203435 research outputs found
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East and West Meet: Developing Critical Thinking Skills in Piano Students Based on Chinese and Western Pedagogy
No full textThis research demonstrates the importance of critical thinking in piano education. Grounded in the philosophical framework of Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, it explains how “dialogue” can be used to establish a collaborative teacher-student relationship. Through “praxis,” which is the integration of reflection and action, students and teachers can break free from “limit situations,” the structural constraints of reality, leading to evolution and creation.
By conducting interviews with piano teachers and students from diverse backgrounds, this research examines the differences between Western and Chinese piano education and some universal phenomena within piano pedagogy. Based on the interview findings, the research analyzes these phenomena from historical, cultural, and philosophical perspectives, explaining their underlying causes. Furthermore, it provides practical suggestions for fostering critical thinking in piano education
Examining the Relationships Among Value Placed on Autonomy, Use of Compensatory Control Strategies, and Suicidal Ideation in Older Adults
No full textRates of suicide in older adults are higher than those found in the general United States population. A variety of risk factors unique to older adulthood contribute to these numbers. Greater value placed on one’s own autonomy is related to suicidal ideation in older adults, but no research has yet been done to examine the mechanisms underlying this relationship. As individuals age and functional impairment increases, older adults generally engage in compensatory primary control strategies (e.g., seeking help) but those who prioritize independence and self-directedness – i.e., place a high value on autonomy – engage in fewer compensatory primary control strategies. In turn, individuals who value autonomy may fail to achieve important goals, leading to hopelessness and suicidal ideation. The current study examined whether use of compensatory primary control strategies or severity of depressive symptoms mediated the relationship between value placed on autonomy and suicidal ideation, and whether functional impairment moderated these models. The study also investigated whether value placed on autonomy predicted severity of depressive symptoms in older adults and whether this relationship was moderated by level of functional impairment. Older adults (N = 419) completed an online survey with questions related to functional ability, value placed on autonomy, control strategy usage, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation. Results showed that compensatory primary control strategy usage and severity of depressive symptoms partially mediated the relationship between value placed on autonomy and suicidal ideation. Results also suggested that value placed on autonomy predicted severity of depressive symptoms. Unexpectedly, functional impairment did not moderate any of these relationships. Possible explanations for this outcome are discussed. Overall, findings suggest that non-engagement in compensatory strategies and presence of depressive symptoms may underlie why value placed on autonomy is related to suicidal ideation in older adults. Investigating usage of compensatory strategies will increase understanding of factors that will aid in the prevention of suicide in older adults
F/UTILITY: A Sculptural Exploration of Futility, Utility, and the Absurd
No full textThis thesis provides context for my MFA thesis exhibition, F/UTILITY, displayed in the Laura Mesaros Gallery at West Virginia University. My sculpture visually references various aspects of human culture, drawing from the natural environment, urban architecture, and ideas of work and play. These elements, often contradictory and incongruous, are, in fact, humorously subverted, transformed, and combined so that the resulting artwork is serious, playful, and arbitrary all at once. At the same time, the uncertain and sometimes involuntary interactivity of my work prompts a phenomenological viewer experience. My practice is informed by the philosophical and literary absurd, focusing on not-knowing and the suspended state of waiting. Building on the history of Dada, kinetic art, and interactivity, I reject relational aesthetics in favor of a vaguely phenomenological approach. The focus of the exhibition is on the ambiguous and uncertain relationships between contrasting elements, emphasizing the connection between the process of construction and the creation of meaning. My work and research synthesize my conception of my surroundings, which includes nature, industry, and the absurd, in order to explore utility and futility
A Vegan Diet Compared to a Mediterranean Diet on Plasma/Serum Cholesterol Concentrations in Hypercholesterolemic Adults
No full textHypercholesterolemia, or atherosclerotic cholesterol, is characterized as elevated concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and non-high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (non-HDL-C). According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), vegan diets have proven to be the most effective diets for improvement of heart disease risk factors. On the other hand, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends the Mediterranean-style diet as a diet pattern for the prevention of heart disease, stroke, and reduction of risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension. Therefore, the current literature review uses a systematic approach to examine the effects of a vegan diet compared to a MedDiet on plasma/serum concentrations of TC, LDL-C, and HDL-C in hypercholesterolemic adults. Sixteen relevant studies were included in this review. Out of the studies that examined the effects of a vegan diet on plasma/serum lipid profile, 5 out of 6 studies, or 83% of studies, demonstrated a significant reduction in plasma/serum total cholesterol; 4 out of 6 studies, or 67% of studies, demonstrated a significant reduction in plasma/serum LDL-C; 3 out of 6 studies, or 50% of studies, demonstrated a significant reduction in plasma/serum HDL-C; and 3 out of 6 studies, or 50% of studies, demonstrated a significant reduction in all three. Out of the studies that examined the effects of a MedDiet on plasma/serum lipid profile, 4 out of 9 studies, or 44% of studies, demonstrated a significant reduction in plasma/serum total cholesterol; 5 out of 9 studies, or 56% of studies, demonstrated a significant reduction in plasma/serum LDL-C; 1 out of 9 studies, or 11% of studies, demonstrated a significant reduction in plasma/serum HDL-C; and 1 out of 9 studies, or 11% of studies, demonstrated a significant reduction in all three. In the study that examined the relative effects of a vegan diet and a MedDiet on plasma lipid profile, a MedDiet led to non-significant decreases in total cholesterol, LDL-C, and HDL-C, while a vegan diet led to significant decreases in total cholesterol, LDL-C, and HDL-C
The Abuse Liability of Oral Nicotine Pouches in Electronic Cigarette Users
No full textOral nicotine pouches (ONPs) are products containing synthetic or tobacco derived nicotine in a cellulose pouch. While relatively novel in their current state, ONPs are increasing in popularity, with little known about their national level prevalence. Extant work has suggested that electronic cigarette (e-cig) users may be interested in ONPs; however, no abuse liability studies have been conducted comparing ONPs directly to e-cigs. In the few abuse liability studies that have been conducted, ONPs have been evaluated in comparison to combustible cigarettes or smokeless tobacco (SLT). These studies suggest ONPs may be less reinforcing than combustible cigarettes or SLT. Therefore, the present study evaluated the abuse liability of ONPs in a population of regular e-cig users with a minimal history of ONP use. Using a within-subjects design, participants (N=12) completed one of two randomized conditions differing by product used: 6mg ZYN pouch (citrus, menthol, or spearmint) or own brand e-cig. During each experimental session, participants experienced two product use bouts completing subjective and behavioral measures after each bout. Results suggest that ONPs may be less reinforcing than e-cigs among e-cig users with a minimal history of ONP use. E-cigs had higher ratings of pleasurable effects (e.g. craving reduction, pleasantness, taste) and lower ratings of adverse effects (i.e., discomfort in throat or stomach) than ONPs. Overall, the results suggest that e-cigs are more reinforcing to regular e-cig users, despite moderate interest in ONPs