Discover what makes your brain tick in this first module of a three-part introductory series in neuroscience.
Manifesto
Let’s face it: MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) promise
disruption, and yet most of them to date deliver an extremely
traditional learning experience. Basically, it’s the big-lecture-hall
format, with an internet-sized lecture hall.
However, many of us in higher education never were happy about the
big-lecture-hall format in the first place. Lecturing to an audience of
hundreds is a impersonal experience for all involved; the interaction is
usually almost completely unidirectional, and the material must be
lowered to the lowest common denominator. Make no mistake: there are
many professors who are masters of this format, who can inspire mass
audiences. However, I’d wager that most of them still wish they could
engage with their students in a smaller format. The big-hall lecture is a
practical necessity, but it is in no way ideal. In many ways, the big
lecture is academia’s dirty laundry; many of the most memorable
experiences in a Harvard education come from smaller seminar
experiences, not to mention interactions with peers.
Our goal is to reboot the MOOC and leverage the advantages of the
internet, rather than just shoveling the same old lecture format onto
the web. It’s going to be a long journey, and we’re almost certainly not
going to get it right the first time, but we’re excited about the
possibilities. We invite you to join us in this experiment and we
welcome your feedback and help in making an online learning space that
lives up to the hype.
ABOUT THIS COURSE:
MCB80x: Fundamentals of Neuroscience is a three part course that
explores the structure and function of the nervous system — from the
microscopic inner workings of a single nerve cell, to the staggering
complexity of the brain, and beyond to the social interactions and
societal dynamics that our brains make possible. We’ll take a look at
how our nervous system enables every part of human experience — our
senses, movement, personality, emotion — and how drugs and disease can
alter and disrupt normal function.
In this first module (MCB80.1x) we’ll look at how individual neurons
use electricity to transmit information. We’ll invite you to build up a
neuron, piece by piece, using interactive simulations, and we’ll take
you on field trips in and around Harvard and Boston, bring you into the
lab, and show you how to conduct DIY neuroscience experiments on your
own.
CLASSES START:
October 31th, 2013.
WEBSITE:
http://www.mcb80x.org/
Massive Open Online Course: Fundamentals of Neuroscience, MIT.
Fundamentals of Neuroscience, Part I
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