In this laboratory, biology and neuroscience students learn to program Arduino microcontrollers (http://arduino.cc).
They build mid-term and final independent projects to perform measurements in human psychophysics, motor control, and sensory-motor integration.
The class builds off of freely available online tutorials
http://arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/HomePage
As students follow the online material, they learn simple tasks such has now to make a light blink, or measure timing intervals. Then, with a small twist, students build off the online course material to build neuroscience experiments of their own design. Simple tests include measurements of human flicker fusion rates in vision or reaction time tests. Intermediate measurements include quantification of the precision of human rhythm, the effects of distractors on reaction time, or the accuracy of working memory for pitch. Other tests include measurements of how visual or auditory perception binds multiple sensory events into a single coherent object.
Students each get Arduino kits to take home and learn at their own pace.
http://www.makershed.com/Getting_Started_with_Arduino_Kit_V3_0_p/msgsa.htm
We catalyze students ability to learn the basic material outside of the class, then in lab, students meet to show each other their progress, generate enthusiasm, run psychophysical tests on each other, and connect their devices to oscilloscopes, function generators, and other equipment. Learning to design instrumentation through Arduinos can be an engaging, scalable module for many science courses. (With specific content and pace that could be adapted to the subject matter and abilities of students in different departments.)