Exploring the possibilities of Thomson’s fourth paradigm transformation—The case for a multimodal approach to digital oral history?

This article seeks to reorientate ‘digital oral history’ towards a new research paradigm, Multimodal Digital Oral History (MDOH), and in so doing it seeks to build upon Alistair Thomson’s (Thomson, A., 2007, Four paradigm transformations in oral history. Oral History Review, 34(1): 49–70.) characterization of a ‘dizzying digital revolution’ and paradigmatic transformation in oral history (OH). Calling for a recalibration of the current dominance of the textual transcript, and for active engagement with the oral, aural, and sonic affordances of both retro-digitized and born digital OH (DOH) collections, we call for a re-orientation of the digital from passive to generative and self-reflexive in the human–machine study of spoken word recordings. First, we take stock of the field of DOH as it is currently conceived and the ways in which it has or has not answered calls for a return to the orality of the interview by digital means. Secondly, we address the predominant trend of working with transcriptions in digital analysis of spoken word recordings and the tools being used by oral historians. Thirdly, we ask about the emerging possibilities—tools and experimental methodologies—for sonic analysis of spoken word collections within and beyond OH, looking to intersections with digital humanities, sociolinguistics, and sound studies. Lastly, we consider ethical questions and practicalities concomitant with data-driven methods, analyses and technologies like AI for the study of sonic research artefacts, reflections that dovetail with digital hermeneutics and digital tool criticism and point towards a new MDOH departure, a sub-field that has potential to inform the many fields that seek patterns in audio, audio-visual, and post-textual materials, serially and at scale

How the Expressive Therapies Continuum Informs Intermodal Transfers

Expressive arts therapy (ExAT) is a therapeutic approach that incorporates visual art, music, drama, and dance/movement into the counseling environment. An essential element in ExAT practice is the intermodal transfer, an intentional shift between arts modalities to enhance clients’ understanding and realization. Currently, no theoretical guidelines for intermodal transfers exist in the field of ExAT. In search of a theoretical structure, the author of this Capstone Thesis proposed that the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC) informed intermodal transfers. Predominantly presented as an art therapy approach, the ETC originally intended to include all expressive therapies. Yet, there is minimal recent literature that directly connected the ETC with the therapeutic modalities of music, dance/movement, drama, and expressive arts. To further illustrate this relationship and suggest a potential framework for intermodal transfers, this literature review analyzed the ETC and linked it to each of the expressive therapies modalities through commonalities and neuroscience findings. The concepts and information gleaned through research confirmed and validated the ETC\u27s ability to inform ExAT intermodal transfers

Constructing and Norming Arabic Screening Tool of Auditory Processing Disorders: Evaluation in a Group of Children at Risk for Learning Disability

The purposes of this study were to develop and provide the normative data of Arabic screening tool for screening the children with auditory processing disorders: an Arabic version of Adaptive Auditory Speech Test (AAST) in quiet for screening the peripheral hearing in dB SPL units; an Arabic AAST in binaural noise for screening the temporal interaction deficit: listening speech in binaural noise in dB SNR units, then teetaatoo test with a five subtests for screening the Modern Standard Arabic language phonemes identification ability. Participants included 338 children aged from 5 to 7 years old (138 males, 200 females; mean age = 6.08 years with standard deviation = 0.8) from a regular nursery school which called Baroot Summer Club in Beni-Suef in Egypt were recruited to participate in the study. According to the calculated Norms of AAST in quiet and through a meeting with the teachers of children in the nursery school, 129 children were sift out with no hearing loss, negative histories of neurological disorders, head trauma or surgery, dizziness, and attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. 129 children were screened for listening in binaural noise using the Arabic AAST in binaural noise, then the left 94 children, because 35 children couldn`t complete the testing, was screened for phonemes identification ability using teetaatoo test(the five sub tests). For the AAST in quiet, 21 to 33 dB SPL is the normal range of the hearing peripheral loss, especially, for the AAST in binaural noise, there are three different norms; -9 to -13 dB SNR is the normal range of children aged 5 years old, -10 to -13 dB SNR is the normal range of children aged 6 years old, and -10 to -14 dB SNR is the normal range of children aged 7 years old. Finally, for the five subtests (teetaatoo): > 85% (correct answers) is the normal percentage of the Cons-A, >62& (correct answers) is the normal percentage of the Cons-B1, >76% is the normal percentage of the Cons-B2, >63% (correct answers) is the normal percentage of the Cons-B3, and 84% (correct answers) is the normal percentage of the Vow-A. Further, according to the previous norms, 23 children represent 17,8% from the whole sample (N=129) with a normal speech recognition threshold have scored abnormally on the speech listening in bin-noise (AAST in bin-noise) or on at least one subtest from teetaatoo subtests and were considered at risk for learning disability because of their scores on a SIFTER

Neurological and Mental Disorders

Mental disorders can result from disruption of neuronal circuitry, damage to the neuronal and non-neuronal cells, altered circuitry in the different regions of the brain and any changes in the permeability of the blood brain barrier. Early identification of these impairments through investigative means could help to improve the outcome for many brain and behaviour disease states.The chapters in this book describe how these abnormalities can lead to neurological and mental diseases such as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), anxiety disorders, Alzheimer’s disease and personality and eating disorders. Psycho-social traumas, especially during childhood, increase the incidence of amnesia and transient global amnesia, leading to the temporary inability to create new memories.Early detection of these disorders could benefit many complex diseases such as schizophrenia and depression

A Pedagogy of Witnessing: Linguistic and Visual Frames of the Dark Side in the Multimodal Classroom

“A Pedagogy of Witnessing: Linguistic and Visual Frames of the Dark Side in the Multimodal Classroom,” focuses on the theoretical and practical benefits of implementing written, oral, and visual testimonies from traumatic history as a tool for teaching the importance of empathetic and ethical composition practices. Specifically, this dissertation provides resource material for a critical pedagogical model that supports “responsible witnessing” through short writing assignments and a final research project that analyze selected narratives, historical accounts, images, and films spanning World War II and the Vietnam War to more recent global events. My hope is that my work will be of interest to teachers of composition and communication and students who wish to bring approaches to understanding and responding to human and nonhuman suffering as well as social injustice into the classroom

Psyche as a Playable Construct in Video Games

The aim of this master’s thesis called Psyche as a Playable Construct in Video Games is to explore how the human mind is reflected in video games and how thus the psyche becomes a playable environment. This study also analyzes whether video games as a medium can promote self-reflection and empathy by portraying the psyche and developing narratives around this theme. These set objectives are achieved by performing medium-specific multimodal discourse analysis of three case studies, as well as comparative game analysis. The purpose is to discover how the psyche nowadays becomes an accessible, interactive, and embodied virtual environment through various modern modes of expression. In addition to the topic of the psyche as a game setting the research also looks at the reflection of the psyche in the theories of psychoanalysts, the principles of creating playable virtual spaces and mental landscapes, and the unique manner of video games in representing phenomena. This thesis includes a review of relevant scholarship into game studies, psychoanalysis and multimodal discourse, as well as an examination of three video games of different scales and genres, all of which render the human psyche psyche a playable construct: Nevermind (2015), When the Darkness comes (2019) and Psychonauts 2 (2021). By showing distinctive approaches to representing the psyche and interaction with it, this research highlights the enormous potential of video games to offer their users experiences that cannot be delivered through any other channel. As well, my thesis demonstrates how game design reflects scientific discoveries about the psyche to the present day: as independent but influenceable; chaotic and multi-layered but deterministic. It also proposes future research suggestions in this context on how likely are games set in the human mind to promote compassion, empathy, and self-analysis in a wide audience.Master's Thesis in Digital CultureDIKULT350MAHF-DIKU

The importance of "scaffolding" in clinical approach to deafness across the lifespan

Throughout the present work of thesis, the concept of scaffolding will be used as a fil rouge through the chapters. What I mean for “scaffolding approach”, therefore, is an integrated and multidisciplinary clinical and research methodology to hearing impairments that could take into account persons as a whole; an approach that needs to be continuously adapted and harmonized with the individuals, pursuant to their progress, their limits and resources, in consideration of their audiological, cognitive, emotional, personal, and social characteristics. The following studies of our research group will be presented: A study (2020) designed to assess the effects of parent training (PT) on enhancing children’s communication development (chapter two); Two studies of our research group (2016; 2020) concerning variables influencing comprehension of emotions and nuclear executive functions in deaf children with cochlear implant (chapter three and chapter four) In chapter five a presentation and description of our Mind-Active Communication program, main topics and aims, multidisciplinary organizations of group and individual sessions with a description of used materials and methodology is given. Finally, a preliminary evaluation to explore the use of this multidisciplinary rehabilitative program on quality of life, psychological wellbeing, and hearing abilities in a sample of cochlear implanted elderly persons is reported

Literacy for digital futures : Mind, body, text

The unprecedented rate of global, technological, and societal change calls for a radical, new understanding of literacy. This book offers a nuanced framework for making sense of literacy by addressing knowledge as contextualised, embodied, multimodal, and digitally mediated. In today’s world of technological breakthroughs, social shifts, and rapid changes to the educational landscape, literacy can no longer be understood through established curriculum and static text structures. To prepare teachers, scholars, and researchers for the digital future, the book is organised around three themes – Mind and Materiality; Body and Senses; and Texts and Digital Semiotics – to shape readers’ understanding of literacy. Opening up new interdisciplinary themes, Mills, Unsworth, and Scholes confront emerging issues for next-generation digital literacy practices. The volume helps new and established researchers rethink dynamic changes in the materiality of texts and their implications for the mind and body, and features recommendations for educational and professional practice