C. E. Randell, M. Basham, L.L. Lockwood, J. FarrellThe Metropolitan State College of Denver

Engaging Psychology Students in Behavioral Neuroscience Courses

INTRODUCTION

Engaging Aspects of Neuroscience Courses

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ClinicalApplications/Personal

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Hands-on Activities/In-class Labs

Interest in CourseContent -

Psychopharmacology

Wanted AnotherCourse from the

Instructor

Other

Frequency of Responses

Avoidance Aspects of Neuroscience Courses

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FeelUnprepared/Course too

Hard

No Interest in SubjectMatter

Unsure of CourseFocus/Subject Matter

Frequency of Responses

This activity engages students in Neuroanatomy and allows students to interact actively with course material. Cronhom, Hoog & Martenson (2000) reported that students found laboratory exercises based on animal experiments to be helpful for remembering information. Furthermore, Hmelo (1998) reported these exercises to be particularly helpful when students address real-world issues. The following tasks are used to promote this active interaction while addressing comparative issues:

•Have students compare the size of the preoptic area to determine the sheep’s sex.•Have students use flexible tubing to follow the flow of CSF through the ventricles.•Have students compare the size of the colliculi of different species to determine the relative importance of auditory and visual processing.

A SHEEP BRAIN DISSECTION

Resources:

interactive sheep brain atlashttp://www.msu.edu/user/brains/sheepatlas/

online dissection guide http://academic.uofs.edu/department/psych/sheep/Sheep brains ($6- $11 each)

Carolina Biological SupplyBlue Spruce Biological SupplyFisher Scientific

Frosting used for cakes requires high levels of sugar to make it stiff enough to cover, but not slide off the cake. In this concentration the icing would be so sweet that it would be intolerable for most people. To address this issue, companies have developed sugar antagonists that are used in creating frosting. This demonstration of antagonist receptor binding and the localization of sweet receptors can be exemplified in Neuroscience or Sensation and Perception classrooms with the following demonstration:

•Obtain a sugar antagonist (ex: Domino Sugar sells Envision.)•Dilute the sugar antagonist in water.•Pour the mixture into small cups for each student and give them each a small cup of sugar.•Utilize pipettes for localizing sweet receptors so that you can target specific small areas of the tongue. When demonstrating antagonist receptor binding, students can drink solution straight from cup.

Once the solution is placed on the tongue have students drop sugar on the tongue. Students should experience little or no sweet taste from the sugar. Students will be able to experience first hand antagonistic blocking of the sweet receptors on their tongue!

DEMONSTRATION OF ANTAGONIST RECEPTOR BINDING AND/OR LOCALIZATION OF SWEET RECEPTORS

For most experimental courses term papers are assigned to teach students how to utilize research studies to deepen their foundation of understanding classroom curricula. This frequently results in writing that lacks passion and interest and lends itself to more frequent issues of plagiarism. One way to combat these issues is to allow students to select topics that are of interest to them, but that require assimilation of new research and information from their coursework. Savery and Duffy (1996) suggest that developing problems for students to solve in this way will result in a feeling of ownership by students. This will increase motivation as students develop a sense of responsibility for their own learning (Schuch & Busey, 1999). Schuch and Busey (1999) further state that the problems should have a known answer that the student provides. The following are potential topics that fit these criteria and may be used for short papers in Behavioral Neuroscience courses.

•What is an itch? •Why can’t we tickle ourselves? •Describe some of the new roles being investigated for glial cells.These roles may include: communication, new cell growth, etc.

WRITING PAPERS

STUDENT OPINIONSMany students avoid taking courses in behavioral neuroscience-related courses for a variety of reasons. This can make it more of a challenge to engage students in the learning process. This poster will focus on activities and projects that can be utilized to engage students in these courses. Hmlo (1998) found that giving students problems that relate to the real-world aids in the transfer of knowledge and skills. These types of exercises allow students to take responsibility for their own learning (Schuch & Busey, 1999). Presented here are examples of activities with real-world applications to enhance student interactions with course curricula.

Forty-six students were asked, “What did you find engaging or would you find engaging about Neuroscience courses?”

Additionally, 46 students were surveyed regarding, “What stopped you or what did you not like about Neuroscience courses?”

CONCLUSIONS•Laboratory exercises and assignments used in behavioral neuroscience courses should have “real-world” applications.

•Problems should engage students so they take responsibility for their own learning. To avoid frustration, these problems should have set answers.

REFERENCESCronholm, T., HÖÖg, J. & Mårtenson, D. (2000). Student attitudes towards laboratory exercises in medical biochemistry. Medical Teacher, 22, 30-33.Hmelo, C. E. (1998). Problem-based learning: Effects on the early acquistion of cognitive skill

in medicine. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 7, 173-208.Schuch, K. L. & Busey, T. A. (1999). Implementation of a problem-based approach in

undergraduate cognitive neuroscience course. College Teaching, 49, 153-159.