DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
PSYC 2360 - September-December 2009
Brain and Behaviour
University of Manitoba
Tuesday & Thursday 8:30-9:50am
231 Isbister
3 Credit course
Prerequisite: PSYC 1200 (6 credits)
Updated August 27,2009

Instructor:

Dr. Tammy Ivanco

You can call me:
Dr. Ivanco, Professor Ivanco, but NOT Mrs. Ivanco

Office:

P415 Duff Roblin - Temporarily unavailable due to Duff Roblin Fire

Telephone:

(204)474-7375

E-mail:

Email me in Angel.

E-mail subject:
Please be sure to add this so I do not accidentally delete your message!

Office Hours:

see me after class or make an appointment via Angel email


I would love to spend much more time on this class, as the material is very dear to my heart, and I would be very happy if I could convince all of you to study brain and behaviour, but the reality is that there are many things that I am responsible for that can really take up all the time in my day (and even have me stressing out!). That means if you pop in to see me, I may drop everything to talk to you (even if it is not my office hours), but occassionally, I will be trying to make another deadline and will have to ask you to come back at another time or during my office hours. Do not take this personally - I do want to see you and maybe get to know you.
You might find this link useful to understand what I might be doing: being a professor

Teaching Assistant(s):
Name: TBA
Office hours: TBA
Location: TBA Duff Roblin
E-mail: TBA
Please make every attempt see the teaching assistant first, then the instructor, when you are informed to do so. The instructor will schedule make-ups and deal with final grades.

The TA is here to help you. You should treat her/ him respectfully and appropriately. You are responsible for being in class to hear all information delivered. The TA does not come to class. As such, s/he can help you with study skills, general content etc, but not what you missed - find a class buddy to be sure you always know what is going on.

When you contact me - do so by Angel email. I will not respond to emails sent from gmail, hotmail, etc.

Calendar Description
PSYC 2360 - Brain and Behaviour (Formerly 017.236) This course explores the relationship between brain and behaviour. The student will first learn about the fundamental elements of the nervous system. Lectures will integrate these elements into discussions of systems responsible for sensation, motor control, emotion, sleep, learning and memory. Clinical scenarios will be used to illuminate function. Students may not hold credit for PSYC 2360 (017.236) and any of: PSYC 3530 (017.353) or PSYC 3531 (017.353) or PSYC 3540 (017.354) when titled Brain and Behaviour or PSYC 3541 (017.354). Prerequisite: [a grade of "C" or better in PSYC 1200 (017.120) or PSYC 1201 (017.120)] or [a grade of "C" or better in both PSYC 1211 (017.121) and PSYC 1221 (017.122)] or written consent of department head. 0.000 TO 3.000 Credit Hours Levels: Undergraduate
Learning Objectives:
The course will feature the relationship between brain and behaviour. Students should think about the following objectives.
Basic knowledge:
Define terms appropriate for brain and behaviour
List brain structures
Label neuron components
General comprehension:
Explain how work
Explain how neurons contribute to behaviour
Describe how structures contribute to behaviours
Explain ethics of using animals in research
Discuss cell-cell communication
Application:
Predict behavioural deficit with specific types of brain damage
Defend arguments related to brain and behaviour
Analysis:
Illustrate the role of neurotransmitters in brain and behaviour
Outline motor versus psychological consequences of brain injury
Synthesis:
Compare developmental disorders
Compare motor disorders
Contrast a variety of consequences of brain injury
Validate the statement that brain and behavior are related.

Affective Learning Objectives:
The course will focus on the biological basis of behaviour and, although it is a biologically based course, it does not require students to have taken biology. There are some general expectations that will be met by coming to lectures and participating in the learning enviroment, but also considering why a course like Brain and Behaviour is being offered at all.

At the end of this course, students should be able to describe that the excitement of neuroscience is in understanding how the brain is involved in what we do (be it talking, sleeping, eating, learning, how we develop, and how we can help people that suffer from sometimes deadly and destructive brain and behavioural disorders).

Although this is *not* a clinical course, the course will provide elementary clinical scenarios to help the students see the close links between course material and real-life problems that neuroscientists address. At the end of the course, students should be able to demonstrate the link that brain and behaviour relationships are particularly relevant to life and to those who are considering further study in psychology (especially behavioural neuroscience), social work, or other biologically or health-related areas.

Metacognitive Learning Objectives:
How do you know what you know, and if you are learning anything in this course? And if you feel you are not learning, why is that the case? Learning enviroments can impact how you learn, but you might be unaware that the learning environment comes as much from the students as from the instructors. There is some evidence that those students that employ a metacognitive process to learning do better than those that do not, partly because those that do feel more in control of their learning. Metacognitive strategies focus on 1) monitoring your progress as you learn and 2) adapting your strategies for learning if you are not successful (this course will introduce the concept of plasticity, and you will see just how plastic you are!). The metacognive strategy, or approach, to learning is all about self reflection on your learning, self initiative related to learning, and self responsibility related to your academic study. Your instructor will help you out with this, but you are responsible for goal setting and time management.

What does responsibility look like:
Arrive early(BEFORE 8:30 and be ready to learn at 8:30) - anyone arriving late may be asked to leave.
Bring your clickers to every class - have them out and ready to go.
Turn cell phones, pagers, anything connected to earphones, etc. off. This course is not to be recorded without the instructor's written permission.
Use your computer for notes, but do not check email, play games, etc.. Using it this way may result in you being asked to leave the computer at home.

Above all - Respect the learning environment of others.
Once you arrive, stay in the class room until the class is over - going in and out is not acceptable.
Read chapters as recommended by your instructor
Make attempts to participate in class
Allocate the time needed for the workload (3 in class hours & average of 3 outside class hours/week)
Reading the syllabus carefully

What does responsibility does not look like:
Talking to classmates during the class when the instructor is lecturing - this is unacceptable behaviour.
Arriving late regularly - this is not acceptable behaviour.
Forgetting your clicker (...because they are just dumb)
Assuming that you can leave assignments and do them at the last minute

What do I promise to do to help:
Respond to questions as soon as I can (within 24 hours if I am in town).
Meet with anyone to talk about the class
Prepare lectures in advance
Challenge you to think about things at a deep level
Try to create an active learning opportunity
Mark materials as quickly as possible and post grades

Required Textbook : Kolb and Whishaw - An Introduction to Brain and Behaviour 2nd Edition
We will go through approximately 1 chapter per week. You are expected to have purchased or acquired this book and to follow along.
Although the lectures will follow the text, the material is not always from the text and you are responsible for anything presented in the classroom.

i-Clickers are required of all students!!!
Evaluation and what the class will be like:
You can be assessed on ANY material from lectures, including films and discussions, my answers to student questions, and assigned chapters. So pretty much everything we talk about, besides the weather, could be on the exam.

Midterm #1 - short & long answer - 15% - October 13, 2009 - ethics, Chapter 1-4
Midterm #1 multiple choice on Angel - 5% - October 13, 2009 (posted 1 week before)
Midterm #2- short & long answer - 15% - November 10, 2009 - Chapter 5-10
Midterm #1 multiple choice on Angel - 5% - November 10, 2009 (posted 1 week before)
Midterm #3- short & long answer - 15% - December 8, 2009 - Chapter 11-15
Midterm #1 multiple choice on Angel - 5% - December 8, 2009 (posted 1 week before)
Midterms will be multiple choice, short answer, and long answer questions. There will be 25 multiple choice questions that are to be answered in Angel before the midterm, 20 short answer (fill in the blank, matching, definitions), and 2 long answer questions on each exam. Anything from class or the book is examinable.


i-clicker quizzes - 10% - during the first 5-10 minutes of class there will be 5 i-clicker questions that have an answer based on the syllabus, readings, the last class, or the last video. These are not participation points - each question is worth 0.2% - you will receive up to 1% for each i-clicker question series you participate in up to 10%. There will be - approximately 18 of these through the term. These will start before the revision period is over, but there are enough to ensure that everyone has access to them. If you do more than 10, your highest scores will count towards the 10%.
i-clicker participation during lectures - 10% - you will receive 1% for each i-clicker question series you participate in up to 10%. There will be one almost every class - approximately 18 of these through the term. These will start before the revision period is over, but there are enough to ensure that everyone has access to them. If you do more than 10, your maximum will be 10%.

First SHORT literature review - 10% - due October 22, 2009
- 2.5 pages double spaced text at 12 pt font maximum, but put references on their own page. Two page minimum. These MUST be given to me at the beginning of class with a cover sheet with your name & student number and title,or will be considered late. These MUST be stapled with a single staple in the top left corner (no folders, folded etc accepted). A list of acceptable topics will be posted on Angel by Sept 23. Late papers will lose 10% per day.
Second SHORT literature review - 10% - due November 25, 2008
- 2.5 pages double spaced text at 12 pt font maximum, but put references on their own page. Two page minimum. These MUST be given to me at the beginning of class with a cover sheet with your name & student number and title,or will be considered late. These MUST be stapled with a single staple in the top left corner (no folders, folded etc accepted). A list of acceptable topics will be posted on Angel by October 22. Late papers will lose 10% per day.

The VW date for this course is: November 12, 2009
BRING A PENCIL, ERASER, PEN AND YOUR STUDENT IDENTIFICATION CARD TO THE EXAMS - try to leave your bags and cell phones at home this day. Hydrate yourself and eat prior to exams - coffee, waterbottles and food are not to be on your desk or in the exam.
Although your attendence at midterms is expected, sometimes missing a test is unavoidable. Students should provide instructors with detailed information about events that will cause them to miss any of the midterms as soon as possible when it is missed. Students will be allowed to take make-up tests ONLY with medical (or compassionate-grounds) documentation. This documentation must be provided to me as soon as possible.

Permission to write a make-up midterm if you must be out of town or attend a special appointment must be obtained from the instructor well in advance (aim for a month's notice to the instructor). Only students that are provided with prior instructor approval will be able to make up the missed midterms.
Although "I am going to my brother's wedding in Hawaii" is acceptable (I might want to see the invitation), "I am going to a concert with my friends", "I couldn't find parking" or "I missed the bus", are not acceptable reasons for missing a midterm - arrive early. If you do not schedule in advance, or do not have documentation, you will not be allowed the opportunity to write the midterm and will obtain a zero for that midterm.

University, provincial, or national athletes should discuss scheduling issues with the instructors immediately, especially if known conflicts exist. They should expect to make up exams at the instructor's convenience. Students with religious obligations need to provide notice (3 weeks) to the Head of the Department of Psychology and present evidence for the religious obligations involved.

Times will be scheduled between those needing to write the exam and the instructor. You may be asked to write the midterm earlier than it is scheduled for the class. If you miss these make-up times, you will not have an additional opportunity to make up the midterms. Since it is much easier to write tests when the material is still fresh in your mind, it is highly recommended that you not postpone the midterms.

Academic Dishonesty:
Plagiarism or any form of cheating is subject to serious academic penalty. It is the responsibility of the student to acquaint themselves with Section 7 from the University of Manitoba Undergraduate Calendar for the current academic year - see Policies on Plagiarism and Cheating, and Examination: Personations. Academic dishonesty can result in serious consequences, eg. a grade of zero on an assignment or test, an F on a transcript (with a notation "CW" indicating compulsory withdrawal). The penalty can also include suspension for a period of up to five years from registration in courses taught in a particular department in Arts or from all courses taught in this Faculty. The Faculty reserves the right to check any work suspected of plagiarism through electronic resources. Speak to your instructor if you have any questions.
The following outlines three forms of academic dishonesty:
Plagiarism is to take the words or ideas (found on paper or electronic format) of another person and pass them off as one's own. Submission of a paper written in part or in whole by someone other than yourself is considered to be plagiarism and/or cheating.
Cheating in examinations or tests can take a variety of forms including, but not limited to, the use of unauthorized materials, and copying material from o thers. An assignment that is prepared for one course cannot be submitted for another course; this is called duplicate submission and is a form of cheating.
Examination Impersonation - A student who arranges for another individual (student or non-student) to write any nature of examination, as well as the individual who writes the exam, will be subject to discipline under the University of Manitoba's Student Discipline Bylaw.

Grading:
A+:92-100A:85-91
B+:78-84B:70-77
C+:63-69C:55-62
D:50-54F:0-49
A final percentage grade that has a fractional component will be rounded up if it is .5 or more, and downward if it is .499… or less. For example, a final score of 75.5% would be rounded up to 76%, but a score of 75.3% would be rounded down to 75%.

Tentative Reading Schedule and Chapters:

Week 1- Introduction

Week 2 - Ethics (see Appendix)

Chapter 1

Week 2 - Chapter 2

Week 3- Chapter 3

Week 4 - Chapter 4

Week 5 - Chapter 5 & Chapter 7

Week 6 Midterm #1 - Chapter 6

Week 7 - Chapter 8 & 9

Week 8 - Chapter 10

Midterm #2

Week 9 - Chapter 11

Week 10 Midterm #1

Week 11- Chapter 12 - Chapter 13

Week 12 - Chapter 14

Week 13 - Chapter 15

Week 14 - Please note your midterm #3 will take place during the last class.


Other Information:
My lecture notes will not be placed on the website, but I may post things for you to use.
Students should ask for notes from classmates.
I am hoping that the new learning management system will be used extensively. Check links and monitor additions over the term.

http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~ivancotl/neuro2009.htm

http://umanitoba.ca/angel
YOU must have a University of Manitoba ID to use this and log on. Claim your ID.
Do this at http://umanitoba.ca/claimid

Medline search for your paper!

News:
If you did well in this course and are interested in doing an independent study for the spring of 2009 or potentially in doing an honours project in my lab, please email or come see me. We have opportunities for people that are keen and (now) knowledgable in the area of brain and behaviour!