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Objectives: Sibling relationships are often among the long-lasting relationships and more than two-thirds of adolescents with siblings introduce their siblings as the most important people in their life. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of communication skills on sibling relationships among adolescents with Down syndrome. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study based on a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. A total of 60 adolescents were members of the Iranian association for Down syndrome in Tehran City, Iran. From this population, 30 adolescents were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were divided into two groups (experimental and control). At first, the adolescents' parents responded to the sibling relationship questionnaire. Then, the experimental group attended 10 sessions on communication skills. Following the tenth session, parents completed the sibling relationship questionnaire once more. The data were analyzed using a multivariate analysis of covariance. Results: The results showed that the experimental group experienced a significant increase in two dimensions of warmth/closeness and conflict following the intervention program compared to the control group (P<0.01). However, the difference between the two groups was not significant in the other dimensions, namely relative status/power and rivalry. Discussion: It seems that communication skills training is an appropriate intervention to improve sibling relationships of adolescents with Down syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vaccine hesitancy is not a new phenomenon to Pakistan. This is evidenced through the slow progress of previous vaccination campaigns and programs against MMR, BCG, and especially polio. This issue continues to persist and is therefore becoming the cause of low COVID‐19 vaccination rates in Pakistan. Aim: To provide insights about COVID‐19 vaccine hesitancy among Pakistanis, and its potential harm on public health. Moreover, we aim provide recommendations to counter the factors limiting the COVID‐19 vaccination in Pakistan. Methodology: A Boolean search was conducted to find the literature in MEDLINE‐PubMed, Google Scholar, and Clinicaltrials.gov databases up till March 16, 2022. Specific keywords were used which comprised of "SARS‐CoV‐2," "COVID‐19," "vaccine hesitancy," "vaccine acceptance," "intention to vaccinate," and "Pakistan," with use of "OR" and "AND." Only free full‐text original studies in English language were used to compare and contrast. Results: As proven by various studies, COVID‐19 vaccination rates are influenced by multiple factors, including inaccurate beliefs about COVID‐19, hesitancy amongst healthcare workers, uncertainty regarding vaccine's efficacy and fear of side effects. Various conspiracy theories and lower testing rates among others also add up to impose a negative impact on the vaccination rates and public health of Pakistan. This may lead to newer strains of potentially harmful COVID‐19, mental health deterioration, and prolonged lockdowns. Conclusion: Vaccine hesitancy is a global public health threat, and its impacts are pronounced in Pakistan. This is reflected in the COVID‐19 pandemic; low vaccination rates in Pakistan may lead to future outbreaks of new, potentially harmful, strains of COVID‐19 which can prolong lockdowns in the country and affect mental health of the population. To improve the current situations, it is imperative for the government, educational institutes, and healthcare systems to develop trust and continually use dialogue, communication, and education to address misconceptions to improve COVID‐19 vaccination in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is a vital part of the Australian economy. With an industry poised for growth, and a growing disconnect between consumers and agriculture, additional communication efforts are needed. The purpose of this study was to complete a curriculum visioning process to inform agricultural communications curriculum development in Australia. This study used a qualitative research design consisting of face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with individuals from 14 agricultural organizations and two universities. The results indicated the industry is addressing many challenges, but also has opportunities that would benefit from strategic communication efforts. Participants provided suggestions regarding the specific communication skills and agriculture knowledge future employees should possess. Recognizing these competencies informed the curriculum visioning process for agricultural communications as an academic discipline within Australian higher education. Recommendations for both practice and future research are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate communication revolves around the written skills of the people involved in it. Unlike creative writing, it needs to be specific and accurate. It must be succinct and crisp because people do not have time to read round about circumlocutory writing in this age of information overload. In addition to flawless language, corporate communication ought to be polite and courteous without being blatant. This paper attempts to delineate the essential approaches, namely, the 'you approach' and the 'we approach' that will help the writer to reach the target audience in a seamless manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The art of communication is the language of leadership. Being able to communicate effectively is the most important of all life skills. Presently, businesses are hiring fewer people and expecting them to do more and hence, employers have increased their expectations for potential employees. The employers do, however, continue to seek employees with commendable communication skills. According to a 2010 survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), communication skills are ranked first among a job candidate's 'must have' skills and qualities. It is an art that comes with regular practice. As proven, practice makes perfect; one has to keep practicing dedicatedly till he reaches perfection. Often, students do not realize the value of possessing these dynamic skills, and they assume that mere knowledge acquisition within their discipline is enough to get through that all-important Recruitment Process. In this crucial stage, faculty members must willingly accept their changing roles as facilitators and importantly, 'practice educators' to assist students in a positive way and reinforce what business executives expect in students who are going out into their workforce. Encouraging the students to participate in debate, discussions and presentations or seminars are some of the ways by which teachers can actually help their students to enhance and sharpen their oral communication skills. Written communication skills can be promoted by giving more assignments to the students that require their own thinking and writing skills. Further, a better and excellent way to impress the young learners can be achieved with the use of technological support that enhances both their written and oral communication skills under the sound guidance of their teachers. Thus, the intended paper aims at suggesting methods for making engineers employable through enhancing their communication skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

English has emerged as an international language and now it is a window to the world. Man has been using language as a tool of communication for centuries and it is the most widely used instrument. Today language is one of the most prized possessions of man. It acts as a repository of wisdom. As communication plays a vital role in the smooth functioning of an organization, the need to impart communication skills has assumed greater importance but it is still not free from ignorance, prejudice and superstition. Researches in this area have shown that 70% to 80% of the total working time of a professional is spent on communication. In India 64.14% is communicating in English. Thus the role of English in the professional world is still dominant and we have therefore focused our attention on the conventions of communication in English followed in India. To achieve success in one's career it is essential to acquire an ability to speak English effectively and fluently. The present paper will highlights the importance of English and how English can reduce the unemployability by learning communication skills. It also helps one to attain his dream profession through proficiency in English. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feedback is an essential part of the teaching/learning processes. This statement is especially true in the introductory communication course where students receive feedback throughout the presentational speaking process. This paper explores how students define useful feedback based on 1,600 qualitative questionnaires that asked students about their perceptions of feedback. A thematic analysis of a randomly selected subset of 163 responses uncovered two themes: (1) feedback content characteristics (e.g., specific, constructive, praiseworthy, and purposive) and (2) process of instructor-provided feedback (e.g., iterative, timely). Based on these findings, a set of best practices for providing feedback is offered as a means to improve teaching/learning in the introductory communication course.

Simple Summary: The welfare of most dogs living in homes is largely unknown. However, national surveys carried out by animal welfare charities and findings by animal welfare researchers have shown significant deterioration in some key aspects of dog welfare. For example, more dogs presenting to vets with behavioural problems, obesity, and ill-health due to poor breeding practices. This means that some dogs are suffering due to their owners' behaviours or ownership practices. Educating dog owners as to how best to look after their dogs is, and has been seen by many, as key to improving the welfare of dogs living in homes. However, the concept of education, the context in which it occurs, and the lack of systematic evaluation of the effectiveness of education interventions means that nobody really knows if this approach works. This paper explores these concepts and draws together a wide range of sources of information to highlight some of the complexities of improving dog welfare by educating owners. Vets, animal welfare charities, and researchers have frequently cited educating owners as a necessity for improving the welfare of companion dogs. The assumption that improving an owner's knowledge through an education intervention subsequently results in improvements in the welfare of the dog appears reasonable. However, the complexity of dog welfare and dog ownership and the context in which these relationships occur is rapidly changing. Psychology has demonstrated that humans are complex, with values, attitudes, and beliefs influencing our behaviours as much as knowledge and understanding. Equally, the context in which we individuals and our dogs live is rapidly changing and responding to evolving societal and cultural norms. Therefore, we seek to understand education's effectiveness as an approach to improving welfare through exploring and understanding these complexities, in conjunction with the relevant research from the disciplines of science education and communication. We argue that well designed and rigorously evaluated education interventions can play a part in the challenge of improving welfare, but that these may have limited scope, and welfare scientists could further consider extending cross-disciplinary, cross-boundary working, and research in order to improve the welfare of companion dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since patient-centered communication is directly connected to clinical performance, it should be integrated with medical knowledge and clinical skills. Therefore, clinical communication skills should be trained and assessed as an integral part of the student's clinical performance. We were unable to identify a tool, which helps when assessing patient-centered communication skills as an integrated component of medical history taking ('the integrated medical interview'). Therefore, we decided to design a new tailor-made assessment tool, the BOCC (BeOordeling Communicatie en Consultvoering (Dutch), Assessment of Communication and Consultation (English) to help raters assess students' integrated clinical communication skills with the emphasis on patient-centred communication combined with the correct medical content. This is a first initiative to develop such a tool, and this paper describes the first steps in this process. Methods: We investigated the tool in a group of third-year medical students (n = 672) interviewing simulated patients. Internal structure and internal consistency were assessed. Regression analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between scores on the instrument and general grading. Applicability to another context was tested in a group of fourth-year medical students (n = 374). Results: PCA showed five components (Communication skills, Problem clarification, Specific History, Problem influence and Integration Skills) with various Cronbach's alpha scores. The component Problem Clarification made the strongest unique contribution to the grade prediction. Applicability was good when investigated in another context. Conclusions: The BOCC is designed to help raters assess students' integrated communication skills. It was assessed on internal structure and internal consistency. This tool is the first step in the assessment of the integrated medical interview and a basis for further investigation to reform it into a true measurement instrument on clinical communication skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper responds to previously published debate in this journal around the use of sociolinguistic methods in communication skills training (CST), which has raised the significant question of how far consultations with simulated patients reflect real clinical encounters. This debate concluded with a suggestion that sociolinguistic methods offer an alternative analytic lens for evaluating CST. We demonstrate here that the utility of sociolinguistic methods in CST is not limited to critique, but also presents an important tool for development and delivery. Methods: Following a scoping review of the use of role play and simulated interaction in CST for healthcare professionals, we consider the use of the specific sociolinguistic approach of conversation analysis (CA), which has been applied to the study of health communication in a wide range of settings, as well as to the development of training. Discussion: Role play and simulated interaction have been criticised by both clinicians and sociolinguists for a lack of authenticity as compared to real life interactions. However they contain a number of aspects which healthcare professionals report finding particularly useful: the need to think on one's feet in real time, as in actual interaction with patients; the ability to receive feedback on the simulation; and the ability to watch and reflect on how others approach the same simulation task in real time. Since sociolinguistic approaches can help to identify inauthenticity in role play and simulation, they can also be used to improve authenticity. Analysis of real-life interactions using sociolinguistic methods, and CA in particular, can identify actual interactional practices that are used by particular patient groups. These practices can then be used to inform the training of actors simulating patients. In addition, the emphasis of CA on talk as joint activity means that proper account can be taken of the way in which simulated interaction is co-constructed between simulator and trainee. Summary: We suggest that as well as identifying potential weaknesses in current role play and simulation practice, conversation analysis offers the potential to enhance and develop the authenticity of these training methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emergency obstetric referrals develop adverse maternal-fetal outcomes partly due to delays in offering appropriate care at referral hospitals especially in resource limited settings. Referral hospitals do not get prior communication of incoming referrals leading to inadequate preparedness and delays of care. Phone based innovations may bridge such communication challenges. We investigated effect of a phone call communication prior to referral of mothers in labour as intervention to reduce preparation delays and improve maternal-fetal outcome at a referral hospital in a resource limited setting.Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study with non-equivalent control group conducted at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) in South Western Uganda from September 2020 to March 2021. Adverse maternal-fetal outcomes included: early neonatal death, fresh still birth, obstructed labour, ruptured uterus, maternal sepsis, low Apgar score, admission to neonatal ICU and hysterectomy. Exposure variable for intervention group was a phone call prior maternal referral from a lower health facility. We compared distribution of clinical characteristics and adverse maternal-fetal outcomes between intervention and control groups using Chi square or Fisher's exact test. We performed logistic regression to assess association between independent variables and adverse maternal-fetal outcomes.Results: We enrolled 177 participants: 75 in intervention group and 102 in control group. Participants had similar demographic characteristics. Three quarters (75.0%) of participants in control group delayed on admission waiting bench of MRRH compared to (40.0%) in intervention group [p =  < 0.001]. There were significantly more adverse maternal-fetal outcomes in control group than intervention group (obstructed labour [p = 0.026], low Apgar score [p = 0.013] and admission to neonatal high dependency unit [p =  < 0.001]). The phone call intervention was protective against adverse maternal-fetal outcome [aOR = 0.22; 95%CI: 0.09-0.44, p = 0.001].Conclusion: The phone call intervention resulted in reduced delay to patient admission at a tertiary referral hospital in a resource limited setting, and is protective against adverse maternal-fetal outcomes. Incorporating the phone call communication intervention in the routine practice of emergency obstetric referrals from lower health facilities to regional referral hospitals may reduce both maternal and fetal morbidities.Trial Registration: Pan African Clinical Trial Registry PACTR20200686885039. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Local needs assessments in our institution's surgery and neurology residency programs identified barriers to effective communication, such as no shared communication framework and limited feedback on nontechnical clinical skills. Residents identified faculty-led coaching as a desired educational intervention to improve communication skills. Three university departments (Surgery, Neurology, and Pediatrics) and health-care system leaders collaborated closely to develop an innovative communication coaching initiative generalizable to other residency programs. Innovation: Coaching program development involved several layers of collaboration between health-care system leaders, faculty educators, and departmental communication champions. The efforts included: (1) creating and delivering communication skills training to faculty and residents; (2) hosting frequent meetings among various stakeholders to develop program strategy, discuss opportunities and learnings, and engage other medical educators interested in coaching; (3) obtaining funding to implement the coaching initiative; (4) selecting coaches and providing salary and training support. Evaluation: A multi-phased mixed-methods study utilized online surveys and virtual semi-structured interviews to assess the program's quality and impact on the communication culture and the satisfaction and communication skills of residents. Quantitative and qualitative data have been integrated during data collection and analysis using embedding, building, and merging strategies. Discussion and Implications: Establishing a multi-departmental coaching program may be feasible and can be adapted by other programs if similar resources and focus are present. We found that stakeholders' buy-in, financial support, protected faculty time, flexible approach, and rigorous evaluation are crucial factors in successfully implementing and sustaining such an initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Palliative care (PC) is a strongly emerging discipline worldwide. Despite efforts to integrate this important topic in the medical curriculum in Belgium, still little time is spent on PC and its implementation during theoretical and practical training. Materials & methods: We had two cohorts of second master's year MD students at the University of Antwerp complete a survey compromising a custom-built PC knowledge test and a self-confidence assessment of communicative skills used in end-of-life conversations. We evaluated students' self-confidence regarding end-of-life-conversations before and after a PC training program. We also explored whether the PC classes enabled the students to adequately reflect on factors that might influence end-of-life conversations with an open-end question about the potential implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on advance care planning (ACP) conversations. Finally, we compared the results of the respondents having enjoyed face-to-face training (cohort 1) with those having received online training only (cohort 2, COVID-19 pandemic). Results: Although the respondents in both cohorts indicated that the overall curriculum did not pay enough attention to PC training, their average scores on the theoretical questions were good. Feeling confident about their communicative skills in general, they indicated to be less confident when it came to communications concerning PC and ACP in particular. The COVID-19 pandemic was initially equally deemed to impede and facilitate ACP and end-of-life conversations, but after the ACP training class more respondents saw the pandemic as an opportunity to broach end-of-life issues. Finally, we found no differences in scores between online and regular classroom teaching. Conclusion: Students experience a lack of confidence in communication skills used in end-of-life conversations and ACP. To help improve skills and competencies in conducting end-of-life conversations, it is recommended to have medical students assess PC/ACP training programs regularly and to modify the curriculum and course content based on these outcomes and current developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are some problems in the design and application of the art education exchange platform. In order to further analyze the relevant content of the art education exchange, based on machine vision theory, model calibration, and coordinate change are adopted to modify the original model, so as to obtain the optimized model. This model can be used to analyze the design and application of art education platform. Relevant studies show that, according to the coordinate parameter curve, the parameter α plays a promoting role on the coordinate value, while the parameter β plays a promoting role on the coordinate value first and then plays an inhibiting role. The parameter γ also promotes and inhibits coordinate values. The curve corresponding to parameter M1 shows a gradual decline, and the curve of parameter M2 has little influence on coordinate data. The curve corresponding to parameter M3 also shows a linear trend of change. Through analysis, it can be seen that M3 has the greatest influence on coordinate data. By using machine vision model to design and analyze the communication platform of art education, the changing trend of different indicators can be obtained. It can be seen from the analysis that both language and vocal music have obvious stability in the calculation process, which is an inherent attribute of communication platform. Finally, the accuracy of the optimization model is verified by analyzing and predicting the data. This research can provide theoretical support for the application of machine vision model in other fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Poor patient-health care provider (HCP) communication skills are a major contributor for noncompliance, lack of trust and sometimes even violence against the HCPs. The students are expected to pick up communication competency through observation and self-learning. In this context, there is a need to bring in the implicit curriculum to the ambit of the explicit curriculum. Here, the focus was on "listening" to the stakeholder's voice to establish the need for explicit communication skills training and justify its importance to professional practice. Materials and Methods: A socioconstructivist world-view and qualitative research methodology was adopted. The method of data collection was interviews and focus group discussions. The dean, teaching faculty, students, and patients were interviewed until data saturation. The data were transcribed and a team of 3 coders coded the data manually using inductive methods. Results: This study identified the gaps in the existing curricular framework for teaching communication skills. Six major themes emerged from the research. The research process served as a tool to leverage on the gaps identified and build a customized communication skills training program for students. Conclusion: The process of qualitative research involves the extensive interviews and discussions with stakeholders to better understand the underlying issues. It initiates dialogs and helps to co-construct solutions to the educational problems. Such self-discovered solutions for change in curriculum that emerges from key stakeholders from within the institution, they are more likely to be accepted, adopted and "institutionalised". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cultura Educación y Sociedad is the property of Corporacion Universidad de la Costa, CUC and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper we show how to model syntax and semantics of stochastic processes with continuous states, respectively as algebras and coalgebras of suitable endofunctors over the category of measurable spaces Meas . Moreover, we present an SOS-like rule format, called MGSOS , representing abstract GSOS over Meas , and yielding fully abstract universal semantics , for which behavioral equivalence is a congruence. An MGSOS specification defines how semantics of processes are composed by means of measure terms , which are expressions specifically designed for describing finite measures. The syntax of these measure terms, and their interpretation as measures, are part of the MGSOS specification. We give two example applications, with a simple and neat MGSOS specification: a “quantitative CCS”, and a calculus of processes living in the plane R 2 whose communication rate depends on their distance. The approach we follow in these cases can be readily adapted to deal with other quantitative aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication is an important skill, but how do we, as teachers, teach this to our students? This question will present many challenges to the course designer. We all know that language is the means of communication among human beings and it is necessary for second language learners to take control of communication. So, designing the courses for communication will be placed in a special place. Among the communication ways, conversation with oral language is an easy way. Making a conversation is an ability that appeared from breaking the speaking ability into its sub-skills. Communicative competence of learners includes this ability. Course designer and textbook writers have to focus on different dimensions of this skill and pay attention to the conditions of their learners in different societies. Formats of the syllabus have many types in relation to the given guidelines, tasks types, or other features. One of them is Topic-based syllabus. We focus on it and its relation to the communication skills and their common issues. Topic-based instruction model means that using four skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) in an integrated manner and use these in an inter-related manner to improve all the skills. So, in this paper, we will be talk about the approaches and the views of investigators about the topic-based instruction model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about the Standing Conference for Cultural, Communication and Media Studies in Higher Education (SCCCMSHE) in London, England on January 7, 1994. Topics include the gloomy outlook for the disciplines represented by the interdisciplinary field of cultural, communications and media studies. The conference features Howard Newby of the University of Southhampton, offering a more positive view of the White Paper that did not concern the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Research of veterinary communication education is a relatively rare but important field, and its importance has been increasingly noticed recently. This study aims to describe the existing veterinary education research literature by adopting the systematic bibliometric approach. We conducted a comprehensive literature exploration on worldwide veterinary education and veterinary communication education publications in the Web of Science Core Collection database from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2021. VOSviewer and EXCEL were used to identify trends and patterns in characteristics of the publications, including author affiliations and countries, and the publishing journals. Based on our search criteria, in the past 22 years, there have been 6006 veterinary education publications with 101 publications in 2000, 684 publications in 2021 (577% increase), and 677 communication-related publications with 9 publications in 2000, 107 publications in 2021 (1189% increase). The VOSviewer results indicate that both the United States and England were the most vigorous countries with close collaboration. Our results show the publication quantity has been increasing at a sharp slope rate over the past twenty years, which indicates the importance and growth of veterinary education and the veterinary communication education research field, and identifies the international collaborations among countries and institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: National regulatory agencies of various sizes and maturity levels, including the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), have had to revise systems and re-engineer processes in order to adapt to the new regulatory environment and increase the effectiveness of regulatory operations. This study aimed to develop a new regulatory review model for improved regulatory performance, underpinned by the parameters of the World Health Organization Global Benchmarking Tool (WHO GBT) that support strengthening of regulatory systems. Methods: A new enhanced model for regulatory review, was developed based on the key recommendations from 6 studies, previously conducted by the authors, that were identified as fundamental elements in enhancing regulatory performance. The elements selected to define the new regulatory review model were endorsed through the integration of the parameters of the WHO GBT that, when embedded within regulatory systems, support enhanced regulatory performance. Results: Opportunities for improvement in regulatory performance were identified and include quality measures; monitoring and evaluating review times; a risk-based evaluation; transparency and communication; and training and education. An improved model for the South African regulatory review and benefit-risk (BR) assessment supported by quality decision-making was proposed as well as recommendations for the application of risk-stratification strategies, strengthening of reliance networks, reinforcing good regulatory practices (GRPs) and enhancing transparency. Conclusion: If implemented the proposed improved regulatory model may pave the way towards more efficient and transparent, streamlined review processes, coupled with increased consistency, evidence-based decision-making practices, reduced timelines and improved patients' access to new medicines in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In medical students' workplace learning, feedback is important for effective learning regarding communication and clinical skills. The provision of multisource feedback (MSF) in clinical practice with focus on the patient's perspective is rarely addressed in the literature. The overall objective was to explore the experience of MSF in medical students' clinical learning in primary healthcare (PHC). Methods: In the study, patients provided feedback by use of the Patient Feedback in Clinical Practice (PFCP) questionnaire. By use of adapted PFCP questionnaire versions peers and clinical supervisors provided feedback and students performed a self-evaluation. The MSF learning activity was evaluated using surveys (4-point Likert scale/open-ended questions), (students (n = 26), peers (n = 9) and clinical supervisors (n = 7)). Data were analysed using descriptive and qualitative content analysis. Results: Results (mean 4-point Likert scale) from participants evaluation of the MSF learning activity visualises the value of feedback in terms of patient-centred communication (students 3.50, peers 2.44 and clinical supervisors 3.57), guidance for further training (students 3.14, peers 2.89 and clinical supervisors 3.00) and clarification of pedagogical assignment (students 3.14, peers 2.89 and clinical supervisors 3.00). Thematic analysis of participants' free-text answers in the evaluation surveys resulted in three themes: (1) applicability of the MSF, (2) MSF – collaborative learning process and (3) MSF as a facilitator in students' clinical skills development. The participants experienced that the written MSF provided multi-facetted perspectives, which contributed to students' and peers' clinical and communication learning. MSF experience also enhanced clinical supervisors' feedback regarding communication skills, targeting the supervisors' pedagogical assignment. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that MSF provided directly after a patient encounter, using the PFCP questionnaire as feedback provider, could be an adequate learning activity for medical students' workplace learning. The MSF, provided through the PFCP questionnaire, was experienced to neutralise and operationalise the provision of concrete feedback, facilitating peers' learning and clinical supervisors' tuition. The results visualise the importance of patients in MSF, as a valuable resource in students' workplace learning. Our study implies that this learning activity could be an applicable tool to facilitate learning and pedagogic development in clinical education in PHC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of the Active Communication Education (ACE) program on the social/emotional impacts of hearing loss (HL) in a group of older adults with a cochlear implant (CI). Design: Prospective cohort study design, with a "within-subject" control procedure. Study Sample: Twenty adults over-65 post-lingually deafened CI users. All subjects were required to be native Italian speakers, to have normal cognitive level, have no significant psychiatric conditions and/or diagnosed incident dementia, and used CI for at least 9 months. Materials and Methods: Twenty participants were assessed using the Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE), the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale (SSQ) before, during, and after ACE program, with a one and 6-month follow up. The cognitive and audiological evaluation was carried out before commencing the ACE program. Results: The ACE program had a positive impact by reducing HL's social/emotional effects. Participants benefited from a rehabilitative approach by improving multilevel skills: comprehension of audiological and hearing dimensions, acquisition of communicative, pragmatic and problem-solving strategies, and interaction and sharing of experiences with peers. Conclusion: Although targeting the older adults with moderate HL, the ACE program also seemed to benefit older adult CI users. An improvement in social and emotional adaptation to hearing difficulties can, in turn, significantly promote optimal use of CI in the older adults, thereby possibly reducing the risk of losing motivation and engagement in device use and in rehabilitation protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Simulated Patients (SPs) are commonplace in the teaching of communication skills in medical education and can provide immediate feedback to students from the patient's perspective. The experiences of SPs and their perspective on providing feedback is an under-studied area. This study aims to explore SP experiences and views on feedback, factors influencing their feedback and implications for training. Methods: Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, we conducted six focus groups with 30 SPs. Participants included experienced simulated patients from a London-based actor agency, used in undergraduate teaching programmes of communication skills. Consistent with the principles of grounded theory, data was collected and analysed in an iterative process to identify themes. Results: Five over-arching themes were identified: 1.) Feedback processes, 2.) Challenges in providing feedback, 3.) Cumulative experiences, 4.) Web of interpersonal relationships and dynamics and 5.) Portraying the character and patient representations. Discussion: These SPs regarded the sharing of the emotions they experienced during the consultation as the focus of their feedback. Their preference was for giving a 'sandwich style' of feedback and 'out-of-role' approach. The relationship with facilitators and students and politeness conventions emerged as significant factors when providing feedback. Sensitivity to the social dynamics of groups and implicit facilitator expectations were challenges they experienced as was divergence in views of student performance. Conclusion: This study explored SP experiences and perspectives on providing feedback. Findings reveal complex social and structural dynamics at play in providing feedback which have not been reported so far in the literature. It is recommended that these issues should be addressed in training of both SPs and facilitators, in addition to feedback guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to optimize the application quality of the English auxiliary teaching system, shorten the system response time and CPU utilization, design a Web-based college English auxiliary teaching system, and test its application effect. Using the B/S mode in the Web, install the developed auxiliary teaching system on the server of the control center. The B/S function modules in the system software include the presentation layer, application service layer, and resource layer. Based on this, design the user management module and college English auxiliary teaching functions and allocate bandwidth to the platform resource transmission rate to maximize network utility, reduce platform data transmission failures, and optimize the quality of English auxiliary teaching. The experimental results demonstrate that the system based on the B/S multilayer structure passed all of its tests, showing that it is relatively robust and capable of meeting the needs of college English teaching aids for students and teachers while also achieving the desired outcomes. The teaching information communication delay and response time of the designed system are shorter, and the central processing unit (CPU) utilization rate is also lower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper advances some propositions as to how the mass media determine social perspectives. The focus is on mass communications as a system for the transmission of technical information and social norms. This is hardly a novel approach, yet even a cursory examination of the kind of research on which the majority of the communication theorems are based will persuade one that this notion of a total communications system governs the investigation in but few instances. The purpose is merely to suggest that the impact of mass communications may appear in a somewhat different light if we focus on cumulative and systemic effects of the media. Research problems are suggested by the reinterpretation of results gained from the empirical study of communication events, by the findings governed by a notion of total systems, and historical evidence. No communication ever receives universal disseminations, and even to the extent that there is universal dissemination, there are limits to the capacity of communication channels to disseminate information without interference and without distortion.

The article describes multimodal communication as a phenomenon, branch of study and analytical approach in connection with the research subjects of pedagogy and human sensomotor/cognitive abilities. The paper reveals the basic connection between cognitive studies and modern multimodal approaches. Examples are presented on the basis of a study of multimodal communication which investigates teaching Estonian phonetics to nonnative speakers over the last two years at Bachelor's level. The article is aimed at teachers to encourage them to use various techniques in the auditorium or contact study situation in the area of humanities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Saúde e Sociedade is the property of Universidade de Sao Paulo, Faculdade de Saude Publica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Brain-computer interface (BCI) systems are a promising means for restoring communication to patients suffering from “locked-in” syndrome. Research to improve system performance primarily focuses on means to overcome the low signal to noise ratio of electroencephalogric (EEG) recordings. However, the literature and methods are difficult to compare due to the array of evaluation metrics and assumptions underlying them, including that: 1) all characters are equally probable, 2) character selection is memoryless, and 3) errors occur completely at random. The standardization of evaluation metrics that more accurately reflect the amount of information contained in BCI language output is critical to make progress. We present a mutual information-based metric that incorporates prior information and a model of systematic errors. The parameters of a system used in one study were re-optimized, showing that the metric used in optimization significantly affects the parameter values chosen and the resulting system performance. The results of 11 BCI communication studies were then evaluated using different metrics, including those previously used in BCI literature and the newly advocated metric. Six studies' results varied based on the metric used for evaluation and the proposed metric produced results that differed from those originally published in two of the studies. Standardizing metrics to accurately reflect the rate of information transmission is critical to properly evaluate and compare BCI communication systems and advance the field in an unbiased manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was to identify students' views on the use of WhatsApp in an online postgraduate course at a South African Open Distance eLearning institution during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, lecturers and students relied on their mobile devices to communicate using different tools, including WhatsApp. Although it is a trending communication tool in teaching and learning, little is known about students' views on using WhatsApp to support teaching and learning in a time of crisis. Within an interpretative paradigm, the research followed a case study design and a qualitative approach. The study used questionnaires with open-ended questions to collect data. The sample consisted of 16 students enrolled for a Master's in Education programme. Data were analysed using a thematic approach. The findings showed that WhatsApp groups provided students with immediate, fast, easy to use and affordable communication and connection, thus, creating a sense of belonging. However, a possible disadvantage was also observed. A WhatsApp group can defeat its purpose if students use it for non-academic chats and it can become a distraction. This study proposes that institutions of higher learning consider using WhatsApp groups to support learning communities as they can alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation, specifically in times of crisis. Furthermore, the study recommends that the purpose of WhatsApp groups should be clearly outlined to students and that lecturers and students should agree upon some ground rules before they start using WhatsApp groups to support teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The relevance of communication in medical education is continuously increasing. At the Medical Faculty of Hamburg, the communication curriculum was further developed and optimized during this project. This article aims to describe the stakeholders' perceived challenges and supporting factors in the implementation and optimization processes. Methods: The initial communication curriculum and its development after a one-year optimization process were assessed with a curricular mapping. A SWOT analysis and group discussions were carried out to provide information on the need for optimization and on challenges the different stakeholders faced. Results: The curricular mapping showed that the communication curriculum is comprehensive, coherent, integrated and longitudinal. In both the implementation and the project-related optimization processes, support from the dean, cooperation among all stakeholders and structural prerequisites were deemed the most critical factors for successfully integrating communication content into the curriculum. Conclusion: The initiative and support of all stakeholders, including the dean, teachers and students, were crucial for the project's success. Practice implications: Although the implementation of a communication curriculum is recommended for all medical faculties, their actual implementation processes may differ. In a "top-down" and "bottom-up" approach, all stakeholders should be continuously involved in the process to ensure successful integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Marketing of Scientific & Research Organizations / Marketing Instytucji Naukowych i Badawczych is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Elia: Studies in Applied English Linguistics / Estudios de Lingüística Inglesa Aplicada is the property of Elia: Estudios de Linguistica Inglesa Aplicada and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

One of the consequences of the pandemic is a transition to remote education and the use of network audiovisual communication tools for education in musical disciplines. The circumstances of such education can differ and might influence the perceived sound or the education. The research observes the ratings of perceived aspects in singing lessons taught in three settings (common, reference, and direct). A variance of several aspects that relate to the perceived sound (temporal qualities and qualities of the sound and room) is observed in the remote forms, suggesting that these can be impaired in some settings and significant in the experience. The findings are discussed in relation to the perceived conditions and present practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting human–wildlife coexistence in complex systems where both relationships between people and toward wildlife need to be managed is challenging. We applied nonviolent communication (NVC) training as part of a participatory dialogue program to increase empathic concern toward wildlife and between people to promote human–wildlife coexistence. NVC was developed in the 1960s by Marshal Rosenberg, a clinical psychologist who sought to incorporate empathy and compassion into everyday language. Using weekly reflexive feedback from participants, we collected 36 examples of attitude change and 71 examples of behavior change that demonstrated increased empathic concern for both people and wildlife. Therefore, NVC training has potential to be an effective tool to increase empathy and promote tolerance and human–wildlife coexistence. This is the first attempt to use NVC in the biodiversity sector, and we believe these results show promise for its wider application as a tool for participatory dialogues to improve collaboration, understanding and resolve conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality communication between a teacher and a student or students contributes to the process of learning a foreign language. Communication in foreign language teaching is both a means of communication and the content of teaching. The model of willingness to communicate in a foreign language describes individual characteristics and situational variables that affect a pupil's readiness to enter dialogue with another person at some point. The present study provides information on the process and results of scale adaptation Willingness to Communicate Inside the Classroom scale. The process of adaptation to Czech conditions includes the verification of content validity, construct validity, and the identification of a factor structure of the instrument. Using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) procedures in the JASP program 0.14.1. the suitability of the use of the originally designed scale was verified and a reduction from twenty-seven to eighteen items was proposed. The internal consistency of the Czech version of the Willingness to Communicate Inside the Classroom scale showed a sufficient Cronbach's alpha coefficient of .82, thus we can assume that the tested scales show sufficient reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While co-creation has long been promoted as a theoretical paradigm of strategic communication to understand the shared meaning-making between practitioners and public, it is rarely studied as a fitting pedagogical component when examining the interaction between strategic communication educators and students. In the wake of migration from face-to-face teaching to distance learning following COVID-19, we call for co-creation to be used within the teaching of strategic communication and understand how it is enacted in tertiary education practice. We reflected on two case studies, one from Singapore and one from Australia, to determine how meaningful learning is (re)constructed by taking a co-creational approach to teaching. We argue that a significant potential is available to mobilise students' agency, creativity, and ownership of learning through the digitally mediated, co-creational practices of students generating content, teams collaborating, and practitioners broadly engaging in various ways. However, we also acknowledge the barriers to normalising co-creational value because of the power imbalance between learning participants, student expertise levels, and institutional resources support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Comunicação, Mídia e Consumo is the property of Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The paper seeks to investigate how far the interactivity dimensions - as proposed by Ha and James (1998) and empirically validated by Chen and Yen (2004) using business websites - are applicable to library website. It also attempts to frame an online interactivity model, depicting the effect of interactivity dimensions on library website quality. The analysis revealed the way interactivity dimensions affects quality of website and the study suggests that the four interactivity dimensions - reciprocal communication, connectedness, information collection, and playfulness - have considerable impact on the quality of library website. The online interactivity model deduced from the study will help librarians to determine the relationships of four independent variables (dimensions of interactivity) with the dependent variable (website quality). The findings will help researchers, librarians and web developers alike to measure qualitatively the effect of interactivity dimensions on library website quality which will guide them in developing an interactive library website to attract users towards the library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos de Información y Comunicación is the property of Universidad Complutense de Madrid and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Cuadernos de Información y Comunicación is the property of Universidad Complutense de Madrid and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach has become the prevailing language teaching methodology across the world. However, beginning language teachers' application of CLT in foreign language teaching has yet to be explored in past research. This paper reports the use of CLT from the perspective of beginning Mandarin teachers. A grounded theory approach is employed as research methodology. Data were collected from interviews with eight beginning Mandarin teachers. Major findings suggest a three-dimensional explication for beginning teachers' practice of CLT in teaching Mandarin as a foreign language. The epistemic dimension indicates the beginning Mandarin teachers' concepts of CLT; the perceptual dimension reveals the teachers' concerns about CLT as being opposed to their preferences, teaching objectives and surroundings; and the situational dimension explicates the teachers' adaptation of CLT in their particular teaching situations. It argues that the integral, emergent process of the three dimensions demonstrates the process underlying beginning teachers' application of CLT theory to practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study analyses the research output of Pakistan for the period 2001-10 on several parameters including its growthand share in the world's research output, pattern of research communication in core domestic and international journals,geographical distribution of publications, share of international collaborative publications at the national level as well asacross subjects and characteristics of high productivity institutions, authors and cited papers. The Scopus citation databasehas been used to retrieve the publications data for 10 years. Concludes that Pakistan needs to increase its output and bringabout improvement in the quality of its research efforts. This can be done by investing much more in R&D expenditure,increase in the deployment of more qualified manpower and in increasing international collaboration and by modernizingand strengthening its research infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that, contrary to received wisdom, political economy lay at the core of the project of communication study at its originating academic moment in North America. It makes that case by reconstructing persistent political economic dimensions in the work of Charles Horton Cooley, who more than anyone else deserves to be called the intellectual founder of communication study in the U.S. Drawing out previously neglected aspects of Cooley's thought, it sketches how his pragmatist, social democratic brand of political economics took a holistic, historically informed view of the communicative constitution and social organization of selves, institutions, and political cultures. Cooley provides a starting point for a revised understanding of the history of political economic thinking about communication and ways that it has intersected with sociology, cultural study, and democratic theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interview with International Communication Association (ICA) fellow Max McCombs. Topics of the interview include a brief overview of about McCombs wherein he shares the influence of his parents in his chosen career and describes his feeling when he became a member of the ICA. McCombs also shared his opinion when asked about his view on the future of communication and mentions the importance of agenda-setting in the study of communication.

An interview with International Communication Association (ICA) fellow Jack McLeod. Topics of the interview include a brief overview of about McLeod wherein he shares the influence of his parents in his chosen career and describes his feeling when he became a member of the ICA. McLeod also mentions the people whom he considers as his role model and inspiration.

This paper describes the development of teaching communication skills for engineering students. The development is seen as moving from the notion of liberal studies through communication skills, eventually to the concept of integrated studies. The idea behind integrated studies is described and the benefits and problems of engineering students in engineering colleges are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study seeks to examine the ways in which transnational life is lived at different “local” levels. In particular, we ask: What are some of the important aspects of immigrants' life that are enacted across borders? To what extent are ethnic media that serve the immigrant population connected to home countries in content and operation? To what extent does transnational news have local and global implications? Multiple methods are employed in this study, including a telephone survey of immigrant communities, interviews with media producers and senior editors, and a content analysis of ethnic newspapers. This study shows that transnational activities go beyond economics to include more social aspects and communication practices in immigrants' everyday lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to foster reflections on the similarities and differences between the Communicative Approach, a well-known method for English language teaching in Brazil, and Critical Literacy, the latest suggestion made by the new Orientações Curriculares para o Ensino Médio (OCEM). First, we will address the theoretical traditions that give origin to the two teaching approaches, explaining their main concepts. Then, we will discuss the similarities between the two approaches, as well as their main differences. We claim that the two teaching approaches, however different in their proposals, are not incompatible, but complementary. Finally, we suggest an example of an integrated activity that aims to reconcile the objectives of the two approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]