EDP 5396 Biological Bases of Behavior

Submitted by cp11 on 14 April 2008 - 9:01pm.

EDP 5396 is a required graduate course for specialist-level students in School Psychology. The course content includes the investigation and assessment of disorders that involve abnormal or atypical brain development or function, particularly those disorders likely to be enountered in the practice of school psychology. As grounding for better understanding of developmental and acquired disorders that are discussed, the course includes an overview of neuroanatomy and discussion of neuropsychological assessment techniques, along with interpretation and critique of case studies in which such techniques are employed.

Course Information
Course Number/ID: 
EDP 5396
Course Length (number of weeks): 
15
Course Delivery Mode: 
In-Class
Describe Other Delivery Mode: 
I use TRACS, the university adaptation of Sakai for delivery of some content.
Average Number of Enrolled Students: 
Between 10 and 30 students
Course Level: 
Graduate
Course Development & Delivery
Course Development: 

A course covering the biological bases of behavior is required for all specialist level training programs in School Psychology approved by the National Association of School Psychologists. This course to meets this requirement and reflects the increasing emphasis upon the brain bases for many disorders, include learning disabilities, attention deficit disorders, traumatic brain injuries, seizure disorders, and pervasive developmental disorders. A grounding in neuroanatomy is necessary to make sense of the research regarding the neurological systems implicated in the disorders of interest. Therefore, the first unit of this course involves recognizing and identifying major brain structures, pathways, and systems and their functions. The next unit involves learning about assessment instruments and techniques that are used to evaluate brain functions. We then explore disorders that affect learning and behavior of children and adolecents. Finally, we discuss interventions, including psychopharmacology, that take into account biological bases. For several reasons, a major challenge in this course was finding tools for teaching basic neuroanatomy. First, the students in the course vary with respect to past coursework or experience in neuroanatomy, and many feel intimidated. Next, most textbooks include limited visual aids, typically grainy brain images or line drawings. Finally, although there are very good online neuranatomy tools, appropriate tools for assessing students' learning of this material are less available. In past versions of the course, evaluation of neuroanatomy knowledge had included overly-simplified line diagrams for labeling on hard copy of course exams. I wanted to develop instructional delivery, study, and evaluation tools for the neuroanatomy unit that were closely linked, so that students were tested over the material in a similar format to how it was taught. Through use of an online digital neuroanatomy atlas and the TRACS system employed by Texas State University, I was able to develop slides for illustration of brain structures and systems, a process for students to develop self-correcting quizzes to share with the class and use as study tools, and an online midterm examination that uses images for labeling from the same online atlas. This process was greatly aided by employing Camtasia to create a video illustratrating the process for developing self-correcting quizzes, so that students were learning by observing a model. This video was posted on TRACS (Teaching, Research, and Collaboration System) so that students can review it as needed to design their own quizzes without requiring excessive instructional time.

Course Delivery: 

The course syllabus and many resources are posted on TRACS. Students have access to all lecture materials, typically posted after class, through the Resources link on TRACS. I use this technique so that they can attend, take notes, and ask questions in class, then refer to associated documents after class. I believe that this strategy takes into account different learner styles--e.g., some cannot take notes while listening, while others learn better if they take notes during lecture and discussion. In either case, the full notes are available for review and reinforcement. I also use many visual aids from the internet, including slides of real brains and computer-generated brain models, and illustrations of processes such as surgical techniques to control intractable seizures and illustrations of the function of nerve cells. The Camtasia video posted on TRACS illustrates the use of Digital Anatomist(C) Copyright 1997 University of Washington http://sig.biostr.washington.edu/projects/da to illustrate the generation of a labeling quiz, with answers provided in subsequent slides, for student use in studying and for a class assignment. Students generate their own quizzes on assigned brain structures/systems, then put them in the Drop Box for instructor review before class presentation. The instructor and student-generated are posted in folders on TRACS for student review and study prior to the midterm exam. The midterm exam was developed using TRACS and incorporates images for labeling from Digital Anatomist(C) Copyright 1997 University of Washington. The class meets at a secure library computer lab for the exam. Results and feedback are immediately available for the instructor and students. The other portions of this course involve higher level cognitive/learning skills such as application of knowledge about disorders to critically evaluate case studies with respect to differential diagnosis and intervention. As a culminating activity, students are required to select a rare or unfamiliar disorder for a formal paper and presentation. Students are encouraged to use online resources to illustrate biological bases and visual symptoms. They incorporate case study illustrations from their own practicum experiences in schools or from public domain case studies in texts, journals, or online websites as a technique for applying the course content. All grades are posted on TRACS using the Gradebook tool. The Mailtool is used to send email to all or selected participants and Announcements are also posted on TRACS. I also use 3-dimensional physical brain models as an adjunctive learning tool. Students can take the brain models apart to identify structures, an activity which they do in small groups under supervision to reinforce other learning modalilties. This technique is especially useful for students who benefit from "hands-on" experiences or who have trouble with spatial visualization.

Course Self-Assessment
Communication & Collaboration Self-Assessment: 
Effective
Communication & Collaboration Evidence: 

This course uses multiple TRACS (Sakai) tools, with primary emphasis on Resources (lecture outlines and notes, slide shows, external links, additional readings, files for learning (Camtasia video) and for study (self-correcting quizzes). I also incorporate the Syllabus, Announcements, Mailtool, Gradebook, and the Dropbox for efficiency and to minimize use of unnecessary paper duplication. At the request of another faculty member, I have added her as a guest so that she can become familiar with course organization and content. Although I am not doing so this semester, I have in the past (depending upon class size) required that students work in small groups on some assignments; we used the Assignments tool to organize the groups. I have also posted questions on readings in advance of class meetings, so that students can be prepared for group discussion. Finally, I make use of the Assessments tool for the midterm exam, as described above.

Learning Material Self-Assessment: 
Effective
Learning Material Evidence: 

A variety of learning materials are available to students. They may review materials developed and presented by the instructor (slide shows, lecture notes, practice quizzes) and are required to develop and post learning materials themselves (self-correcting quizzes). In class, they are expected to apply assigned readings to the interpretation of case studies presented in printed form. These cases are usually analyzed in small groups of 2-3 students, then discussed as a whole class. Students have access to additional resources for perusal of topics of particular interest, including additional readings and external links that illustrate principles, techniques, or subject matter discussed in class. I make visible learning materials as they are needed (e.g., lecture notes are available after the associated class lecture is completed for some portions of the class so that students attend and participate). In this manner, lecture notes can be used to reinforce learning rather than substitute for class participation. Guest speakers (e.g., individuals who have dealt with seizure disorders and traumatic brain injuries) have visited our class to help students understand the effects of these experiences on the everyday lives of others so that they can be better informed when developing interventions in the course of their work as school psychologists.

Learning Outcomes & Assessment Self-Assessment: 
Excellent
Learning Outcomes & Assessment Evidence: 

Students are required to develop course materials (self-correcting quizzes) using web content as described above. These materials, for which preparation is modeled by the instructor on a Camtasia video, are available to the whole class for learning and study. The midterm exam, which is administered and scored online via TRACS, provides immediate feedback to the students and the instructor. I can override automatic grades when I find errors in my test development. It is straightforward to revise this test according to the content covered in class. Students appreciate that the midterm reflects the teaching and study tools employed prior to the midterm. Asssessment for grades in this course is varied to take into account different learner styles: the midterm is objective (labeling of diagrams and multiple choice questions), while the final paper/presentation is qualitatively evaluated and allows for students to express learning through written and oral presentation. They are required to administer practice sensory-motor tests to volunteer subject and receive feedback on appropriate administration and scoring, as well as discussion of developmental changes in sensory and motor skills. Assessment is also measured through class participation in discussing case studies and readings. Students receive immediate feedback when assignments are graded through the Gradebook option and can schedule meetings with me and self-monitor using this resource

Course Look & Feel, Web Usability Self-Assessment: 
Not Evident
Course Look & Feel, Web Usability Evidence: 

I think I could do much better here. Our classes are quite small and I haven't had to deal with accessibility issues to any great extent. I do try to have multiple options for learning course content (written information, oral lecture materials, visual aids), but these options are not really discussed on the course website with respect to accessibility. The posting of lecture notes is intended to assist individuals who may have difficulty writing notes while listening or looking at visual aids. I do believe that the course is still in development--for example, while completing this self-assessment, I have realized that I could have used many other tools and techniques!

Learner Support Self-Assessment: 
Effective
Learner Support Evidence: 

The TRACS environment at Texas State is user-friendly and provides adequate information for users who need links to TRACS or other university resources. It is accessed through the university homepage where many other resources are available as well. I provide many External Links to web-based information that supports what we are learning in this course.

Teaching Innovation
Teaching Innovation: 

The use of an existing resource, Digital Anatomist(C) Copyright 1997 University of Washington, to develop improved course learning and assessment materials, is an innovation that has reaped great benefits for the students and for myself. The neuroanatomy unit has much greater consistency from presentation of material to assessment of learning and the process of teaching and testing is more efficient. The use of the Camtasia video has reduced the instructional time needed for teaching students how to develop self-correcting quizzes. Based on student feedback, the anxiety associated with learning neuroanatomy has been reduced by the opportunity to study and practice using multiple tools (self-correcting quizzes, digital illustrations, 3-dimensional brain models) and to be tested with similar images to those used for instruction and study. From an instructor perspective, I am much more comfortable discussing the brain basis for many disorders when I know that my students have basic knowledge of neuroanatomy and resources to which they can readily turn for review. The use of slide shows and outlines to accompany oral lecture materials, followed up by availability for download of lecture notes, provides for multiple learning styles and reinforcement of concepts. I also can edit, add, hide, or delete any of the materials I have included on the course TRACS site with ease and efficiency. This matters to me!

Optional (screenshots, links)
Related Links: 
Digital Anatomist (C) Copyright 1997 University of Washington
AttachmentSize
Basic+Neuroanatomypart1[1].ppt3.27 MB
neuronotes--student.doc71.5 KB
EDP 5396syls08.doc84.5 KB
MRI Presentation.ppt908 KB
Limbic System Quizzes[1].ppt921.5 KB