Journal Of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education[JOURNAL]
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200 papers
Reading the Brain: An Interdisciplinary First-Year Seminar on the Intersection of Neuroscience, Literature, and Popular Culture.
Wilson KD, Berg TF
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2021 · PMID 34552439
Topics related to the brain are becoming increasingly common in cultural products such as literature and film. Media representations of the brain and mind therefore provide an interesting method for introducing first-yea...
Topics related to the brain are becoming increasingly common in cultural products such as literature and film. Media representations of the brain and mind therefore provide an interesting method for introducing first-year college students to the field of neuroscience. In this article, we describe an interdisciplinary first-year seminar that we implemented at Gettysburg College, co-taught by a cognitive neuroscientist (KDW) and a literary scholar (TFB). The course explores a number of themes, such as memory, autism, and neuroaesthetics, as well as the relationship between brain and mind, using novels, short stories, film, and theater. The success of the course highlights the benefits of using non-technical sources to introduce students to scientific concepts as well as the value of teaching collaboratively across disciplinary boundaries.
Cooperative Group Learning in Undergraduate Neuroscience: Using Simulations to Complement Problem-Solving Assignments.
Northcutt KV
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2021 · PMID 34552438
The incorporation of active learning improves student learning and persistence compared to traditional lecture-based teaching. However, there are numerous active learning strategies and the degree to which each one enhan...
The incorporation of active learning improves student learning and persistence compared to traditional lecture-based teaching. However, there are numerous active learning strategies and the degree to which each one enhances learning relative to other techniques is largely unknown. I analyzed the effectiveness of the addition of simulations to cooperative group problem-solving assignments in an undergraduate 400-level neurobiology course. One section of the course carried out group problem-solving alone, whereas the other section used neuroscience simulations (Neuronify) as part of the problem-solving assignments. Overall, both groups of students learned course concepts effectively and did not differ in their performance on exams or specific exam questions related to the assignments. Students perceived that the assignments and simulations were helpful in their understanding of course material but did not overwhelmingly recommend including simulations in the future. Students using simulations were more likely to report gaining experience with experimental design, and this may be an effective way to build scientific reasoning in non-laboratory courses. However, student frustration with technology was the primary reason that students reported dissatisfaction with the simulations. Overall, cooperative group problem-solving with or without simulations is very effective at helping students learn neuroscience concepts.
Integrating Service Learning into a Neuropsychopharmacology Course.
Cammack KM, Melton C
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2021 · PMID 34552437
Incorporating service learning (SL) experiences into undergraduate courses can be a meaningful way to engage students and connect course content to the real world. Neuropsychopharmacology courses are often popular amongs...
Incorporating service learning (SL) experiences into undergraduate courses can be a meaningful way to engage students and connect course content to the real world. Neuropsychopharmacology courses are often popular amongst undergraduate students, but it can be a challenge to find ways to connect the theoretical issues discussed in the classroom to the real world, and convey the complexities of research on substance use. This article describes a partnership between a 300-level "Drugs & Behavior" laboratory course and a local not-for-profit anti-drug coalition focused on drug education and prevention. A series of semester-long service-learning projects were developed that met instructional objectives and coalition goals. Briefly, students applied critical thinking and analytical skills to survey data on substance use, collected from local 6-12 grade students, that would inform coalition programming. By the end of the semester, students had produced scientific reports of the data, developed informational summaries for community distribution, and wrote a mock grant proposal incorporating proposed improvements to the study. During the semester, students reflected on the SL experience and took surveys on SL outcomes. Findings suggested that this SL opportunity helped students make connections between course content and the real world, enhanced skills or awareness in ways that added value to the course, challenged them to understand a problem and generate solutions, and expanded their thinking regarding their ability to help tackle substance use-related issues in the community. Suggestions for implementation and refinement of this experience are offered.
Teaching Computation in Neuroscience: Notes on the 2019 Society for Neuroscience Professional Development Workshop on Teaching.
Grisham W, Abrams M, Babiec WE … +4 more , Fairhall AL, Kass RE, Wallisch P, Olivo R
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2021 · PMID 34552436
The 2019 Society for Neuroscience Professional Development Workshop on Teaching reviewed current tools, approaches, and examples for teaching computation in neuroscience. Robert Kass described the statistical foundations...
The 2019 Society for Neuroscience Professional Development Workshop on Teaching reviewed current tools, approaches, and examples for teaching computation in neuroscience. Robert Kass described the statistical foundations that students need to properly analyze data. Pascal Wallisch compared MATLAB and Python as programming languages for teaching students. Adrienne Fairhall discussed computational methods, training opportunities, and curricular considerations. Walt Babiec provided a view from the trenches on practical aspects of teaching computational neuroscience. Mathew Abrams concluded the session with an overview of resources for teaching and learning computational modeling in neuroscience.
Teaching Neuroimmunology to Undergraduate Students: Resource for Full Course or Modular Implementation.
Watanabe J
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2021 · PMID 34552435
This paper describes a course I designed to teach neuroimmunology to undergraduate students. In this course I incorporated many active learning strategies to help make it a student-centered class, where they developed co...
This paper describes a course I designed to teach neuroimmunology to undergraduate students. In this course I incorporated many active learning strategies to help make it a student-centered class, where they developed communication skills, while reading and analyzing primary literature articles. As the field of neuroimmunology is relatively new, most textbooks in the field approached the subject from the perspective of neurology and autoimmune diseases. Therefore, I used reading, analysis, and student-led presentation of primary papers in the classroom to not only develop critical thinking and application of the scientific method, but also oral communication skills. Other activities such as writing -style articles and literature review papers were employed to develop written communications skills. The goal of this article is to provide a reference tool for instructors trained in neuroscience to deploy an entire course on neuroimmunology or select a module or a single paper to incorporate into their existing course to offer students a taste for neuroimmunology.
Effective Use of Student-Created Case Studies as Assessment in an Undergraduate Neuroscience Course.
Bindelli DM, Kafura SAM, Laci A … +2 more , Losurdo NA, Cook-Snyder DR
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2021 · PMID 34552434
Case studies and student-led learning activities are both effective active learning methods for increasing student engagement, promoting student learning, and improving student performance. Here, we describe combining th...
Case studies and student-led learning activities are both effective active learning methods for increasing student engagement, promoting student learning, and improving student performance. Here, we describe combining these instructional methods to use student-created case studies as assessment for an online neurovirology module in a neuroanatomy and physiology course. First, students learned about neurovirology in a flipped classroom format using free, open-access virology resources. Then, students used iterative writing practices to write an interrupted case study incorporating a patient narrative and primary literature data on the neurovirulent virus of their choice, which was graded as a writing assessment. Finally, students exchanged case studies with their peers, and both taught and completed the case studies as low-stakes assessment. Student performance and evaluations support the efficacy of case studies as assessment, where iterative writing improved student performance, and students reported increased knowledge and confidence in the corresponding learning objectives. Overall, we believe that using student-created case studies as assessment is a valuable, student-led extension of effective case study pedagogy, and has wide applicability to a variety of undergraduate courses.
Discovering Memory: Using Sea Slugs to Teach Learning and Memory.
Riegel DC
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2020 · PMID 33880108
Research on the sea slug has played a key role in unraveling the molecular mechanisms for learning and memory. In this system, synapses exhibiting long-term potentiation provide an ideal experimental platform for uncove...
Research on the sea slug has played a key role in unraveling the molecular mechanisms for learning and memory. In this system, synapses exhibiting long-term potentiation provide an ideal experimental platform for uncovering conserved principles. This review will discuss a 1997 study published in the journal which explored the means by which synapse-specific long-term potentiation occurs and its reliance on local protein synthesis. This study, conducted by Kelsey Martin and colleagues working in the Kandel laboratory, also explored synaptic capture: the mechanism by which a stimulated synapse recruits proteins from another, such that both undergo long-term potentiation. The authors discovered that synaptic capture does not require local protein synthesis, which led to further research on this mechanism. This study introduces undergraduates to a variety of research methods. Additionally, educators may use this paper as an introduction to the body of work produced by the Kandel laboratory and the field of learning and memory more generally. Advanced analyses of this research by upper level undergraduates may provide insights into competing theories for cellular mechanisms of long-term memory, presenting the opportunity to discuss disagreements within the scientific community.
Exploring Neuroplasticity in the Classroom: Teaching Cortical Reorganization in the Visual System with a Stroke Patient Study.
Housman HAR
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2020 · PMID 33880107
Neuroscience education often dedicates a substantial amount of time to the study of neuroplasticity and cortical reorganization. Research articles that demonstrate neuroplasticity and cortical reorganization in human pat...
Neuroscience education often dedicates a substantial amount of time to the study of neuroplasticity and cortical reorganization. Research articles that demonstrate neuroplasticity and cortical reorganization in human patients provide opportunities for neuroscience education. Dilks et al., in a 2007 article published in the provided evidence for cortical reorganization within the human primary visual cortex by utilizing both behavioral and fMRI data. The study examined stroke patient B.L. who was cortically blind in the upper left visual field. In the presence of visual stimuli from the lower left visual field, cortical reorganization allowed for the activation of areas of V1 that would not normally respond to this visual information. Therefore, B.L. perceived visual stimuli presented in the lower left visual field to be vertically elongated into the upper left visual field (Dilks et al., 2007). This paper is an ideal platform for teaching an undergraduate neuroscience audience about neuroplasticity within the human brain. The article allows students to combine knowledge of both the visual system and neuroplasticity and provides a visual representation of cortical reorganization that helps facilitate understanding of principles of neuroscience.
The Legacy of the Kennard Principle.
Elliott D
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2020 · PMID 33880106
Research into neural plasticity has progressed rapidly over the last few decades, but the origins of this field lie in the early 20th century. In 1936, Margaret Kennard introduced the concept of brain plasticity in an an...
Research into neural plasticity has progressed rapidly over the last few decades, but the origins of this field lie in the early 20th century. In 1936, Margaret Kennard introduced the concept of brain plasticity in an animal model by studying the recovery of motor functions after performing brain lesions in infant and adult monkeys. It took until the 1970s for her work to be widely acknowledged. When her work did eventually make it into the limelight, this led to the synthesis of what scientists dubbed the 'Kennard Principle'. The Kennard Principle states that the younger an organism is, the greater and swifter recovery from brain injury will be. This principle itself is subject to controversy and debate; furthermore, it is based on a simplification of Kennard's original results. This article will explore Kennard's original 1936 paper, published in the American Journal of Physiology, and the context in which the Kennard Principle arose. Kennard's paper demonstrates early pioneering work within the field of behavioral neuroscience which provides a historical foundation for psychology and neuroscience undergraduates. Exploring the context in which the Kennard Principle arose also highlights the importance of tracing the origins of scientific principles and theories for students and researchers alike.
Primary Literature In Clinical Neuroscience for In-Person Or Remote Instruction.
Ramos RL, Lodato Z, Elnashar A … +3 more , Sweiss R, Kanchana V, Nicholas A
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2020 · PMID 33880105
Structure and function relationships in the nervous system are a major component of neuroscience education. Readings and/or discussion of lesion studies in animal models are often used to demonstrate how brain injury/dam...
Structure and function relationships in the nervous system are a major component of neuroscience education. Readings and/or discussion of lesion studies in animal models are often used to demonstrate how brain injury/damage affects specific behaviors or cognitive processes. In contrast, primary literature in clinical neuroscience is less often used to teach brain structure and function relationships and this literature often describes remarkable stories of preserved brain function despite major brain injury/lesion. Here we describe a series of published articles in clinical neuroscience that we used in an undergraduate neuroscience course that challenge the simplistic views of brain localization of function and demonstrate the dynamic and plastic properties of the brain. Discussion of these primary articles can take place in-person or remote via video conferencing platforms.
Does It Feel Right or Wrong? The Neuroscience of Moral Judgement.
Delgado-Sánchez A
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2020 · PMID 33880104
Moral judgement has been a topic of great interest through the history of philosophy and psychology, but the neural basis of this behavior remains elusive. Greene et al.'s (2001 paper is a pioneering one that opened door...
Moral judgement has been a topic of great interest through the history of philosophy and psychology, but the neural basis of this behavior remains elusive. Greene et al.'s (2001 paper is a pioneering one that opened doors to studying the neuroscience of moral judgement. Greene and colleagues used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to measure brain activity in humans as they grappled with moral decisions. The researchers found higher activation in brain areas associated with emotion when subjects were processing dilemmas in which an individual was directly hurt, and higher activation of areas associated with working memory when subjects processed dilemmas in which individuals were hurt as a consequence of an indirect action. The paper has received some criticism, but overall, is still quite relevant in the field. This work generated the field of moral neuroscience and has sparked further research and controversy. This paper's impact at the intersection of psychology and neuroscience and its engaging topic make it valuable for teaching. Furthermore, criticism of the paper also has pedagogic value as it can serve as a tool to promote students' critical evaluation skills. The presentation of this research would be best suited for Neuroscience and Psychology students being introduced to Cognitive Neuroscience.
Sparse Neural Representation of Odor Predicts Learning.
McManus J
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2020 · PMID 33880103
The way in which neurons encode information remains a hotly debated topic in neuroscience. Lin and colleagues in a 2014 article in the journal demonstrate how sparse coding in the olfactory learning and memory center of...
The way in which neurons encode information remains a hotly debated topic in neuroscience. Lin and colleagues in a 2014 article in the journal demonstrate how sparse coding in the olfactory learning and memory center of can influence learning behavior. Coding sparsity is the idea that only a small number of neurons in a network represent any given stimulus. Using neurogenetics, computational neuroscience, and cognitive approaches, they outline the discovery of an inhibitory feedback circuit responsible for differentiating the neuronal response to different odors. Manipulating this feedback circuit, they demonstrate how the sparseness in neural networks (how easily neurons are activated) can correspond to the ability to learn a sensory discrimination more easily. From a research perspective, this paper was important as it was the first causal demonstration of the role of sparseness in learning. From a teaching point of view, this paper is valuable because it is a simple but effective introduction to artificial neural network theory, where both the abstract theory and the importance of its application is apparent to those without a mathematical or computational background.
Virtual was the Reality in Neuroscience Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Ramos RL
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2020 · PMID 33880102
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Building Your Own Neuroscience Equipment: A Precision Micromanipulator and an Epi-fluorescence Microscope for Calcium Imaging.
Ryan J, Johnson BR, Deitcher D
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2020 · PMID 33880101
A faculty member's ability to develop meaningful research-oriented laboratories in neurobiology is often hampered by the rapid pace of new technologies and the increasing cost of equipment. To help undergraduate neurosci...
A faculty member's ability to develop meaningful research-oriented laboratories in neurobiology is often hampered by the rapid pace of new technologies and the increasing cost of equipment. To help undergraduate neuroscience faculty meet these challenges, we introduce two important neuroscience research tools we designed and built. The first is a precision micromanipulator for neurophysiology applications costing less than $40 USD. We compare data generated using the DIY manipulator with commercial micromanipulators costing over $1000. The second tool is our newly designed 3D printed epi-fluorescence microscope. Commercial fluorescence imaging devices often cost over $20,000, but our 3D printed version is constructed for less than $1200. This epi-fluorescence microscope uses interchangeable LED light sources and filter sets to image static fluorescence in prepared slides and calcium imaging of neuronal activity in living brains. This later technique uses transgenic flies with a genetically encoded calcium indicator, GCaMP, linked to green fluorescent protein (GFP). During an action potential, calcium ions (Ca) enter neurons and are observed as an increase in fluorescence intensity from a series of video images. These neuronal firing patterns can be assessed qualitatively and quantitatively to understand neural circuits leading to specific behaviors. We plan to develop curricula around the use of the epi-fluorescence microscope for calcium imaging in the next year, and to provide detailed parts sources and construction guides for the student and faculty DIY experience.
Inexpensive Methods for Live Imaging of Central Pattern Generator Activity in the Larval Locomotor System.
Booth JRH, Sane V, Gather MC … +1 more , Pulver SR
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2020 · PMID 33880100
Central pattern generators (CPGs) are neural networks that produce rhythmic motor activity in the absence of sensory input. CPGs produce 'fictive' behaviours which parallel activity seen in intact animals. CPG networks...
Central pattern generators (CPGs) are neural networks that produce rhythmic motor activity in the absence of sensory input. CPGs produce 'fictive' behaviours which parallel activity seen in intact animals. CPG networks have been identified in a wide variety of model organisms and have been shown to be critical for generating rhythmic behaviours such as swimming, walking, chewing and breathing. Work with CPG preparations has led to fundamental advances in neuroscience; however, most CPG preparations involve intensive dissections and require sophisticated electrophysiology equipment, making export to teaching laboratories problematic. Here we present an integrated approach for bringing the study of locomotor CPGs in larvae into teaching laboratories. First, we present freely available genetic constructs that enable educators to express genetically encoded calcium indicators in cells of interest in the larval central nervous system. Next, we describe how to isolate the larval central nervous system and prepare it for live imaging. We then show how to modify standard compound microscopes to enable fluorescent imaging using 3D printed materials and inexpensive optical components. Finally, we show how to use the free image analysis programme ImageJ and freely available features in the signal analysis programme DataView to analyse rhythmic CPG activity in the larval CNS. Comparison of results to those obtained on research equipment shows that signal-to-noise levels are comparable and core features of larval CPG activity can be observed. Overall, this work shows the viability of exporting live imaging experiments to low cost environments and paves the way for new teaching laboratory exercises revolving around optical imaging of CPG activity.
Developing and Implementing Low-Cost Remote Laboratories for Undergraduate Biology and Neuroscience Courses.
Hanzlick-Burton C, Ciric J, Diaz-Rios M … +2 more , Colgan W, Gage GJ
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2020 · PMID 33880099
The global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) has forced many universities to abruptly change the delivery of courses from in-person to online. This change to remote learning requires creating new ways...
The global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) has forced many universities to abruptly change the delivery of courses from in-person to online. This change to remote learning requires creating new ways to deliver lectures, exams, and discussion groups through online meeting platforms. An often-overlooked challenge is performing lab courses that require access to specialized equipment and resources typically found in the undergraduate laboratory classrooms. Here we discuss some strategies for developing and implementing a full semester neuroscience laboratory course that allows students to fully participate in laboratory exercises at home or in their dorm rooms. Performing lab exercises remotely and independently was shown to significantly improve participant's self-efficacy and confidence that they can learn complex neuroscience material, when compared to participants who passively watch experiments online. We review best practices to ensure that lessons can be successfully demonstrated by the instructor and carried out by all students. Finally, we discuss the need to provide a level playing field such that all students may succeed, regardless of their current technology resources at home.
Highlighting Diversity in Neuroscience through Course Content.
Linden ML, Kruskop J, Kitlen E
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2020 · PMID 33880098
Slides showcasing research of one or two neuroscientists from diverse backgrounds were added to weekly, learning assistant-led sections in a large (~80 person) primarily lecture course required for neuroscience majors. S...
Slides showcasing research of one or two neuroscientists from diverse backgrounds were added to weekly, learning assistant-led sections in a large (~80 person) primarily lecture course required for neuroscience majors. Students appreciated the slides, and survey data suggests that the slides increased the sense of belonging for both underrepresented and not underrepresented students.
Non-Disposable Assignments for Remote Neuroscience Laboratory Teaching Using Analysis of Human Data.
Seraphin SB, Stock S
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2020 · PMID 33880097
To accomplish discovery learning in a remote educational context, while also addressing disparities in laboratory facility/equipment access, instructors can assign Non-Disposable Assignments (NDA) whereby students design...
To accomplish discovery learning in a remote educational context, while also addressing disparities in laboratory facility/equipment access, instructors can assign Non-Disposable Assignments (NDA) whereby students design research projects, extract data from public sources, analyze data in a cloud-based environment, and share potentially original findings. Unlike typical course assignments (e.g., lab-reports, tests) that remain in the student-teacher dyad, NDAs (e.g., disseminated presentations, visualizations, manuscripts) are associated with enhanced learning and facilitate the integration of diverse student perspectives in the creation, analysis and dissemination of neuroscience. Illustrating the design of a project-based approach to teaching neuroscience laboratory courses, we provide two example NDAs using neural imaging and physiological information available from public databases. We provide a data set in a directly usable form for teaching with R, and present an overview of two user-friendly tools, RStudio and R-Markdown, for remote teaching and learning through data analysis.
Learning How to Code While Analyzing an Open Access Electrophysiology Dataset.
Juavinett A
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2020 · PMID 33880096
Conducting neuroscience research increasingly requires proficiency in coding and the ability to manipulate and analyze large datasets. However, these skills are often not included in typical neurobiology courses, partial...
Conducting neuroscience research increasingly requires proficiency in coding and the ability to manipulate and analyze large datasets. However, these skills are often not included in typical neurobiology courses, partially because they are seen as accessory rather than central, and partially because of the barriers to entry. Therefore, this lesson plan aims to provide an introduction to coding in Python, a free and user-friendly programming language, for instructors and students alike. In this lesson, students edit Python code in the Jupyter Notebook coding environment to interact with cutting-edge electrophysiology data from the Allen Institute for Brain Science. Students can run their own experiments with these data to compare cell types in mice and humans. Along the way, they gain exposure to Python coding and the role of coding in the field of neuroscience.
A Capstone Course Where Students Present Contemporary Neuroscience Research to High School Students.
Kouh M
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ · 2020 · PMID 33880095
This article describes a model of a neuroscience capstone course where students choose and study contemporary neuroscience research articles in depth and then present them to high school students in short videos. This co...
This article describes a model of a neuroscience capstone course where students choose and study contemporary neuroscience research articles in depth and then present them to high school students in short videos. This course can provide a meaningful culminating experience where students are applying their neuroscience knowledge and communication skills acquired from their undergraduate education. As students take on the ownership of learning and presenting diverse neuroscience topics, this course can be run flexibly and remotely as needed. Developing a partnership with a local high school is an important aspect of this course.
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