Search

Reduced hours of instruction are reported within the gross anatomy education literature. Anatomy instruction continues to be challenged with motivating and inspiring learners to value the contribution of gross anatomy knowledge to their career development alongside increased organizational demands for efficiency and effectiveness. To address these demands, this retrospective study sought to understand how the relative timing and amount of gross anatomy instruction were related to examination performance. Undergraduate and graduate students between 2018 and 2022 were assigned to three cohorts determined by enrollment in prosection-based anatomy only (n = 334), concurrent enrollment in prosection- and dissection-based anatomy in the same semester (n = 67), or consecutive enrollment in the courses one year apart (n = 43). Concurrent students had higher prosection-based anatomy examination scores than prosection-only and consecutive students. Consecutively, enrolled students outperformed concurrently enrolled students on the first two dissection examinations but showed no performance differences on the third and fourth dissection examinations. While the results on the timing and presentation of anatomical instruction were inconclusive, the results do support increased instructional time using both prosection and dissection modalities concurrently to improve performance on identification-based gross anatomy examinations.

The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of preservice music educators' perceptions of elementary general music (EGM), pedagogical competencies, and specialization preference. Preservice music teachers responded to a survey about perceptions of personal experiences with EGM, preparation and comfort related to EGM, and confidence in the ability to teach content and skills common in EGM curricula. Participants (n = 203) also answered questions about their preferred specialization and about factors that would influence their choice of job in the future. Most participants remembered having positive personal experiences with general music in elementary school and believe it is important for future musical success. Confidence in content and skills common in teaching EGM increases as they progress through their degree program. Most identify ensemble teaching and middle and high school grades as their future aspirations. Significant predictors of future career choice included undergraduate major and comfort teaching.

The purpose of this survey study was to describe how teacher preparation programs prepare undergraduate preservice music teachers to consider P-12 learners' socioemotional development. Music teacher education programs (N = 665) were identified from the 2019 Title II Report of National Teacher Preparation Data. Program representatives were invited via email to complete an online questionnaire; data from respondents (n = 133) were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Findings revealed that programs varied greatly in providing opportunities, conceptions, and practices. Relevant, embedded coursework existed in most music teacher education programs. Just under one quarter of respondents reported requiring socioemotional development coursework, and 4.51% indicated at least one music-specific course. Course topics were directed at specific populations and teaching methods; courses were often housed in education, psychology, or sociology departments. Required experiences included fieldwork in general music, practicum, student teaching, or "diverse," rural, or urban settings. Methods of delivery for optional experiences were similar to required experiences, with the addition of conferences and partnerships with organizations.

Via a cross-national and longitudinal analysis, this study seeks to understand whether and to what extent school textbooks portray children as entities with status and agency. Our core argument is that in a world in which individuals are imagined as central to national progress, the extension of individual personhood and citizenship to children is associated with their increased status and enhanced agency. Using 495 textbooks from 76 countries, we analyse trends from 1970 to 2012 as well as textbook-, country-, and global-level characteristics that explain changes in mentions of children's status and agency. Trends indicate higher average levels of mentions of children's status and agency over time. Findings from multivariate analyses suggest that children are more likely to be portrayed as rights bearers and capable actors in more democratic regimes and in countries more linked to world society. A rights affirming global environment also positively relates to mentions of children.

Civil engineering students in the United States rarely receive instruction about how their work affects social inequities. Indeed, research reveals that most engineering students lack critical consciousness and fail to recognize and analyze real social inequity challenges as they arise in engineering contexts. As history demonstrates, this can lead to engineering projects that exacerbate inequality, ignore community questions and concerns, or fail to consider the consequences of communities when assessing project success. A key component to addressing these issues includes educators' ability to evaluate the critical consciousness (CC) of civil engineering students using survey approaches. Toward this goal, this research tested a critical consciousness scale for civil engineers (CCSCE). The CCSCE scale summarizes and factorizes 46 items that capture systems of oppression in civil engineering. The instrument included three indicators measuring critical consciousness (i.e., Critical Reflection: Perceived Inequality; Critical Reflection: Egalitarianism; and Critical Action: Sociopolitical Perception). The CCSCE scale was tested with 150 students at two universities in the United States. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a set of 15 items measuring critical reflection and action items. This study supports the development of concise measures of CC for civil engineers that is valid and reliable. The development of a CCSCE scale is vital for civil engineering education as it provides educators with an instrument to assess whether any educational interventions aimed at enhancing CC are indeed efficacious. The instrument can also be used to assess Accreditation Board of Engineering & Technology (ABET) learning Outcomes 2 and 4.

As music teachers, a large percentage of our clients are children and young adults. Researchers from the field of neuroscience and the aging brain have demonstrated that music education may benefit the brain and cognition throughout a person's lifespan. Thus, the purpose of the current review of literature is to provide a comprehensive scope through which to view the effects of music education on the aging brain. Specifically, cognition and neuroanatomy of aging, music education and cognition in aging, music education and brain changes in aging, proposed theories of these changes, existing music programs, and implications for music education will be discussed. Music educators can use these themes to advocate and promote music education of older adults in classrooms, universities, and healthcare settings.

The transition from doctoral student to higher education faculty member provides a unique set of challenges. Individuals attempt to balance research, service, and teaching requirements while also experiencing changes in their personal lives, such as geographical relocation. Peer-mentoring of early-career faculty may be used to support this challenging period and support the longevity of those who follow this career path. Therefore, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the peer-mentoring experience of a group of early-career elementary general music teacher educators. Research questions were: (1) How did participants describe the experience of peer-mentoring? (2) How did participation impact participants personally, and; (3) How did participation impact participants professionally? We present our findings in four themes related to "finding our place" within our peer-mentoring group and the larger scope of higher education to share our experiences and encourage peer mentoring among early-career music teacher educators.

The purpose of the study was to describe elementary music method choice and certification method choice overall and across the elementary music career cycle. Participants (N = 254) were categorized as Level I or Elementary Division in a southwestern music education association database. The questionnaire included 25 four-point Likert-type items that measured music curriculum alignment to given methods and agreement with statements concerning respondent school district curriculum, personal method practices, and motives concerning the pursuit of one or more method certifications. Gathered information was converted into descriptive statistics. Kodály and Orff were the method certifications of choice overall and across the elementary music career cycle. Perceptions and motives varied little across the career cycle. Conclusions include suggestions concerning professional development.

While ω precipitates in metastable β titanium alloys are typically considered embrittling and consequently deleterious to the mechanical properties, this paper demonstrates that low-temperature aging (LTA) treatments for short time periods can in fact enhance the yield strength while preserving substantial elongation-to-failure in ω containing β titanium alloys. LTA treatments, carried out on a ductile β metastable Ti–12Mo alloy, significantly improve the yield strength of the material (∼55% increase as compared to solution-treated samples) while keeping both TRIP/TWIP effects and a large elongation-to-failure (ϵ = 0.4 in true strain), resulting in a balance of mechanical properties. IMPACT STATEMENT Employing a novel low-temperature annealing strategy, omega precipitates, typically considered embrittling in beta titanium alloys, can effectively increase the yield strength by 50% while preserving 40% tensile ductility.