Current course offerings:
ANIMAL COGNITION 400/500 level Psychology, University of Alberta
Course Description: In this cross-listed (undergraduate/graduate) course, we will examine how scientists (e.g., psychologists and behavioural ecologists) test animal cognition. This is a seminar-style course were we will discuss current topics in animal cognition, paying special attention to methodology used in both the field and in controlled laboratory settings to examine the biological relevance/evolution and mechanisms that underpin cognitive abilities in non-human animals (and perhaps non-verbal human infants and even learning in plants). The main focus of this course will be discussion-based pedagogy to enable critical thinking and maximize communication among students/professor. What to expect: No formal power points lectures will be delivered by the Professor, rather, we will work as a team via group discussions with a focus on articulating and communicating critical thinking/analysis skills.
Course Objectives and Expected Learning Outcomes: The objective of this course is to introduce you to more advanced issues in animal learning and cognition. This will include gaining an understanding of some of the neural mechanisms involved in the learning and cognitive phenomena that we discuss. In addition to these primary objectives, the course is designed around using primary sources and original research in course instruction. Students are expected to gain a deeper understanding of animal learning and cognition, to learn how to critically evaluate original research (i.e., from journal articles), and to express ideas about the subject matter in written form through assignments, and in an informal Journal Club presentation.
PRINCIPLES OF LEARNING 300 level Psychology, University of Alberta
Course Description: In this course we will examine a variety of fundamental learning processes, primarily as investigated through research with non‐human subjects. We will begin with an examination of elementary forms of learning and then progress to a consideration of more complex learning and cognitive processes. Some specific phenomena we will examine include: habituation and sensitization, classical (Pavlovian) conditioning, operant (instrumental) conditioning, discrimination learning, memory and cognition in animals. The main focus of this course will be on understanding the mechanisms that underlie these various forms of learning. Thus, the treatment of these topics will be considerably more theoretical than in the prerequisite course (PSYCO 281). Although the primary focus of this course is on structural analyses of learning processes, some consideration will also be given to the biological function and neural bases of learning and cognitive processes.
Course Objectives and Expected Learning Outcomes: The objective of this course is to introduce you to more advanced issues in animal learning and cognition. This will include gaining an understanding of some of the neural mechanisms involved in the learning and cognitive phenomena that we discuss. In addition to these primary objectives, the course is designed around using primary sources and original research in course instruction. Students are expected to gain a deeper understanding of animal learning and cognition, to learn how to critically evaluate original research (i.e., from journal articles), and to express ideas about the subject matter in written form through assignments, and in a Journal Club presentation.
Courses Previously taught:
BASIC PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSES 100 level, University of Alberta
Course Description: Principles and development of perception, motivation, learning, and thinking and their relationship to the psychological functioning of the individual. Fulfillment of the 1/4 laboratory credit typically entails serving as a research participant, but can be fulfilled through the completion of alternative assignments. The course is a prerequisite to all courses in the department and is normally followed by PSYCO 105. Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites taking this class.
Course Objectives: The first objective of this course is to introduce you to the field of psychology, which is extremely diverse. My hope is that everyone taking this course becomes interested in a least one aspect of the discipline of psychology and thus explores other, more specialized course offerings. The second objective is to help you to understand the basic mechanisms that allow us to sense, perceive and learn and remember things about the world we live in. The third objective is to understand how the discipline of psychology has changed over the years and where the discipline is today, including the methods available to study psychology. The last objective of this class is to introduce you to opportunities available to you to continue to learn about, participate in and be a practitioner of the scientific study of the brain and mind (psychology!).
At the University of St Andrews I lectured in the Animal Behaviour and Terrestrial Zoology modules and supervised research projects for the Animal Behaviour module.
Course Description: In this cross-listed (undergraduate/graduate) course, we will examine how scientists (e.g., psychologists and behavioural ecologists) test animal cognition. This is a seminar-style course were we will discuss current topics in animal cognition, paying special attention to methodology used in both the field and in controlled laboratory settings to examine the biological relevance/evolution and mechanisms that underpin cognitive abilities in non-human animals (and perhaps non-verbal human infants and even learning in plants). The main focus of this course will be discussion-based pedagogy to enable critical thinking and maximize communication among students/professor. What to expect: No formal power points lectures will be delivered by the Professor, rather, we will work as a team via group discussions with a focus on articulating and communicating critical thinking/analysis skills.
Course Objectives and Expected Learning Outcomes: The objective of this course is to introduce you to more advanced issues in animal learning and cognition. This will include gaining an understanding of some of the neural mechanisms involved in the learning and cognitive phenomena that we discuss. In addition to these primary objectives, the course is designed around using primary sources and original research in course instruction. Students are expected to gain a deeper understanding of animal learning and cognition, to learn how to critically evaluate original research (i.e., from journal articles), and to express ideas about the subject matter in written form through assignments, and in an informal Journal Club presentation.
PRINCIPLES OF LEARNING 300 level Psychology, University of Alberta
Course Description: In this course we will examine a variety of fundamental learning processes, primarily as investigated through research with non‐human subjects. We will begin with an examination of elementary forms of learning and then progress to a consideration of more complex learning and cognitive processes. Some specific phenomena we will examine include: habituation and sensitization, classical (Pavlovian) conditioning, operant (instrumental) conditioning, discrimination learning, memory and cognition in animals. The main focus of this course will be on understanding the mechanisms that underlie these various forms of learning. Thus, the treatment of these topics will be considerably more theoretical than in the prerequisite course (PSYCO 281). Although the primary focus of this course is on structural analyses of learning processes, some consideration will also be given to the biological function and neural bases of learning and cognitive processes.
Course Objectives and Expected Learning Outcomes: The objective of this course is to introduce you to more advanced issues in animal learning and cognition. This will include gaining an understanding of some of the neural mechanisms involved in the learning and cognitive phenomena that we discuss. In addition to these primary objectives, the course is designed around using primary sources and original research in course instruction. Students are expected to gain a deeper understanding of animal learning and cognition, to learn how to critically evaluate original research (i.e., from journal articles), and to express ideas about the subject matter in written form through assignments, and in a Journal Club presentation.
Courses Previously taught:
BASIC PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSES 100 level, University of Alberta
Course Description: Principles and development of perception, motivation, learning, and thinking and their relationship to the psychological functioning of the individual. Fulfillment of the 1/4 laboratory credit typically entails serving as a research participant, but can be fulfilled through the completion of alternative assignments. The course is a prerequisite to all courses in the department and is normally followed by PSYCO 105. Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites taking this class.
Course Objectives: The first objective of this course is to introduce you to the field of psychology, which is extremely diverse. My hope is that everyone taking this course becomes interested in a least one aspect of the discipline of psychology and thus explores other, more specialized course offerings. The second objective is to help you to understand the basic mechanisms that allow us to sense, perceive and learn and remember things about the world we live in. The third objective is to understand how the discipline of psychology has changed over the years and where the discipline is today, including the methods available to study psychology. The last objective of this class is to introduce you to opportunities available to you to continue to learn about, participate in and be a practitioner of the scientific study of the brain and mind (psychology!).
At the University of St Andrews I lectured in the Animal Behaviour and Terrestrial Zoology modules and supervised research projects for the Animal Behaviour module.