Cook-Snyder Denise R
Neuroscience Program, Carthage College, Kenosha, WI 53140.
J Undergrad Neurosci Educ. 2017 Nov 15;16(1):C1-C6. eCollection 2017 Fall.
Analyzing and evaluating primary literature data is a common learning objective in undergraduate neuroscience courses. However, students with more clinically focused career goals often dismiss the relevance of evaluating basic neuroscience literature. Here, we describe using case studies to promote student engagement in primary literature in a cellular and molecular neuroscience course. Two example literature-based case studies are provided: Untwisting Pretzel Syndrome, a neurodevelopment case exploring synapse formation in a pretzel syndrome patient, and The Trials of ALS, a neurodegeneration case exploring axon degeneration and repair in an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patient. These cases were assigned after neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration lectures covering key concepts. Both cases begin by introducing the patient and hypothesizing symptoms and diagnoses, followed by scenes incorporating primary data to illustrate disease pathogenesis and treatments. Students complete questions embedded in these cases as homework, and class time is used to discuss their answers. Discussion emphasizes that there can be multiple "correct" answers, and the best answers are accurate and well-supported. Accordingly, students edit their answers in class, and these annotations are factored into a pass/fail grade on the case. Additional scenes and questions from the same case studies are used on the course's take-home exams, thereby allowing students to practice primary data analysis and evaluation before a graded assignment. Student evaluations support literature-based case studies as an effective learning tool, with students identifying cases as the most valuable aspect of the course, and reporting increased confidence in understanding cellular and molecular neuroscience.
分析和评估一手文献数据是本科神经科学课程中常见的学习目标。然而，那些职业目标更侧重于临床的学生往往忽视评估基础神经科学文献的相关性。在此，我们描述了如何在细胞与分子神经科学课程中利用案例研究来促进学生参与一手文献的学习。本文提供了两个基于文献的案例研究示例：“解开椒盐脆饼综合征”，这是一个神经发育案例，探讨了一名椒盐脆饼综合征患者的突触形成；以及“肌萎缩侧索硬化症的考验”，这是一个神经退行性变案例，探讨了一名肌萎缩侧索硬化症患者的轴突退化和修复。这些案例是在涵盖关键概念的神经发育和神经退行性变讲座之后布置的。两个案例均以介绍患者并对症状和诊断进行假设开始，随后是包含一手数据的场景，以说明疾病的发病机制和治疗方法。学生将这些案例中嵌入的问题作为作业完成，课堂时间则用于讨论他们的答案。讨论强调可能有多个“正确”答案，而最佳答案是准确且有充分依据的。因此，学生在课堂上编辑他们的答案，这些注释会计入案例的及格/不及格成绩。同一案例研究中的其他场景和问题会用于课程的带回家考试中，从而让学生在有评分的作业之前就有机会练习一手数据分析和评估。学生评价支持基于文献的案例研究是一种有效的学习工具，学生们将案例视为课程中最有价值的部分，并报告称在理解细胞与分子神经科学方面信心增强。
