Arts Program Research Articles

Contemporary Fine Arts of Uzbekistan

At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, the process of Europeanization of the Central Asian region began. A certain stagnation in the development of traditional culture in the changing socio-cultural conditions predetermined the need to introduce new European forms of painting, graphics, and sculpture into the culture of Uzbekistan, or rather Turkestan. In the 1920s, the national school of fine arts in Uzbekistan was formed. During this decade, a unique phenomenon known as the “Turkestani avant-garde” was born, almost all of whose representatives lived and worked in Uzbekistan. In the 1930s-50s, the fine arts of Uzbekistan, developing in line with the trends of all Soviet art, did not avoid contradictory and dramatic processes. A narrow understanding of socialist realism not as a creative method, but as an artistic style, the assertion of normativity in art, which gave rise to a set of prescriptions for plastic vision, a limited understanding of the meaning of artistic tradition, reducing it primarily to the traditions of Russian culture of the 19th century, limited the full development of art. In the 1960s-80s, a search for new forms of artistic generalization took place, which led to the approval of completely different plastic ideas. From this period, a certain pluralism of various artistic trends in the painting of Uzbekistan sets in, which intensifies during Uzbekistan’s period of independence from 1991 to now. This article analyzes and classifies the main trends in the contemporary fine arts of Uzbekistan. An important problem in the art of Uzbekistan is preserving national identity in the era of globalization while integrating into the modern world cultural space. The article has practical applications, as it can be used as material on the contemporary art of Uzbekistan and Central Asia in art educational institutions and programs, as well as in the implementation of exhibition projects worldwide. Since the contemporary art of Uzbekistan was mainly covered from the point of view of the work of specific artists, many analytical generalizations were made on the basis of observations and of the author’s own scientific research.

A Study on the Operation of College Liberal Arts Education for the Improvement of Quantitative Reasoning Competency as Data Literacy

The goal of this study is to suggest the potential and significance of quantitative reasoning education as a college liberal arts program and to come up with methods to improve it. To do so, this study analyzed the case of <Quantitative Reasoning and Computational Thinking> at S National University, presenting its achievements, weaknesses, and improvement plans. From the first semester in 2020, <Quantitative Reasoning and Computational Thinking> at S National University has been offered as a semi-compulsory subject with the purpose of cultivating quantitative reasoning based on quantitative relationships and computational thinking for everyday algorithms. In the class, instructors refrain from using mere problem solving using mathematical and/or scientific formulas, and instead an activity-oriented learning approach is emphasized. This allows for the students to interpret quantitative data based on logical algorithms. According to a survey about this subject, most students were satisfied with its contents and reported that it had helped them solve problems creatively based on quantitative and computational thinking. Nevertheless, various problematic issues such as the low enrollment of students in the humanities and social sciences, the dualization of subject operation between classes, and the difficulty in securing lecturers, were raised. To address these issues, it is necessary for us to expand awareness among students that <Quantitative Reasoning and Computational Thinking> aims to promote thinking ability through the understanding and interpretation of quantitative data. Also, it is important that we have faculties that operate on a consistent basis, so that the courses offered are able to meet the goals of the subject. By applying these improvements, the effort to develop liberal arts subjects that enhance students’ data-driven scientific thinking should be continued.

Assessment of Marketability of Tourism Management and Hospitality Programs of the Select Private College

The study aimed to assess the status of Tourism Management and Hospitality programs of the Select Private College in Negros Occidental in relation to the 7 P’s of marketing mix elements namely: product, price, place, promotion, people, process, and physical evidence. The research also sought to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats through SWOT analysis and the problems and issues encountered by Tourism Management and Hospitality Programs of the institution. To meet the research objectives, 265 students taking BS Tourism Management, Diploma in Travel & Tours Management, Diploma in Hotel & Restaurant Management, and Diploma in Culinary Arts programs were used as participants of the study. The descriptive survey research design was employed in gathering the data, which was collected from a self-made survey questionnaire. The statistical applications used in analyzing the data were the mean, frequency and percentage. It is concluded in this study that students assessed the current status of Tourism Management and Hospitality programs with regards to the 7 P’s of marketing mix elements as fair and so the researcher find necessary actions and strategies to work on with the improvement of all the elements. Also, the SWOT analysis conducted reveals that there are more strength in the school than its weaknesses and more opportunities than threats.

Trading Security Designs Based on Blockchain Techniques

Contemporarily, digital art has swiftly integrated into human beings’ daily life. While digital art is becoming increasingly popular and significantly influences conventional art, currently it is needed to be more online communities where art enthusiasts and artists may interact and offer a self-sustaining means of payment. Independent art programs based on ideas like reciprocity are what E-Gallery Art aspires to. Its goal is to encourage teamwork and co-creation in the visual arts. This research discusses the way to create decentralized Dapps based on blockchain that are mutually advantageous for platforms, artists, and users. The Dapp follows a process where users reward artists by donating, and the best-case scenario is that the artist is motivated and contributes more to the community. Users can create galleries and display their work for free, which is an important starting point for E-Gallery Art Dapp to start a self-sustainable cycle. These results shed light on guiding further exploration of trading security design based on blockchain techniques.

An Advocacy Leadership Training in Neurology for High School Students: A Pilot Study (P11-2.003)

<h3>Objective:</h3> To pilot a program where students can learn about common disabling neurologic conditions and gain leadership and teaching skills. In this program, students will spread awareness about these conditions and advocate for important public health issues. <h3>Background:</h3> There is insufficient awareness about common and disabling neurologic conditions in the general population. Increasing awareness of these conditions is critical in increasing self-efficacy as well as highlighting their importance amongst lawmakers and politicians. High school students may be valuable champions willing to share this knowledge. With support, encouragement, and mentorship, they may gain interest in the field of neurology while also gaining the leadership and media skills necessary to pursue their own advocacy interests. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> Modeling after the American Academy of Neurology’s widely successful Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum, we expanded the already established Headache and Arts program to include a <i>Public Health Ambassador Program.</i> We partnered with established New York State Science Technology Engineering Programs (STEPs) serving underrepresented students. This program involved three assignments to teach important advocacy skills and disseminate information regarding migraine and concussion. Additionally, we developed a Likert scale to better understand if the program inspires students to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). This questionnaire was provided to students before and after the program. <h3>Results:</h3> There were 38 student participants in the research program with 12 from in-person courses and 26 from virtual courses. Students incorporated the migraine and concussion information learned in class into three advocacy-related projects: a knowledge transfer assignment, a letter to the editor, and an elevator pitch. Students also created artwork integrating STEAM knowledge learned throughout the program. <h3>Conclusions:</h3> A program that provides students with tools to spread awareness of neurologic conditions may be an effective way to expand the impact of the program as well as incite interest in advocacy amongst high school students. <b>Disclosure:</b> Tyler Gumpel has nothing to disclose. Ms. Boubour has received research support from The Fulbright Program. Dr. Minen has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as an Editor, Associate Editor, or Editorial Advisory Board Member for Pain Medicine Journal. The institution of Dr. Minen has received research support from NIH. Dr. Minen has received intellectual property interests from a discovery or technology relating to health care. Dr. Minen has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a First Contact-Primary Care Advisory Board Member with American Headache Society . Dr. Minen has received personal compensation in the range of $500-$4,999 for serving as a Consultant for PCORI grant on migraine evidence based map for stakeholders with ECRI .

Mapping the effectiveness of integrating mental health in HIV programs: a scoping review

IntroductionMental health and substance abuse issues are increasing among HIV-positive people, and it negatively impacts health outcomes like engagement, retention in HIV care, and adherence to ART. Thus, national ART programs must include mental health management. The scoping review sought to map evidence on the efficacy of combining HIV and mental health care.MethodsThe Arksey and O’Malley methodological framework was used to map the existing research on integrating HIV and mental health services to identify knowledge gaps. Two independent reviewers screened articles for inclusion. Studies on HIV-mental health integration were considered. We searched numerous sources, extracted data, and summarized publications by integration model and patient outcomes.ResultsTwenty-nine articles met the criteria for this scoping review. Twenty-three studies were from high-income countries, with only six from low and middle-income countries in Africa (Zimbabwe 1, Uganda 3, South Africa 1, and Tanzania 1). Most of the literature discussed single-facility integration although multi-facility and integrated care through a case manager was researched as well. There was a reduction in depression, alcohol use, increased social function, decreased self-reported stigma, decreased psychiatric symptoms, and improved mood in PLHIV who received cognitive behavioral therapy in settings implementing integrated care. When providing integrated mental health services to PLHIV, healthcare workers reported feeling more comfortable discussing mental illness. Personnel in the mental health field reported less stigma and increased PLHIV referrals for mental health services due to integrated HIV and mental health care.ConclusionAccording to the research, integrating mental health services into HIV care improves the diagnosis and treatment of depression and other mental disorders related to substance abuse in PLHIV.

An investigation into the role of innovative learning environments in fostering creativity for secondary visual arts programmes in Ghana

Innovative learning environments (ILEs) have been regarded as one of the contributing factors that facilitate creativity in learners. At the pre-tertiary level of education, Ghana has recently undergone educational reform that sees creativity being added as a key goal for education, but it is unknown if teachers' practices within current educational facilities can support the enactment of this goal. The multi-site qualitative case study explores the secondary visual arts learning environments within the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis in Ghana. Interviews and observations were used as instruments for data collection with 16 visual arts teachers. This study confirmed two categories of environments that foster creativity: innovative spaces and innovative practices (pedagogies). It recommends the prioritisation of innovative learning environments that facilitate creative development across secondary schools, the need for more collaborative classroom settings and a reduction of features (non-flexible layout, large class size, & under-resourced learning spaces) in the classroom that impede creativity.

Effect of self-determination theory-based integrated creative art (SDTICA) program on older adults with mild cognitive impairment in nursing homes: Study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial

BackgroundThe cognitive benefits of early non-pharmacological approaches have been demonstrated in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, older adults living in nursing homes have more severe cognitive impairment problems and lower initiative and compliance to participate in complex interventions. Hence, it important to investigate more attractive and sustainable methods to prevent or delay cognitive decline. The present study adopts the self-determination theory (SDT) as a theoretical framework to innovatively develop an integrated art-based intervention for older adults with MCI in nursing homes in China and aims to evaluate its effects on cognitive function, mental health, and other health-related outcomes.MethodsThe study is a nursing home-based, cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT) that targets older adults (aged ≥ 60 years) with MCI in Fuzhou City, China. All nursing homes in the area covered by Fuzhou City are invited to participate. Eligible nursing homes are randomised to one of two groups: intervention group (receive a 14-week, 27-session intervention) and waitlist control group (receive the usual care). The SDT-based integrated creative art (SDTICA) program reasonably adopts the SDT as a theoretical framework to innovatively develop an integrated art-based intervention for older adults with MCI in nursing homes. The primary (global cognitive function and psychological indicator) and secondary (daily activity function, social function, and specific domains of cognitive function) outcomes will be measured at baseline, after the intervention, and during follow-up.DiscussionThis study aims to evaluate the effects of SDTICA program on neuropsychological outcomes in older adults with MCI and provide scientific evidence for art-based non-pharmacologic interventions in nursing homes, which may reduce dementia risk in older adults with MCI.Trial registrationThe trial was prospectively registered at the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry with the registration number ChiCTR2200061681 on 30 June 2022.

Discussion issues in the treatment of chronic endometritis

The prevalence of chronic endometritis (CE) in the general population ranges from 14.1 to 24.4% and is 2–3 times higher in patients with impaired reproductive function. The treatment of CE presents certain difficulties due to different approaches and conflicting information about the effectiveness of the methods used. According to studies, the cure rate of CE with antibiotics (AB) is 82.6–87.9% with a live birth rate of 56–62.4%. In ART programs in patients who have undergone a course of AB-therapy, there is a 5-fold increase in the frequency of live births. The need to reach a consensus on the diagnostic criteria for CE was noted to exclude the influence of study heterogeneity on treatment outcomes. In recent years, the need to restore immune protection in CE has been widely discussed. Of the immunomodulators available in the Russian Federation with proven efficacy is a complex of exogenous natural cytokines and chemokines, the use of which in combination with AB allows to achieve elimination of pathogens in 86% of patients with CE of viral and bacterial aetiology (56% in the treatment of AB alone) and achieve pregnancy, ended in childbirth, in 60% of cases (29% without cytokines). Immune function can be improved by addressing micronutrient deficiencies, in particular the vitamin and mineral complex Pregnoton, which can contribute to increased resistance to infection, faster recovery, and improved reproductive function. Treatment of CE should include broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy and antiviral therapy aimed at reducing the activity of viruses. The complex of exogenous natural cytokines and chemokines for topical application helps to increase the rates of pregnancy and live births. Biologically active supplements, including the Pregnoton vitaminmineral complex, can be used as additional means to improve the functions of innate and acquired immunity.

An inquiry on the effectiveness of the teaching internship program based on pre-service teachers’ appraisal

Based on various published scholarly works, teaching internship is an essential component of professional development in the field of teacher education. Additionally, relevant literature have accentuated the importance of students conducting reflective assessments of the internships they participate in so that educational practices can be refined. In this regard, this present study was conducted to examine the implementation of the teaching internship program of the Institute of Education, Arts, and Sciences at City College of Angeles, specifically, students from the Bachelor of Physical Education and Bachelor of Performing Arts programs. Additionally, it assessed the association and direct influence of Institutional (IE) and Company Evaluation (CE) on Program Effectiveness (PE). After obtaining data from 84 pre-service teachers (NMale = 38, NFemale = 46), it was unraveled that the perception of pre-service teachers based on Institutional Evaluation and Company Evaluation are fully implemented. Concerning PE, it was perceived by the pre-service teachers as very effective. Results revealed that the internship program of the Teacher Education department is very effective since it is responsive to the needs of the stakeholders, and at the same time effective in helping students develop the skills needed for their teaching career. Lastly, a significant association and direct influence were observed between IE, CE, and PE. In the following, recommendations and potential next steps for further research related to this topic are discussed.

Evaluating the higher national diploma industrial art programme of tamale technical university in Ghana: Curriculum versus implementation

In Ghana’s Polytechnics/Technical Universities, the Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes are ran to provide the country with its middle-skilled manpower base in science, engineering, technology, commerce and art for socio-economic development. However, the HND Industrial Art Programme of Tamale Technical University begun in 2008/2009 academic year and has since run up-to-date with options in Painting and Decorating (P/D), Leatherwork, Textiles and Ceramics without any form of evaluation to ascertain its impact in the country despite the numerous calls from stakeholders. Therefore, the study sought to examine the impact of the HND Industrial Art Programme of Tamale Technical University on the Art Industry in Ghana. To conduct the study, the main objective was to evaluate the scope and content of the curriculum of the HND Industrial Art Programme with reference to its implementation in the University. The Concurrent Triangulation Mixed-Method research design involving both qualitative (case study, document and descriptive analysis) and quantitative research were adopted to undertake the research. Questionnaire, interview and observation guides were relied as tools to collect data for the study. A sample population of 223 (present students: 57, graduates: 137, lecturers/technicians: 13 and industrial attachment supervisors: 16) was selected using purposive, random and snowball sampling techniques. From the study, the major finding is that, the curricula of the programme’s options provided students with knowledge and skills required in their respective industries as conceived by the Department. Nonetheless, with time and advancement in technology as being noted in the industry, some of the courses require review to catch up with industry standards. The findings from the study have implication on the training of students in the Country. It is therefore recommended that appropriate steps should be taken in conjunction with relevant stakeholders to have a holistic review of the curriculum to make it relevant.

Repair: A New History

It’s now twenty-five years since Eve Sedgwick put into question suspicion’s monopoly over the critical landscape with the first version of her essay, ‘Paranoid Reading and Reparative Reading, or, You’re So Paranoid You Probably Think This Essay Is About You’.1 Against the 1970s and 1980s ‘critical habits’ of paranoia and suspicion, Sedgwick proposed repair: an orientation and a tendency that involved pursuing not just relations between an abstracted subject and object, but also the modes of knowledge, and emotional experiences, of the particular subject involved in the critical relation: the ‘seeker, knower, or teller’.2 Reparative reading has had its critics, many of them writing in the vein of Lauren Berlant’s warning, in Cruel Optimism, against the ‘overvaluation of reparative thought’ as part of a ‘larger overvaluation of a certain mode of virtuously intentional, self-reflective personhood’.3 Nonetheless, Patricia Stuelke’s The Ruse of Repair is written from a present-day context in which debates over repair’s value take as given that it has usurped suspicion as the dominant mode of US literary scholarship. Against what appears to be this naturalisation of repair, one of Stuelke’s central aims is to return us to the critical and political events of the 1970s and 1980s – the historical moment in which Sedgwick was developing her critique of paranoia – in order to understand the sea-change. The book’s five chapters attend to distinct scenes in which the critical tendency to repair coalesced with tendencies in activism, indicating the imbrication of each with the action and rhetoric of the state. These are: the US feminist sex wars; the black feminist imaginary of the Caribbean; Central American solidarity movements; the rise of Master of Fine Arts (MFA) programmes; and the audio-sphere of the US invasion of Panama. From such concentrated moments of discourse, Stuelke sets out to illustrate that the reparative turn should be understood as responsive to and produced by the ideological landscape of neoliberalism and its affective episteme: its casting of ‘knowledge, self, and world in the language of emotion and feeling’.4

Distinguished aesthetics achievements and heritage in the space-age paintings inspired by space exploration

The purpose of this paper is to study the birth of space age and the distinguished achievements in the space-age painting aesthetics inspired by space exploration. It has been 66 years ever since the first successfully launch of the artificial satellite Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957, generally recognized as the first year of space age. Exemplified by the best and most well-known “NASA Art Program”, many major space agencies have sponsored the art program. In Japan, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) supports the art program through its Public Affairs Department. In the European Space Agency (ESA), one of its well-known residence artists is Aoife van Linden Tol. For 66 years of the space age, there are many outstanding painters with many distinguished achievements and heritage of aesthetic paintings created. In particular, Robert Rauschenberg's work “Buffalo II” painted in 1964 has become a classic masterpiece that realized the price of $ 88 million at Christie's auction in 2019.

The Healing through Arts (HeARTS) program for children bereaved by cancer: Pilot study findings from Singapore.

The article aims to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of a short-term 3-day art therapy group for children who have experienced parental death to cancer. The study utilized a pretest-posttest design and included children (n=20) aged 7-12years. The feasibility of the intervention was measured by recruitment ability, study compliance, and intervention adherence, while acceptability was assessed using a child-reported satisfaction survey. Efficacy was examined using the child-reported Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), while the emotional, social, and behavioral functioning of children was measured using the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Paired sample t-tests were used for analyses. The intervention was found to be feasible (80% recruitment rate and 100% session adherence). Acceptability was high, and all participants were satisfied and found the intervention to be helpful. While results did not reach statistical significance, improvements in psychosocial and physical quality of life were reported by all the children post-intervention and at the 3-month follow-up. Parent-reported a decrease in behavioral difficulties scores and an increase in prosocial behavior scores at post-intervention and at the 3-month follow-up. The 3-day art therapy group intervention was shown to be feasible to conduct and acceptable to the recipients. The intervention shows promise in improving post-death adjustment and quality of life outcomes of children bereaved by parental death due to cancer that were maintained after 3months. The use of art therapy groups to ameliorate difficulties associated with parental loss and to assist children in coping day-to-day difficulties should be further investigated.

Short-term effects of a classroom-based STEAM program using robotic kits on children in South Korea

BackgroundDespite the recent emphasis on technology and engineering in early childhood education, the importance of teaching relevant concepts in early education has been underappreciated in South Korea. This study examined the feasibility and efficacy of a science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) program integrated into the national curriculum in a Korean early childhood education setting. Children aged 5–6 years (231 girls and 219 boys; treatment group: 334 children; control group: 116 children) were tested on computational thinking, vocabulary, numeracy, self-regulation, and social behavior before and after receiving STEAM curriculum that included robotics activities or an equivalent curriculum.ResultsFindings revealed that among the outcome measures, young children in the treatment group exhibited significant increases in computational thinking and expressive vocabulary. Moreover, gender demonstrated a significant interaction effect with the increase in computational thinking as measured by an assessment developed for a specific robotic material as well as in self-regulation and social behavior.ConclusionsThis study provides empirical and comprehensive evidence regarding the effectiveness of an integrated STEAM program with developmentally appropriate robotic kits for young children.

Stoic Indulgence, Gratuitous Restraint: White Feelings and Campus Art

The 2010s saw a revival of reactionary politics on college campuses, which now appear to have paved the way for contemporary right-wing culture-war talking points regarding K–12 education. Revanchist attitudes around race, as well as gender and sexuality, can be linked to White Americans’ affective attachments to ideas of historical entitlement, which can be seen both in campus responses to university art programming and in acts of student vandalism. I describe a campus gallery exhibition I organized in 2016 around the theme of White affect, and I make connections between expressions of rage, anguish, and reasonableness on the part of White people within White-dominated institutions of art and education, before considering what possibilities and difficulties may exist for leading substantive classroom discussions and projects that engage explicitly with race generally, and Whiteness in particular.

Using art and creative practice to provide education about ageism and age stereotypes

ABSTRACT Addressing ageism (prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination based on age) is paramount to the general health and well-being of all persons. Providing aging education, challenging deep-seated stereotypes about aging, and facilitating intergenerational connection are promising ways to reduce ageism. In the following manuscript, we detail how to promote aging education and community-based discussions using two novel art programs: 1) community-oriented educational programs on menopause; 2) a university course which used creative practice and art as a lens to explore aging and challenge age-based stereotypes. Future research should focus on expanding the use of art and creative practice for individuals in various settings (e.g. academic, community) to challenge negative stereotypes of older adults and facilitate intergenerational connections.

Exploring Factors Influencing Consumer Decision-Making in Repurchasing Martial Arts Club Membership

This study investigated the factors that influence consumers’ decision-making when purchasing martial arts club memberships. Two hundred ninety martial arts club members from a metropolitan area of the United States participated in the study. Five major influential factors (instructors and staff, facility, membership fee, location, and martial arts program) have emerged through a literature review and factor analysis. A multiple regression analysis presented that, among the major factors, the instructors and staff, the facility, and the membership fee played major roles in martial arts club decision-making. In addition, female participants demonstrated greater consciousness regarding their decisions than their male counterparts. Owners and marketers of martial arts clubs should consider the findings of this study to better understand members’ purchase decisions.

From the physical to the digital: Encounters in the KKNK online gallery

This study explores the processes and curatorial techniques that support corporeal engagements with online exhibitions. Exhibitions, physical and otherwise, are a complex interplay between spaces - real and imagined -audiences, and tangible or intangible objects. This is a guiding notion of this article, supported by Merleau-Ponty's perspective of the relation between internal human experiences and the external bodily encounters that shape them. I maintain that differing digital curatorial presentations can enhance or subdue the embodied interaction of visitors. By relying on my lived experience of navigating the transfer of the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival's visual arts programme of 2020 to the online sphere, I discuss various strategies deployed to encourage embodied engagement. Amongst other findings, the study underscores the need to consider audience preferences and allowing visitors a sense of agency to choose how they want to engage artwork online. Even though the arena of exchange might differ, I argue that all exhibitions, whether online or brick-and-mortar, provide audiences with the possibility of an engaging experience. In addition to the exhibition itself, viewers embody another energy - and it is the viewer's deliberate performance and choice to interact that produces the distinctive experience of an exhibition.

Learning leadership personified. An interview with Professor Stephen Preskill

In this extensive interview with Stephen Preskill, we cover much ground. We kick off the discussion with Preskill’s latest book Education in black and white, about Myles Horton, a life-changing teacher and activist whose work at Highlander Folk School influenced the civil rights movement. Preskill discerns three major themes: anti-racism, dialogue and Horton’s exemplary life. We then move on to who could be considered heirs of Horton and other Highlander leaders, and Preskill cautions against the pitfalls of charismatic leadership. He shares his positive experiences as a lifelong learner in a Master of Fine Arts program and provides advice on how to deal with academic writing difficulties. Preskill is also the co-author of four books on teacher narratives, democratic discussion, and social justice leadership, which we discuss systematically. He recalls his best and worst discussions and talks about his favorite discussion protocols. Biographically, Preskill recalls his happy childhood and youth in a well-to-do family and being inspired to become a teacher by his positive experience of his university studies. In terms of academic career advice, he advises following our passions before highlighting his approachability and openness as a way of learning leadership. Stephen Preskill is professor emeritus at Wagner College in Staten Island, New York and a writing consultant at Columbia University. During his thirty years as a university professor (that included appointments at Carleton College and the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, and being the Regents Professor of Education in the Department of Educational Leadership and Organizational Learning in the College of Education at the University of New Mexico), he specialized in American educational history and leadership studies. Before his distinguished academic career, he was an elementary and middle school teacher for nine years.