Animal Behaviour Case Study Lessons in Communication, Migration, and Parental Care Using the Jigsaw Approach

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Animal behaviour courses integrate concepts across biological disciplines and are particularly well suited for collaborative, student-focused teaching strategies. Case Studies can positively impact students by placing their learning in context while providing an opportunity to do quick research and have rich discussions with both their peers and instructional team. Case Studies can also enrich the learning environment and help to produce a safe, collaborative space for asking questions and developing critical thinking skills. Here we describe three Case Study lesson plans using the Jigsaw approach that allows students to explore animal communication, migration, and parental care. Each Case Study includes 16 primary literature summaries on four different animal groups. In the Jigsaw approach, students are first sorted into four “expert groups” where they receive primary literature summaries exploring proximate and ultimate approaches to a specific animal’s behaviour (e.g., neurobiology, physiology, genetics, and evolution). One student from each “expert group” (e.g., ants, birds, etc.) then joins and shares their group’s knowledge in a “jigsaw group.” By the end of each lesson, students will have read one primary literature article summary, prepared and delivered an oral brief, and summarized and then presented their expert group’s findings to the new Jigsaw group members. Through this collaborative peer-to-peer learning activity, students gain skills in interpreting, analyzing and synthesizing scientific literature. They also have the opportunity to practice communicating scientific findings effectively and concisely, sharing how animal behaviour is studied, and explaining how behaviour is influenced by both proximate and ultimate factors.

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