| Unit name | Brain, Mind and Education |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EDUCM5404 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Professor. Howard-Jones |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Education |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
This unit is aimed chiefly at providing students with an understanding of the complex interrelationship of mind, brain and behaviour. It will include the key areas of biological psychology including those providing insights into developmental disorders and the role of psychopharmacological drugs in their management. It will draw heavily upon the rapidly developing field of cognitive neuroscience.
Through engaging in this unit, students will gain a critical understanding of experimental design as it relates to brain functioning, taking into consideration the research management of neuroimaging and risk assessment procedures. Students will also debate the ethics of conducting research with animals and the replicability and reproducibility of brain imaging studies.
The aims of the unit are to:
Upon successful completion of this unit students will be able to:
This unit will be taught using a blended online approach consisting of a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous activities including seminars, lectures, reading and discussions.
Formative assessment
Formative assessment will arise from group discussions and presentations of initial ideas for their poster and the structure of their essay. The writing of the essay will also be supported by the formal feedback received for their poster.
Summative assessment
Assessment begins with a written, multiple-choice examination (25%) on brain anatomy, development and function (ILO 1).
Students will select an appropriate topic for their assignment and explore their chosen topic in terms of neurocognitive function. They will produce a poster (25%) and essay (50%) that reviews the cognitive neuroscience of this topic with appropriate and extensive use of the terminology, principles and concepts associated with this topic in terms of the central nervous system and neurocognition.
The poster assesses students' ability to explain visually their critical understanding of neurocognitive processes underlying their chosen topic (ILO 1-5).
The essay will assess students' ability to analyse relevant texts and synthesise concepts from cognitive neuroscience, psychology and education, to make links/connections and recognise associations/relationships between these concepts, and to draw upon current understanding of mind/brain/behaviour relationships.
Students will be expected to develop balanced arguments that reflect a multidisciplinary awareness and an ability to contextualise concepts, and draw appropriately upon a wide range of evidence that includes empirical behavioural data, physiological measurements (e.g. neuroimaging), observation and evolutionary perspectives. (ILO 1-5)
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EDUCM5404).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an
assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
