Volume 1, Issue 1
Page 5
Modeling Neural Phenomena through Stop-Mo on Clay Anima on:
A Class Ac vity
Paula M. Johnson & David S. Leland — University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
At the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, introductory neuroscience is a course that sa sfies general educa on
and lab course requirements. Usually co-taught by biology and psychology professors, there are a variety of lab ac vies, from dissec on to visi ng an EEG lab. One ac vity implemented by Dr. Leland and his teaching assistants in spring
of 2013 was a “Neuro Clayma on” project. Students created short videos using modeling clay and stop anima on to
depict neural phenomena (e.g., exocytosis). This ac vity is crea ve, hands-on, and requires teamwork.
Half-sec ons of 12 students each formed 4-member groups: 1 photographer, 1 posi oner, 2 clay shapers. Each
group selected a neuroscience concept or process and created a storyboard (minimum 6 images) for review and approval. Students used one lab session (110 min) to do modeling and photography. Typically, students used 80 to 90
minutes of the first session to capture images. They created shapes using non-hardening oil-based modeling clay and
cu ng tools. Geometrically shaped cutout tools are especially useful for depic ng molecules such as ligands and receptors. Images were collected using Logitech Webcam Pro 9000 cameras and free PC so ware (MonkeyJam, h p://
monkeyjam.org). During a second lab session (110 min), images were imported into iMovie for edi ng, text overlays,
narra on, and other sounds or music. Finalized videos were submi ed online.
The resul ng videos represented a variety of phenomena including the ac on poten al, drug ac on at receptors, split-brain experiment findings, and prenatal brain development. As part of an end-of-semester survey, students
rated the project on how good/bad they believed it was at enhancing their learning and/or ge ng them engaged with
the material (Likert scale: 1 = very bad, 5 = very good). Of 61 respondents, 77% rated the project as good or very good
(M = 4.0, SD = 0.8). Thirty-eight students provided wri en comments, the vast majority of which were posi ve. Most
described the project as “fun” and many specifically appreciated how it provided a very different means of engaging
the material (e.g., “tangible example,” “good change of learning medium,” “unique way to apply the concepts,”
“excellent way to help us solidify certain aspects of neuroscience”). Three respondents wrote that the ac vity was not
worthwhile; most cri cal commentary focused on logis cal issues such as me constraints and the complexity of the
relevant technology.
Students appreciated the crea ve outlet and change of rou ne afforded by the Neuro Clayma on project. A
number of students explicitly recognized (in wri en and/or verbal comments) the value of slowing down and thinking
through each step of one complex phenomenon at the level required to depict it using stop anima on. Feedback on
videos was provided in wri en form to each group privately. While poin ng out errors more publicly can be a sensi ve
ma er, many students said that they would like to see the other groups’ videos, so it may be worth planning from the
outset to have a screening and review of the videos so that everyone can enjoy and learn from their peers’ efforts.
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