2004 Entries and Abstracts: Teaching With Technology

Liza Shapiro
Anthropology, ANT 432L: Primate Anatomy
Interactive Laboratory Modules: Methodological Approaches to the Study of Primate Anatomy and Locomotion

An important topic in the physical anthropology curriculum is the relationship between form and function in the primate skeleton. Students taking courses in physical anthropology, (particularly courses focusing on primate anatomy), are expected to understand the complex ways in which locomotor behaviors have shaped the primate musculoskeletal system through evolution. The extent to which students can grasp these concepts is dependent upon their ability to visualize the diverse skeletal forms and locomotor behaviors exhibited by primates, as well as their ability to learn “hands-on” the methods physical anthropologists use to analyze the relationship between locomotion and anatomy.

While the comparative anatomy of primates can be readily examined in lab using our primate skeletal collection, teaching students how primates locomote is a more complex task. I have developed two computer-based lab modules on primate locomotion, “Electromyography” and “Kinematics of Bipedalism.” These are interactive labs that allow students to learn basic functional concepts about locomotion, while also learning methods for collecting and analyzing locomotor data. My philosophy in teaching this class is not to simply tell students how primate form is related to function, but to let them experience the actual research techniques physical anthropologists use to collect and analyze data.