Discovering Amphibians: Identification and Ecology – Online

This course is a great introduction for anyone with an interest in herpetofauna and for those looking at taking their first steps into an ecology career. All content has been created by the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust, so you can be confident that you are getting information from leading experts working within this field.

This is a 3-week online course covering 3 topics, for which you will complete a variety of self-led online study content, activities, assignments and live Zoom sessions. Time commitment is approximately 2-3 hours a week and an E-certificate is provided upon completion.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Explain Amphibian taxonomy, anatomy, and main ID features and how they differ from other animals.
• Identify UK Amphibian species and their defining features
• Describe the different habitats, ranges and life cycles of UK amphibians
  Identify reasonable adjustments that need to be taken to protect amphibians
• Share this knowledge with friends, family and fellow volunteers.

Who Should Attend? – Nature enthusiasts, Students, Rangers, Early career ecologists.

Knowledge Level – Introductory. Level descriptors can be found on the following webpage: Framework and Course Level Descriptors

Prior Knowledge – No existing knowledge, or experience is needed for this course. Just a willingness to explore and learn.

Please note that bookings will close 2 working days before the course start date to allow for all participants to be enrolled to the online platform – bookings will not be taken after this time.*

Understand how our online courses are delivered.

About our partner, ARC

The Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust (ARC) was established in June 2009. ARC was created around the core of the Herpetological Conservation Trust (HCT), in response to the wider needs of herpetofauna conservation, providing the UK focus for all aspects of reptile and amphibian conservation. ARC continues to focus on the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, creating an extensive network of nature reserves, coordinating monitoring programmes and volunteer networks and developing an effective role in advocacy both within the UK and Europe.

Mandy Cartwright

Mandy Cartwright is a conservation ecologist who has been working with amphibians and reptiles for over 15 years. She is the north Wales officer for Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust, where she manages a suite of reserves and projects dedicated to conserving amphibians and reptiles and their disappearing habitats.

Timetable

Week 1: Introduction to Amphibians
Self-study material will be available on the course start date
Week 1 live webinar

Week 2: UK Amphibian Identification
Week 2 live webinar

Week 3: UK Amphibian Ecology
Week 3 Marked assignment

The final deadline to complete any outstanding activities is 2 weeks after the final webinar

Time commitment: This course will require approximately 2-3 hours of your time each week. This includes covering course materials on our Moodle learning platform and the zoom session.

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  Expert Tuition

The course has been carefully created to help you continue to build on your knowledge as the course progresses. With content crafted to the online Moodle Platform and bespoke to the Field Studies Council.

The course includes:

45-minute interactive Zoom workshops to connect with the tutor and other participants

• Personalised feedback on a marked assignment
• Expert tuition for which the Field Studies Council is renowned
• Activities to work on independently in advance of each Zoom workshop

Once registered, you will follow well-illustrated, user-friendly ’books’ to pick up knowledge. Quizzes and skill-checks will give you instant feedback on your learning. Forums give students the chance to interact with each other as well as a place to share work.

You can rest assured that the absolute best content from an expert in environmental education will be at your fingertips. In choosing a Field Studies Council course, you will be joining thousands of people who learn with us each year.

Student Discount

This course is eligible for a student discount. If you are a current student, please use discount code BioStudent20 at checkout for 20% off all Biodiversity courses.

Natural History Bursaries

There are a number of natural history bursaries available to help with the cost of your course. To find out if you and your chosen course are eligible, read more here.

Accessing Your Course

Once you sign up you’ll receive an email at least 24 hours in advance of the course opening with details of how to access our easy-to-use platform, Moodle.
Moodle can be accessed through a browser or an app.
Webinars are via Zoom so you won’t need any new software to attend

Recommended Devices

It is recommended that you access your course through a PC or laptop. Please be aware that there will be reduced functionality if you decide to access the course through a tablet or smartphone. The Field Studies Council is unable to email content directly to you.