Teaching Neuroscience: Reviving Neuroanatomy, Notes on the 2022 Society for Neuroscience Professional Development...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience Education
• Neuroanatomy Teaching
• Scientific Pedagogy

Background:

• Neuroanatomy is often perceived as rote memorization, posing a challenge for students.
• Traditional teaching methods may not fully engage students or convey the complexity of neural structures.
• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated innovative approaches to professional development in neuroscience education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present innovative and engaging methods for teaching neuroanatomy.
• To explore extending neuroanatomy education to cellular and sub-cellular levels.
• To demonstrate cost-effective and accessible teaching strategies for academic institutions.

Main Methods:

• A webinar format was used, followed by a question and answer session.
• Presenters shared diverse approaches including using online resources, creating research experiences, and incorporating the arts.
• Methods focused on enhancing student engagement and understanding of complex 3-D relationships in neuroanatomy.

Main Results:

• The webinar successfully presented varied and exciting approaches to neuroanatomy instruction.
• Strategies included leveraging the Allen Institute resources and open data for research experiences.
• Techniques for visualizing 3-D neural structures and integrating humanities were highlighted.

Conclusions:

• Innovative teaching methods can effectively enliven neuroanatomy education.
• Extending neuroanatomy to molecular and sub-cellular levels enhances student comprehension.
• Accessible, low-cost strategies can significantly improve student engagement in learning neuroanatomy.