Active Listening Research Articles

Pedagogical Skills Needs of Motor Vehicle Mechanics Work Teachers for Effective Content Delivery in Government Science and Technical Colleges in Adamawa and Taraba States

The main purpose of the study was to explore the pedagogical skills needs of motor vehicle mechanics work teachers for effective content delivery in government science and technical colleges in Adamawa and Taraba States. The study was guided by two research questions and two null hypotheses. The study was conducted in Adamawa and Taraba States using descriptive survey research design. The population of the study was 123 respondents comprising 81 MVMW teachers and 42 instructors from all the 21 BEST Centres and Government Science and Technical colleges in Adamawa and Taraba States, Nigeria. There was no sampling as the entire population was used because it was manageable. A structured questionnaire tagged: Pedagogical Skills Needs of Motor Vehicle Mechanics Works Teachers Questionnaire (PSNMVMWTQ) consisting of 30 items was validated by three experts. The Instrument was trial tested in Gombe State and the Cronbach Alpha reliability method was used to test the reliability of the instrument and a 0.84 reliability coefficient was obtained. Data collected for the study was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27.0. Mean statistics was used to answer the two research questions while a t-test was used to test the null hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study revealed among others that pedagogical skills needed include stimulating critical thinking, designing effective evaluation procedures, and implementing appropriate instruction. Similarly, affective skills were deemed needed including effective communication, active listening, and conflict resolution. Importantly, there were no significant differences between instructors and MVMW teachers regarding the perceived importance of these skills. It is recommended that Given the identified pedagogical skills needs of motor vehicle mechanics work (MVMW) teachers, Ministries of Education should design and implement targeted training programs focusing on instructional goal identification, task analysis, instructional design, questioning techniques, and evaluation procedures.

Handling conflict situations in psychosis inpatient care: Nursing staff experiences of the Interactive Approach model.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: In inpatient wards, there is a risk that conflicts occur when nursing staff interact with psychotic patients. The Interactive Approach (IA) model is an action-based model, used in psychiatric settings, to manage conflict situations. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: The IA model can be used to improve communication between nursing staff and patients in numerous critical situations. Using a structured risk scale to evaluate a conflict can be an effective way to guide action and sort out the different aspects of communication between nursing staff and psychotic patients. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: The clarity of an action-based model will help sort out which interventions are most likely to succeed in each conflict situation. The IA model highlights the importance of understanding and strengthening the patient's perspective, being flexible for each individual patient, and providing the patient with clear information about the situation. ABSTRACT: Introduction The Interactive Approach (IA) model is a structured management tool used to improve communication between caregivers and patients in psychiatric care settings. Aim/Question To examine the nursing staff's experiences of the IA model. How do they use the interventions in conflict situations with psychotic patients? Method A sample of nursing staff (n = 11) was recruited from three psychosis inpatient care units. Semi-structured questions covered staff experiences of working with the problem-solving interventions in the IA model. Transcribed data were analysed by qualitative content analysis. Results Three categories were defined: (1) 'To apply a flexible approach' describes how staff tried to adapt to each patient and situation; (2) 'Try to understand the person's inner world' describes the importance of active listening and exploring the patient's concerns; and (3) 'To communicate clearly' relates to experiences of clear communication and the setting up of boundaries. Discussion The risk scale and training in communication skills helped the interaction between staff and patients in conflict situations. Different interventions were used with a focus on maintaining patient alliance. Implications for Practice The findings highlight the importance of educational efforts and practical training, to prevent violence and the use of coercive measures.

Ageing in Place: Older People Identify Barriers to Remaining in Low-Density Areas

AbstractStudies involving older people as co-investigators are limited in Portugal. The main objectives of this article are: (I) Analyze the barriers identified by older people living in low-density territories that pose a challenge to ageing in place. (ii) Understand the co-research methodology as an appropriate instrument for increasing the participatory capacity of older people and improving the conditions for ageing in place. (iii) Assess the role of social networks and community support in providing informal assistance to older people in low-density territories. The study involved 14 co-researchers, who had a balanced gender representation and an average age of 64.5 years. All the co-researchers were residents of the study location and volunteered for the research. They were provided training in interview techniques and active listening, prior to the study. A total of three interviews and 23 photographs were analyzed and discussed in five focus group meetings. The participants agreed upon four types of unmet needs and developed proposals to increase their negotiating power, thereby mitigating barriers to their permanence. The co-researchers presented their proposals at two public meetings with decision-makers, managers, and members of the municipal council. The findings were a significant addition to the promotion of the co-research approach and the engagement of older adults in detecting the obstacles that hinder their secure and independent aging in their living environment.

Student Engagement in an Online Class

The present study used descriptive research design to assess student engagement in an online class of a city college in Southern Philippines. It underscored the critical role of student engagement in shaping the various educational outcomes in an online learning environment. A sample of 239 college students were randomly selected to respond to a researcher-made questionnaire, which was pilot-tested and passed the test of validity and reliability. With at least two years’ experience of attending online classes that started during the COVID-19 era, the students’ Internet profile was characterized as having used cellphones and phone Internet to attend online classes and having spent more than 2 to 4 hours daily on the Internet for non-academic purposes. The findings of this study have further shown that the students are engaged in the cognitive, affective, and behavioral domains of online learning. Using the Kruskal-Wallis test for Likert-scale data, no significant difference was found in student engagement in an online class when grouped according to access to Internet, time use of Internet for non-academic purpose, and types of gadgets used. Based on these findings, the study has recommended the following: a) the use and mastery of teaching strategies that promote active listening, asking direct questions to the teachers, greater talking time of the students, and more interaction between teacher and students; and b) the use of breakout rooms in an online classroom for small group discussions and greater collaborative learning among students.

Perception of temporal structure in speech is influenced by body movement and individual beat perception ability

The subjective experience of time flow in speech deviates from the sound acoustics in substantial ways. The present study focuses on the perceptual tendency to regularize time intervals found in speech but not in other types of sounds with a similar temporal structure. We investigate to what extent individual beat perception ability is responsible for perceptual regularization and if the effect can be eliminated through the involvement of body movement during listening. Participants performed a musical beat perception task and compared spoken sentences to their drumbeat-based versions either after passive listening or after listening and moving along with the beat of the sentences. The results show that the interval regularization prevails in listeners with a low beat perception ability performing a passive listening task and is eliminated in an active listening task involving body movement. Body movement also helped to promote a veridical percept of temporal structure in speech at the group level. We suggest that body movement engages an internal timekeeping mechanism, promoting the fidelity of auditory encoding even in sounds of high temporal complexity and irregularity such as natural speech.

Teaching in vocational training – the connection between mental health and the COVID-19 pandemic: an experience report

This paper deals with the importance of valuing the teaching-learning process. The active participation of the learner enables the production of reflective exchanges, together with the teacher, generating knowledge. The connection between the themes of Mental Health and Pandemic and their interfaces was the starting point for the development of lesson planning, linked to the training process. The aim of the study was to describe a teaching internship experience in the context of a doctorate, with undergraduate nursing students in their 6th term, in the subject of Mental Health Promotion. The methodology applied was the construction of a dialogued lecture, with the aim of implementing the stages of the proposed activities. The active listening and experience that the students witnessed during the pandemic and their perceptions of mental health were linked to the training process. As a result, it can be identified that the development of the "teaching" stages was assertive, promoting the development of critical-reflective thinking on thematic connectivity and the construction of a process of interaction between teacher and learner, enabling the transformation of both.

The interdisciplinary method of musical literacy, education and artistic sensibilization: Objectives, structure and evaluation

The Interdisciplinary Method of Musical Literacy, Education and Artistic Awareness (MILMESA) aims to provide a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to education, integrating four artistic expressions (theatre, music, visual arts and physical/motor expression) essential for the development of skills such as creativity, expression and improvisation in a school context. The method aims to prepare adults who are in training for future practices aimed at children, young people or adults. MILMESA integrates 129 activities, classified by degree of difficulty, to improve personal and artistic skills, foster innovation and creativity, improve interaction and sociability, promote concentration and active listening, and improve rhythm, repetition, movement skills, expression and improvisation. A non-experimental methodology was chosen in which post facto questionnaire interviews were applied to 350 training participants. This method is a valuable tool for those looking to expand their artistic knowledge, as well as preparing them to educate and raise awareness among future generations. They also demonstrate the development of interdisciplinary artistic skills and practices in an educational context, the integral development of the individual, the connection and interaction between the arts and other areas of knowledge, and the improvement of skills in individuals who are training for future roles as teachers or artists.

Pre-service Teachers Reflections on Their Ability to Conduct Authentic Dialogue in Preschool after Training Program Participation

Educators that undergo training in diverse pedagogical approaches enhance their instructional abilities, enabling them to form quality interactions with children and foster an overall positive classroom atmosphere (Hoy, et al., 2006). Training programs should carefully consider, acknowledge and respect teacher's prior beliefs regarding their role, while addressing any apprehensions they may have during their student teaching experience. Pre-service teachers are at a unique juncture in their professional development. Simultaneously, they are students with limited abilities but yet must meet high levels of performance as teachers (Fives, et al., 2007). The authentic dialogue training program's main goal was to enable students to be autonomous thinkers and doers while engaging in open dialogues with preschoolers. Deci and Ryan (2002) state that a learning environment that is autonomous and supportive rather than controlling, motivates teachers to integrate and implement new knowledge into their professional practices. The knowledge they required in the authentic dialogue training program was taught through practical interactive seminars, this boosted their sense of self-confidence and enhanced their ability to implement the techniques learned into their dialogues with preschoolers. The assumption was that this approach would empower the pre-service teachers to enable the child to lead the dialogue based on their personal interests. This may be achieved through active listening and shifting away from a teacher-led dialogue (Alexander, 2018).

Active Leaders Are Active Listeners

Active Leaders Are Active Listeners

STORYTELLING TO IGNITE LEARNING

Storytelling is as old as human communication. It is how communities kept and passed down their histories before the written word. For as long as there have been classrooms, teachers who wanted to connect with students have incorporated stories into their lessons. Today, teachers are navigating the complex realities of trying to keep students’ attention in the digital age. They are competing with the influence of social media and ubiquitous use of smartphones. In addition to these struggles, the effects of the worldwide pandemic and the realities of countries like Ukraine living through wartime on the state of global education, make it even more challenging to engage students. Teachers need additional tools to help students achieve critical outcomes and life skills. There is significant qualitative confirmation regarding the efficacy of storytelling in learning. The article presents research findings of educators in various fields who have studied the efficacy of storytelling as a pedagogy. This article also details observed outcomes and advantages of digital filmmaking as a type of storytelling that is an effective teaching framework. Digital storytelling is a dynamic and immersive tool that can help teachers foster lifelong learning skills in students. These include problem-solving, critical thinking, empathy and active listening, accountability, ethics, and integrity. Once learned, these skills and behaviors create the capacity to achieve further learning engagement, outcomes, such as leadership, community and innovation. Further, a consideration of how digital storytelling can help overcome recent challenges to the education system, such as COVID-19, is also included.

The processes and outcomes related to 'family-centred care' in neuromotor and functional rehabilitation contexts for children with cerebral palsy: A scoping review.

The aim of this study is to identify the main processes and outcomes related to family-centred care (FCC) in neuromotor and functional rehabilitation of preschool children with cerebral palsy (CP). FCC is considered a reference for best practices in child rehabilitation. CP is the most common cause of physical disability in childhood with repercussions on functionality. There is a gap in knowledge of the practical principles of FCC, and it is necessary to develop a reference model for the practice of child rehabilitation professionals. In this scoping review, the main databases selected were as follows: LILACS; Pubmed; Embase; The Cochrane Library; CINAHL (EBSCO); Scopus; Web of Science; PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database); Open Gray and other banks of thesis. The terms combined in the search strategy were as follows: 'Family-centered', 'Family-centred' and 'CP'. Inclusion criteria are as follows: studies on preschool-aged children with CP, undergoing family-centred functional therapeutic interventions (FCFTI) with outcomes on bodily structures and functions and/or activities and/or participation. The main participatory care methods identified were home intervention, environmental enrichment, collaborative realistic goal setting, planning of home-based activities and routine, child assessment feedback, family education/training, family coaching, encouraging discussion, observation of therapist and supervised practice. The main relational care qualities identified were as follows: respect, active listening, treat parents as equals, clear language, respect parents' ability to collaborate, demonstrate genuine care for the family, appreciate parents' knowledge and skills, demonstrate competence, experience and commitment. The main outcomes identified in children were improvement in motor and cognitive function and the child's functional ability. The main parentaloutcomes identified were empowerment, feeling of competence, self-confidence, motivation and engagement. The main differences in FCFTI programs refer to the parental education/guidance component and the amount of intervention carried out by parents. It is possible that the elements chosen by the therapist in a FCFTI depend on characteristics of the child and caregivers.

Higher-Order Thinking Skills HOTS-based literacy media: An innovative learning strategy to promote the secondary students' social awareness

In this high-technology era, students are increasingly inclined to use digital services such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Unsurprisingly, most of them are becoming more addicted to using their digital devices. Unfortunately, the accessed contents are not always suitable and reliable for their needs and ages. Therefore, they absorb all information directly without filtering the messages. This study scrutinizes the implementation of Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS)-based media literacy to promote the critical social awareness of junior high school students in an EFL classroom. A case study was employed as a research design involving one eighth-grader class and one EFL teacher as participants. The data were gathered via classroom observations, interviews with the teacher and the students, and document analysis. The data were then analyzed qualitatively by referring to the principles of teaching media literacy, Higher-Order Thinking Skills, and social awareness. The findings of this study revealed that the teacher applied some principles in teaching media literacy, namely introducing general concepts, making generalizations, analyzing information, evaluating the content of information, and drawing a conclusion from the students' actions. These principles consequently promoted the students' critical social awareness, including emotional awareness, self-regulation, empathy, active listening, cooperation, and respect. Considering such benefits, HOTS-based media literacy can be used as an alternative learning strategy to promote the students' critical social awareness in EFL classrooms.

The Classroom Communication and Collaboration Appraisal: A Comprehensive Tool for Assessing Communication and Collaboration in Classroom Environments.

The aim of this research note is to introduce a new appraisal form, the Classroom Communication and Collaboration (C3) Appraisal, designed to evaluate communication and collaboration within classroom settings. A comprehensive synthesis of the key skills from a broad range of publications on successful communication and collaboration in the classroom was conducted. The resulting appraisal comprises 39 items across six scales: crafting clear messages, appropriateness of communication exchange, active listening, pragmatics and discourse, communication breakdown, and collaboration. To demonstrate its application, an exemplar usage of the C3 Appraisal involving a hearing child and a child with hearing loss engaged in a collaborative learning task is presented. The C3 Appraisal allowed for the quality and successfulness of the collaborative learning task between the two children to be assessed and quantified across the six scales. These findings highlight the utility of the C3 Appraisal as a valuable tool for evaluating communication and collaboration in classroom environments. Next steps are to test the reliability and validity of the C3 Appraisal on a large data set.

Enhancing listening skills in English language

This article explores effective strategies for enhancing listening skills in English language learning. Listening comprehension is a critical aspect of language acquisition, and improving this skill can greatly enhance overall proficiency. The article discusses practical techniques such as active listening, vocabulary expansion, exposure to authentic materials, and targeted practice exercises.

Patient concerns and palliative psychology interventions within an inpatient palliative care service

Multi-professional inpatient palliative care services are increasingly complementing palliative care in hospitals alongside palliative care units. The present study aims to investigate the nature and frequency of patient concerns and palliative psychological interventions in the context of palliative psychological work, as well as the perceived quality of outcomes in an inpatient palliative service. Palliative psychological interventions for terminally ill patients at the inpatient palliative care service at Leipzig University Hospital were investigated in a prospective follow-up evaluation study. Psychological distress (distress thermometer) as well as the perceived quality of the results of the palliative psychological support (from the therapist`s perspective) were recorded. Patient concerns and psychological conversation topics and interventions were recorded. Descriptive and regression analytic procedures were used. Over a year, 355 patients in the inpatient palliative care service received psychological support, 304 participated in the study (mean age 63.8 years, 55% male, 89% oncological disease). An average of 3 palliative psychological interviews were conducted; 64% of patients reported high psychological distress (M=6.5). The most common patient concerns and topics within the interviews were dealing with emotions (87%), resources (83%), conflicting care and autonomy issues (77%) and hope (76%); significantly less common were spiritual concerns (2%) or the patient's legacy (9%). The most frequently used palliative psychological interventions included: support in illness processing and acceptance (74%) or in emotional-relieving interventions (98%) as in normalisation (75%), active listening (97%) or emotional containment (95%). Regression analysis showed that an oncological (vs. non-oncological) disease, a high number of palliative psychological interviews and interventions, comprehensive information regarding the palliative dimension of the diagnosis as well as undisturbed contact in the initial interview had a positive effect on the perceived outcome quality. The study results show that palliative psychologists play an important role in inpatient palliative care teams and should be involved as early as possible in the course of the disease. There is a need for improvement, especially in the palliative psychological care of non-oncological patients.

Inseparable connections: Engaging children in a dialogue on beauty and justice

This article delves into the concept of beauty within the context of early childhood education and social justice. It proposes a pedagogical project to challenge prevailing beauty norms and encourage critical engagement. The project fosters dialogue among children and explores beauty through a garden visit. Through these discussions, the children’s evolving perspectives on beauty emerge, transcending surface-level appearances and appreciating the interconnectedness of all living entities. Drawing on philosophical concepts of beauty and dialogue, the author underscores the significance of active listening, encountering other perspectives, thoughtful contemplation and lingering for a more inclusive and equitable early childhood pedagogy.

What Makes Digital Support Effective? How Therapeutic Skills Affect Clinical Well-Being

Online mental health support communities, in which volunteer counselors provide accessible mental and emotional health support, have grown in recent years. Despite millions of people using these platforms, the clinical effectiveness of these communities on mental health symptoms remains unknown. Although volunteers receive some training on the therapeutic skills proven effective in face-to-face environments, such as active listening and motivational interviewing, it is unclear how the usage of these skills in an online context affects people's mental health. In our work, we collaborate with one of the largest online peer support platforms and use both natural language processing and machine learning techniques to examine how one-on-one support chats on the platform affect clients' depression and anxiety symptoms. We measure how characteristics of support-providers, such as their experience on the platform and use of therapeutic skills (e.g. affirmation, showing empathy), affect support-seekers' mental health changes. Based on a propensity-score matching analysis to approximate a random-assignment experiment, results shows that online peer support chats improve both depression and anxiety symptoms with a statistically significant but relatively small effect size. Additionally, support providers' techniques such as emphasizing the autonomy of the client lead to better mental health outcomes. However, we also found that the use of some behaviors, such as persuading and providing information, are associated with worsening of mental health symptoms. Our work provides key understanding for mental health care in the online setting and designing training systems for online support providers.

“Stay tuned!"

“Stay tuned!"

The power of virtual connections: A randomized controlled trial of online positive psychotherapy training on effective communication skills of nursing students

AimThis research aimed to assess the impact of the online "Positive Psychotherapy- Based Key Model of Courtesy and Integrity" (KMCI)" program on the effective communication skills of nursing students. BackgroundWith the growing integration of virtual platforms in psychotherapy education, there is a burgeoning interest in understanding their influence on nursing student’s communication abilities. Recognizing how online positive psychotherapy education shapes these skills is pivotal for enriching nursing education and practice. DesignThe study adopted a pre-test-post-test randomized controlled design and involved 64 undergraduate nursing students from a state university's nursing department during the 2021–2022 academic year, all enrolled in psychiatric nursing courses. MethodsStudents were divided into experimental and control groups through simple randomization. Pre-tests, encompassing a "Personal Information Form" and an "Effective Communication Skills Scale," were administered to both groups. Subsequently, the experimental group received the "Positive Psychotherapy- Based Key Model of Courtesy and Integrity" program online for five weeks, while no intervention was provided to the control group during this period. Post-tests were then conducted for both groups after five weeks. ResultsThe findings revealed a significant increase (p<0.05) in the total scores of sub-dimensions, including "Ego-Enhancing Language, Active Listening, Self-Disclosure and Recognition, Empathy and Self-Language Scale" in the experimental group in both intra-group and inter-group comparisons. ConclusionIn conclusion, the "Positive Psychotherapy- Based Key Model of Courtesy and Integrity" program effectively enhances practical communication skills among nursing students. Equipping students with the ability to integrate courtesy and integrity isn’t effective.

Obstetric violence as perceived by nursing students

Objective: To identify the perception of Nursing students about the understanding, causes, and prevention actions of obstetric violence. Method: A descriptive, exploratory, and qualitative study carried out at a private university center in Paraná. The data was collected from June to July 2022, using a semi-structured questionnaire for 10 Nursing students and submitted to thematic content analysis. Results: The following category emerged: knowledge of Nursing students about obstetric violence, made up of two subcategories: obstetric violence: concept, types, and understanding of the causes in the perception of Nursing students; and empowerment of women, active listening and training of health professionals to prevent practices that constitute obstetric violence. According to the interviewees, obstetric violence is characterized by abuse and mistreatment by health professionals, in its physical, verbal, moral, psychological, and sexual forms. Professional and structural issues were identified as the main causes, while professional training and women's empowerment were identified as factors for preventing the problem. Final considerations: The students understood the practices characterized as obstetric violence, were familiar with their main causes, and pointed to professional training and the need to provide women with preventive actions against this type of violence in obstetric services.