Pedagogical Education Practices in Communication Sciences and Disorders PhD Programs: A Pilot Study

The purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) to ascertain how research doctoral programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) characterize their own efforts to educate research doctoral students about teaching at the college/university level; and (2) whether and how programs introduce the “scholarship of teaching and learning” (SoTL) to PhD students. PhD program directors (N=69) were emailed a survey for descriptions of university teaching instruction and SoTL activities, with a 27.5% return rate (n=19). Quantitative and qualitative analyses were used. Identified themes included, “course or seminar”, “experiential” and “required”. One hundred per cent of respondents offer teaching experiences and 58% require student participation. Sixty-three per cent offer a teaching course while 42% require the course. It is unclear from the current data whether CSD PhD students are exposed to SoTL. Given the robust, cross-disciplinary literature on teaching and learning, the time may be right for a discussion on including teaching education and SoTL in CSD PhD programs

Impact of Social Determinants of Health on Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Screening/Diagnosis Outcomes

Purpose We reviewed how Social Determinants of Health relate to health inequities and disparities for Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) programs. Then, we examine links between specific sociodemographic factors (maternal age, maternal education, ‘race’/ethnicity) and hearing screening and diagnostic audiology follow-up for newborns in the U.S. and its territories. Methods Maternal demographic, hearing screening and diagnostic data extracted from publicly available Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) records were reported to CDC by personnel responsible for EHDI programs. Data were subjected to statistical analysis using analysis of variance and multiple regression techniques. Results Results showed no significant differences in screening follow-up outcomes for maternal age, education, or ‘race’/ethnicity. There was a significant difference for maternal education and \u27race\u27/ethnicity for diagnostic follow-up outcomes, but not for age. Conclusion Results of this study are consistent with the findings of previous studies regarding hearing screening follow-up and diagnostic audiologic follow-up outcomes. Maternal education and ‘race’/ethnicity were linked to hearing diagnostic audiologic follow-up for newborns in the US and its territories. Suggestions for future research, policy, and practice to improve the effectiveness of EHDI efforts are provided

Audiology Students’ Perception of Hybrid Simulation Experiences: Qualitative Evaluation of Debriefing Sessions

Simulation-based research is still new in the audiology field and requires more research to better understand students’ perspectives on standardized patients/parents (SPs) and manikins use. There is also limited research about debriefing practices in audiology. This qualitative study used a baby simulator and SPs to evaluate audiology students’ reflection during three debriefing sessions conducted at the University of Arkansas for Medical Science (UAMS) Simulation Center. Seventeen Doctor of Audiology (AuD) students participated in the simulation event, and the data were collected using the transcripts of videotaped debriefing sessions. The qualitative content analysis of the transcripts revealed eight sub-themes: support, compassion, respect, teamwork, limited academic knowledge and practice, insufficient communication skills, low self-confidence, and undesirable emotional reactions. These items, in turn, fell under two main themes of Qualification and Lack of Preparation. Both main themes were included in one core category named Professional Dispositions and Competencies. Study findings indicated that audiology students demonstrated both promising professional dispositions and competencies as well as characteristics that may hinder students from developing their professional abilities. Thus, audiology programs will benefit from simulation use, including debriefing sessions, to emphasize professional efficiency

SoTL and University Teaching Education in Communication Disorders PhD Programs

Sixty-nine Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) research doctoral programs were surveyed about PhD students’ introduction to the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) and instructional pedagogy. Nineteen of the CSD programs responded, a 27.5% response. Nearly one-third of respondents stated that they did not infuse SoTL into their curriculum, while the remaining 69% declared that they integrated SoTL through a ‘course on teaching’. We report program demographic information with descriptive statistics. Our thematic analysis identified ‘courses/seminars’, ‘required’ and ‘experiential’ as major themes pertinent to instructional pedagogy. Implications for undergraduate, masters and clinical doctoral CSD students’ education will be presented

The relationship between personality type and acceptable noise levels: a pilot study

Objectives. This study examined the relationship between acceptable noise level (ANL) and personality. ANL is the difference between a person\u27s most comfortable level for speech and the loudest level of background noise they are willing to accept while listening to speech. Design. Forty young adults with normal hearing participated. ANLs were measured and two personality tests (Big Five Inventory, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) were administered. Results. The analysis revealed a correlation between ANL and the openness and conscientious personality dimensions from the Big Five Inventory; no correlation emerged between ANL and the Myers-Briggs personality types. Conclusions. Lower ANLs are correlated with full-time hearing aid use and the openness personality dimension; higher ANLs are correlated with part-time or hearing aid nonuse and the conscientious personality dimension. Current data suggest that those more open to new experiences may accept more noise and possibly be good hearing aid candidates, while those more conscientious may accept less noise and reject hearing aids, based on their unwillingness to accept background noise. Knowing something about a person\u27s personality type may help audiologists determine if their patients will likely be good candidates for hearing aids

Effects of Sensorineural Hearing Loss on Interaural Discrimination and Virtual Localization

Cross-frequency binaural processing was investigated in listeners with normal hearing (NH) and with bilateral high-frequency sensorineural hearing impairment (IH). In experiment 1 just-noticeable-differences for interaural time and interaural intensity were measured using 1/3-octave narrow-band noises (NBNs) centered at 0.5 and 4 kHz. These stimuli were presented in isolation and in different cross-frequency interaural combinations. IH listeners displayed the best interaural time discrimination when the 0.5-kHz NBN was dichotic and the best intensity discrimination when both bands were dichotic. Both NH listeners (time) and IH listeners (time and intensity) displayed the poorest interaural discrimination when the NBNs were presented simultaneously with interaural differences in only the 4-kHz NBN (0.5 kHz NBN diotic). Localization accuracy was measured in experiment 2 using the 0.5- and 4-kHz NBNs in isolation and with 0.5-kHz target/4-kHz interferer and 4- kHz target/0.5-kHz interferer conditions. Best localization of NH and IH subjects was seen for the 0.5-kHz target, with or without an interferer. Poorest localization of IH subjects was observed for the 4-kHz target and 0.5-kHz interferer. Results suggest that for these IH subjects, localization is most difficult when they are forced to rely on interaural information in a higher-frequency region with conflicting interaural information at low frequencies

Interference and Enhancement Effects on Interaural Time Discrimination and Level Discrimination in Listeners with Normal Hearing and Those with Hearing Loss

It is known that many listeners with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) have difficulty performing binaural tasks. In this study, interference and enhancement effects on interaural time discrimination and level discrimination were investigated in 4 listeners with normal hearing (NH) and 7 listeners with SNHL. Just-noticeable differences were measured using 1/3-octave narrowband noises centered at 0.5 and 4 kHz. Noises were presented in isolation and together at equivalent sound pressure level (EqSPL) and equivalent sensation level (EqSL). Each noise served as target and distractor in the dual-band conditions. Congruent conditions included interaural differences in both noises that varied together, and incongruent conditions included an interaural difference in one noise with the second noise diotic. No significant enhancement effects were observed for either group in either task. Interference effects for the NH group were limited to the interaural level discrimination task in the 0.5-kHz target and 4-kHz distractor condition. Performance of participants with SNHL was similar to that of the NH group for interaural time discrimination with noises at EqSL but not EqSPL. In interaural level discrimination, listeners with SNHL demonstrated interference with a 4-kHz target and 0.5-kHz distractor. Results indicated that the relative levels of low-and high-frequency targets and distractors could affect binaural performance of individuals with SNHL but that in some conditions listeners with SNHL performed similarly to those with normal hearing. Implications of these results for binaural clinical tests and hearing aid fitting strategies are discussed

The Relationship of Audiometric Thresholds Elicited with Pulsed, Warbled, and Pulsed-Warbled Tones in Adults with Normal Hearing

Objective: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) guidelines allow pulsed and warbled tones in measuring audiometric thresholds and include test frequencies of 3000 and 6000 Hz. However, no research has examined the relationship between thresholds obtained with these stimuli at these frequencies. This study investigated the relationship between thresholds obtained with pulsed, warbled, and pulsed-warbled tones. Design: Thresholds from 25 listeners were obtained using pulsed, warbled, and pulsed-warbled tones at test frequencies recommended by ASHA. Results: Thresholds elicited with pulsed, warbled, and pulsed-warbled tones did not significantly differ. Conclusions: Findings support using pulsed, warbled, and pulsed-warbled tones for threshold measurements at the frequencies recommended by ASHA