Assignment #1: Learning Design Blueprint

Group F

1. Mohammed Azim Haris (V01019857)
2. Jade Bird (V00956409)
3. Nina Sandhu (V00919644)
4. Rina Hysiqi (V00937735)

Alzheimer’s Disease

Overview

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive brain disorder that is characterized by age-related cognitive and functional decline. This neurodegenerative disorder primarily affects the elderly with symptoms depicting memory loss, difficulty naming objects, and problems with everyday tasks (Lopez et al., 2019). First identified by Alois Alzheimer in 1906, the disease leads to severe dementia within 3-10 years, rendering individuals unable to think, speak, or care for themselves (Wurtman, 2024). Autopsies have revealed distinctive neuropathological changes, such as neurofibrillary tangles, amyloid plaques, and significant neutron loss in brain regions essential for memory and cognition (Wurtman, 2024). The exact cause of AD is unknown, but multiple hypotheses exist, one suggesting a deficiency of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter, and the other suggesting genetic factors (Wurtman, 2024). Despite the recognition of these pathological features, no effective treatment exists to halt or reverse AD’s progression (Lopez et al., 2019). As AD has become a significant public health concern over the past decade, it is important for people to be educated about this disease (Wurtman, 2014). This knowledge can help individuals recognize symptoms early and seek timely medical intervention. Additionally, it enables families and caregivers to understand this disease better and provide more effective care. Ultimately, more research needed to identify the primary mechanisms of AD to protect aging communities across the globe.

AD has many misconceptions which all stem from a lack of knowledge about the disease. The most common misconception about Alzheimer’s is that many people believe the disease only impacts a person’s memory; however, the disease impairs so many other cognitive functions, including spatial awareness, language, reasoning, and judgment (Sievert, 2023). People believe AD to only impact memory because memory loss is the most common symptom and the symptom most noticeable in its preliminary phases (Sievery, 2023). It is important to note that the media plays a critical role in this misconception as most discussions revolving around Alzheimer’s disease often highlight memory less as a key symptom, reinforcing the idea that AD is a synonymous with memory complications. Another misconception about AD is that it is the same condition as dementia. Dementia is a general term used to describe the decline in cognitive function severe enough to interfere with daily life. It is not a specific disease, but rather an umbrella term for a range of symptoms (Sievert, 2023). On the other hand, AD is the specific neurodegenerative disorder that is the most common cause of dementia accounting for the majority of cases. Other types of dementia do exist, including vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and mixed dementia (Sievert, 2023). These types of dementia can exist because of a mix of diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease (Sievert, 2023). Understanding the distinction between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia is crucial for accurate diagnosis, treatment, and support for individuals impacted by these conditions. As memory less is a normal part of aging, a lot of people make critical mistakes by waiting to seek medical attention when they notice their memory starting to decline. However, it is critical to seek medical attention immediately as an early diagnosis is critical for managing symptoms (Lopez et al., 2019). Another common mistake people make is inaccurately assessing the level of care a person with Alzheimer’s disease needs. Many patients require substantial, hands-on care as their disease progresses, which may be extremely taxing on caregivers both physically and emotionally. Recognizing these misconceptions and understanding the true nature of Alzheimer’s disease is essential for providing the proper care and support for those affected by the disease.

Our rationale for choosing the topic of Alzheimer’s included members of our group having direct impact with the disease through family members who suffer from Alzheimer’s and mental cognitive dysfunction, as well group members that have previous research and learning about the disease. This allowed for us to develop an in-depth topic and learning objectives for individuals as we are slightly more advanced in the topic ourselves. As Alzheimer’s disease has no medical cure, this also interested us into learning more about rehabilitation and providing the right tools for others as general awareness regarding Alzheimer’s is very broad and many individuals have minimal conception about the reality of the disease. Majority of people who are caretakers of loved ones who struggle with Alzheimers may have minimal knowledge as to how to help them and go about it, so our learning lesson is designed to directly help those, or spread information to further educate our society.

Learning Design Plan

Our assessment plan will include a simple, mini quiz with multiple choice, true and false questions, and compare and contrast questions for the learner to utilize their learned knowledge at the end of each module so that they are  properly engaged and retain the information throughout the lesson. The modules will cover basics such as the anatomical brain regions and the science behind Alzheimers, treatment and prevention plans and how to deal with Alzheimers, and how they affect others caring and supporting patients with the disease. The quiz and identification activity will include questions regarding the information relayed and the user provides an answer, as well as a feedback option where the user can pose a question and/or comments at the end. Included in the quizzes and matching activities, students will have a chance to role play scenarios and really understand from the internal point of view the different roles affected with those regarding Alzheimer’s, such as the patient, doctor, family, and other caregivers, followed by a final discussion report. These learning activities will be discussed through a report to evaluate the learner’s answers, and discuss how well the individual was able to learn using our lesson plan based on their quiz score and display of knowledge from the learned information. We will also discuss and answer any comments/questions in the discussion to provide further context and help the learner deepen their knowledge on our topic.

Resources

• Youtube Videos:

1. Alzheimer’s Is Not Normal Aging — And We Can Cure It | Samuel Cohen | TED Talks

2. Alzheimer’s: The Caregiver’s Perspective

• Scholarly Articles:

Title: Alzheimer’s disease.

Article Reference: Scheltens, P., De Strooper, B., Kivipelto, M., Holstege, H., Chetelat, G., Teunissen, C. E., Cummings, J., & van der Flier, W. M. (2021). Alzheimer’s disease. The Lancet (British Edition), 397(10284), 1577–1590.

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32205-4

Title: The Epidemiology of Alzheimer’s Disease Modifiable Risk Factors and Prevention.

Article Reference: Zhang, X.-X., Tian, Y., Wang, Z.-T., Ma, Y.-H., Tan, L., & Yu, J.-T. (2021). The Epidemiology of Alzheimer’s Disease Modifiable Risk Factors and Prevention. The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease, 8(3), 313–321.

https://doi.org/10.14283/jpad.2021.15

Project Plan

• Overview – Rina Hysiqi & Jade Bird
• Learning Design Plan
  • Big Ideas – Nina Sandhu
  • Essential Questions – Everyone
  • Learning Outcomes – Rina Hysiqi and Nina Sandhu
  • Evidence of Learning – Nina Sandhu
  • Assessments – Rina Hysiqi and Nina Sandhu
  • Learning Activities  – Nina Sandhu
• Resources – Mohammed Azim Haris
• Blog Formatting – Mohammed Azim Haris

References

Lopez, J. A., González, H. M., & Léger, G. C. (2019). Alzheimer’s disease. Handbook of clinical neurology, 167, 231–255. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-804766-8.00013-3

Sievert, D. (2024) Alzheimer’s vs dementia – what’s the difference?, UCLA Med School. https://medschool.ucla.edu/alzheimers-vs-dementia-what-is-the-difference

Wurtman, R. J. (1985). Alzheimer’s Disease. In Scientific American (Vol. 252, Issue 1, pp. 62–75). https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/stable/24967548?sid=primo