DEMONSTRATION

DEMONSTRATION

 

Neurons and Animated Cellular and Molecular Concepts

 

Patricia Stewart, Linda Wilson-Pauwels

University of Toronto

 

ABSTRACT:

Neurons is a web-based interactive program designed to teach basic cellular and molecular concepts in neuronal function to MD and allied health students at the University of Toronto. Neurons is not an online textbook. The program presents a series of 8 animated concepts (produced in FlashÆMX) depicting neuronal processes including axoplasmic transport, channels and pumps, gating mechanisms, establishment of the resting membrane potential, the action potential, neurotransmitter release, post synaptic mechanisms, and removal of neurotransmitter from the synaptic cleft.

 

The goals of the project are to clarify challenging sub-cellular mechanisms in neuronal function and to establish protocols for the design and evaluation of technology-assisted teaching tools in Medical Education. We have created simple animations that show the essential mechanisms in ionic movement in neuronal function. In this version of the program we demonstrate ìparcelingî, i.e. the combination of text and 2-D animations that can be accessed at the userís convenience. In future versions of the program both parceling and self-playing narrated movies will be available.

 

The web site can be accessed at

http://www.surg.med.utoronto.ca/~teddy/index.swf

 

BENEFIT TO PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING SESSION: his presentation will be of interest to both teachers of NeuroAnatomy and to educators interested in active learning on the internet. This site will expand viewersí interest in e-curriculum design as it pertains to the parceling of text with 2-D animations. We invite feed-back from conference attendees on both the content and pedagogical methods used.

 

 

Patricia Stewart

Division of Anatomy, Department of Surgery University of Toronto

1 Kingís College Circle.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A8

Phone: 416-978-8963

Fax: 416-978-3844

Email: p.stewart@utoronto.ca

Website: http://www.utoronto.ca/neuronotes

 

CO-AUTHORS:

Linda Wilson-Pauwels

Teddy Cameron

Biomedical Communications,

Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, 1 Kingís College Circle, Room 2360, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8

 

Phone: 416-978-5357

Fax: 416-978-6891

Email: mailto:l.wilson.pauwels@utoronto.ca

teddy.cameron@rogers.com

Website: www.bmc.med.utoronto.ca/bmc