A2 Science in Society 3.3
Watching the brain working
This topic is about the techniques that allow scientists to see what is going on inside the different regions of
a working brain. The science involved includes: a recognition that different regions of the brain have
different functions, different regions are involved in different types of thought process, many functions
involve integration of regions, activity in any one region can be detected.
Ideas about how science works that are particularly relevant to the topic include: a more systematic look at
measurement errors and how we handle data from our instruments as well as the difficulties of
interpretation of some of this data; the ethical and legal issues arising from a deeper knowledge of
another’s thoughts; the role of the techniques in end of life issues and the ethical issues they raise.
This scheme assumes 20 guided learning hours in 10 two hour sessions.
The references below to How Science Works (HSW) and to Science Explanations (SE) use the code letters
found in sections 3.5 and 3.6 of the specification.
The brain
1
2
3
4
5
6
Earlier ways of researching brain function
Functions of different brain regions of and
their integration
(SE Ka, Kb)
How the media disseminate new science
How to research learning - experiment design
and interpretation of results
(HSW Ab, Ad, Ah, Bi, Fa, Fb, Fc)
Techniques for watching the brain
reading textbook p.66-69
How MRI works
some of the issues involved in interpreting
findings
The power of images in interpretation
(SE Ka, Kb, Kc)
(HSW Ab, Ae, Bb, Bc, Bf)
Interpretation of fMRI results and their
significance
(SE Ka, Kb)
(HSW Ad, Bb, Bg, Eb, Ed, Ef)
A comparison of different techniques for
imaging the brain, their advantages and
disadvantages.
(SE Kb, Kc, Na )
(HSW Aa, Af, Cf, Ga, Hb)
Case study
Studying individual differences with fMRI
Using fMRI activity
(HSW Bb, Bf, Cc, Cd, Ce, Cf, Eb, Ef)
The whole brain activity
discussion and reading
The Mozart effect activity
A class experiment, reading and discussion
Reading textbook p.76-82 and
discussing questions on the use of fMRI
Sleep for success? exam style question
Introduce Which brain scan technique? group
poster making activity
Which brain scan technique? group poster
making activity
Case study - racism in the brain
An original paper and several media reports
of the same work in a practice exercise for
Unit 4
Myth or reality ?
7
Evidence for some popular ideas about the
brain.
Individual differences activity
Online questionnaires and a critical look at
the data that underlies them
Textbook p86-90
Alive or dead?
8
Ethics of life and death decisions and the data
they are based on
(SE Kc, Kd, Ke)
(HSW Hi, Hj, Hk)
Persistent vegetative state PBL activity group
work
Textbook p91 - 94
9
Ethics of life and death decisions and the data
they are based on
(SE Kc, Kd, Ke)
(HSW Hi, Hj, Hk)
Persistent vegetative state
PBL activity group work and
class debate
10
Review of topic
Read textbook p79-86 and discuss questions
review questions p.97
July 2011