Module H Teaching Tips

In this three-part activity, students review basic principles of neurophysiology and apply their knowledge to interpret scientific data obtained from a peer-reviewed article. Students will draw diagrams and answer questions that stimulate critical thinking. Each activity is layered with concepts that are incremental in nature. In activity one, students review previously learned concepts such as a neuron's structure, channels, membrane resting potential, action potential, synapse, and neurotransmitters. In the second part of the activity, students will learn the concept of inhibitory and excitatory postsynaptic potential and the effect of different neurotransmitters on these potentials. Students will bridge the basic concept of neurophysiology with the functions of different regions of the brain and how the different regions of the brain communicate. For this purpose, students will learn about the thalamus and also interpret an electro-physiological illustration of dual-intracellular recording. In the third part of the activity students will analyze the medical implications of the concepts learned. Since this activity requires student engagement, students will learn by clarifying important concepts with other students.