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Unit outline_

HSBH3025: Bodily Senses in Health and Disease

Session 2 Early Census, 2024 [Block mode] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Sensory input allows us to connect to the world and experience varied states of our own body. Understanding how senses work is important for basic science, esp. neuroscience and psychology, and applied areas such as health and engineering. This unit focuses on the sensory processes that underlie perception of one's own body and its actions. Sensory functioning in both healthy and disease states are considered, including the following topics: proprioception or sense of position and movement of body parts, vestibular system, touch, role of vision, brain plasticity, disorders of sensory processing (agnosias, neglect , phantom limbs, vertigo) and most recent experimental developments in rehabilitation and brain-computer interface. Tutorial assessment includes in-depth analysis of a topic of your choice and running your own experiments. NB: This unit does not teach about treatments taught in the core units of professional health science degrees.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Participation Sciences
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

Introductory Neuroscience

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Tatjana Seizova-Cajic, tatjana.seizova-cajic@sydney.edu.au
The census date for this unit availability is 9 August 2024
Type Description Weight Due Length
Participation Lecture and tutorial participation
Lecture quizzes; tutorial participation
15% Ongoing Throughout
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Supervised exam
? 
Final Assignment
Questions will assess understanding and application of concepts
30% September exam week 1 hour
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Assignment My perceptual investigation
Written report exploring sensory function, disorder or application
25% Week 06
Due date: 06 Sep 2024 at 23:59

Closing date: 27 Sep 2024
1200 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5
Presentation group assignment Group experimental project
Design, conduct, analyze and report an experiment
30% Week 07
Due date: 11 Sep 2024 at 14:00
4-hr experiment; 15 min presentation
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
group assignment = group assignment ?

Assessment summary

My perceptual investigation (25%)

  • Description: Explore a sensory function, disorder, or application.
  • Topic selection: Choose from a recommended list of topics. Topic submission in the Week 3 tutorial is required, along with submission of three related papers of your choice.  Note that this is topic submission only, while the assignment is due in Week 6.
  • Requirement: Use AI as a part of this assignment.

Group experimental project (30%)

  • Description: Design and conduct a simple experiment.
  • Presentation: Present your findings in class (15 minutes: 10 minutes for the presentation + 5 minutes for questions).
  • Evaluation: Both your group work during the semester and your presentation will contribute to the final mark.
  • Submission: Presentation slides must be submitted on the day of the presentation.
  • Requirement: Use AI as a part of this assignment.

Participation (15%)

  • Components: Lecture quizzes (7.5%) and tutorial participation (7.5%)
  • Absences: Students with justified absences will have the weight of their participation mark obtained in other classes scaled up to account for missed classes. Unjustified absence will lead to a loss of participation marks for that class. More details are available in Canvas. 

Final exam (30%) 

  • Description: The final exam will assess your understanding of key concepts taught in lectures and tutorials

Assessment criteria

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Shows mastery of concepts and sophistication in their application to novel situations

Distinction

75 - 84

Shows very good understanding of most concepts and ability to apply them to new situations

Credit

65 - 74

Shows good understanding of most concepts and limited ability to apply them to new situations

Pass

50 - 64

Shows basic understanding of important concepts and very limited ability to apply them

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction to perception (also: how to use AI) Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2
Investigating perception: phenomenological report; psychophysics (also: how to use AI) Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO4
Week 02 Foundations of perception: Role of knowledge; Illusions; Multisensory integration Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2
Demonstrations: role of knowledge, illusions, multisensory integration 2nd hr: Your research question; experimental methods Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4
Week 03 Adaptation and aftereffects; Perception and action Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO4
Demonstrations: postural aftereffects, prism adaptation, Whose hand illusion 2nd hour: Final research question, study design Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO4
Week 04 Touch; Proprioception; Interoception Online class (2 hr) LO2 LO3
Demonstrations: tactile motion, 2-point threshold, vibration illusions 2nd hour: Data collection Tutorial (2 hr) LO2 LO4
Week 05 Body ownership and multisensory integration Lecture (2 hr) LO2 LO3
Demonstrations: Virtual Reality; body ownership 2nd hour: Data analysis and interpretation Tutorial (2 hr) LO2 LO4
Week 06 Artificial and augmented sensory systems Online class (2 hr) LO3
Demonstrations: Virtual reality; body ownership; vestibular system 2nd hour: Draft presentations; demonstrate your use of AI Tutorial (2 hr) LO2 LO4
Vestibular system: functions; interactions with vision Online class (2 hr) LO2 LO3
Week 07 Vestibular disorders; Revision Lecture (2 hr) LO2 LO3
Give feedback to 13-weeks students on their proposals 2nd hour: Group project presentations (marked) Tutorial (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4
Neuroprosthetics Independent study (2 hr) LO3

Attendance and class requirements

Lectures are delivered face-to-face and online. Details can be found on Canvas and in your timetable. Please attend the live lectures for a more enriching experience and deeper learning. Short quizzes will be administered at the end of live lectures to encourage attendance, active listening, and participation. Online lectures should be viewed before that week’s tutorial. Tutorials are compulsory. Please be attentive and engage in your own way. 

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

The readings are given in Canvas

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Understand basics of perception theory and how we empirically investigate senses
  • LO2. Understand how we perceive our own body, forces acting on us and our orientation and movement in space
  • LO3. Understand how knowledge about sensory processing is applied in technology and health
  • LO4. Developed the ability to design, conduct and interpret a simple perception experiment
  • LO5. Further improve written and oral scholarly communication

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Six out of 25 students provided feedback on this unit when it last ran, in 2022; an AI summary of their comments is below: Best Aspects: Practical demonstrations were engaging and memorable. Freedom to choose topics for assessments Interesting topics and the ability to experience phenomena discussed in lectures. Detailed feedback and support. Enjoyable tutorial experiments. Areas for Improvement: Overall satisfaction, with no significant suggestions for improvement. Some concerns about the structure of group assignments. Motivating Activities: Tutorials encouraged creative thinking, particularly for group assignments. Motivating assessments. Experiments and demonstrations during tutorials. Engaging tutorial content. Our feedback: In 2024, the unit still has all aspects that students found enjoyable and motivating (the comment regarding the 'structure' of group assignments was not detailed enough and we are not sure what it referred to). The biggest change this year: the use of generative AI is encouraged, supported by instructions, and required

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.