"Multimedia Neuroscience Education" is a new project to bring advances in digital technology to the teaching of a complex and growing interdisciplinary field. Central to our approach is the conviction that the neurological, molecular and electrical structures and processes that are fundamental to this field constantly change in time and space. Two-dimensional representations fall far short of communicating the complexity of these phenomena. Eventually we hope to offer a complete set of animated and interactive multi-media resources to support instruction not only of introductory neuroscience, but for use in the related fields of biology and psychology. Now, however, we are seeking NSF funds to produce, evaluate and implement a pilot program to cover one unit, "Synaptic Transmission and Chemical Messengers." We plan to realize this goal by taking advantage of several new advances in computer technology. The first is the availability of moderately priced but extremely powerful 3- D animation software for use on desktop computers. These same computers can run powerful new multi-media authoring software that allows for another breakthrough: we will distribute only the video from our laboratory simulations and process animation on a CD-ROM. All the control of that video plus the related text, graphics and 3-D models for use with JAVA will be kept on our Neuroscience pages on the World Wide Web. Among other things, this means we can update the programming of these materials without ever making the video on the CD-ROM obsolete. The Project is the collaboration of Betty Zimmerberg, Chair of the Neuroscience Department at Williams College, and Lance Wisniewski, multi-media producer. Dr. Zimmerberg has been a researcher and teacher in the neurosciences for two decades at undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as being experienced in pre-college science education outreach and training of pre-college teachers. Wisniewski has produced educational television programs for 20 years, with a spec ialty in computer animation and, recently, multi-media applications. This project will have significant impact on undergraduate education because, in addition to the informative content and its visualization in space and time, the virtual laboratory component will enhance critical thinking, quantitative skills, and science writing experience. The ultimate goal is to have these materials and laboratory experiences available globally, and for a variety of educational levels and setting, in order to convey our excitement in the process of scientific discovery on the new frontier, the mind. NSF FORM 1358 (1/94)
