Comm Sciences & Disorders: Intro Cognitive Neuroscience

This course introduces students to the organization, structures and functions of the human central nervous system. Higher cognitive and linguistic behaviors are emphasized. Prerequisite: Human Biology course such as one of the following: BIOL 1105, BIOL 1155, BCOR 1400, BCOR 1450, or ANPS 1190.

Asynchronous online; Biology or instructor permission; This section has registration restrictions; Prereq: BIOL 1155 or Human Sciences and Disorders), NDEG (Non Degree); (CE Certificate) registration restrictions; Must be enrolled in CSD

This course introduces students to the organization, structures, and functions of the human central nervous system. Higher cognitive and linguistic behaviors are emphasized. This course provides a broad introduction to the topic and is designed to meet the needs of 3rd & 4th year students in Communication Sciences and Disorders and other related disciplines. This course is also appropriate for 1st year students in the undergraduate neuroscience program. The course is split into three modules which provide a foundation in neuroanatomy and physiology, techniques and methodologies of measurement, and specific topics in cognitive neuroscience. At the end of this course, students will be able to: 1) Identify and describe the anatomy, physiology, and functional architecture of the human central nervous system with an emphasis on the neural substrates related to perceptual, cognitive, and communicative processes (e.g., vision, hearing, language, attention, memory, executive functions, social cognition). 2) Demonstrate understanding of different methods and techniques used in the scientific study of cognitive neuroscience. 3) Understand and explain selected topics in cognitive neuroscience, specifically: vision, hearing, attention, executive control, learning and memory, language, emotion, and social cognition.

True knowledge is constructed by the learner, rather than transmitted from an authority. In this context, learning requires motivated engagement with the material, scaffolding through models and feedback, and a shift from treating knowledge as a product, to understanding knowledge as a process. It is intellectual labor that leads to knowledge construction. Accordingly, assignments in this course credit you for the work you are doing to grapple with this new, and at times complex, information; almost half of your grade will depend on the demonstration of your learning process. This includes annotating your reading with questions, connections, and requests for clarification, as well as the development of a study guide that reflects your learning style. This course is asynchronous. There will not be any required meeting-times, although there are optional office hours and opportunities to connect with classmates through social media. Coursework includes readings, videos, quizzes, and other media that are accessed through Blackboard and an interactive platform called Perusall. Each week, you will deepen your understanding by applying what you’ve learned in a mini-project of your choosing. This course will require about 20-25 hours of weekly work, including readings and assignments. As a matter of mutual respect and commitment to this task, participants in this course will strive to meet our obligations in a timely manner. Please peruse the assignments well in advance of their due dates, so that if you have questions, you may ask them with adequate time remaining. There will be a 10% deduction for all late assignments. Notice for CSD majors: The Department of Communication Sciences is committed to excellence in education as outlined by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). We have selected the ability to identify the structure, function, and location, of major components of the central and peripheral nervous system as fundamental to education in Communication Sciences. To this end, all CSD Majors must obtain a minimum of 80% on their Neuroanatomy Labs and Study Guide. Those who do not achieve this criterion will need to complete an alternative assessment to meet this minimum competency.

Graded Component Weighted % of total grade **tentative Perusall Article Annotation and Quizzes 36% Neuroanatomy “Labs” 32% Study Guide 8% Project Applications 24% Total Possible 100 % Perusall: This interactive reading and annotation platform is the way we will access the required course textbook. There will be approximately two Perusall assignments per week. The goal of each annotation assignment is to support your learning through engaged reading, interaction, and repeated exposure. As you read, you will post your questions or comments, and help others by answering their questions. This virtual conversation about the content will help you integrate the readings with your own experience, and learn from your peers. Each assignment will end with a quiz that includes multiple-choice and short answer questions drawn from the assigned readings. The purpose of the quizzes is to draw your attention back to the most important parts of each reading; this review should help you integrate and retain key information. Once a module ends, you will no longer be able to earn credit for the assignment. Online Neuroanatomy Labs: Each week, you will complete practice labeling exercises and complete journals that document your exploration of neuroanatomy, nervous system physiology, and nervous system function. These tasks are intended to facilitate your cognitive integration of the assigned readings. You will have the opportunity to develop your understanding of neuroanatomy and build a foundation and organizational framework for the topics that you explore during your weekly applied projects. Study Guide: To support your learning of cranial neuroanatomy, you will develop a study tool that will familiarize you with the names and functions of the cranial nerves. You can develop your tool in any format that best aligns with your learning needs; this could be a written outline, table, pneumonic, song, podcast, etc. Applied Projects: This course will use an “a la carte” menu where you can choose what types of assignments are most interesting to you. Each assignment option is designed to fit within a general topic area, such as hands-on neuroscience, research, or clinical applications. Course grades will be based on the total points accumulated from each assignment as described above. All grades must be earned through these course assignments. Final grades are calculated to the tenth of a point and are not rounded up under any circumstances.