Complex Set Of Skills Research Articles

The role of sound-to-symbol literacy in phonological awareness: Evidence from Cantonese

Phonological awareness reflects linguistic knowledge related to the sound system of a language. Individual development of phonological awareness is known to progress from larger to smaller sized units and is promoted by the acquisition of literacy, especially in alphabet-based writing systems that are built around sound-to-symbol correspondences. The present study addressed the nature of phonological awareness in speakers of a logographically scripted language. It investigated phonological awareness in adult speakers of Cantonese hailing from Hong Kong who (compared to speakers of other logographically scripted languages) traditionally received little sound-based assistance from tools like Pinyin or Zhu-yin-Fu-Hao when they acquired orthography. The study adopted an individual difference approach, quantifying individually variable levels of experience with a sound-to-symbol writing system and their relationship to phonological awareness. Fifty-seven Hong-Kong speakers of Cantonese took part online, completing rhyme judgment and phoneme monitoring tasks, alongside an extensive background questionnaire. The main prediction that Cantonese speakers who had a relatively high level of experience with sound-to-symbol writing would show an advantage in phonological awareness at the subsyllabic level was largely borne out by the data. The findings of the present study suggest that phonological awareness is a complex set of dissociable skills, shaped by the linguistic and orthographic experience of individual speakers.

Reimbursement and tips and tricks to make endoluminal surgery profitable

Advanced endoscopic procedures require a complex skillset to remove larger, benign and early malignant lesions within the colon and rectum. These procedures require large amounts of resources and have costs associated with them. They also are associated with huge benefits to the patient and cost savings when compared to colon resection as an alternative. Maximizing reimbursement and ensuring sustainability of these techniques requires a thoughtful approach to implement into everyday practice. This manuscript explores these issues in greater depth.

Genetic counseling for the dystrophinopathies-Practice resource of the National Society of Genetic Counselors.

The dystrophinopathies encompass the phenotypically variable forms of muscular dystrophy caused by pathogenic variants in the DMD gene. The dystrophinopathies include the most common inherited muscular dystrophy among 46,XY individuals, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, as well as Becker muscular dystrophy and other less common phenotypic variants. With increased access to and utilization of genetic testing in the diagnostic and carrier setting, genetic counselors and clinicians in diverse specialty areas may care for individuals with and carriers of dystrophinopathy. This practice resource was developed as a tool for genetic counselors and other health care professionals to support counseling regarding dystrophinopathies, including diagnosis, health risks and management, psychosocial needs, reproductive options, clinical trials, and treatment. Genetic testing efforts have enabled genotype/phenotype correlation in the dystrophinopathies, but have also revealed unexpected findings, further complicating genetic counseling for this group of conditions. Additionally, the therapeutic landscape for dystrophinopathies has dramatically changed with several FDA-approved therapeutics, an expansive research pathway, and numerous clinical trials. Genotype-phenotype correlations are especially complex and genetic counselors' unique skill sets are useful in exploring and explaining this to families. Given the recent advances in diagnostic testing and therapeutics related to dystrophinopathies, this practice resource is a timely update for genetic counselors and other healthcare professionals involved in the diagnosis and care of individuals with dystrophinopathies.

Fostering Interculturality in Foreign Language Teaching Literature in a Chinese Language Classroom

Since its earlier theorizations in the 1990s, interculturality has gained increasing prominence in the field of foreign language pedagogy. Interculturality calls for the acquisition of a complex set of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that makes any separation between language and culture in foreign language teaching untenable. This article examines the potential of literature for an intercultural approach to Chinese language teaching in Italian upper secondary school, also known as ‘high school’. A reflection on what constitutes Chinese culture and the place of literature in the teaching of Chinese provides the background against which an empirical pedagogical experiment is presented. The teaching experience involves the use of a Chinese authentic literary text to promote an intercultural approach to two seemingly unrelated topics: Chinese New Year travel rush and sexual harassment. The activity shows the affordance of literature for developing an intercultural approach to diversity and complexity beyond simplification and orientalizing epistemologies.

Designing a Module on Stuttering and Cluttering: A Guide for Speech-Language Pathology Educators.

Due to the scope of practice of speech-language pathology (SLP) expanding considerably in recent times, there is reduced emphasis on certain communication conditions within the curricula of SLP university programs. Stuttering and cluttering are neglected components of such curricula, despite the complex clinical skill set required to work with these client groups. Evaluation of the content and quality of modules on stuttering and cluttering is warranted to ensure that SLP students are graduating with adequate competence and confidence for supporting people with these conditions. This tutorial, based on a review of the literature, aims to provide guidance to educators who are designing or revising such modules. The All Ireland Society for Higher Education (AISHE) model for module design provides a practical and theoretically underpinned guide to educators in higher education on the design of a new module or the review of an existing one. The model's seven key components are discussed, and their application to a module on stuttering and cluttering is outlined. The AISHE model provides a systematic and user-friendly approach to module design in SLP university programs. It supports educators who are designing a new module or revising a module currently being taught on stuttering and cluttering. Educators are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the seven components of the AISHE model and to use it as a tool to design or revise modules on stuttering and cluttering. This will ensure that SLP students are graduating with increased competence and confidence in working with these client groups.

Guidelines for Using Simulations in Qualitative Research on Social Work Practice Competencies

The use of simulation (i.e., trained actors) has gained much attention in social work as a method of teaching, learning, and student assessment. Simulation has also been used in medicine as a research method in studying practice competencies. The use of simulation as a part of research design is relatively new in social work. Particularly, little is known about how simulations can be combined with well-established qualitative research methods. We posit that simulation can further advance qualitative research on social work practice, which requires a highly complex set of skills that are procedural, cognitive, affective, and relational. Drawing from two study examples, we propose guidelines for how simulations can be incorporated in qualitative research on complex practice competencies essential for enhancing the quality of health and social services.

Exploring the Potential of Ensembles of Deep Learning Networks for Image Segmentation

To identify objects in images, a complex set of skills is needed that includes understanding the context and being able to determine the borders of objects. In computer vision, this task is known as semantic segmentation and it involves categorizing each pixel in an image. It is crucial in many real-world situations: for autonomous vehicles, it enables the identification of objects in the surrounding area; in medical diagnosis, it enhances the ability to detect dangerous pathologies early, thereby reducing the risk of serious consequences. In this study, we compare the performance of various ensembles of convolutional and transformer neural networks. Ensembles can be created, e.g., by varying the loss function, the data augmentation method, or the learning rate strategy. Our proposed ensemble, which uses a simple averaging rule, demonstrates exceptional performance across multiple datasets. Notably, compared to prior state-of-the-art methods, our ensemble consistently shows improvements in the well-studied polyp segmentation problem. This problem involves the precise delineation and identification of polyps within medical images, and our approach showcases noteworthy advancements in this domain, obtaining an average Dice of 0.887, which outperforms the current SOTA with an average Dice of 0.885.

Comparing Capabilities ofSimulation Modalities forTraining Combat Casualty Care: Perspectives ofCombat Medics.

Combat casualty care requires learning a complex set of skills to treat patients in challenging situations, including resource scarce environments, multiple casualty incidents, and care under fire. To train the skills needed to respond efficiently and appropriately to these diverse conditions, instructors employ a wide array of simulation modalities. Simulation modalities for medical training include manikins, task trainers, standardized patient actors (i.e., role players), computer or extended reality simulations (e.g., virtual reality, augmented reality), cadavers, and live tissue training. Simulation modalities differ from one another in multiple attributes (e.g., realism, availability). The purpose of this study was to compare capabilities across simulation modalities for combat casualty care from the perspective of experienced military medics. To provide a more complete understanding of the relative merits and limitations of modalities, military combat medics (N = 33) were surveyed on the capabilities of simulation modalities during a 5-day technical experimentation event where they observed medical simulations from industry developers. The survey asked them to rate each of eleven modalities on each of seven attributes. To elicit additional context for the strengths, limitations, and unique considerations of using each modality, we also collected open-ended comments to provide further insight on when and how to use specific simulation modalities. Results showed differences among the simulation modalities by attribute. Cadavers, role play, moulage, and live tissue all received high ratings on two or more attributes. However, there was no modality that was rated uniformly superior to the others. Instead, modalities appear to have unique strengths and limitations depending on the training context and objectives. For example, cadavers were seen as highly realistic, but not very reusable. The study furthers our understanding of simulation modalities for medical training by providing insight from combat medics on the benefits, limitations, and considerations for implementing different modalities depending on the training context. These results may be helpful to instructors in selecting modalities for their programs.

Designing adaptive online support for problem-based learning

This paper describes the work-in-progress of a novel solution to the problem of designing an LMS course structure that supports students in a problem-based learning course. The students come with a wide variety of prior experience in the field, they need to learn a set of complex skills that build on each other, they need to work partially asynchronously, and the design solution needs to be scalable. A lean weekly structure is proposed that is embedded with the synchronous teaching, intricately connected to a parallel hub of support material whose design allows students to construct their own bespoke learning journey. The course design draws on cognitive load theory to direct student attention only to what will be useful to them at any point in the course, and the support materials themselves follow universal design for learning principles to cater for a wide range of student learning needs.

How Families Manage the Complex Medical Needs of Their Children with MECP2 Duplication Syndrome.

MECP2 duplication syndrome (MDS) is a rare, X-linked, neurodevelopmental disorder resulting from the duplication of the methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) gene. The clinical features of MDS include severe intellectual disability, global developmental delay, seizures, recurrent respiratory infections, and gastrointestinal problems. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore how the parents of children with MDS manage their child's seizures, recurrent respiratory infections, and gastrointestinal symptoms, and the impact on them as parents. The data were coded into three categories: (1) complex care needs in the home, (2) highly skilled caregivers, and (3) impact on caregivers and families. Complex 24 h care was required and parents developed complex skillsets to ensure that this was delivered well to their child. The provision of extensive complex medical care in the home had an impact on parent mental and physical health, family dynamics, and finances. This study captures the management of high-burden comorbidities in MDS at home. Investigations into how best to support caregiver wellbeing to reduce their stresses, whilst maintaining optimal child health and wellbeing, are needed.

Sensory integration therapy as enabler for developing emotional intelligence in children with autism spectrum disorder and the ICT’s role

Sensory Integration Therapy (SIT) is a widely known and used intervention by a lot of professionals and practitioners in the field of special education as being an enabler of functionality of the child. Through intervention, the sensory processing components that have been affected are targeted. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is highly affected by sensory modulation disorder (SMD), a special subcategory of sensory processing disorder (SPD) that is expressed in various ways causing activation of Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) leading to biological and physiological stress. Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a complex set of skills that drive us to higher mental states. According to theorists the basis of these skills is the ability to manage and regulate stimulus. The purpose of this literature review is to investigate the connections between SIT and EI in children with ASD. In the introduction basic definitions and concepts of ASD and SIT are analyzed and in the main part correlations between EI and SMD are made, discussing the effectiveness of SIT in ASD children.

The Athenian Bank: a Conspicuous Example of Labour Specialisation

SummaryMy research applies the categories of labour specialisation and professionalism to the Athenian bank with a view to demonstrating that banking was a full-time occupation requiring a complex set of skills and that bankers could be considered professionals rather than simple workers. This paper is divided into three sections. In the first, I scrutinise all the sources regarding the banks’ activities and the bankers’ clients to show that thetrapezaiwere constantly frequented by traders, members of the wealthy upper class and most likely individuals belonging to the social middle class. This first section reveals how the banks’ clients exerted a high and constant demand for the services offered by the Athenian bankers. The second section explores the set of skills required to run a bank or even simply to work as a bank employee and aims at demonstrating how important it was that banks were efficiently organised through a precise division of labour. Such a division clearly shows that banking was a highly specialised activity. In the third section I identify the features that qualify bankers as professionals, namely social prestige, the passing down of knowledge and skills to individuals other than the bankers’ sons, and the creation of a wide network of international contacts. The analysis conducted on Athenian bankers to determine whether or not they constitute professionals is reinforced with several parallels to bankers active in other prosperous poleis, such as Delos.

Ngā Akoranga pai o te Tuhinga Pūrākau. Lessons from the heart of Learning Stories

ABSTRACT This study investigated how New Zealand teachers in Early Childhood Education (ECE) gathered, documented and utilised assessment information about children’s learning. It utilised phenomenological inquiry, with data being gathered through semi-structured interviews with five experienced ECE teachers. The findings highlight the complexity of the predominant narrative assessment format used by the teachers: Learning Stories. The strong reliance on teachers’ fundamental competencies and understanding of the writing process was central to narrative assessment. On the other hand, findings emphasised the benefits of well-written Learning Stories and highlighted interesting ways they can be utilised. This article focuses on two important aspects of ECE assessment. Firstly, the teacher who is the heart of the Learning Story-writing process, and who possesses a complex skill set to connect with people, collect information and articulate an important message about the child as a learner. Secondly, on the Learning Story itself, its benefits and the ways that assessment information can be utilised from them.

A discourse analysis of suicide ideation assessment among first year health professional students enrolled in a communications course

Background: Suicide risk assessments require a complex set of skills around a sensitive matter which can be difficult for providers. Aim: Research investigating communication techniques and the language choices used to assess for suicide ideation is limited. Methods: We analyzed 121 video-recorded and transcribed final exams from a communication skills course for first year health professional students to identify patterns and variation in the language choices made to assess for suicidal ideation in standardized patients exhibiting symptoms of depression. Results: We found that 66 of the 121 (55%) interviews included a suicide assessment. We noted key patterns and variation around when the assessments took place (while exploring depressive symptoms or as a topic shift), how they were prefaced (with ubiquity statements, normalization statements, or expressions of care and concern), and how the question itself was structured (with a negative preference structure, in a non-polar format, or ambiguously). Conclusions: Assessing for suicide is a delicate task for both patients and providers, both of whom may be reluctant to engage around the topic. Utilizing normalization statements as well as statements of care and concern is a good approach to assess suicide idation while exploring depressive symptoms.

Enhancing teaching and learning through the co-creative learning community approach

ABSTRACT This study is positioned at the crossroads of pedagogical action learning and action research, as it addresses the challenges in designing and implementing action-learning approaches in the Middle East. In particular, it focuses on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and draws from a reflective analysis of a university – industry ‘business challenge’ collaboration. This resulted in the development of the co-creative learning community (CCLC) approach in which students, instructor, academic peers, and business practitioners can engage in co-creative, collective learning. The CCLC model was found to be an effective, learner-centric approach that can improve student engagement while addressing complex learning goals, as it requires active collaboration and knowledge exchange between the learning community participants. The CCLC model developed in this study will benefit university faculty in the Middle East who aim to incorporate action learning in their classrooms to facilitate the learning of a more complex set of skills, as expected from 21st-century higher education institutions.

The threshold of the marketplace

Linen was a major commodity in pre-industrial societies. Despite this material being broadly used among all social ranks of Renaissance Florence, the linen industry has received scant attention by scholars who have instead mostly focused on the manufacture of high-quality woollen and silk cloth. An in-depth study of the household account books of several patrician families dating from the 15th and 16th centuries has allowed me to shed light on the importance of women in processing, exchanging and caring of flaxen fabrics. Drawing on a broad sample of unexplored women’s practical writings, this article will show how these economic activities were not just oriented to self-consumption and domestic use, but were often directed towards local and regional markets. I will also argue that women’s participation in this sector of textile production has been a determining factor allowing them to acquire a complex set of management skills within the household economy.

Exploring musical theatre performance synergy: Accessing seven performative processes

To meet the demands of the ever-evolving musical theatre industry, performers are expected to craft inspiring performances across eight shows a week, seamlessly integrating their triple-threat expertise. Most actors undertake intensive training to achieve the complex skillset required to execute this art form, yet professional success can be elusive. It appears that a key element to building and maintaining a musical theatre career is performance synergy. This phenomenon is described colloquially as stage presence or X-factor. Whilst the literature regarding the field of musical theatre training is wide-ranging, little formal research has been undertaken on the ephemeral subject of performance synergy as it pertains to the work of the musical theatre actor. To address this lacuna in the literature – and to determine whether performance synergy can be described, comprehended, taught or learned – semi-structured interviews were conducted with 42 Australian actors and creative directors active in the musical theatre industry. Collected data captured expert opinions on the elements, constructs and praxis of musical theatre performance synergy. Following a thematic analysis of the data, a framework of seven performative processes was constructed towards a clearer understanding of the practical aspects of this multifaceted phenomenon.

Critical thinking and writing in transition to higher education in Finland: do prior academic performance and socioeconomic background matter?

ABSTRACT Critical thinking, a complex set of cognitive skills, and the ability to communicate one’s thoughts are vital in successful studying for new higher education students. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of socioeconomic background and prior academic performance on new students’ critical thinking and writing. The participants were 1006 first-year students from a range of disciplines in 18 Finnish higher education institutions. An open-ended performance task was used to investigate students’ critical thinking and writing. Structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data. The grade in the native language and the scholarly culture of a student's childhood home were found to be the most important predictors of strong critical thinking and writing. In contrast, parents’ education and students’ grades in mathematics were not significant. As Finnish student admissions are reformed, there is a growing need to understand the predictive value of relevant background factors. Findings give insights into the development of admissions and remind developers that not all prior performances have equal predictive value. Findings invite careful consideration in determining which skills are necessary for new students. It is suggested that in future research, a wider range of skills should be investigated.

A disaster victim identification workshop focused on forensic odontology using embalmed human remains

A high number of victims of mass casualty incidences are identified through their teeth. While forensic odontologists need to have a complex skillset during a disaster victim identification (DVI) response, hands-on training opportunities are rare. In countries with very limited forensic casework, such as New Zealand, many forensic odontologists find it difficult to achieve the number of annual forensic dental identifications required to maintain their credentialling. This report details the development of a hands-on forensic odontology-focused DVI workshop using human Crosado-embalmed remains. Anonymous participant evaluations, including five-point Likert and open-ended items, were performed in both years the workshop was held. A total of 10 and 17 participants, predominantly dentists, attended the workshop in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Participant feedback was extremely positive. Likert items were statistically similar between participants in both years. Open-ended items revealed positive feedback regarding the use of cadaveric remains, the gained hands-on experience, or the teamwork aspect. Participants who attended the workshop in both years commented on the positive aspect of repetition to cement their skills. As areas of improvement, participants named (for example) time management and the number of portable X-ray devices, leading to changes that were implemented in 2021. Moreover, the participants expressed interest to further their skills on decomposed, burnt, and fragmented human remains, which for ethical reasons has yet to be implemented. The DVI workshop described here, using embalmed human remains, provides an opportunity to add dental identifications toward annual credentialling requirements for forensic odontologists. Participants rated the course to be excellent overall and highly relevant for their role. For future workshops, there is an interest to include further aspects of the DVI response such as fingerprinting or police work as well as remains, which are altered due to natural or physical reasons.

A distributed learning strategy improves performance and retention of skills in neonatal resuscitation

Skill retention after neonatal resuscitation training is poor. A distributed learning strategy – where learning is spread over multiple sessions – can improve retention of declarative memory (facts & knowledge). Session timings are critical – maximal retention occurs when a refresher session is scheduled at 10-30% of the time between initial training and test. We hypothesized this also holds true for neonatal resuscitation, a complex skill set requiring both declarative and procedural memory. We conducted a prospective, single-blinded randomized-controlled trial. University of Ottawa residents were recruited to training in neonatal resuscitation, with a high-fidelity simulated pre-test, immediate post-tests, and a retention test at 4 months. After training, they were randomized to either a refresher session at 3 weeks (18% of interval) or at 2 months (50%). Technical and non-technical skills were scored using validated checklists, knowledge with standardized questions. There was no difference between groups prior to the retention test. The early refresher group demonstrated significantly improved technical (mean ± 95% CI: 22.4 ± 1.3 v 18.2 ± 2.5, p = 0.02) and non-technical (31.0 ± 0.9 v 25.6 ± 3.1, p = 0.03) skill scores in the retention post-test compared to the late group. No difference was seen with knowledge scores. We conclude that both technical and non-technical aspects of neonatal resuscitation performance can benefit from an early refresher session. Session timings are critical and should be tailored to the desired length of skill retention. Findings may be generalizable to other interventions that depend on mixed types of memory.