Teaching Cutting Edge Research

1
Teaching Cutting Edge Research
Teaching Neuropsychology Workshop, 30 January 2009

• Dr Tim Andrews
• Department of Psychology, University of York

2
Teaching Neuroscience at Durham and York
3
Neuroscience Teaching

• Undergraduate (BSc Psychology)
• Year 1 Biological Psychology (100)
• Year 2 Perception (100)
• Year 3 Neuroimaging of Vision (20)
• Postgraduate (MSc Cognitive Neuroscience)
• Introduction to Neuroimaging (20)
• Topics in Cognitive Neuroscience (20)

4
Research Interests

• Cognitive Neuroscience of Vision
• Neural processes underlying binocular vision
• The neural basis of visual awareness
• Parallel processing in the visual system
• The neural basis of object and face perception
• Methodological Approaches
• fMRI
• MEG
• EEG
• Psychophysics

5
The Students

• Background
• Do they have a basic knowledge of science?
• What A Levels have they done?
• Content of previous modules
• Motivation
• What does the brain have to do with psychology?
• Are they interested?
• Have they chosen to do the module?

6
Content and Delivery

• Course Content
• Describe the objectives of the course
• What are you going to teach?
• Is there a course textbook?

7
Further Reading

• Textbook
• Request inspection copies from publishers.
• Read carefully and evaluate.
• Is it accessible? Is it up to date?
• Try to pick one.
• Review Articles
• Nature Reviews Neuroscience, TICS

8
Teaching Methods

• Lectures
• Try to follow the progression of ideas used in
  the textbook
• Use figures found in the textbook instructors
  CD.
• Illustrate a point by giving an example of a
  recent research publication.
• Vary your presentation methods videos,
  animations, visit a dissecting room
• Tutorials
• Ask students to present recent cutting edge
  research in neuropsychology
• Practicals
• Give students experience with the cutting edge
  methods in neuroscience
• Departmental Talks

9
Student presentations on cutting edge research

• Choose research articles that are referred to
  in your further reading
• Refer to these studies in your lecture
• Short papers are preferable (e.g. Nature
  Neuroscience)
• Read carefully for accessibility and the
  avoidance of jargon
• Offer students the opportunity to ask questions
  before the presentation.
• Be explicit about how they should present.
• Provide a recap of the paper illustrating the
  key points
• Assess what you teach!

10
Assessing knowledge of cutting edge research
Critical Evaluation Rationale What is the
question? Is it interesting or important? Is the
investigation justified in the context of the
existing evidence? Logic Is the design
appropriate to answer the question asked? Do the
results support the hypothesis or do they show a
related but different point? Validity Does
the experimental task truly tax the cognitive
processes under investigation? How successfully
does it isolate these processes from others Are
there any confounds? Interpretation Are the
results being spun? Is there a simpler
explanation? Do the authors give due weight to
each of their findings, or do they make more of
some and minimize others? Is the interpretation
offered overly speculative?
11
Assessing knowledge of cutting edge research

• Essays
• How has neuroimaging research contributed to
  our understanding of X?
• Compare and contrast the advantages and
  disadvantages of different techniques in
  neuropsychology. Illustrate your answer with
  reference to recent research on Y.
• Practicals
• There are a number of sample data sets that are
  available
• (http//www.fmrib.ox.ac.uk/fsl/feeds/doc/index.htm
  l)
• Most analysis software is free (FSL, SPM) and
  runs on multiple platforms
• Assess with practical reports / poster sessions
• Most appropriate for advanced undergraduate or
  MSc.

12
Assessing knowledge of cutting edge research

• MCQ exams
• MCQ exams allow you to test factual knowledge
  in neuroscience
• There are many databases of questions on the
  web or associated with textbooks
• Use MCQ tests for ongoing assimilation of
  material
• Essay exams
• Make it clear that they must make reference to
  research to obtain the best marks
• Stress the importance of describing studies
  clearly and accurately
• Provide the opportunity for students to do
  practice exams and provide feedback

13
Problems with teaching cutting edge research

• Student comments
• too difficult
• I dont understand what this means
• do I have to know all of this?
• Solutions
• Keep it simple what do they need to know
• Avoid jargon and explain complex terminology
• Provide a web link to a glossary to help
  explain terms

14
Functional magnetic resonance imaging
? neuronal activity ? ? blood flow ? ? MR signal
15
Functional magnetic resonance imaging
16
Thank you