Students
SPH 312 – Auditory Physiology and Psychoacoustics
2015 – S1 Day
General Information
Download as PDF
| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor
Kelly Miles
Margaret Wood
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
3
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
6cp in LING units at 200 level including (LING210(P) or LING217(P))
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit is a detailed examination of human auditory anatomy and physiology, and also of psychoacoustics and speech perception. The structure of the outer, middle and inner ear, the auditory nerve, the auditory brainstem and the auditory cortex are examined, as are the mechanisms of hearing and the physiology of the auditory system. Another major focus of this unit is the psychoacoustics of hearing and speech perception, which are examined both in lectures and in practicals.
|
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- to develop an understanding of the auditory system and how it functions and the need for binaural hearing
- to develop an understanding of how we perceive and process speech sounds
- to develop an understanding of how we perceive and process simple and complex non-speech soundsspeech sounds
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Due |
|---|---|---|
| OAE report | 20% | 23/03/2015 |
| Psychoacoustic report | 20% | 27/04/2015 |
| Speech perception report | 20% | 8/06/2015 |
| Final examination | 40% | Examination period |
OAE report
Due: 23/03/2015
Weighting: 20%
The measuring of otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) is important for detecting inner ear problems. This practicum will introduce you to this important audiological procedure. You will be asked to interpret the generated data and write a research report outlining your findings.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- to develop an understanding of the auditory system and how it functions and the need for binaural hearing
Psychoacoustic report
Due: 27/04/2015
Weighting: 20%
Psychoacoustics is the use of various, very often simple, sounds that enable us to better understand the workings of the auditory system. In this workshop you will learn how to carry out an example of a psycoacoustic procedure (and you will also be asked to participate in the data collection as a participant in the experiment). The procedure involves listening to simple sounds and responding with a simple response (e.g. yes-no, same-different, etc). You will be asked to interpret the generated data to determine how the auditory system processes these simple sounds and to deduce what this can tell us about the auditory processing of more complex sounds, such as speech and music.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- to develop an understanding of how we perceive and process simple and complex non-speech soundsspeech sounds
Speech perception report
Due: 8/06/2015
Weighting: 20%
In this practicum you will examine simple speech sounds (most likely single syllable words) that have been distorted or modified in some way. You will be asked to determine how these distortions or modifications have affected the perception of these words and will also be asked to think about the extent to which this type of procedure might provide might provide insights into both unimpaired speech perception as well as speech perception of people with hearing loss.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- to develop an understanding of how we perceive and process speech sounds
Final examination
Due: Examination period
Weighting: 40%
Short essay structure
On successful completion you will be able to:
- to develop an understanding of the auditory system and how it functions and the need for binaural hearing
- to develop an understanding of how we perceive and process speech sounds
- to develop an understanding of how we perceive and process simple and complex non-speech soundsspeech sounds
Delivery and Resources
This unit has a presence on iLearn (ilearn.mq.edu.au)
Use of the Audiology lab and the Speech Perception lab for workshops
The unit requires a range of audiological technology that form part of the audiological teaching laboratories. The unit also utilises the AHH speech perception laboratory which is equipped with computers and computer based speech perception and psychoacoustics software, as well as equipment for the careful determination of sound levels presented to the students.
Unit Schedule
1. The Ear: An overview
2. Cochlear anatomy / physiology (with OAE practicum)
3. Cochlear transduction
4. Neural function
5. Brainstem nuclei and efferent pathways
6. Psychoacoustics I
7. Psychoacoustics II (with psychoacoustics practicum)
8. Psychoacoustics III
9. Speech perception I
10. Speech perception II (with speech perception practicum)
11. Speech perception III
12. Auditory Cortex
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Graduate Capabilities
Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills
Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- to develop an understanding of the auditory system and how it functions and the need for binaural hearing
- to develop an understanding of how we perceive and process speech sounds
- to develop an understanding of how we perceive and process simple and complex non-speech soundsspeech sounds
Assessment tasks
- OAE report
- Psychoacoustic report
- Speech perception report
- Final examination
Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking
We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- to develop an understanding of the auditory system and how it functions and the need for binaural hearing
- to develop an understanding of how we perceive and process speech sounds
- to develop an understanding of how we perceive and process simple and complex non-speech soundsspeech sounds
Assessment tasks
- OAE report
- Psychoacoustic report
- Speech perception report
- Final examination
Problem Solving and Research Capability
Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Learning outcomes
- to develop an understanding of the auditory system and how it functions and the need for binaural hearing
- to develop an understanding of how we perceive and process speech sounds
- to develop an understanding of how we perceive and process simple and complex non-speech soundsspeech sounds
Assessment tasks
- OAE report
- Psychoacoustic report
- Speech perception report
- Final examination
Effective Communication
We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Assessment tasks
- OAE report
- Psychoacoustic report
- Speech perception report
- Final examination