Course Syllabus

Semester & Location:	Fall 2024- DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Core Course - 3 credits
Study Tours:	Aalborg; Florence
Major Disciplines:	Neuroscience; Psychology
Prerequisite(s):	One course in neuroscience, physiological psychology, biological psychology, or cognitive psychology at university level.
Faculty Members:	Maria Özden (current students please use the canvas inbox to contact)
Time & Place:	Time: Fridays 8.30-11.35 Classroom: N7-C25

Course Description

This course introduces concepts, theoretical models and empirical methods employed to explain and measure consciousness. Students are offered the opportunity to learn about the neurobiological mechanisms possibly underlying the emergence of consciousness and how disorders of consciousness are understood and rated in clinical settings. The course outlines the multi-faceted nature of consciousness by discussing different aspects of the phenomenon in normal as well as abnormal conditions. Throughout the course, students are encouraged to actively participate in discussions and to use their critical sense during reflections and discussions of the current state of knowledge about how the brain relates to the mind.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Understand the multi-faceted nature of consciousness
• Identify the conceptual and methodological challenges in studying consciousness
• Trace the neurobiological mechanisms possibly underlying the emergence of consciousness
• Understand some of the key approaches to rating disorders of consciousness
• Recognize the strengths and weaknesses of current methodologies

Themes

We will cover topics such as conceptualizing consciousness, theories on consciousness, disorders of consciousness following brain injury, objective and subjective assessments of consciousness, the impact of culture and consciousness applied in clinical populations.

Faculty

Maria Özden, clinical neuropsychologist

Certified MSc in psychology from University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Main areas of interest are within the field of cognitive neuroscience, particularly neural mechanisms underlying cognitive deficits following acquired brain injury, neuropsychological rehabilitation, disorders of consciousness and the impact of culture on cognitive test performance in minority ethnic groups.

Readings

Journal Articles available in Canvas calendar. 

Anokhin, K. V. (2021). The Cognitome: Seeking the fundamental neuroscience of a theory of consciousness. Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology, 51(7), 915-937.

Ardila, A. (2007). The impact of culture on neuropsychological test performance. International handbook of cross-cultural neuropsychology, 23, 44. Chapter 2.

Aru, J., Bachmann, T., Singer, W., & Melloni, L. (2012). Distilling the neural correlates of consciousness. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 36(2), 737-746.

Baars BJ.(2005). Global workspace theory of consciousness: toward a cognitive neuroscience of human experience, in Progresses in Brain Research 150, 45-53.

Block, N. (2011). Perceptual consciousness overflows cognitive access, in Trends in Cognitive Sciences Dec; 15(12), 567-75.

Damasio, A. (2003). Feeling of emotions and the self, in Ann. N.Y Acc.. Science, 1001, 253-261.

Dehaene, S., Naccache, L. (2001). Towards a cognitive neuroscience of consciousness: basic evidence and workspace framework, in Cognition 79, 1-37.

Dresler, M., Eibl, L., Fischer, C. F., Wehrle, R., Spoormaker, V. I., Steiger, A., ... & Pawlowski, M. (2014). Volitional components of consciousness vary across wakefulness, dreaming and lucid dreaming. Frontiers in psychology, 4, 987.

Farb, N. A. S. (2014). From retreat center to clinic to boardroom? Perils and promises of the modern mindfulness movement. Religions, 5, 1062-1086. 

Francken, J. C., Beerendonk, L., Molenaar, D., Fahrenfort, J. J., Kiverstein, J. D., Seth, A. K., & van Gaal, S. (2022). An academic survey on theoretical foundations, common assumptions and the current state of consciousness science. Neuroscience of consciousness, 2022(1), niac011.

Lamme, V. A. (2006). Towards a true neural stance on consciousness. Trends in cognitive sciences, 10(11), 494-501.

Ponsford, J., Carrier, S., Hicks, A., & McKay, A. (2021). Assessment and management of patients in the acute stages of recovery after traumatic brain injury in adults: a worldwide survey. Journal of neurotrauma, 38(8), 1060-1067.

Schnakers, C., & Majerus, S. (2012). Behavioral assessment and diagnosis of disorders of consciousness. In Coma and disorders of consciousness (chapter 1 & chapter 6). Springer, London. 

Seth, A. K., & Bayne, T. (2022). Theories of consciousness. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 1-14.

Smallwood, J., & Schooler, J. W. (2015). The science of mind wandering: empirically navigating the stream of consciousness. Annual review of psychology, 487-518.

Tononi G. (2004). An information integration theory of consciousness. BMC Neurosci. Nov 2;5:42.

Zeki S. (2003). The disunity of consciousness, in Trends in Cognitive Sciences May;7(5):214-218.

Zeman, A. (2005). What in the world is consciousness? Progress in Brain Research, 150, 1-10.

Scales for rating disorders of consciousness (available in canvas calendar):
Galveston Orientation and Amnesia Test
JFK Coma Recovery Scale-Revised

Field Studies

Creative field study. 

Urban awareness in Copenhagen - what defines Danish culture? 

Mind wandering while walking in Copenhagen.

Guest Lecturers

Simon Hünermund, psychologist at Center for Mental Health and external lecturer at University of Copenhagen. Topic: "Mindfulness and consciousness".

Approach to Teaching

Classes will be composed of various teaching methods, e.g. discussions, teamwork, presentations and exercises. Classes will not take form of long lectures but will rather aim to create an interactive space in which students can share ideas and thoughts. Classes should offer a safe environment in which all students feel welcome. 

Expectations of the Students

Class attendance is mandatory. During this course engaged participation will be expected and is crucial for achieving a positive learning outcome. Students are encouraged to reflect critically on the various topics and the current knowledge in the field of consciousness. Students should be prepared to provide feedback and/or prepare questions for each other after discussions, workshops and presentations. 

The schedule will list reading materials for each class. It is expected that students are prepared by having read and reflected on the material beforehand. Being prepared ensures a better understanding of the topic and creates a possibility for fruitful discussions, a dynamic learning environment and a better overall outcome. 

Attendance 

You are expected to attend all DIS classes when scheduled. If you miss a class for any reason please contact the faculty no later than the day of the missed class. If you miss multiple classes the Director of Teaching and Learning, and the Director of Student Affairs will be notified and they will follow-up with you to make sure that all is well. Absences will jeopardize your grade and your standing at DIS.  Allowances will be made in cases of illness, but in the case of multiple absences you will need to provide a doctor’s note. 

Lab Information  

The lab module associated to the course offers students the opportunity to acquire hands-on experience with the concrete aspects of research in the field of human consciousness. During the semester students will therefore formulate, create and carry on a full-scale experiment and submit a research manuscript presenting their results. 

Contact

I will be available to answer messages in Canvas or plan meetings on Thursdays from 15:30-17:30. 

Academic Accommodations

Your learning experience in this class is important to me.  If you have approved academic accommodations with DIS, please make sure I receive your DIS accommodations letter within two weeks from the start of classes. If you can think of other ways I can support your learning, please don't hesitate to talk to me. If you have any further questions about your academic accommodations, contact Academic Support academicsupport@dis.dk

Class room policies

Use of laptops or phones in class

Laptops are only to be used for appropriate class-related activities and should not be used in any way that will distract your peers. Phones and smart-watches should not be used in class. Phones should be placed in silent mode when arriving for class and students should not have them out during class unless you have a specific reason that has been discussed with the instructor ahead of time. If your use of technology is due to an official or unofficial accommodation you require to succeed in class, please let me know at the beginning of the semester and/or reach out to the appropriate contact at DIS (care@dis.dk). 

Late papers will not be accepted.

Academic honesty, plagiarism and violating the rules of an assignment

DIS expects that students abide by the highest standards of intellectual honesty in all academic work. DIS assumes that all students do their own work and credit all work or thought taken from others. Academic dishonesty will result in a final course grade of “F” and can result in dismissal. The students’ home universities will be notified. DIS reserves the right to request that written student assignments be turned in electronic form for submission to plagiarism detection software. See the Academic Handbook for more information, or ask your instructor if you have questions. 

AI Tools

Although AI tools are valuable, they should support human creativity and critical thinking, not replace them. Therefore, the use of AI tools like ChatGPT is permitted within defined contexts if you include proper attribution. Usage outside of the predefined contexts and without attribution will be considered a breach of our Academic Honesty Policy. Detailed instructions will be provided during the course. 

Student organization and documentation

For all assignments in this course, consider this policy carefully: In order to foster your active learning and engagement in the writing process, please note that your notes and drafts related to this assignment could be requested for review at any time. Keep them organized and readily available until your final course grade is posted on Canvas. 

Academic Regulations

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on: 

• Course Enrollment and Grading 
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code

Evaluation

Form	How	Percentage
Engaged participation (not just attendance)	Individual	25 %
Core Course Week and Long Study Tour Assignments (2 separate reflection papers)	Individual	30 %
Final: Posters and presentation of posters	Individual/groups of 2-3	25 %
Short presentations of assigned reading	Groups of 2-3	20 %

Papers must be handed in under assignments in canvas. 

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.orgLinks to an external site.