Navigating Through Sound

⏱️ 15 min | Gain an understanding of sound localization and the role of the ears and the eyes for complete sensory input.

CE INFO: IHS 0.25H; AHIP 0.25H; CAA 0.25H; SAC 0.25H

ENROLL

COURSE ABSTRACT:

This course explores how our sensory systems, particularly vision and hearing, allow us to navigate our environment effectively. Learn about the dominance of vision, the mechanics of sound localization, and the role of saccadic eye movements in responding to sensory stimuli. By the course's end, you'll appreciate the intricate interplay between these systems, enhancing your understanding of sensory perception and spatial awareness in the world around you.


LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

  • Understand the role of sensory systems, particularly vision and hearing, in processing and responding to environmental stimuli.
  • Explore the mechanisms of sound localization, including interaural time differences and interaural level differences, and their significance in helping us locate sounds in space.
  • Examine the relationship between saccadic eye movements, sensory cues, and reaction times, and how the brain processes visual and auditory information to respond effectively to various stimuli in the environment.

USE FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION WITH:

INSTRUCTOR 

Denise Gabriel, PhD
Lecturer, University of British Columbia

Denise Gabriel is a Lecturer in the Integrated Sciences Specialization at the University of British Columbia, a program that inspires and supports students to create their own cross-disciplinary degrees through a custom curriculum that supports their unique learning interests. Denise encourages students to think broadly and examine the world through an interdisciplinary and systems-level lens. Her approach to curriculum design and teaching is supported by her own cross-disciplinary background. She obtained her BScH in Biology and Psychology from Queen’s University, began a PhD at UBC in Neuroscience through the CIHR Training Program in Neurobiology and Behaviour, and went on to complete her PhD with an Interdisciplinary focus in Biology and Anthropology at the University of Victoria. Prior to joining the UBC Science faculty, Denise spent 6 years teaching a multi-focused, think-outside-the-box student body at Quest University Canada. It was here that her motivation to have students ask meaningful questions in the pursuit of solutions to complex problems emerged. She continues this systems thinking pedagogical approach throughout her broad disciplinary curriculum in the Integrated Sciences, spanning complex topics in sustainability, human cognitive evolution, and science communication.