Neurophysiology - How the Brain Thinks (Online Course) COURSE SYLLABUS

Transcription

1 The Department of Humanities and Health Sciences Winter 2013 Neurophysiology - How the Brain Thinks (Online Course) COURSE SYLLABUS Discipline/ Course number : Physiological Science (X 435) Registration number: Z5558 Units: 4 Instructor: Dzenan Lulic, M.D Course Description This course will explore the molecular, cellular, and circuitry mechanisms that underlie the function of the mammalian nervous system, with special emphasis on the human brain. Topics will include analysis of electrical properties of neurons, chemical communication between neurons, cellular processes responsible for synaptic transmission as well as short and long-term plasticity, and the functional organization of the central nervous system. There will also be opportunities to discuss topics of special interest to individual students and directed research into a particular subject resulting in an individualized research paper. Course Prerequisites No prerequisites. However, previous knowledge of basic biology, chemistry and physics is preferred. Students without basic science foundation might find this course extremely challenging. Those of you who don t have such educational background are not in any case discouraged from taking the course. These students should take some extra time and effort in studying in order to understand some of difficult concepts throughout this course. Course Objectives Identify the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie the functions of the nervous system. Explain how basic brain mechanisms work together to produce complex behavior. Identify areas of current research in the nervous system, as well as what major questions remain unanswered. Expected Learning Outcomes By the end of this course, a successful learner should be able to: Critically evaluate new findings in brain science Apply known information to various models of brain function 1

2 Welcome! Welcome to Neurophysiology Online Course! During these twelve weeks we are going to explore the function of the most amazing organ the human brain. I m looking forward to working with you. I hope you will enjoy the class and online learning. Let s get started! To get started, go to the Syllabus area on the class Blackboard web page and download the full course syllabus. This contains all of the information for the course except for stand-alone items such as videos, slides, and lectures. You ll find those in the Syllabus and Content area of the page. The exams, quizzes and assignments such as Term Paper and Term Paper Proposal are located in the Assignment area on the left margin of the web page. Next, go to the Discussion Board and find the first message from me. Reply to it and post a brief biography. If you have questions, please feel free to contact Blackboard Support by clicking on the Support tab or by accessing this link: You can also contact me through the feature in the class. I hope you have a great learning experience! Dzenan Lulic, M.D. Instructor s Contact Information Instructor: Dzenan Lulic, M.D. dzenanl@ucla.edu or dzenanlulic@gmail.com Phone: TBA Office Hours: TBA Instructor Expectations Welcome again! I am looking forward to working with you and introducing you to a small part of rapidly growing knowledge about the function of human and mammalian brain. I am looking forward learning about what you're doing and how you plan to use the course in your career. Adult learners generally appreciate it when their online facilitator is clear and direct with them about expectations for course requirements and procedures. This is an intense course in the filed of neurobiology and neuroscience which requires lots of work. In order to understand the concepts presented in the course, you have to build on large amount of new information. Additionally, some difficult concepts involve basic science such as physics, chemistry and biology. If you have trouble with any of these please seek help sooner rather than later. There are many online resources that will help you in understanding and refreshing these basic concepts such as You are always welcome to contact me if you are struggling and I can either coach you or refer you to the resource. This online course and it is designed to be completed within twelve (12) weeks. Each week starts on Sunday 12:00 AM and ends on Saturday 11:59 PM (Pacific Time). Since the 12th week starts on Sunday, the course work completion date is on the following Saturday. This course offers 4 units of 400-level post-baccalaureate credit. In the online environment, this represents "in class" time of 3 hours per week and approximately 7 additional hours of homework per week. Therefore you should 2

3 schedule approximately 10 hours/week total (or about hours per day) including in class time, reading, study and completion of assignments/exams. Depending on the extent of your recent college-level education, the amount of study time needed to be successful may vary considerably. Since attendance is asynchronous (not in real time), you may log-in at any time of the day. However, you are expected to participate in the virtual classroom on a weekly basis and complete all readings, discussion requirements and assignments/exams. In order to be in attendance and actively participating during a week, a student must post at least one message to any of the course forums on two separate days during the online week. Attendance is tracked automatically in the course. Messages posted in all class forums should contribute to a student s academic experience. Please be active online and supportive of your classmates. Each student in an online environment brings his/her own experience that can aid others in understanding the material. Posting Responses to Discussion Questions: Please post your responses in a timely fashion in accordance with the assigned due date. Pacing your work earlier in the week will give you more time for larger projects when you need it. Your postings should incorporate responses to your peers, your opinions, and pertinent information from things that you ve read, and examples from your experience. Your responses should include more than phrases such as "I agree with that" or "Interesting comment." The distinguishing feature of a well done posting might include an objective and critical analysis of what you read, what you experienced; or, possibly a short synopsis of a chapter or a related assignment from another course. Facts stated in your messages should be followed by the related citation where that information was found (textbook with page, online source, primary literature, youtube.com with the link, etc). Your posts should feature good writing, correct spelling and mechanics. We judge one another substantially by the quality, clarity and depth of our writing. Communication should be professional and use good etiquette. In the spirit of scholarly discussion, I expect responses that agree and disagree with others as long as they apply to the topic and are respectful. In our learning model, the heart of active learning occurs through the discussions that help you test your ideas, reinforce what you have learned, and share resources with others in the class. For grading of discussion responses please refer to the Discussion Grading Rubric on page 7. Responses to your Postings: I will be in the classroom at least five days a week. I will respond to most questions within 24 hours. All work will be graded within seven days of the original due date. If you have questions for me please post your questions in the discussion forum named Questions for Dr. Lulic. No messages are private - so please expand on any topic. Feel free to call me (including evenings and weekends). I'd like to talk and get to know you. Of course, you can send . If, after reading the assignment, you do not understand what to do, please me immediately so that I can explain the assignment. This is much better than turning in an assignment that is not done correctly and losing points. For technical problems, please contact technical support. Thank you for your thoughtful reading of the expectations; I welcome your 3

4 comments. Have a great learning experience! Required Resources Textbook Breedlove, S. M., Watson, N.V., & Rosenzweig, M.R. (2010) Biological Psychology, An Introduction to Behavioral, Cognitive, and Clinical Neuroscience, 7 th ed., Sinauer Associates, Inc., ISBN: Syllabus PDF file Syllabus is posted in Syllabus section on class web page. Please print for your reference. It is your responsibility to be aware of all assignments, due dates and guidelines. Equipment Requirements Computer with below specified software, camera and microphone are required since you will be participating in Wimba classroom and office hours. They are also necessary since you will be taking midterm and final exam using Proctor U (see other material in regards to Proctor U procedures). Blackboard have mobile capabilities and can be used with smart phones, ipad, tablet computers or other mobile devices over a Wi-Fi connection. Please visit UCLA Extension Blackboard support to find out how you can download Blackboard Mobile software for your device. Students must have basic computer skills, including the use of word processing, and the ability to use Internet browsers such as Internet Explorer, Netscape, Firefox, Safari and others. The completion of Blackboard student orientation is recommended. These are the supported operating systems and browsers for use with Blackboard: PC - Windows XP, Vista or 7, 8 - Firefox (recommended) 3.6 or newer (except beta versions) - Internet Explorer 8* or 9* - Google Chrome 9 or newer (except beta versions) * For Internet Explorer 8 and 9, you may need to display Blackboard.com in Mac or later (10.4 or older not supported) - Firefox (recommended) 3.6 or newer (except beta versions) - Safari 4 or 5 - Google Chrome 9 or newer (except beta versions) Not supported Internet Explorer 5, 6, and 7 Firefox 1, 2, 3.0 and 3.5 Safari 2, 3 (or any version on Windows) All other browsers Java The latest version of Java is required in order to use Blackboard. Please visit UCLA Extension Blackboard Support for more general and technical information. Course Grading and Assessment Policies 4

5 Grading Grades are assigned based on points. All work will be graded within seven days of the due date. A full explanation of discussion questions, assignments and other course components with due dates can be seen in the table at the end of this syllabus. Maximum Type of assignment Points/assignment number of points 5 points for posting to each discussion question. Out of 5 points, 3 points are for quality of the response to the question and 2 points for the Discussions and Interaction responding to at least two other 100 students. There are one or two discussion questions/week (it depends on the week). * 8 quizzes, 20 points each. All quizzes are multiple-choice type of exam. They Quizzes usually cover material from chapters. All will be due on Sunday by midnight. * 1 midterm exam. It consists of multiple Midterm exam choice (50 points) and essay questions 100 (50 points). * Term paper 1 term paper. See term paper requirements on the next page. * 40 It consists of multiple choice (50 points) Final Exam and essay questions (50 points). Final 100 exam is not cumulative. * TOTAL 500 *For due dates please refer to the Course and Due Date Calendar at the end of the syllabus. Letter grade % points A > A B B B C C C D F <60 <300 All grades are final when filed by the instructor on the Final Grade Report. 5

6 Policies About Deadlines and Late Work Life happens and I understand that work and family emergencies occur. The assignments will be accepted late for maximum of seven days pass the due date and will be graded with the penalty of 10%. If your work is late more than seven days you will receive no grade/points for your work. You are more than welcome to contact me if think you will be late in advance and we can make arrangements for you to complete your assignment. All work assigned or approved by me as to be accepted as late must be completed by the end of the course. Academic Honesty Policy Academic dishonesty covers behavior in cheating, plagiarism, and fabrication of information. These behaviors are not tolerated. Citations and references should be provided following standard APA 6th formatting. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the UCLA Student Conduct Code and the official statements regarding cheating and plagiarism. These and other relevant documents are available on the Dean of Students Office website: Term Paper You will be writing a term paper on any topic of your interest related to neuroscience, neuropathology and neurophysiology. Look on the course schedule when the term paper proposal is due. Without it, I will not accept your term paper. The paper should be 9-10 pages long, typed double space in Arial 11 point font and in accordance to APA 6th formatting style. You will have to provide reference for each fact you state in the paper. Acceptable references are primary literature sources (peer reviewed articles in scientific journals), textbooks and reputable online sources. Wikipedia and similar sites are not considered reputable sources but could be a good starting point where you can start your online research. You will have to use a minimum of 8 references for you paper. The paper is due on the last day of course September 16 th at midnight. In order to accept your paper you will have to submit one page term paper proposal outlining your topic with clear thesis statement and at least 4 references. Term paper proposal will be due at the end of week 4. Term paper submitted without proposal will not be considered for grading and you will not earn any credit. For term paper grading and expectation please refer to the Term Paper Rubric on page 8. No extra credit assignments. Please keep a copy of all assignments and work submitted. 6

7 Discussion Rubric This rubric will be used to assess the quality of your initial responses and interaction in the online discussion forums. Please use this tool as a guide when constructing your postings. Mechanics of the Posting Participation in the Discussion Content of Posting Critical Thinking Evidenced by Posting Unsatisfactory: D Basic: C Proficient: B Distinguished: A Uses incomplete Uses complete Uses complete Uses complete sentences, is sentences and the sentences, sentences, organization unstructured in its posting is organization is is clear and thoughtful, organization, and comprehensible. The evident, and the the posting is includes frequent or organization could be posting includes no grammatically correct, consistent errors in improved to present a more than one and free of spelling mechanics (grammar, more coherent mechanical error errors. The tone is clear spelling, usage) in argument, statement, (grammar, spelling, and respectful. each paragraph. The or question. Includes usage) per posting is unreadable 2-3 mechanical errors paragraph. The tone and there is a distinct grammar, spelling, is clear and lack of tone. usage) per paragraph. respectful Provides minimal comments and information to other participants in the forum. Writes a general or superficial posting that is unrelated to the discussion at hand and/or posts no comments. Provides no evidence of agreement or disagreement with an existing discussion. The tone is respectful. Provides comments, and some new information on a sporadic basis. Interacts with only 2 participants in the forum. Demonstrates a restricted understanding of the concepts, topics, and ideas as evidenced by posting information that could be derived from prior posts and/or including highly general comments. Indicates agreement or disagreement with an existing discussion but provides no justification or explanation for comments. Provides comments, discussion, questions, and new information on a fairly regular basis. Interacts with three or more participants in the forum. Demonstrates an adequate understanding of the concepts, topics, and ideas as evidenced by posting superficial, or general statements in the forum. Includes a few details in the posting. Indicates agreement or disagreement with an existing discussion including a limited explanation or justification. Provides comments, discussion, and questions without a clear connection to the course material at hand. Provides comments, discussion, questions, and new information on a regular, active, and weekly basis. Shows a high degree of interaction with five or more participants in the forum. Demonstrates a solid understanding of the concepts, topics, and ideas as evidenced by thoughtful responses and questions that show a clear connection (are integrated) with the course material at hand. The posting shows depth, and includes many supporting details. Demonstrates a critical analysis of an existing posted idea or introduces a different interpretation to an existing concept or idea. Includes comments, discussion, and questions that have a clear connection (are integrated) with the course material at hand. 7

8 Term Paper Rubric This rubric will be used to asses your term paper. Content/Development - 60% of Total Grade Subject Matter: Key elements of assignments covered Content is comprehensive/accurate/persuasive Displays an understanding of relevant theory Major points supported by specific details/examples Research is adequate/timely Writer has gone beyond textbook for resources Higher-Order Thinking Writer compares/contrasts/integrates theory/subject matter with work environment/experience At an appropriate level, the writer analyzes and synthesizes theory/practice to develop new ideas and ways of conceptualizing and performing Organization 10% of Total Grade The introduction provides a sufficient background on the topic and previews major points Central theme/purpose is immediately clear Structure is clear, logical, and easy to follow Subsequent sections develop/support the central theme Conclusion/recommendations follow logically from the body of the paper Style/Mechanics 30% of Total Grade Format--15% Citations/reference page follow guidelines Properly cites ideas/info from other sources Paper is laid out effectively--uses, heading and other reader-friendly tools Paper is neat/shows attention to detail Grammar/Punctuation/Spelling--5% Rules of grammar, usage, punctuation are followed Spelling is correct Readability/Style--10% Sentences are complete, clear, and concise Sentences are well-constructed with consistently strong, varied structure Transitions between sentences/paragraphs/sections help maintain the flow of thought Words used are precise and unambiguous The tone is appropriate to the audience, content, and assignment 8

9 Course Calendar and Due Dates Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun W01DQ01 (post your Video: Visualizing bio) - 2 pts, Human Brain, View Video: Welcome Read Ch 2, Message W01DQ02 5 pts Read Ch 1, Review Lecture on Ch 2 W01DQ02 3 pts Read Ch 3, View videos: The Action Potential, Spatial Summation, Conduction along the axon, Review Lecture on Ch 3, W02DQ01 5 pts Read Ch 5, View videos: Chemical Communication Systems, Mechanism of Hormone Action, W03DQ01 5 pts Read Ch 7, Review Lecture on Ch 7, Stages of Neuronal Development, Early Nervous System Development, Brain Development, SVZ cell migration 1 & 2, Neuron Migration, Growth Cones, W04DQ01 5 pts Read Ch 9, The Human Olfactory System, The Vestibular System, Sound Transduction, Mapping Auditory System, W05DQ01 5 pts Read Ch 11, Muscle Contraction, The Stretch Reflex, Parkinson s Dyskinesia, Parkinson s Rigidity 1&2, W06DQ01 5 pts Read Ch 4, Review videos: Neurotransmitter Pathways, Agonist- Antagonist, Review Lecture on Ch 4 W02DQ02 5 pts Read Ch 6, W03DQ02 5 pts Read Ch 8, Review Lecture 8 part 1 and part 2, Review Paper: Opioid Receptor Signaling, W04DQ02 5 pts Read Ch 10, Visual Pathways in the Human Brain, Receptive Fields in the Retina, Spatial- Frequency Analysis, View Ch 10 Lecture, W05DQ02 5 pts Read Chapter 12 View Video: Aromatization, View Ch 12 Lecture, W06DQ02 5 pts W01q01 20 pts (Covers Ch 1 & 2), W01A01 (survey) no points W02q01 20 pts (Covers Ch 3 & 4) W03q01 20 pts (Covers Ch 5 & 6) W04q01 20 pts (Covers Ch 7 and 8) W04A01 no points (Term Paper Proposal Due) W05q01 20 pts (Covers Ch 9 and 10) W06T pts (Covers Ch 2 through Ch5 and Ch 7 trough Ch 10) - This is a MIDTERM. W06A01 no points (Midterm Survey) 9

10 Read Ch 13, Thermoregulation, Negative Feedback, W07DQ01 5 pts Read Ch 15, The Secret Life of the Brain (a link), Stress KPBS video (a link). W08DQ01 5 pts Read Ch 17 AMPA and NMDA receptors W09DQ01 5 pts Read Ch 18, W10DQ pts Read Ch 19 W11DQ pts Read Ch 14, Biological Rhythms, A Molecular Clock, Cat Sleep Activity, Dog Sleep Activity, Rat Sleep Activity, Human Sleep Activity, Narcolepsy W07DQ02 5 pts Read Chapter 16, View Video: Schizophrenia 1&2, W08DQ02 5 pts Read Ch 17, Morris Maze, W09DQ02 5 pts Read Ch 18, Video: Input/output W10DQ pts Read Ch 19, View Video: NOVA Bird Brains, W11DQ02 2.5pts W07q01 20 pts (Covers Ch 11, 12 & 13) W08q01 20 pts (Covers Ch 14, 15 & 16) W10q01 20 pts (Covers Ch 17 & 18) 12 View Video: How Does the Brain Work?, Study Time/Review for the Final Exam Study Time/Review for the Final Exam W12T pts (Covers Ch 11 through 19) This is a FINAL EXAM. W12A01 40 pts Term Paper ***NOTE: This schedule is subject to change at the instructor s discretion.*** Legend: W = week DQ = discussion question A = assignment T = midterm/final q = quiz Ch = book chapter 10