Sharing mindfulness: a moral practice for artist teachers

By exploring changemaker principles as a component of social justice art education this research informed article exemplifies how moral consciousness and responsibility can be developed when training artist teachers. It embeds changemaker philosophy in the higher education art curriculum and demonstrates how this can create ruptures and ripples into educational pedagogy at the school level. A sociocultural qualitative methodology, that employs questionnaires, the visual and a focus group as methods, is used to reveal three lenses on student perceptions of the changemaker principle. The dissemination of these perceptions and sharing of active art experiences communicate how engagement with the concept of changemaker in art education can deepen the cognitive growth of learners, whilst facilitating an understanding of and involvement in interculturality

Music in our minds and bodies matters.

This is a pre-publication version of the following article: Rose, D., Jones Bartoli, A., & Heaton, P., ‘Music in our minds and bodies matters’, PsyPAG Quarterly, Issue 103, June 2017. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.This paper aims to convey an introduction to the psychology of music. At a very basic level, sound informs our model of the world, aiding survival. Musical sound and practice further offers a merging of exogenous and endogenous temporal states and templates, employing multiple complex neural mechanisms. Here we provide an overview of the literature exploring why music matters to our minds and bodies.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

A study of cognitive and behavioural transfer effects associated with children learning to play musical instruments for the first time over one academic year.

This is a pre-publication version of the following article: Dawn Rose, Alice Jones Bartoli, and Pamela Heaton, “A study of cognitive and behavioural transfer effects associated with children learning to play musical instruments for the first time over one academic year.”, The Psychology of Education Review, Vol. 39(2): 54-70, October 2015.Interest in studies investigating the indirect effect of music education, evaluated theoretically as ‘transfer effects’ (Barnett & Ceci, 2002) has been re-energised by the recent changes in policy that require musical provision to be justified (Branscombe, 2012). Here we take a holistic approach to musical learning, nesting neuro-psychological measures of near and far transfer within one battery of tests. The mixed design considered the multi-modal characteristics of musicality along a continuum assessing changes over time for behavioural visuo and psycho-motor skills and factors of both intelligence and memory in children in a pilot study. Participants (N=38) aged between 7-9 years were tested over a period of one UK academic year. Groups were assigned based on the amount of musical training they received. Results suggest an advantage for those participants taking music lessons over and above statutory provisions, particularly for hand/eye coordination and nonverbal reasoning.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Changes in the wellbeing of children starting to learn to play musical instruments.

This is a pre-publication version of the following article: 'Changes in the wellbeing of children starting to learn to play musical instruments', D. Rose, P. Heaton, A. Jones Bartoli, Assessment and Development Matters, Vol 7 (1): 26 - 30, Spring 2015, published by the Psychological Society. Available on line at http://shop.bps.org.uk/publications/publication-by-series/assessment-and-development-matters/assessment-development-matters-vol-7-no-1-spring-2015.htmlLearning a musical instrument can be considered a 'superskill' associated with meta-plasticity in the brain (Stewart, 2008). Evidence shows neural structural adaptation after 15 months of musical training (Hyde et al., 2009), and behavioural benefits from 15 weeks of musical training (Overy, 2003). A goal-directed pleasurable reward system appears to support the acquisition of musical skills over time, promoting motivation to continue practicing as the emerging musician learns the autotelic value (a meaning unto itself) of playing their instrument (Elliott, 1993). Peripatetic music teachers note a range of benefits, from the development of team work and social skills to self-discipline, with pupils themselves noting the enhancement of 'life skills', such as improved ability to both concentrate and relax during stressful periods (Kokotsaki & Hallam, 2007). Clift and Hancox (2001) report members of a choral society benefitting socially (87 per cent) and emotionally (75 per cent). Physically, playing piano has been shown to exercise the heart as much as a brisk walk (Parr, 1985) and singing supports the immune system by increasing salivary immunoglobulin production (Clift et al., 2008). Overall, we appear to perceive musical instrument learning (MIL) as providing benefits such as good health, improved quality of life and mental well-being (Hallam, 2010). The hypothesis of the current study is that the group spending more time learning musical instruments will benefit more in measures of emotional and behavioural well-being than those who spend less time on this activity. Methodology and measurement This study took place over one academic year with Time 1 occurring in September 2013 and Time 2 observations in June 2014 (N = 38). The mean age at T1 was 93 months (SD 5.54) with 21 female and 17 males, 22 attending state schools and 16 attending independent schools. The mean IQ was 106 (SD 13.77; Range 74 –133). Twenty participants were classed as having more than one hour of musical learning (a mixture of instruments) per week (the 'More' group), whilst 18 received less than this (the 'Less' group). Parents and teachers completed the Behavioural Assessment System for Children (BASC-II; Reynolds & Kamphaus, 2004). Additionally, parents provided information regarding the number of hours their child spent doing activities classified as musical, physical and leisure, both in and out of school. The BASC-II contains descriptors of behaviour that respondents rate on a four-point scale (Never, Sometimes, Often and Almost Always) and takes 10 to 20 minutes to complete. The clinical scales include aggression, anxiety, attention problems, atypicality, conduct problems, depression, hyperactivity, learning problems, somatisation and withdrawal. The adaptive scales include activities of daily living, adaptability, functional communication, leadership, social skills and study skills.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Learning a musical instrument can benefit a child with special educational needs

This study explores outcomes related to musical learning in a child with complex special educational needs. CB is a boy who was eight-years-old at the start of the study, and who was diagnosed with co-morbid Autism Spectrum Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Sensory Processing Difficulties, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia during the study. He was evaluated on a battery of developmental measures before and after one year of music learning. At pretesting CB obtained a high musical aptitude score and an average IQ score. However, his scores on tests measuring motor abilities, executive function, and social-emotional skills were low. Post-testing revealed improvements in CB’s fluid intelligence and motor skills, and whilst teacher and parent reports suggested a decline in his social-emotional functioning, his musical progress was good. The results are discussed in the context of impairments in developmental disorders, the importance of flexible teaching approaches and family support for music learning during childhood

Inselect: Automating the Digitization of Natural History Collections

Copyright: © 2015 Hudson et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. The attached file is the published version of the article

Correction: Mutations in LRRK2 linked to Parkinson disease sequester Rab8a to damaged lysosomes and regulate transferrin-mediated iron uptake in microglia

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001480.]

Health, education, and social care provision after diagnosis of childhood visual disability

Aim: To investigate the health, education, and social care provision for children newly diagnosed with visual disability.Method: This was a national prospective study, the British Childhood Visual Impairment and Blindness Study 2 (BCVIS2), ascertaining new diagnoses of visual impairment or severe visual impairment and blindness (SVIBL), or equivalent vi-sion. Data collection was performed by managing clinicians up to 1-year follow-up, and included health and developmental needs, and health, education, and social care provision.Results: BCVIS2 identified 784 children newly diagnosed with visual impairment/SVIBL (313 with visual impairment, 471 with SVIBL). Most children had associated systemic disorders (559 [71%], 167 [54%] with visual impairment, and 392 [84%] with SVIBL). Care from multidisciplinary teams was provided for 549 children (70%). Two-thirds (515) had not received an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP). Fewer children with visual impairment had seen a specialist teacher (SVIBL 35%, visual impairment 28%, χ2p < 0.001), or had an EHCP (11% vs 7%, χ2p < 0 . 01).Interpretation: Families need additional support from managing clinicians to access recommended complex interventions such as the use of multidisciplinary teams and educational support. This need is pressing, as the population of children with visual impairment/SVIBL is expected to grow in size and complexity.This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

Psychosocial impact of undergoing prostate cancer screening for men with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations.

OBJECTIVES: To report the baseline results of a longitudinal psychosocial study that forms part of the IMPACT study, a multi-national investigation of targeted prostate cancer (PCa) screening among men with a known pathogenic germline mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. PARTICPANTS AND METHODS: Men enrolled in the IMPACT study were invited to complete a questionnaire at collaborating sites prior to each annual screening visit. The questionnaire included sociodemographic characteristics and the following measures: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Impact of Event Scale (IES), 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36), Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer, Cancer Worry Scale-Revised, risk perception and knowledge. The results of the baseline questionnaire are presented. RESULTS: A total of 432 men completed questionnaires: 98 and 160 had mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, respectively, and 174 were controls (familial mutation negative). Participants' perception of PCa risk was influenced by genetic status. Knowledge levels were high and unrelated to genetic status. Mean scores for the HADS and SF-36 were within reported general population norms and mean IES scores were within normal range. IES mean intrusion and avoidance scores were significantly higher in BRCA1/BRCA2 carriers than in controls and were higher in men with increased PCa risk perception. At the multivariate level, risk perception contributed more significantly to variance in IES scores than genetic status. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to report the psychosocial profile of men with BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations undergoing PCa screening. No clinically concerning levels of general or cancer-specific distress or poor quality of life were detected in the cohort as a whole. A small subset of participants reported higher levels of distress, suggesting the need for healthcare professionals offering PCa screening to identify these risk factors and offer additional information and support to men seeking PCa screening

Sharing mindfulness: a moral practice for artist teachers

By exploring changemaker principles as a component of social justice art education this research informed article exemplifies how moral consciousness and responsibility can be developed when training artist teachers. It embeds changemaker philosophy in the higher education art curriculum and demonstrates how this can create ruptures and ripples into educational pedagogy at the school level. A sociocultural qualitative methodology, that employs questionnaires, the visual and a focus group as methods, is used to reveal three lenses on student perceptions of the changemaker principle. The dissemination of these perceptions and sharing of active art experiences communicate how engagement with the concept of changemaker in art education can deepen the cognitive growth of learners, whilst facilitating an understanding of and involvement in interculturality