Investigating the utility of ultrasound visual biofeedback in voice instruction for two different singing styles

Smith, Kristen J. Investigating the Utility of Ultrasound Visual Biofeedback in Voice Instruction for Two Different Singing Styles. Unpublished Master of Arts thesis, University of Northern Colorado, 2021. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential utility of incorporating real-time visual biofeedback using ultrasonography to teach important concepts of vocal pedagogy to voice students. Exploration of innovative teaching tools, such as ultrasound visual biofeedback (U-VBF) in singing instruction, may contribute to bridging the gap between voice science and pedagogy by providing alternative ways to improve students’ kinesthetic awareness, clarify complex topics in voice physiology and acoustics, and create a common dialogue between different professionals specializing in voice. The primary research questions addressed in this study were: (a) To determine the current knowledge and attitude among voice teachers regarding use of visual biofeedback in singing instruction; (b) To determine voice teachers’ interest in learning about technology, specifically U-VBF; (c) To identify external variables that influence voice teachers’ perceptions of the usefulness and ease of use of U-VBF; and (d) To determine voice teachers’ attitudes of using U-VBF in teaching after viewing an instructional video. Methods: A pre-post survey design was adopted to assess perceptions, attitude, and interest of professional voice teachers regarding use of U-VBF before and after viewing of an instructional video on the use of ultrasound to teach concepts, such as vocal timbre, for two different singing styles: musical theater and opera. Multi-sampling methods were used to recruit professional voice teachers across the U.S. and abroad. Survey data were collected between February and April 2021. Following assumptions made by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) regarding user technology acceptance and behavior, data based on a final sample size of 56 participants were analyzed via descriptive statistics and thematic analysis of qualitative data. Results: Despite being largely unfamiliar with U-VBF, most participants initially expressed high expectations, believing it to be helpful in singing instruction, but difficult to use. Those who expressed more positive opinions regarding use of U-VBF in singing instruction also expressed higher levels of interest in using it in their teaching. Perceived usefulness, ease of use and interest of U-VBF were not found to be prominently related to select external variables. While perceived usefulness of U-VBF slightly declined post-viewing of the instructional video, perceived ease of use and participants’ opinions of effective use increased. Interest in the use of U-VBF as well as likelihood to use U-VBF marginally increased after viewing the video. Conclusions: These findings agree with the assumptions made by the TAM regarding associations between familiarity, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and interest. Comparison between the rankings for perceived usefulness of U-VBF pre- and post-viewing of the instructional video suggests a general sense of uncertainty among voice teachers regarding use of U-VBF in singing instruction. While teachers conveyed high levels of interest, opinions of U-VBF to teach vocal pedagogy concepts slightly declined following viewing of the instructional video, suggesting a lowering of expectations. However, increased perceptions regarding ease of use indicated high levels of believed self-efficacy in using U-VBF. Understanding the relationships between perceived usefulness, ease of use, and interest can shed insight on whether voice teachers would adopt U-VBF as a supplementary tool in singing instruction

Visualising articulation: real-time ultrasound visual biofeedback and visual articulatory models and their use in treating speech sound disorders associated with submucous cleft palate

Background: Ultrasound Tongue Imaging (UTI) is growing increasingly popular for assessing and treating Speech Sound Disorders (SSDs) and has more recently been used to qualitatively investigate compensatory articulations in speakers with cleft palate (CP). However, its therapeutic application for speakers with CP remains to be tested. A different set of developments, Visual Articulatory Models (VAMs), provide an offline dynamic model with context for lingual patterns. However, unlike UTI, they do not provide real-time biofeedback. Commercially available VAMs, such as Speech Trainer 3D, are available on iDevices, yet their clinical application remains to be tested. Aims: This thesis aims to test the diagnostic use of ultrasound, and investigate the effectiveness of both UTI and VAMs for the treatment of SSDs associated with submucous cleft palate (SMCP). Method: Using a single-subject multiple baseline design, two males with repaired SMCP, Andrew (aged 9;2) and Craig (aged 6;2), received six assessment sessions and two blocks of therapy, following a motor-based therapy approach, using VAMs and UTI. Three methods were used to measure therapy outcomes. Firstly, percent target consonant correct scores, derived from phonetic transcriptions provide outcomes comparable to those used in typical practice. Secondly, a multiplephonetically trained listener perceptual evaluation, using a two-alternative multiple forced choice design, to measure listener agreement provides a more objective measure. Thirdly, articulatory analysis, using qualitative and quantitative measures provides an additional perspective able to reveal covert errors. Results and Conclusions: There was overall improvement in the speech for both speakers, with a greater rate of change in therapy block one (VAMs) and listener agreement in the perceptual evaluation. Articulatory analysis supplemented phonetic transcriptions and detected covert articulations and covert contrast as well as supporting the improvements in auditory outcome scores. Both VAMs and UTI show promise as a clinical tool for the treatment of SSDs associated with CP

Roundtable Discussion (RTD03) - Is there a downside to using Simulated Patients to teach and assess communication skills?

Background Simulated Patients (SPs) are widely used to facilitate the learning of communication skills enabling students to receive detailed feedback on experiential practice in a safe environment. They are also used in the assessment of students’ communication skills in Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs). We have observed that our most experienced SPs are highly conversant with medical jargon and consultation skills and have almost become ‘medical faculty’. Consultations can therefore lack the true patient perspective, with SPs focussing their feedback on process rather than giving a true patient perspective. Roundtable objectives To consider the challenges in ensuring that highly experienced SPs continue to respond from a true patient perspective To critique whether the use of SPs in OSCE stations is a valid way to assess students’ communication skills with real patients To consider whether using consultations with Simulated Patients is useful for students in the later years of an Undergraduate medical course who are learning to integrate the different components of a consultation and reasoning clinically in a real-life clinical context To share best practice with colleagues Roundtable A brief interactive presentation including the authors’ experiences of working with experienced Simulated Patients which will draw on current literature regarding the evidence for using Simulated Patients in the teaching and assessing of communication skills Delegates will have the opportunity to take part in three roundtable discussions • OSCE Stations using SPs assess how good students are at communicating with SPs but not with real patients • Experienced SPs are in danger of responding with a faculty not a patient perspective • By using SPs in teaching we over focus on process and forget the global picture

WS19. From pedagogy to practice: implementing transformative learning in clinical reasoning

BackgroundHealthcare professionals must provide high quality care that is both efficient and safe. Underpinning this requirement is a presumption that individuals are able to make accurate clinical decisions. Knowledge is not sufficient: judgment and reasoning are required to translate clinical information into accurate decisions to produce effective care. Clinical reasoning skills need to be developed in healthcare professionals in a way that produces change in behaviour. This is aplies to the spectrum of healthcare education: from undergraduate to postgraduate to lifelong practice. Though much is understood about clinical decision-making theory, direction for systematic implementation of teaching in both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education programmes is lacking. In particular, evidence describing transformative teaching methods is limited. This workshop will explore how to design effective spiral curricula in clinical reasoning, compare and contrast experiences from three medical schools in the UK, discuss challenges in implementation, share a variety of teaching methods, provide hands on demonstration of technological resources that have produced changes in learner behaviour and support attendees to adapt methodology to their programmes.Structure of workshopWe will briefly review current knowledge on clinical decision-making learning before sharing experiences from three UK medical schools.Attendees will participate in discussions supported by interactive exercises to explore each subtopic. These exercises will include role play, video and trial of electronic teaching tools used in our current practice. The session will conclude with a reflection on principles and ideas shared during the event

Models and Analysis of Vocal Emissions for Biomedical Applications

The MAVEBA Workshop proceedings, held on a biannual basis, collect the scientific papers presented both as oral and poster contributions, during the conference. The main subjects are: development of theoretical and mechanical models as an aid to the study of main phonatory dysfunctions, as well as the biomedical engineering methods for the analysis of voice signals and images, as a support to clinical diagnosis and classification of vocal pathologies

Towards a Phenomenological Theory of the Visceral in the Interactive Arts

This is a digitised version of a thesis that was deposited in the University Library. If you are the author and you have a query about this item please contact PEARL Admin ([email protected])Metadata merged with duplicate record (http://hdl.handle.net/10026.1/2319) on 20.12.2016 by CS (TIS).This thesis explores the ways in which certain forms of interactive art may and do elicit visceral responses. The term "visceral" refers to the cardiovascular, respiratory, uro-genital and especially excretory systems that affect mind and body on a continuum of awareness. The "visceral" is mentioned in the field of interactive arts, but it remains systematically unexplored and undefined. Further, interactive artworks predominantly focus on the exteroceptive (stimuli from outside) rather than the interoceptive (stimuli arising within the body, especially the viscera) senses. The existentialist phenomenology of Maurice Merleau-Ponty forms the basis for explorations of the visceral dimension of mind/body. New approaches to understanding interactive art, design and the mind/body include: attunements to the world; intertwinings of mind/body, technology and world; and of being in the world. Each artwork within utilizes a variation of the phenomenological methods derived from Merl eau-Ponty's; these are discussed primarily in Chapters One and Three. Because subjective, first-person, experiences are a major aspect of a phenomenological approach, the academic writing is interspersed with subjective experiences of the author and others. This thesis balances facets of knowledge from diverse disciplines that account for visceral phenomena and subjective experience. Along with the textual exegesis, one major work of design and two major works of art were created. These are documented on the compact disc (CDROM) bound within. As an essential component of each artwork, new technological systems were created or co-created by the author. User surveys comprise Appendices Two, Three and Four, and are also online at: www. sfu. ca/-dgromala/thesis. To access the URL: login as , and use the password . Numerous talks, exhibitions and publications that directly relate to the thesis work is in Appendix One. This work begins with an introduction to Merleau-Ponty's ideas of flesh and reversibility. Chapter Two is the review of the literature, while Chapter Three is an explication of the hypothesis, an overview of the field, and a framing of the problem. Discussions of each artwork are in Chapter Four (The Meditation Chamber), Chapter Five (BioMorphic Typography) and Chapter Six (The MeatBook). Chapter Seven forms the conclusion. References to the documentation on the CD are found throughout the thesis, and italicized paragraphs provide an artistic context for each chapter