Voice Amplification Research Articles

An investigation of higher education in further education: preparing a new campus for higher education delivery

ABSTRACT One of the hallmarks of an ever-changing educational landscape is that students are paying considerably higher fees to study higher education courses, including those offered by college-based HE providers. As such, the student experience becomes of paramount importance to ensure student needs are met. To this end, this project sought to discover the best practice(s) needed to ensure a newly built campus is prepared to deliver college-based higher education (CBHE). Using a mixed-methods research design, the project investigated the new campus’ potential for further HE growth, particularly given that there is no higher education institute (HEI) presence in the location where the research took place. This research aimed to investigate how specific spaces at a new FE college campus can benefit HE students. By examining the design and utilisation of these spaces, the study seeks to understand their impact on student experience, community building, and the amplification of student voices in the decision-making process. The findings provide insights for policymakers and CBHE providers on creating supportive and inclusive learning environments that cater to the diverse needs of their student populations. The findings revealed that the HE student experience is constantly evolving, and demands for quality learning environments are increasing. In co-collaboration with a sample of existing students, a framework was established that colleges could use to purposefully improve their overall experience of studying higher education within a further education environment. This research is of use to policymakers, CBHE providers and their staff, and all stakeholders with a responsibility in CBHE.

Challenging assumptions: "unveiling meritocracy's reality in neurosurgery".

Meritocracy, a concept revered as the cornerstone of fairness and equal opportunity, is critically examined in the context of neurosurgery. This article challenges the notion that success in this demanding field is solely determined by individual abilities and effort. It reveals that factors such as background, gender, and socioeconomic status significantly influence one's career trajectory. By investigating how these systemic barriers impact admissions to neurosurgical training programs and professional advancement, the paper underscores the complexity of meritocracy in neurosurgery, suggesting that the meritocratic ideal is more nuanced and influenced by external variables than commonly believed. Certain universities deemed elite offer a curriculum divergent from that of their counterparts in low and middle-income countries. Students at these "elite" institutions gain exposure to new technologies and research incentives, which brings us to the realm of research. Remarkably, 75% of articles originating from developed nations account for just 25% of traumatic brain injury cases. This disparity highlights a significant research imbalance, and the common refrain underscores the need to bolster research capabilities in low-income countries. For neurosurgeons in the developing world, engaging in research often becomes a luxury due to multifaceted challenges. Financial barriers, including publication costs and paywalls for accessing articles, pose significant hurdles. Comparing salaries between countries underscores the glaring divide according to "Neurosurgeon Salary" in 2024. Neurosurgeons in the United States receive a median salary of $412,000 dollars per year, compared to $13,200 dollars in Latin America, as of June 2023. Given such incongruities, the prospect of even attending conferences or workshops abroad remains difficult for neurosurgeons from developing nations. Research isn't cast aside due to a lack of interest but due to resource limitations. The present landscape demands reconsideration. We underscore the journey towards a more inclusive and equitable future in neurosurgery as not just a goal, but a dynamic process fuelled by resilience, collaboration, and a commitment to diversity. The narrative promotes a collective endeavour to dismantle barriers and embrace innovation, emphasizing the importance of mentorship, cross-institutional collaboration, and the amplification of underrepresented voices.

Social Media in Shaping Public Opinion Roles and Impact: A Systematic Review

This systematic literature review examines the impact of social media on public opinion and its implications for policy-making. Utilising the PRISMA framework, the study analysed 19 articles from Scopus and Web of Science databases published between 2013-2023. The review identified five main categories of social media platforms discussed; Twitter/X, Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp), YouTube, Chinese apps (Sina Weibo, WeChat, QQ), and several unspecified platforms. Key themes emerged across these categories, including the role of social media in knowledge dissemination, creation of filter bubbles and echo chambers, amplification of diverse voices, and spread of misinformation. The findings highlighted social media potential for real-time public opinion monitoring, facilitating engagement between policymakers and citizens, and early identification of emerging issues. However, challenges such as information credibility and algorithmic curation of content were also noted. The review suggests that strategic use of social media can raise awareness and mobilise support for global initiatives like the Sustainable Development Goals. It emphasises the need for policymakers to understand and leverage social media's influence on public sentiment while addressing associated risks. The study contributes to a nuanced understanding of how different social media platforms shape public discourse and influence policy decisions in the digital age. Future research directions are proposed to further explore the complex dynamics between social media, public opinion, and governance in an evolving technological landscape. Keywords: Social media impact, public opinion formation, digital policymaking, online political discourse, civic engagement.

The NACI Way: Connecting Native Groups and Teachers Through Culturally Responsive Instructional Design

In 2018, the BYU ARTS Partnership Native American Curriculum Initiative (NACI) was developed in response to teacher questions regarding the teaching of Native topics. Despite increased movements towards reconciliation, Native groups continue to be marginalized in Westernized educational settings. Additionally, teachers lack clear guidelines regarding the respectful teaching of Native topics. Describing the challenges we, the NACI team members, faced in our six-year journey partnering with Native groups in Utah, we outline key instructional design decisions we made and identify the culturally responsive principles that guided those decisions. We also advocate for the application of culturally responsive principles and practices in education including the amplification of Native voices in the classroom.

Vocal Demand Response to the Educational Setting Based Communication Scenarios: A Single Subject Study

Objectives. This was a single-subject study, aimed to demonstrate different vocal demand situations that are typical for primary school and teacher's vocal demand response under two acoustical conditions, with and without voice amplification, during five working days. Methods. The long-term voice dosimetry with Vocal Holter Med (PR.O. Voice Srl) was carried out on a 49-year-old female teacher with voice disorders during daily teaching activities. A sound field amplification system (SFAS) PentaClass Runa was installed in the classroom. Voice dosimetry was provided under two different acoustical conditions: without SFAS (2 days) and with SFAS (3 days). Results. Phonation time percentage, sound pressure level (SPL), SPL SD, fundamental frequency (F0), F0 SD, cycle, and distance doses were investigated in seven communication scenarios (lessons, group/individual classes, sports lessons in the gym and schoolyard, breaks, lunch breaks, and other activities). The median scores of all voice parameters differed significantly between different vocal demand contexts. The significant statistical difference in the vocal demand response was in the communication situations with and without SFAS. In addition, the number of children, reverberation time, and ambient air relative humidity impacted voice SPL and the cycle dose. Conclusions. Lessons, sports lessons held in the gym or schoolyard, breaks, and lunch breaks were considered as high vocal demand communication situations requiring higher voice intensity and fundamental frequency, higher phonation time percentage, cycle, and distance doses. Group/individual work and other teacher activities during the day, unrelated to direct work with students, were categorized as low vocal demand communication scenarios.

Towards interdisciplinarity with STEAM educational strategies: the Internet of Things as a catalyser to promote participatory citizenship

ABSTRACT This study focused on the design of interdisciplinary STEAM educational strategies supported by the Internet of Things. The second cycle of a Design-Based Research approach was implemented, refined prior citizen science strategies designed, implemented, and analysed in a co-creation process, in the first cycle. The iterative implementations/evaluations aimed at answer the secondary research questions: How to develop citizen science strategies that foster students’ participatory citizenship? Teachers designed citizen science learning materials, emphasizing the co-construction of knowledge and educational practices, under STEAM . Research instruments were used the participants – students and teachers. A closer look at the data reveals the existence of students’ voice amplification with evidence of ’ their perception of having an active voice regarding the resolution of community problems after the teachers implement the STEAM educational strategies. This reinforces the need to foster the implementation of relevant participatory citizenship strategies, customized STEAM learning solutions that addressess the issue of low participatory citizenship, to involve students in community issues. A shift in the educational environments is essential within a STEAM approach, engaging students in real-world citizen science projects that encourage cooperation between teachers, stakeholders, and students, thus allowing students’ personal and social development within the scope of educational intervention projects.

Democracy in the digital era

Democracy in the digital era

Twitter activism: Understanding the Twittersphere as the foremost community for activism and dragging in Nigeria

This article appraises the use of Twitter as the principal platform for activism in Nigeria to underscore why it is preferred above all others when it comes to the formation and operation of activist communities. Drawing from reflexive thematic analysis of interviews ( n = 15), I demonstrate that four reasons explain why the Twittersphere has become the central platform for activism in Nigeria. These include the use of Twitter for activism, justice, and dragging; the functional uses made possible by Twitter’s architecture; twitter as a platform for young elite influence; and the perception of Twitter as a leveller. I expand on what these themes mean for Twitter activism and social media regulation, further arguing that research into digital activism and communities should start to recognise Twitter’s centrality as a tool of choice in the formation, coordination, and amplification of activist voices.

The effect of sound field amplification systems on vocal demand response in teachers during lessons

Purpose Sound pressure level (SPL), fundamental frequency (F0), time dose (Dt), cycle dose (Dc), and distance dose (Dd) are components affecting a vocal demand response. The study aimed to investigate the impact of sound field amplification systems (SFAS) on teachers’ vocal parameters and determine the user comfort of SFAS use in teachers. Methods Twenty female teachers underwent long-term voice dosimetry with Vocal Holter Med (PR.O.Voice Srl) during everyday teaching activities. The SFAS PentaClassRuna (Certes) was installed in classrooms. Voice dosimetry was provided in two different acoustical conditions—without the use of SFAS (one to two days) and with SFAS (one to three days). Teachers underwent voice acoustic and laryngoscopic evaluation before voice dosimetry. Two teachers’ groups were formed: teachers with and without vocal nodules. The visual analogue scale measured the user comfort of SFAS. Results There were no significant differences in vocal parameters and vocal doses between teachers with and without vocal nodules. Voice amplification significantly decreased average F 0(−4.4 Hz), Dt%(−3.1%), Dc (−0.4 kcycles), and Dd (−1.3 m) in teachers without vocal nodules and F 0 (−8.9 Hz) in teachers with vocal nodules. Vocal doses (Dt%, Dc, Dd) significantly decreased in classrooms with longer reverberation time. The user comfort of the SFAS during the lessons was high in both teachers groups. Conclusions SFAS was a mediator between the classroom’s environment and the teacher’s vocal demand response; it changed teachers’ voice production parameters and reduced vocal demand response to satisfy the communication requirements. In addition, voice amplification was more beneficial for teachers without vocal fold lesions.

Survey of the classroom acoustics in Utah elementary and secondary schools and voice amplification systems

Poor acoustics in a classroom can lead to vocal strain and heath challenges for teachers using these rooms over many years. In some cases, voice amplification can be used to help alleviate vocal strain. The acoustics of various types of elementary and secondary school (K–12) classrooms in Utah were assessed with speech parameters calculated from impulse response measurements for teacher to student interactions (using a dodecahedron loudspeaker and microphone) as well as oral binaural impulse responses for the teacher’s perception of the room (using a KEMAR mannequin with a mouth simulator). The use of and impact on speech intelligibility of voice amplification was also investigated. This study is part of an overall effort to better assess the degree to which rooms with poor acoustics may impact vocal strain.

Teacher’s vocal health: Voice application systems and other work-related factors

School teachers’ voice problems are widespread and influence the learning process. Voice amplification systems in classrooms are a common response and a preventative strategy. The primary purpose of this study was to (1) determine the relationship between teacher vocal fatigue and use of classroom amplification; and (2) identify factors influencing amplification usage. Teachers throughout the US completed questionnaires regarding vocal health, classroom conditions, lifestyle habits, and access to and use of vocal amplification systems. Responses indicated that biological female teachers who used voice amplification or taught grades kindergarten to middle school were more likely to report higher levels of vocal fatigue. Further, teachers with access to amplification systems were more likely to use them if they were teachers in lower grade levels, who smoked occasionally, drank alcohol frequently, and taught in larger capacity classrooms. In conclusion, it maybe that those using the amplifications are using them because of pre-existing voice issues. Finally, the work-related factors associated with the use of amplification systems (e.g., grade level, classroom capacity) may be indicators of adjustments to reduce the occurrence of voice problems among teachers. Ongoing studies reviewing the available classroom amplification equipment and use from a school administrators perspective will be discussed.

Telling Disabled and Autistic Sexuality Stories: Reflecting upon the Current Research Landscape and Possible Future Developments

Developments in the study of sexuality in the lives of disabled people have been relatively slow, as the spectre of a medicalised model continues to dominate most debates and invalidate any form of sexual identity. The social model of disability has enabled the amplification of voices that have been previously silenced; however, progress has stalled. Within autism studies, however, the rise of neurodiversity studies coupled with intersectionality, has presented an opportunity to explore sexualities in terms of difference rather than deficiency, therefore bypassing deficit models which have dominated any study of non-heterosexual lives. Such deficit models have focussed upon discovering what it is about autism that leads autistic people to think they are non-heterosexual, often resulting in a lack of support for young LGBT+ people as sexuality is dismissed as a result of autism. Reflecting upon findings from my own ongoing work alongside emerging social research, this article explores important developments and potential future directions. This will highlight the progress made and the barriers remaining. Using a sociological approach and a framework inspired by Plummer, which focusses upon the importance of sexual stories, the article will show that much needs to be done. The diversity of goals and multiplicity of stories means that disabled and autistic sexuality stories have not been accepted into the public consciousness.

Radio and the anti-geopolitical ear: imaginative geographies of a Syrian family’s migration to Europe on BBC Radio 4

ABSTRACT This paper examines imaginative geographies of forced migration and refugee settlement in a BBC radio series that follows and gives voice to a Syrian family as they journey to Europe. Originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4 between 2015 and 2017, the episodes have since been repackaged as a podcast on BBC Sounds. The paper answers Horton’s (2019) call for greater engagement with media and popular culture by foregrounding radio as an understudied medium with the capacity to shape listeners’ geographical imaginations. It explores how this series, presented by Manveen Rana, broke new ground through its journalistic-ethnographic form, eyewitness reporting and amplification of refugee voices, and analyses how two imaginative geographies of journey and settlement are constructed through sounds and the spoken word. The paper concludes by theorising radio as a slow medium and demonstrating how Rana’s journalism pushes beyond Toal’s (1996, p. 171) ‘anti-geopolitical eye’ to evidence an anti-geopolitical ear: that is to say, Rana encourages a way of listening to Europe’s migration ‘crisis’ that disrupts discursive framings of refugees as ‘victims’ or ‘threats’ by recasting the family as tangible and relatable human beings. This finding has significant implications for media reporting on migration and scholarship on journalistic storytelling and the construction of geographical imaginations.

A roadmap toward equitable, coordinated, quality reproductive care for women with chronic conditions.

A roadmap toward equitable, coordinated, quality reproductive care for women with chronic conditions.

Factors Influencing Teachers’ Experience of Vocal Fatigue and Classroom Voice Amplification

Voice disorders among teachers are widespread. Teachers' voice problems have been shown to influence the teaching-learning process, thereby impeding students' academic performance. Voice amplification has been used as a preventative strategy to avoid voice problems and as a means of augmenting student reception of a teacher's voice. However, the relationship between perceived vocal fatigue and amplification use has not been established, nor have factors been identified which may be associated with the use of voice amplification in the classroom. This research has two aims: (1) determine the relationship between self-reported vocal fatigue and self-reported teachers' use of sound field amplification in the classroom; and (2) identify which factors are related with the use of amplification systems among the participating teachers. Paper and online surveys were provided to teachers throughout the United States. These surveys contained the 19-question Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI), in addition to other questions regarding health-related conditions and lifestyle habits of respondents. Access to and use of amplification systems, as well as other work-related factors that might influence the use of such systems were detailed by the respondents. Regardless of grades levels or measured factors, teachers who reported using amplification systems were more likely to report higher levels of vocal fatigue. Teachers who taught in lower grade levels or in larger capacity classrooms not only reported a greater likelihood of using the systems more frequently, but also reported a greater access to amplification systems. Overall, less than 40% of teachers had access to an amplification system. Teachers of lower grades reported having the least access. Our results suggest an association between teachers' use of voice amplification systems and vocal fatigue. In addition, some work-related factors (eg, grade level, classroom capacity) were associated with the use of amplification systems. The results can be beneficial to teachers, school administrators, lawmakers and health professionals to more efficiently use diminishing educational resources in a targeted fashion to better train and potentially reduce the occurrence of voice problems among teachers.

O DESTINO DECOLONIAL DA SUBLIMAÇÃO: AS MÍDIAS POPULARES NO COMBATE AO RACISMO BRASILEIRO

ABSTRACT: We present in this article the first results of a post-doctoral research developed in the Graduate Program in Psychoanalytic Theory at UFRJ, which has, as a field of intervention of the psychoanalyst, popular social movements. The working hypothesis is that the presence of the psychoanalyst with such movements favors sublimation, a destination of the drive different from repression and perversions and can serve as a means of decolonizing social ties and treating racist jouissance. Through the appropriation of new digital technologies, grassroots movements and social and political transformation build new modes of transmission of a particular use of language, culture and unique inventions to face colonialism and necropolitics. The subversion of the subject can be witnessed by the amplification of voices that find resonance in the polis, breaking the historical silencing imposed by the yoke of race, which reduces subjects to capital waste objects.

Can the Subaltern(s) Speak? Amplifying the Voices of Global South Scholars in the Australasian Marketing Academy

In response to growing calls for racial diversity and inclusion in academia, this article offers a framework for decolonisation of the Australasian Marketing Academy. The purpose of our framework is to help shape the adoption of diversity and inclusion practices in a way that promotes knowledge democracy and amplification of underrepresented voices within the Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy. This article is thus both a reflective piece and a roadmap to guide the Academy’s journey to decolonisation and representation of its minority members. First, our article highlights experiences of marginalisation in the Australasian context, and the reported barriers to diversity and inclusion of minority voices. Next, we propose our framework which aims to collapse these barriers in favour of a more equitable, cultural, and intellectual convergence, wherein the invisibility of minority scholarship can become as visible and as legitimate as the majority.

The Fall of Marshall Konev

This article traces the developments that led to the 2020 removal of a memorial to Marshal Ivan Stepanovich Konev from a square in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. In the article, inspired by an archaeologicalsensitivity to context, we explore the ways in which the monument has become de-contextualised and re-contextualised by means of various material interventions and performances. This investigation allows us to detail the transformations of the monument within a changing context, and show how selective de-contextualization and re-contextualization allow for the amplification and silencing of different voices. In so doing, we interrogate what role(s) socialism, or rather its image – the spectre of socialism – plays in these dynamics of de- and re-contextualization. Through the case of the monument, we assert that, while the spectre of socialism and its invocation are locally specific, they also go beyond the local context because the socialist spectre is present and contingent both locally and globally. Consequently, we suggest that by a careful linking of local and global mechanisms of how the notion of socialism is employed in order to legitimize and delegitimize competing views, it is possible to open up a novel and productive re-conceptualisation of “post-socialism” in relation to the (geo)politics of memory, remembering, forgetting and silencing, which goes beyond the confines of post-socialism as a descriptive marker and an already worn out concept.

Can everyone hear me? Reflections on the use of global online workshops for promoting inclusive knowledge generation.

Online research methods have risen in popularity over recent decades, particularly in the wake of COVID-19. We conducted five online workshops capturing the experiences of participatory health researchers in relation to power, as part of a collaborative project to develop global knowledge systems on power in participatory health research. These workshops included predominantly academic researchers working in 24 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Here, we reflect on the opportunities, limitations, and key considerations of using online workshops for knowledge generation and shared learning. The online workshop approach offers the potential for cross-continental knowledge exchange and for the amplification of global South voices. However, this study highlights the need for deeper exploration of power dynamics exposed by online platform use, particularly the 'digital divide' between academic partners and community co-researchers. Further research is needed to better understand the role of online platforms in generating more inclusive knowledge systems.

Age-related hearing loss, speech understanding and cognitive technologies

Hearing loss is a common impairment that is present or will be present for most of us. Current hearing aids do not provide sufficient solution for this problem. They are mostly designed for voice amplification and improved signal to noise ratio—the physical part of spoken communication. Nevertheless, users often complain that they still do not understand what they now can hear. Extending the auditory research to cognitive processes and the brain could possibly change the way that hearing aids are designed to assist both hearing and cognition to reach the desired level of understanding. We present a list of potential directions and technologies that could serve as such. A previously published study is presented with a new interpretation that can demonstrate the suggested new and extended perspective of hearing technologies. It may serve as a basis for a new generation of cognitive hearing-aids that will address speech understanding. We then close with a discussion of acoustical transformations that address speech clarity and might promote speech understanding.