OPTOM 375A/B : Visual Science 2

Medical and Health Sciences

2024 Semester One (1243) / Semester Two (1245) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

To provide an understanding of visual information processing in human brain. In particular the cortical processing of shape, motion and colour, and development of the visual cortex will be addressed. A problem-oriented approach will develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. Students will acquire the ability to seek, evaluate and retrieve scientific information on which to base their clinical practice.

Course Overview

The primary aim of the course is to gain an understanding of how the visual system processes visual information from the level of the eye to the visual cortical areas. This course teaches students to critically read research papers, make scientific presentations and write research proposals and gives an introduction to statistics. This course will help students to choose the topic of the final year research project. 

The following topics are taught: 
Topic 1: Perception of form, motion and colour. 
Topic 2: Cortical processing of visual information 
Topic 3: Statistics 
Topic 4: Current research in the field of Vision Science

Course Requirements

Restriction: OPTOM 270 To complete this course students must enrol in OPTOM 375 A and B

Course Contacts

Misha Vorobyev (m.vorobyev@auckland.ac.nz)

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Optometry

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate an understanding of human perception of form, motion and colour with a reference to properties of receptive fields of retinal and cortical neurons (Capability 3 and 4)
  2. Describe how visual information in cortex is coded, including dorsal and ventral pathways. (Capability 3 and 4)
  3. Demonstrate ability to make conclusions from results of statistical analysis of experimental data and differentiate between clinical and statistical significance (Capability 4 and 5)
  4. Apply statistical methods to research related problems (Capability 3, 4 and 5)
  5. Demonstrate ability to present a poster and to deliver an oral presentation on selected topics in vision science (Capability 4 and 6)
  6. Demonstrate ability to present research proposal (Capability 3, 5 and 6)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Test on Vision Science 20% Individual Test
Test on Statistics 15% Individual Test
Poster presentation 15% Individual Coursework
Journal club presentation 25% Individual Coursework
Research Proposal 25% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5 6
Test on Vision Science
Test on Statistics
Poster presentation
Journal club presentation
Research Proposal

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 26 hours of lectures, a 18 hour tutorials, 12 hours of poster presentation 26 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 78 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including tutorials and presentations to receive credit for components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including tutorials and presentations will not be available as recordings.
The course may include live online events including tutorials.
Attendance on campus is required for the presentations.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Students had to wait to present a poster to particular poster markers, who were potential journal club supervisors - To avoid such a situation in future, supervisors will be provided student lists in advance and timetabled over two sessions where required. 

Students were not given equal time to prepare for the journal club presentations - To avoid such a situation in future, supervisors will be advised and reminded to release papers one week in advance of the presentation schedule.    

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

The delivery mode may change depending on COVID restrictions. Any changes will be communicated through Canvas.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.