Effective Mode Of Communication Research Articles

Learn bamboo from bamboo: a kinaesthetic communication approach to curating cultures, crafts, and construction for higher education

Purpose Beyond symptomatic communication barriers between designers and communities, glocal resiliency building (GRB) by intercultural groups often challenges traditional service-learning trajectories. Without ambitious performance hurdles, two higher education institutions from Australia and Thailand built rapport via their shared love for Bamboo to level hierarchies between groups: architects, both social and professional. Design/methodology/approach The author used Basho’s “self” – object nexus, as depicted in “Learn Bamboo from Bamboo” Haiku, as a methodology to structure our observations of stakeholders (Haas, 1994). This reflective account, narrated through a tabulated account of iterative engagements among various stakeholders, narrates the metacognitive process of GRB. Findings Amidst intercultural communication tensions that could have alienated efforts, Bamboo’s resourcefulness prompted positive stakeholder interactions. Interculturally relatable Bamboo culture could become an effective mode of communication via a synthesis of craft and construction to cultivate culturally intelligent behaviours. Research limitations/implications Bamboo was a technology of community that overcame cultural tensions by completing an architectural product. Originality/value Despite different languages, work ethics and uneasiness, this activism project sensitised differentiating perspectives to transform traditional knowledge hierarchies to negotiate local know-how. Hence, it highlights activism as a methodology for figuring out the unknown layered in spatial and aspatial attributes of material cultures.

Assessment of Knowledge, Practice, and Perception about Social Media in Dentistry among Dental Students at Chengalpattu District: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract Background: Social media has brought incredible changes in recent times due to expanding online technological aspects which help health-care professionals to utilize them to improve patient health outcomes. It acts as an effective mode of communication for dentists to interact with patients around the globe which builds up good doctor–patient relationships. Furthermore, social media has become an abundant source of health-care patient information and acts as an excellent resource to promote health education among people. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the knowledge, practice, and perception of social media in dentistry among dental students and to identify the common social media platform used by dental students to share their online dental-related posts and further evaluate their perception toward usage of social media as a tool for dental practice to share information about dental-related diseases. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted as an online survey using self-constructed questionnaires among the undergraduate and postgraduate students at Karapaga Vinayaga Institute of Dental Sciences over 6 months, from July 15, 2023 to January 15, 2024. Participants’ consent was sought and ethical approval was received from the Ethical Review Committee. Results: About 71.6% of the postgraduates, 68.8% of interns, and 49.45% of final-year undergraduates responded that dentistry should have an online presence with a statistically significant value of P = 0.007. The majority of about 75.3% of the postgraduates accepted that social media is effective in dental practice. This states that postgraduates contribute to higher knowledge and have adequate practice in using social media in dentistry which was statistically significant. Conclusion: The present study identified that postgraduates contribute more in the count for sharing sufficient knowledge and also practice in using social media in dentistry. This study explains that it is the responsibility of dentists to educate patients more about utilizing social media as a key to gaining knowledge about dental diseases and treatment procedures. Clinical Significance: This study aims to identify the need for dentists to know more about the utilization of social media in dentistry to promote dental health education and to help the general population acquire knowledge about various dental diseases and their treatment procedures.

Evaluating the effectiveness of three communication modes in promoting repeat voluntary donation behavior in first-time blood donors at a tertiary care blood center in North India

Abstract: INTRODUCTION: Due to rapid technological advancements, several new methods such as telephone (TP), e-mail, social media, WhatsApp (WA), and Short Message Services are being used as effectively among blood centers worldwide for postdonation communication with blood donors’ education and motivation to recruit and retain them as repeat and regular voluntary nonremunerated blood donors. The present study was aimed at determining the effectiveness of WA, TP, and personal communications (PCs) as modes of communication to recruit and retain first-time replacement blood donors to become repeat and regular voluntary blood donors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This 1-year observational prospective study was conducted in the Post Graduate Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion in Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu. Three hundred first-time blood donors selected for the study were divided into three groups comprising 100 blood donors each as per the mode of communication strategy adopted, namely postdonation PC, TP, and WA groups. RESULTS: The repeat donation rate was highest in the TP group (61%), followed by the WA group (47%) and PC group (37%). The mean repeat donation was found to be significant in the TP group (P = 0.007) and WA group (P = 0.021) as compared PC group while there was no significant difference between the TP group and WA groups (0.751). CONCLUSION: In our study, it was found that of the three communication modes, namely personal, TP, and WA, telephonic communication with a repeat donation rate of 61% was the most effective mode of communication in for motivating and converting first-time blood donors into repeat regular voluntary blood donors.

IOT E-Circular Notification for Students Using a WIFI-Based LED Advertising Board

Abstract: Scrolling display board is a common sight today. Advertisement is going digital. The use of led scrolling display board at big shops, shopping centers, railway station, bus stands and educational institutes is becoming an effective mode of communication in providing information to the people as notice board. But these off-the-shelf units are somewhat inflexible in terms of updating the message instantly. If the user wants to change the message it needs to be done using a computer and hence the person needs to be present at the location of the display board. It means the message cannot be changed from wherever or whenever. Also the display board cannot be placed anywhere because of complex and delicate wiring. 'GSM based LED Scrolling Display Board' is a model for displaying notices/messages at places that require real-time noticing, by sending messages in the form of SMS through mobile[1-3]. It is a system wherein the display board need not be reprogrammed to display a new message because it is wireless. The project aims to develop a moving sign board which empowers the user to change the scrolling message using application in our mobile phone service instantaneously unlike a desk bound device such as PC or laptop. The user can update it even from a Wi-Fi distant. The system can be edited any time anywhere within the Wi- Fi range[4].

Generative Adversarial Network with Convolutional Wavelet Packet Transforms for Automated Speaker Recognition and Classification

Speech is an effective mode of communication that always conveys abundant and pertinent information, such as the gender, accent, and other distinguishing characteristics of the speaker. These distinctive characteristics allow researchers to identify human voices using artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, which are useful for forensic voice verification, security and surveillance, electronic voice eavesdropping, mobile banking, and mobile purchasing. Deep learning (DL) and other advances in hardware have piqued the interest of researchers studying automatic speaker identification (SI). In recent years, Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) have demonstrated exceptional ability in producing synthetic data and improving the performance of several machine learning tasks. The capacity of Convolutional Wavelet Packet Transform (CWPT) and Generative Adversarial Networks are combined in this paper to propose a novel way of enhancing the accuracy and robustness of Speaker Recognition and Classification systems. Audio signals are dissected using the Convolutional Wavelet Packet Transform into a multi-resolution, time-frequency representation that faithfully preserves local and global characteristics. The improved audio features better precisely describe speech traits and handle pitch, tone, and pronunciation variations that are frequent in speaker recognition tasks. Using GANs to create synthetic speech samples, our suggested method GAN-CWPT enriches the training data and broadens the dataset's diversity. The generator and discriminator components of the GAN architecture have been tweaked to produce realistic speech samples with attributes quite similar to genuine speaker utterances. The new dataset enhances the Speaker Recognition and Classification system's robustness and generalization, even in environments with little training data. We conduct extensive tests on standard speaker recognition datasets to determine how well our method works. The findings demonstrate that, compared to conventional methods, the GAN-CWPTs combination significantly improves speaker recognition, classification accuracy, and efficiency. Additionally, the suggested model GAN-CWPT exhibits stronger generalization on unknown speakers and excels even with loud and poor audio inputs.

Dynamic Text: How to Effectively Embed Emotions in Text-based Computer-Mediated Communication

Despite being an effective mode of communication, Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC), particularly regarding text-based exchanges, still has inherent limitations compared to in-person communication. The objective of the current study is to review the previous studies which identified and addressed the challenges, including difficulty in embedding emotional information in text effectively. Previous studies demonstrated changes in text properties might deliver emotional information as well as the two phases of text encodings could be completed simultaneously by interaction designs. The study also suggests future studies to find the emotional meaning of text features and to develop novel applications using machine learning technologies.

ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF CONVERGENT THINKING ABILITY ON ENGLISH SPEAKING PROFICIENCY

Speaking in English is an important skill to master to gain an upper hand in a person’s academic and professional life. Different countries, where English is considered to be a foreign language, are emphasizing developing English language learning and teaching strategies to gain the status of globalization. To achieve this goal, English speaking skills play a crucial role as it is an effective mode of communication to connect with the world. This created an immense need to research how to develop the speaking skills of students studying at the university level. Therefore, this study researched the impact of convergent thinking ability to enhance English speaking proficiency among students. The instrument used to obtain the results are—Remote Associates Test (RAT) and Speaking Proficiency English Assessment Kit (SPEAK). At the end of the research, it was determined that if the education sector focuses on developing students' convergent thinking ability then the process of enhancing English speaking proficiency becomes easier.

Spatially Correlated Blinking of Perovskite Micro-crystals: Deciphering Effective Modes of Communication between Distal Photoexcited Carriers

Spatially Correlated Blinking of Perovskite Micro-crystals: Deciphering Effective Modes of Communication between Distal Photoexcited Carriers

A pachyderm perfume: odour encodes identity and group membership in African elephants

Group-living animals that live in complex social systems require effective modes of communication to maintain social cohesion, and several acoustic, olfactory and visual signaling systems have been described. Individuals need to discriminate between in- and out-group odour to both avoid inbreeding and to identify recipients for reciprocal behaviour. The presence of a unique group odour, identified in several social mammals, is a proposed mechanism whereby conspecifics can distinguish group from non-group members. African elephants (Loxodonta africana) live in stable, socially complex, multi-female, fission–fusion groups, characterized by female philopatry, male dispersal and linear dominance hierarchies. Elephant social behaviour suggests that individuals use odour to monitor the sex, reproductive status, location, health, identity and social status of conspecifics. To date, it is not clear what fixed or variable information is contained in African elephant secretions, and whether odour encodes kinship or group membership information. Here we use SPME GC–MS generated semiochemical profiles for temporal, buccal and genital secretions for 113 wild African elephants and test their relationship with measures of genetic relatedness. Our results reveal the existence of individual identity odour profiles in African elephants as well as a signature for age encoded in temporal gland and buccal secretions. Olfactory signatures for genetic relatedness were found in labial secretions of adult sisters. While group odour was not correlated with group genetic relatedness, our analysis identified “group membership” as a significant factor explaining chemical differences between social groups. Saturated and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), derived from key volatile compounds from bacterial fermentation, were identified in temporal, buccal and genital secretions suggesting that group odour in African elephants may be the result of bacterial elements of the gut microbiome. The frequent affiliative behavior of African elephants is posited as a likely mechanism for bacterial transmission. Our findings favour flexible group-specific bacterial odours, which have already been proposed for other social mammals and present a useful form of olfactory communication that promotes bond group cohesion among non-relatives in fission–fusion mammals.

Transition to online learning by a teacher education program with limited 4IR affordances

This study used the community of inquiry (CoI) framework and the affordances of Internet of things (IoT) to explore how the faculty of education of a rural campus of a university transitioned from face-to-face to online modes of instruction. In this qualitative interpretive study, data were collected through open-ended questionnaires from four purposely selected teacher educators and five final-year bachelor of education preservice teachers. Thematic content analysis techniques were used to analyze the data collected. The findings indicated the tensions experienced by the teacher educators as they negotiated the limited IoT affordances to ensure effective teaching, cognitive, and social presence in the newly formed online classrooms. Some of the tensions included the choices that were made on whether to use synchronous or asynchronous modes of instruction and the selection of effective communication modes. The teacher educators used a combination of the official learning management system (LMS) tools of the university and a social media platform as way of navigating the limited 4IR environments experienced by the preservice teachers.

The Doctor Will "See" You Now - Unmet Expectations of Telemedicine in Plastic Surgery.

Social distancing protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in a rapid expansion of telemedicine. It has allowed patients to save time and money on clinic visits, and physicians to communicate with patients who live remotely. Telemedicine has also been valuable in plastic surgery during initial consultations, transfers, and follow up visits. However, given the often-sensitive nature of plastic surgery, the professionalism and expectations of telemedicine have to be reviewed. A comprehensive literature search of the MEDLINE, PubMed, Google Scholar, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was conducted for studies published through October 2020 with multiple search terms related to telemedicine and its use in plastic surgery. Data on the effectiveness, challenges, and professionalism of telemedicine were collected. Our review suggests that telemedicine can be an effective mode of communication in many realms of plastic surgery, including cleft care and craniofacial deformities. However, many plastic surgeons are unfamiliar with the existing platforms, and there are no clear guidelines on the most optimal platforms. Physicians have to recognize that patients might have low digital health literacy or may not even possess digital device for telemedicine. There also needs to be an overall improvement in patient education. Given that telemedicine use will continue to increase after the COVID-19 pandemic, regulations on Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant platforms and specific guidelines on telemedicine visits, such as undressing, chaperones, privacy matters, need to be established while maintaining a professional relationship between the patient and the physician.

The use of visual images to convey complex messages in health settings: Stakeholder perspectives

ABSTRACT Visual tools are increasingly used in healthcare settings to improve the quality of care provided. While there are a number of tools and frameworks that focus on how to create effective visual tools, there has been little evaluation of their perceived efficacy. This paper presents findings from a project that sought to evaluate the use of visual images to convey quality improvement messages to healthcare professionals. The research setting was a UK Clinical Commissioning Group, however, the findings are readily translatable to other healthcare environments. The study employed a practice approach based predicated on a social constructionist standpoint. Semi-structured interviews with 26 healthcare professionals and participant observation were used to garner user perspectives. Here we present and discuss a thematic analysis of the interview talk, focusing on four emergent themes: design; facilitated insight; data density; and co-creation. From this, we draw two positive conclusions, first that the visual communication of complex messages to healthcare professionals can provide an efficient and effective mode of communication, and second that co-creation and inclusivity are key to success.

Image Retrieval with Fusion of T hepade’s Sorted B lock Truncation C oding n ary based Colo r and Local Binary Pattern based Texture F eature s with D ifferent C olor Plac es

In these years, there has been a gigantic growth in the generation of data. Innovations such as the Internet, social media and smart phones are the facilitators of this information boom. Since ancient times images were treated as an effective mode of communication. Even today most of the data generated is image data. The technology for capturing, storing and transferring images is well developed but efficient image retrieval is still a primitive area of research. Content Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) is one such area where lot of research is still going on. CBIR systems rely on three aspects of the image content namely texture, shape and color. Application specific CBIR systems are effective whereas Generic CBIR systems are being explored. Previously, descriptors are used to extract shape, color or texture content features, but the effect of using more than one descriptor is under research and may yield better results. The paper presents the fusion of TSBTC n-ary (Thepade's Sorted n-ary Block Truncation Coding) Global Color Features and Local Binary Pattern (LBP) Local Texture Features in Content Based Image with Different Color Places TSBTC n-ary devises global color features from an image. It is a faster and better technique compared to Block Truncation Coding. It is also rotation and scale invariant. When applied on an image TSBTC n-ary gives a feature vector based on the color space, if TSBTC n-ary is applied on the obtained LBP (Local Binary Patterns) of the image color planes, the feature vector obtained is be based on local texture content. Along with RGB, the Luminance chromaticity color space like YCbCr and Kekre’s LUV are also used in experimentation of proposed CBIR techniques. Wang dataset has been used for exploration of proposed method. It consists of 1000 images (10 categories having 100 images each). Obtained results have shown performance improvement using fusion of BTC extracted global color features and local texture features extracted with TSBTC n-ary applied on Local Binary Patterns (LBP).

Citizens’ assessment of the information quality of e-government websites in Pakistan

Purpose E-government websites/portals are effective modes of communication between governments and citizens. The information quality (IQ) of these websites/portals is of vital importance and, hence, is worth assessing, to ensure their effectiveness. This study aims to assess the IQ dimensions of e-government websites/portals in Pakistan and also evaluate the most significant IQ indicators. Design/methodology/approach This study used a quantitative research method based on a survey. The data were collected from a sample of young citizens, and a questionnaire was adopted from a previous study by Kandari, et al. (2011) with minor changes to reflect the local context. Findings The findings revealed that out of 20 IQ indicators, 14 were rated 4 or 5 on a five-point Likert scale, indicating a reasonably high IQ for Pakistani e-government websites/portals. Value-added, “accessibility” and “objectivity” were the top three indicators, while timeliness, ease of operation and advertisement were the least rated indicators, suggesting that these need to be addressed. The findings of the study also revealed that IQ indicators are not affected by the different age groups of citizens. Research limitations/implications The focus of this study was limited to university students to understand their perceptions about IQ indicators of e-government websites in Pakistan, and the results can only be generalized to young Pakistani citizens and the developing countries with a similar context. Practical implications This study could provide some guidance to policy makers and websites designers in the development of e-government websites according to users’ needs and identifying the ways to regularly maintain and update these websites. Originality/value This study provides an understanding of the IQ of Pakistani e-government websites from the citizens’ perspective. It attempts to fill that gap and produce findings that could assist in making informed policy decisions.

Emotion and location cues bias conceptual retrieval in people with deficient semantic control

Visuo-spatial context and emotional valence are powerful cues to episodic retrieval, but the contribution of these inputs to semantic cognition has not been widely investigated. We examined the impact of visuo-spatial, facial emotion and prosody cues and miscues on the retrieval of dominant and subordinate meanings of ambiguous words. Cue photographs provided relevant visuo-spatial or emotional information, consistent with the interpretation of the ambiguous word being probed, while miscues were consistent with an alternative interpretation. We compared the impact of these cues in healthy controls and semantic aphasia patients with deficient control over semantic retrieval following left-hemisphere stroke. Patients showed greater deficits in retrieving the subordinate meanings of ambiguous words, and stronger effects of cueing and miscuing relative to healthy controls. These findings suggest that contextual cues that guide retrieval to the appropriate semantic information reduce the need to constrain semantic retrieval internally, while miscues that are not aligned with the task increase the need for semantic control. Moreover, both valence and visuo-spatial context can prime particular semantic interpretations, in line with theoretical frameworks that argue meaning is computed through the integration of these features. In semantic aphasia, residual comprehension relies heavily on facial expressions and visuospatial cues. This has important implications for patients, their families and clinicians when developing new or more effective modes of communication.

Lessons Learned from a Pilot Study Implementing a Team-Based Messaging Application (Slack) to Improve Communication and Teamwork in Veterinary Medical Education.

Communication skills are paramount for a successful veterinary curriculum. Technological advances have improved communication processes, and the way instruction is delivered. Yet, with these advances come challenges such as email overload, increased interruptions, and miscommunications. Time is a valuable commodity at any high caseload veterinary teaching hospital. When increasingly more time is spent sending and receiving emails, text messages, pages, and calls in lieu of more focused clinical teaching, then the modes of communication and traditional learning theories need to be evaluated. An effective mode of communication is needed to reduce information overload and miscommunication. This article describes lessons learned from a pilot study to determine if a team-based messaging application could improve a surgical team's communication by having all forms of transmitted media directly related to their scope of work accessible to everyone on the team in one real-time digital platform (Slack). Fifteen members of a university-based surgical team were enrolled into the study and provided with surveys at specific time points to evaluate the efficacy of an internet-based team communication tool during a 3-month period. Results of our study showed an overall perception of improved communication among team members when using a team-based communication platform. Recommendations are provided to address team member's underutilization of the platform, which resulted in duplicate messages and miscommunication. We conclude an initial adoption by staff members is essential when implementing significant shifts in communication platforms.

Earcons Versus Auditory Icons in Communicating Computing Events: Learning and User Preference

This article investigates the effectiveness and user preferences of auditory icons and earcons in communicating various computing events. A controlled data collection exercise revealed that participants more quickly learned the relationships between computing events and auditory icons than the relationships between the same computing events and earcons. Results from a second data collection exercise showed that participants not only preferred to hear earcons rather than auditory icons, but indicated that auditory icons would be more irritating after repeated hearings. Taken together, these results present an interesting conundrum for systems designers: The more effective mode of communication is less preferred by users.

Placental Exosomes During Gestation: Liquid Biopsies Carrying Signals for the Regulation of Human Parturition.

Parturition is defined as the action or process of giving birth to offspring. Normal term human parturition ensues following the maturation of fetal organ systems typically between 37 and 40 weeks of gestation. Our conventional understanding of how parturition initiation is signaled revolves around feto-maternal immune and endocrine changes occurring in the intrauterine cavity. These changes in turn correlate with the sequence of fetal growth and development. These important physiological changes also result in homeostatic imbalances which result in heightened inflammatory signaling. This disrupts the maintenance of pregnancy, thus leading to laborrelated changes. However, the precise mechanisms of the signaling cascades that lead to the initiation of parturition remain unclear, although exosomes may be a mediator of this process. Exosomes are a subtype of extracellular vesicles characterised by their endocytic origin. This involves the trafficking of intraluminal vesicles into multivesicular bodies (MVB) and then exocytosis via the plasmatic membranes. Exosomes are highly stable nanovesicles that are released by a wide range of cells and organs including the human placenta and fetal membranes. Interestingly, exosomes from placental origin have been uncovered in maternal circulation across gestation. In addition, their concentration is higher in pregnancies with complications such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia. In normal gestation, the concentration of placental exosomes in maternal circulation correlates with placental weight at third trimester. The role of placental exosomes across gestation has not been fully elucidated, although recent studies suggest that placental exosomes are involved in maternal-fetal inmmuno-tolerance, maternal systemic inflammation and nutrient transport. The content of exosomes is of particular importance, encompassing a large range of molecules such as mRNA, miRNAs, DNA, lipids, cell-surface receptors, and protein mediators. These can in turn interact with either adjacent or distal cells to reprogram their phenotype and regulate their function. Many of the pro-parturition proinflammatory mediators reach maternal compartments from the fetal side via circulation, but major impediments remain, such as degradation at various levels and limited halflife in circulation. Recent findings suggest that a more effective mode of communication and signal transport is through exosomes, where signals are protected and will not succumb to degradation. Thus, understanding how exosomes regulate key events throughout pregnancy and parturition will provide an opportunity to understand the mechanisms involved in the maternal and fetal metabolic adaptations during normal and pathological pregnancies. Subsequently, this will assist in identifying those pregnancies at risk of developing complications. This may also allow more appropriate modifications of their clinical management. This review will hence examine the current body of data to summarise our understanding of how signaling pathways lead to the beginning of parturition. In addition, we propose that extracellular vesicles, namely exosomes, may be an integral component of these signaling events by transporting specific signals to prepare the maternal physiology to initiate parturition. Understanding these signals and their mechanisms in normal term pregnancies can provide insight into pathological activation of these signals, which can cause spontaneous preterm parturition. Hence, this review expands on our knowledge of exosomes as professional carriers of fetal signals to instigate human parturition.

The Impact of FM Radio Broadcast in Local Dialect on Rural Community Development in Ghana

AbstractThe paper set out a platform to investigate the impact of FM radio broadcast in local dialects on rural community development in the Tamale Metropolis of Northern Ghana. The study adopts survey design and also employs probability proportional techniques to select communities for the study. The main thrust of this paper is on the impact of local dialect on rural community development, preferences of development programmes and the community’s participation in the production of radio programmes. Out of 400 questionnaires distributed, 392 was retrieved and analysed. From the results, it is established that local dialect broadcast on radio have an impact on development of rural communities. Also, it improves awareness and knowledge of solutions to community’s development problems in education, agriculture, environment, culture, politics and religion. The paper compare target audience’s preference for local dialect radio programmes to other similar content programmes that were not broadcast in local dialect. It concludes that radio broadcast in local dialect plays a pivotal role in bridging the communication gap between government and rural communities. It proved to be one of the effective mode of communication at the grass-root level. The study shows a positive role played by the indigenous dialect’s radio programmes and recommends that rural development programmes on radio should be packaged in local language. Thus, enhances listenership, interest and positive desired behavioural change.Key Words: Impact, FM Radio Broadcast, Local Dialect, Rural Development, Ghana.

Free Speech as an Indigenous Practice in Pre-Colonial Nigerian Communities: the Igala Abule Night Mask Example

Before their contact with the Western world, a number of pre-colonial Nigerian societies had developed practices adjudged by modern pundits as civilised. These included having representative and hierarchical political systems, fair justice system, indigenous technical knowledge (ITK), and effective communication modes. This paper relied on historical research method to contend and establish that freedom of expression was an indigenous Nigerian practice, as epitomised by the activities of Abule Night Mask of the Igala people of North-Central Nigeria. It also simulated the Night Mask’s activities to modern mass media practice. The Night Mask served as a moral check on the excesses of members of the society. Its dramatised execution of this function, using insults and other verbal attacks on erring individuals, added to its entertaining richness to the community. By this, Abule was an organ for not just moral correction and social commentary, but also of information dissemination and entertainment - a simulation of the contemporary mass media. The much celebrated “free speech” may not, after all, be new to the Nigerian society. Keywords: Abule, Night Mask, Igala, freedom of expression