40%
Class Participation and attendance 10% 10%
Final exam??? 50% 0%
Discussion exam??? 0% 30%