Curriculum catalogue¶
The catalogue contains 80 short modules across 14 families. Each entry records audience, duration, prerequisites, implementation mode, learning outcomes, reusable outputs and a specific interpretive boundary.
Specifications, not released handouts
The catalogue is a curriculum architecture. Do not treat nominal durations, settings or activities as validated classroom protocols until the module has passed the development and validation process described in Development status.
Browse by family¶
| Family | Scope | Modules |
|---|---|---|
| FND — Foundations and orientation | Foundations and orientation | 4 |
| NPH — Neurophysiology | Neurophysiology | 7 |
| EPH — Electrophysiology and instrumentation | Electrophysiology and instrumentation | 6 |
| SYN — Synapses and integration | Synapses and integration | 6 |
| SEN — Sensory neuroscience | Sensory neuroscience | 5 |
| NET — Networks and neural computation | Networks and neural computation | 7 |
| CMP — Computational neuroscience | Computational neuroscience | 9 |
| DAT — Neural-data analysis | Neural-data analysis | 8 |
| STA — Statistics | Statistics | 6 |
| IMG — Calcium imaging | Calcium imaging | 5 |
| EXT — Extracellular recording | Extracellular recording | 5 |
| MET — Experimental methodology | Experimental methodology | 6 |
| EPI — Epistemology and scientific reasoning | Epistemology and scientific reasoning | 4 |
| OSC — Outreach and educator practice | Outreach and educator practice | 2 |
Implementation relationship codes¶
| Code | Relationship | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Direct physical implementation | Board controls and observable electronic behaviour are the main learning object. |
| 2 | Direct implementation using board and GUI | Board behaviour is recorded, visualised or controlled through the GUI. |
| 3 | Hybrid board and Jupyter implementation | Students acquire Spikeling data and analyse it in a notebook. |
| 4 | Multi-board implementation | Two or more boards are physically connected into a circuit. |
| 5 | Recorded-dataset analysis | A prepared or previously acquired dataset is the primary input. |
| 6 | GUI simulation workflow | The imaging, extracellular or emulator workflow supplies synthetic data. |
| 7 | Conceptual analogy using Spikeling | The platform supports a bounded analogy rather than direct biological implementation. |
| 8 | External computational comparison grounded in Spikeling data | Recorded data are compared with external equations, simulations or fitted models. |
| 9 | Not presently suitable | The concept should not be represented as supported by the current platform. |
Curriculum taxonomy and module contract¶
| ID | Family | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| FND | Foundations and orientation | First encounter, representation, signals and platform literacy. |
| NPH | Neurophysiology | Baseline, polarity, threshold, excitability and firing patterns. |
| EPH | Electrophysiology and instrumentation | Clamp modes, acquisition, noise, sampling, calibration and artefacts. |
| SYN | Synapses and integration | Signed inputs, summation, timing, decay and plasticity comparisons. |
| SEN | Sensory neuroscience | Photodiode transduction, thresholds, adaptation, tuning and detection. |
| NET | Networks and neural computation | Feedforward/recurrent motifs, inhibition, oscillation, synchrony and logic. |
| CMP | Computational neuroscience | Izhikevich equations, parameter space, dynamical systems and inference. |
| DAT | Neural-data analysis | Import, QC, events, rates, temporal features, trial analysis and decoding. |
| STA | Statistics | Variability, uncertainty, comparisons, regression, power and multiplicity. |
| IMG | Calcium imaging | Forward models, sampling, ΔF/F, indicators, ROI concepts and deconvolution. |
| EXT | Extracellular recording | Geometry, recording chain, detection, sorting and quality metrics. |
| MET | Experimental methodology | Questions, operationalisation, controls, uncertainty and reproducible workflow. |
| EPI | Epistemology and scientific reasoning | Evidence, model validity, causality, falsification and transparency. |
| OSC | Outreach and educator practice | Public explanation, demonstrations and facilitation. |
Standard module contract¶
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Identity: ID, title, family, concept statement and principal pedagogical theme.
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Audience: level, prior knowledge, required modules and suitable context.
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Logistics: 30/45/60 minutes, group size, boards, equipment, software and dataset requirement.
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Learning outcomes: three to five observable outcomes.
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Learning mode and stages: activity format plus Explore-to-Reproduce stages.
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Spikeling relationship: controls, interfaces, preset, variables, relationship code and explicit limit.
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Roadmap: prediction, configuration, manipulation, recording, analysis, interpretation and limitation.
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Inputs/outputs: artefacts designed for reuse by subsequent modules.
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Sources/connections/priority: evidence base, prerequisites, follow-ons, bundle compatibility and development priority.
Complete module index¶
| ID | Title | Min | Mode | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FND-01 | First contact: make a neuron respond | 30 | Exploratory board activity | Core module |
| FND-02 | Neuron, model and instrument | 45 | Methodology exercise | Core module |
| FND-03 | The stimulus–response chain | 30 | Guided exploration | Core module |
| FND-04 | Signals, variables and units | 45 | Instructor-LED practical | Core module |
| NPH-01 | Baseline and resting state | 45 | Board and GUI experiment | Core module |
| NPH-02 | Depolarisation and hyperpolarisation | 45 | Guided experiment | Core module |
| NPH-03 | Threshold and operational rheobase | 60 | Board + GUI experiment | Core module |
| NPH-04 | Input–output and firing-rate curve | 60 | Hybrid board + Jupyter | Core module |
| NPH-05 | Refractory and recovery behaviour | 60 | Hybrid experiment | High-priority extension |
| NPH-06 | Latency and adaptation | 60 | Hybrid board + Jupyter | Core module |
| NPH-07 | Atlas of neuronal firing diversity | 60 | Board + GUI experiment | Core module |
| EPH-01 | Current clamp: command and response | 45 | Guided experiment | Core module |
| EPH-02 | Model voltage clamp and controller current | 60 | Board + GUI experiment | Advanced specialised module |
| EPH-03 | Analogue, digital and event signals | 45 | Instructor-LED practical | Core module |
| EPH-04 | Sampling and timebase validation | 60 | Methodology + acquisition exercise | Core module |
| EPH-05 | Noise, filtering and signal-to-noise | 60 | Hybrid experiment | Core module |
| EPH-06 | Calibration, dynamic range and artefacts | 60 | Methodology experiment | High-priority extension |
| SYN-01 | From presynaptic event to postsynaptic current | 45 | Multi-board guided experiment | Core module |
| SYN-02 | Excitation, inhibition and signed gain | 60 | Board + GUI experiment | Core module |
| SYN-03 | Temporal summation | 60 | Hybrid multi-board experiment | Core module |
| SYN-04 | Spatial summation with two inputs | 60 | Multi-board experiment | High-priority extension |
| SYN-05 | Coincidence detection and input timing | 60 | Multi-board + Jupyter | Advanced specialised module |
| SYN-06 | Static synapses versus short-term plasticity | 60 | Simulation comparison | Dataset-only/high-priority extension |
| SEN-01 | Photodiode sensory transduction | 45 | Guided exploration | Core module |
| SEN-02 | Sensory threshold and dynamic range | 60 | Hybrid experiment | Core module |
| SEN-03 | ON and OFF response analogies | 45 | Board + GUI experiment | High-priority extension |
| SEN-04 | Sensory adaptation and recovery | 60 | Hybrid experiment | High-priority extension |
| SEN-05 | Reliability, tuning and signal detection | 60 | Hybrid experiment/Jupyter | Advanced specialised module |
| NET-01 | Feedforward excitation | 45 | Multi-board circuit | Core module |
| NET-02 | Feedforward inhibition | 60 | Multi-board experiment | High-priority extension |
| NET-03 | Recurrent excitation and persistence | 60 | Multi-board circuit | Advanced specialised module |
| NET-04 | Reciprocal and lateral inhibition | 60 | Multi-board experiment | High-priority extension |
| NET-05 | Disinhibition | 60 | Multi-board circuit | Advanced specialised module |
| NET-06 | Oscillation, central-pattern-generation analogy and synchrony | 60 | Multi-board + Jupyter | Advanced specialised module |
| NET-07 | Neural logic and temporal computation | 60 | Multi-board challenge | High-priority extension |
| CMP-01 | The Izhikevich equations as an executable model | 60 | Simulation comparison | Core module |
| CMP-02 | Meaning of a, b, c and d | 60 | Board + simulation | Core module |
| CMP-03 | Preset phenotype atlas | 60 | Hybrid experiment | High-priority extension |
| CMP-04 | Parameter sweeps and sensitivity | 60 | Jupyter + board validation | Advanced specialised module |
| CMP-05 | Class 1 and Class 2 excitability | 60 | Hybrid experiment | Advanced specialised module |
| CMP-06 | Integrators and resonators | 60 | Hybrid experiment | Advanced specialised module |
| CMP-07 | Rebound, bistability and bursting regimes | 60 | Board + simulation | Advanced specialised module |
| CMP-08 | Nullclines, phase portraits and dynamical interpretation | 60 | External computational comparison | Advanced specialised module |
| CMP-09 | Mystery neuron: parameter inference and model comparison | 60 | Jupyter inference module | Advanced specialised module |
| DAT-01 | Import, data structure and metadata | 45 | Jupyter analysis | Core module |
| DAT-02 | Plotting and quality control | 45 | Jupyter analysis | Core module |
| DAT-03 | Spike detection and validation | 60 | Jupyter analysis | Core module |
| DAT-04 | Firing rate and interspike intervals | 60 | Jupyter analysis | Core module |
| DAT-05 | Latency, adaptation and burst features | 60 | Jupyter analysis | High-priority extension |
| DAT-06 | Trial alignment, rasters and PSTHs | 60 | Jupyter analysis | High-priority extension |
| DAT-07 | Correlation, cross-correlation, phase and synchrony | 60 | Jupyter analysis | Advanced specialised module |
| DAT-08 | Encoding, decoding and reproducible analysis pipeline | 60 | Jupyter analysis | Advanced specialised module |
| STA-01 | Distributions, variability and experimental units | 45 | Jupyter statistics | Core module |
| STA-02 | Confidence intervals and bootstrap uncertainty | 60 | Jupyter statistics | Core module |
| STA-03 | Paired comparisons and effect sizes | 60 | Jupyter statistics | High-priority extension |
| STA-04 | Independent groups and non-parametric comparisons | 60 | Jupyter statistics | Advanced specialised module |
| STA-05 | Regression and repeated-measures designs | 60 | Jupyter statistics | Advanced specialised module |
| STA-06 | Multiplicity, power and statistical versus scientific significance | 60 | Jupyter methodology | Advanced specialised module |
| IMG-01 | Spikes to calcium to fluorescence | 45 | GUI simulation workflow | Core module |
| IMG-02 | Frame rate and temporal filtering | 60 | GUI + Jupyter | High-priority extension |
| IMG-03 | Baseline, ΔF/F, noise and bleaching | 60 | GUI simulation + analysis | High-priority extension |
| IMG-04 | Indicator kinetics, affinity and saturation | 60 | GUI simulation | Advanced specialised module |
| IMG-05 | ROI, neuropil and spike inference against ground truth | 60 | Prepared-dataset/Jupyter | Advanced specialised module |
| EXT-01 | Intracellular versus extracellular signals | 45 | GUI simulation | Core module |
| EXT-02 | Electrode geometry and tetrode projection | 60 | GUI simulation | High-priority extension |
| EXT-03 | Recording chain: noise, hum, reference and filtering | 60 | GUI simulation + analysis | Advanced specialised module |
| EXT-04 | Threshold detection and waveform features | 60 | GUI + Jupyter | High-priority extension |
| EXT-05 | Clustering, spike sorting and quality metrics | 60 | Prepared-dataset/Jupyter | Advanced specialised module |
| MET-01 | From observation to a testable question | 30 | Methodology exercise | Core module |
| MET-02 | Operational definitions and measurement | 45 | Methodology exercise | Core module |
| MET-03 | Protocol design, controls and confounding | 60 | Methodology exercise | Core module |
| MET-04 | Calibration, repeatability and uncertainty budget | 60 | Methodology experiment | High-priority extension |
| MET-05 | Exploratory versus confirmatory analysis | 60 | Methodology seminar + analysis | Advanced specialised module |
| MET-06 | Reproducible data, code and reporting | 60 | Reproducibility exercise | Core module |
| EPI-01 | Observation, measurement and inference | 45 | Conceptual seminar | Core module |
| EPI-02 | Model validity, analogy and underdetermination | 60 | Epistemological seminar | Core module |
| EPI-03 | Causality, falsification and negative results | 60 | Conceptual/methodology seminar | Advanced specialised module |
| EPI-04 | Open hardware, transparency and responsible communication | 45 | Seminar/workshop | Core module |
| OSC-01 | Explain a spike without a black box | 30 | Outreach demonstration | Outreach module |
| OSC-02 | Facilitate challenge cards and teacher-LED inquiry | 60 | Educator workshop | Outreach module |