Showing papers on "Active listening published in 2020"

Learning from the COVID-19 home-schooling experience: Listening to pupils, parents/carers and teachers

Abstract: In Spring 2020, schools in many countries had to close in response to the COVID-19 virus pandemic and move to remote teaching. This paper explores the views of pupils, parents/carers and teachers o...

Qualitative Voices in Educational Research

Abstract: Part 1 Giving personal voices a chance in social organization: the theatre of daylight - qualitative research and school profile studies, J. Rudduck event analysis and the study of headship, R.G. Burgess the concept of quality in action research - giving practitioners a voice in educational research, H. Altrichter. Part 2 Listening to the silent voice behind the talk: finding a silent voice for the researcher - using photographs in evaluation and research, R. Walker why I like to look - on the use of videotape as an instrument in educational research, H. Mehan cross-cultural, comparative, reflective interviewing in Schonhausen and Rosenville, G. and L. Spindler. Part 3 Keeping authentic voices alive and well: voices of beginning teachers - computer-assisted listening to their common experiences, G.L. Huber and C.M. Garcia empty explanations for empty wombs - an illustration of a secondary analysis of qualitative data, S. Reinharz an epilogue - putting voices together, M. Schratz.

Visual Listening In: Extracting Brand Image Portrayed on Social Media

Abstract: A new approach for measuring consumer brand perceptions from consumer-created brand imagery via deep learning.

Learning English through out-of-school exposure. Which levels of language proficiency are attained and which types of input are important?

Abstract: In this study we examined the level of English proficiency children can obtain through out-of-school exposure in informal contexts prior to English classroom instruction. The second aim was to determine the input types that fuel children's informal language acquisition. Language learning was investigated in 780 Dutch-speaking children (aged 10–12), who were tested on their English receptive vocabulary knowledge, listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Information about learner characteristics and out-of-school English exposure was gathered using questionnaires. The results show large language gains for a substantial number of children but also considerable individual differences. The most beneficial types of input were gaming, use of social media and speaking. These input types are interactive and multimodal and they involve language production. We also found that the various language tests largely measure the same proficiency component.

Listening to the autistic voice: Mental health priorities to guide research and practice in autism from a stakeholder-driven project:

Abstract: Autistic adults are significantly more likely to experience co-occurring mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. Although intervention studies are beginning to be implemented with ...

Learning Vocabulary through Reading, Listening, and Viewing: Which Mode of Input Is Most Effective?.

Abstract: This study used a pretest-posttest-delayed posttest design at one-week intervals to determine the extent to which written, audio, and audiovisual L2 input contributed to incidental vocabulary learning. Seventy-six university students learning EFL in China were randomly assigned to four groups. Each group was presented with the input from the same television documentary in different modes: reading the printed transcript, listening to the documentary, viewing the documentary, and a nontreatment control condition. Checklist and multiple-choice tests were designed to measure knowledge of target words. The results showed that L2 incidental vocabulary learning occurred through reading, listening, and viewing, and that the gain was retained in all modes of input one week after encountering the input. However, no significant differences were found between the three modes on the posttests indicating that each mode of input yielded similar amounts of vocabulary gain and retention. A significant relationship was found between prior vocabulary knowledge and vocabulary learning, but not between frequency of occurrence and vocabulary learning. The study provides further support for the use of L2 television programs for language learning.

Independent and Interwoven: A Qualitative Exploration of Residents' Experiences With Educational Podcasts.

Abstract: Purpose Educational podcasts are an increasingly popular platform for teaching and learning in health professions education. Yet it remains unclear why residents are drawn to podcasts for educational purposes, how they integrate podcasts into their broader learning experiences, and what challenges they face when using podcasts to learn. Method The authors used a constructivist grounded theory approach to explore residents' motivations and listening behaviors. They conducted 16 semistructured interviews with residents from 2 U.S. and 1 Canadian institution from March 2016 to August 2017. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. The transcripts were analyzed using constant comparison, and themes were identified iteratively, working toward an explanatory framework that illuminated relationships among themes. Results Participants described podcasts as easy to use and engaging, enabling both broad exposure to content and targeted learning. They reported often listening to podcasts while doing other activities, being motivated by an ever-present desire to use their time productively; this practice led to challenges retaining and applying the content they learned from the podcasts to their clinical work. Listening to podcasts also fostered participants' sense of connection to their peers, supervisors, and the larger professional community, yet it created tensions in their local relationships. Conclusions Despite the challenges of distracted, contextually constrained listening and difficulties translating their learning into clinical practice, residents found podcasts to be an accessible and engaging learning platform that offered them broad exposure to core content and personalized learning, concurrently fostering their sense of connection to local and national professional communities.

How listening to music and engagement with other media provide a sense of belonging : an exploratory study of social surrogacy.

Abstract: The social surrogacy hypothesis holds that people resort to temporary substitutes, so-called social surrogates, if direct social interaction is not possible In this exploratory study, we investiga

Hungry Listening: Resonant Theory for Indigenous Sound Studies

Abstract: In the introduction to his stunning new book Hungry Listening: Resonant Theory for Indigenous Sound Studies, a few lines below a Halq’eméylem epigraph with no English translation, Dylan Robinson writes, “My words gather; together, they are an act of gathering, of gathering strength and acknowledging Indigenous voices and bodies, rather than acting as a container of Indigenous content” (25). Robinson’s lucid writing works to invite and perform resurgent, apposite structures of bearing witness to sound, and what sounds create, beyond the ravenous acts of consumption and extraction advanced by settler colonial philosophies. By different means, Katherine Meizel’s Multivocality: Singing on the Borders of Identity and Virginie Magnat’s The Performative Power of Vocality also invite readers to rethink what it is to experience voice and sound, beyond particular longstanding and limited cultural expectations. Meizel refutes the widespread belief in a singer’s one true voice — vocality as singular coherence of self and agency — to consider what it is that singers do in the process of navigating the borderscapes of multiple vocal identities. Magnat calls for greater engagement with experimental and cross-cultural approaches to vocality in the field of performance studies as more than a mere coda to actor training. Together, these books open up space for dwelling more deeply with what vocalities and sounds occasion for those who voice and listen to them, constituting a diverse set of entries in the interdisciplines of voice and sound studies.

Academic Medicine and Black Lives Matter: Time for Deep Listening.

Abstract: Echoes of “medicine as the noble profession” continue to resonate, now 35 years since my legendary Chair of Medicine imbued me with this guiding ethos. Nobility in medicine is not obsolete; the selflessness, courage, selfsacrifice, and altruism on gallant display in the response to COVID-19 reassures that at its core, this ethic of egalitarian service remains intact and deeply established in the DNA of physicians worldwide, including the ranks of academic medicine. But now, a new test of this nobility has emerged. The killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks, Tony McDade, and others have placed racism, especially anti-Black racism, as an ever-present painful reality in the collective social conscience and have vigorously galvanized Black Lives Matter. Academic medicine has not been immune from the influence of this intensely spirited movement. #WhiteCoatsforBlackLives and #ShutdownSTEM are highly visible exhortations to raise awareness of racism on the campuses of academic medical centers. Accompanying statements acknowledge that science needs to

Predictions of Subjective Ratings and Spoofing Assessments of Voice Conversion Challenge 2020 Submissions.

Abstract: The Voice Conversion Challenge 2020 is the third edition under its flagship that promotes intra-lingual semiparallel and cross-lingual voice conversion (VC). While the primary evaluation of the challenge submissions was done through crowd-sourced listening tests, we also performed an objective assessment of the submitted systems. The aim of the objective assessment is to provide complementary performance analysis that may be more beneficial than the time-consuming listening tests. In this study, we examined five types of objective assessments using automatic speaker verification (ASV), neural speaker embeddings, spoofing countermeasures, predicted mean opinion scores (MOS), and automatic speech recognition (ASR). Each of these objective measures assesses the VC output along different aspects. We observed that the correlations of these objective assessments with the subjective results were high for ASV, neural speaker embedding, and ASR, which makes them more influential for predicting subjective test results. In addition, we performed spoofing assessments on the submitted systems and identified some of the VC methods showing a potentially high security risk.

Listening effort: Are we measuring cognition or affect, or both?

Abstract: Listening effort is increasingly recognized as a factor in communication, particularly for and with nonnative speakers, for the elderly, for individuals with hearing impairment and/or for those working in noise. However, as highlighted by McGarrigle et al., International Journal of Audiology, 2014, 53, 433-445, the term "listening effort" encompasses a wide variety of concepts, including the engagement and control of multiple possibly distinct neural systems for information processing, and the affective response to the expenditure of those resources in a given context. Thus, experimental or clinical methods intended to objectively quantify listening effort may ultimately reflect a complex interaction between the operations of one or more of those information processing systems, and/or the affective and motivational response to the demand on those systems. Here we examine theoretical, behavioral, and psychophysiological factors related to resolving the question of what we are measuring, and why, when we measure "listening effort." This article is categorized under: Linguistics > Language in Mind and Brain Psychology > Theory and Methods Psychology > Attention Psychology > Emotion and Motivation.

A “Thick” Conception of Children’s Voices: A Hermeneutical Framework for Childhood Research:

Abstract: “Listening to children’s voices” can help foster respectful regard for their experiences and concerns and promote the recognition of children as active agents; that is, persons who have interests a...

The relationship between vocabulary knowledge and L2 reading/listening comprehension: A meta-analysis:

Abstract: This study set out to investigate the relationship between L2 vocabulary knowledge (VK) and second-language (L2) reading/listening comprehension. More than 100 individual studies were included in t...

Exploring the Effect of Metacognitive Strategy Instruction on Metacognitive Awareness and Listening Performance Through a Process-Based Approach

Abstract: This study explored the effect of metacognitive strategy instruction on the listening performance and metacognitive awareness of English as a foreign language (EFL) learners in Iran. It also strove...

If I Hear You Correctly: Building and Evaluating Interview Chatbots with Active Listening Skills

Abstract: Interview chatbots engage users in a text-based conversation to draw out their views and opinions. It is, however, challenging to build effective interview chatbots that can handle user free-text responses to open-ended questions and deliver engaging user experience. As the first step, we are investigating the feasibility and effectiveness of using publicly available, practical AI technologies to build effective interview chatbots. To demonstrate feasibility, we built a prototype scoped to enable interview chatbots with a subset of active listening skills-the abilities to comprehend a user's input and respond properly. To evaluate the effectiveness of our prototype, we compared the performance of interview chatbots with or without active listening skills on four common interview topics in a live evaluation with 206 users. Our work presents practical design implications for building effective interview chatbots, hybrid chatbot platforms, and empathetic chatbots beyond interview tasks.

How to Talk When a Machine is Listening: Corporate Disclosure in the Age of AI

Abstract: This paper analyzes how corporate disclosure has been reshaped by machine processors, employed by algorithmic traders, robot investment advisors, and quantitative analysts. Our findings indicate that increasing machine and AI readership, proxied by machine downloads, motivates firms to prepare filings that are more friendly to machine parsing and processing. Moreover, firms with high expected machine downloads manage textual sentiment and audio emotion in ways catered to machine and AI readers, such as by differentially avoiding words that are perceived as negative by computational algorithms as compared to those by human readers, and by exhibiting speech emotion favored by machine learning software processors. The publication of Loughran and McDonald (2011) is instrumental in attributing the change in the measured sentiment to machine and AI readership. While existing research has explored how investors and researchers apply machine learning and computational tools to quantify qualitative information from disclosure and news, this study is the first to identify and analyze the feedback effect on corporate disclosure decisions, i.e., how companies adjust the way they talk knowing that machines are listening.

Efficacy of video-based teacher professional development for increasing classroom discourse and student learning

Abstract: Although professional development (PD) programs often use video, extraneous information during video viewing can distract teachers. We developed a discourse visualization tool, the Classroom Discou...

Incidental Vocabulary Learning Through Listening to Teacher Talk

Abstract: This study investigated incidental learning of single-word items and collocations through listening to teacher talk. Although there are several studies that have investigated incidental vocabulary learning through listening, no intervention studies have explicitly investigated the extent to which listening to teachers in a classroom context might contribute to vocabulary learning. The present study fills this gap. Additionally, the study explored the relationship between vocabulary learning gains and two factors: frequency of occurrence and first language (L1) translation. A meaning-recall test and a multiple-choice test were used to evaluate learning gains. The results indicated that (a) listening to teacher talk has potential to contribute to vocabulary learning of both single-word items and collocations, (b) using L1 translation to explain target word meanings contributed to larger gains on the immediate posttest, (c) frequency of occurrence was not a significant predictor of incidental vocabulary learning.

Music May Reduce Loneliness and Act as Social Surrogate for a Friend : Evidence from an Experimental Listening Study

Abstract: After losing a close other, individuals usually confide in an empathic friend to receive comfort and they seem to have a heightened desire for mood-congruent, consoling music Hence, it has been pr

The Relative Significance of Syntactic Knowledge and Vocabulary Knowledge in Second Language Listening Ability.

Abstract: The main purpose of the current study was to examine the relative significance of vocabulary knowledge (VK) and syntactic knowledge (SK) in second language (L2) listening ability, while accounting for the effect of several cognitive and affective factors. A total of 263 English-as-a-foreign-language learners took a standardized listening test (IELTS), as well as a battery of nine linguistic (two aural SK tests and two aural VK tests—covering both breadth and depth of VK), cognitive (two working memory tests and a metacognitive knowledge questionnaire), and affective measures (two L2 listening anxiety questionnaires). Structural equation modeling analysis revealed that both VK and SK were significant predictors of L2 listening ability; however, VK was a stronger predictor with an effect size being almost twice as much as the one for SK (.55 vs. .28). The results also showed that metacognitive knowledge, working memory, and L2 listening anxiety are significant predictors of L2 listening ability.

Effects of a concept mapping‐based flipped learning approach on EFL students’ English speaking performance, critical thinking awareness and speaking anxiety

Abstract: The present study explored the impact of concept mapping-based flipped learning as a listening-speaking strategy on learning achievement, English as a foreign language (EFL) learners? critical thinking awareness and EFL speaking anxiety. The study utilized a pretest/posttest control and a quasi-experimental design. Seventy-two EFL learners were assigned to experimental (n = 37) and control (n = 35) groups. The results of the pretest indicated that the participants of the two groups were homogeneous concerning their proficiency level, critical thinking awareness and EFL speaking anxiety. The experimental group was instructed to construct concept maps after each listening task, and formulated their answers to the required speaking tasks from their concept maps. The results of the posttest indicated that concept mapping has a positive and significant influence on EFL learners? English speaking performance and critical thinking awareness, and can decrease their speaking anxiety. Moreover, the relationships between concept mapping, learning performance, and critical thinking are statistically correlated. The results also revealed a significant negative relationship between speaking anxiety and the other variables. Practitioner Notes What is already known about this topic Students learn at their own pace and learn with repeated exposure to the same material to strengthen and deepen their understanding until they acquire the knowledge in flipped learning. The strategy of concept mapping is not only to support learners to organize concepts, but also to develop their ideas. Concept mapping can foster learners? confidence and build up their background knowledge, so it will facilitate their speaking ability. What this paper adds A concept mapping-based flipped learning as a listening-speaking strategy is proposed to help improve students? listening and speaking skills, EFL learners? critical thinking awareness, and decrease speaking anxiety. In addition to supporting students? foreign language learning, the results showed that the proposed approach provides positive results on the concept mapping-based flipped learning for speaking training course. Implications for practice and/or policy The concept maps served as an approach to help students draw complex conceptual relationships and as an outcome measurement. The learners? language performance and critical thinking are positively correlated. The learners? concept mapping scores revealed not only in their performances, but also in speaking, conceptualization, and formulation.

The Concept of Sustainability on Social Media: A Social Listening Approach

Abstract: The concept of sustainability has gone far beyond the issues of the sustainable management of natural and environmental resources. Nowadays, sustainability is part of the social sciences in a different way. The aim of this research was dual. Firstly, we analyzed the different contexts and areas of knowledge where this concept is used in society by using social listening on Twitter, one of the most popular social networks today. The sentiments of these conversations were rated to assess whether the feelings and perceptions of these conversations on the social network were positive or negative regarding the use of the concept. Also, we tested if these perceptions about the topic were attuned to other more formal fields, such as scientific research, or strategies followed nationally or internationally by agencies and organizations related to sustainability. The method used on this first part of the research consisted of an analysis of 15,000 tweets collected from Twitter using natural language processing (NLP) for clustering the main areas of knowledge of topics where the concept of sustainability was used, and the sentiment of these conversations on the social network. Secondly, we mapped the social network of users who generated or spread content regarding sustainability on Twitter within the period of observation. Social network analysis (SNA) focuses on the taxonomy of the network and its dynamics and identifies the most relevant players in terms of generation of conversation and also their referrers who spread their messages worldwide. For this purpose, we used Gephi, an open source software used for network analysis and visualization, that allows for the exploration and visualization of large networks of any kind, in depth. The findings of this research are new, not only because of the mix of technology and methods used for extracting data from Twitter and analyzing them from different perspectives, but also because they show that social listening is a powerful method for analyzing relevant social phenomena. Listening on social networks can be used more effectively than other more traditional processes to gather data that are more costly and time consuming and lack the momentum and spontaneity of digital conversations.

'It's nice to think somebody's listening to me instead of saying "oh shut up"'. People with dementia reflect on what makes communication good and meaningful

Abstract: WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: People with dementia experience cognitive decline which can affect their ability to communicate with others and consequently getting their needs met. Loneliness and social isolation are associated with depression and anxiety, while difficulties communicating may magnify such difficulties. Enhancing meaningful interactions may support maintenance of valued relationships and positive wellbeing. Although previous research has examined communicative experiences, this has been from the perspectives of professionals or caregivers. Exploring meaningful communication from the perspectives of people with dementia is crucial in supporting relationships and wellbeing. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: People with dementia can be active participants in research. They are aware of their cognitive impairments as well as social interactions and features constituting meaningful communications. People with dementia recognized carers' attempts to understand and empathize with them; allowing them to feel valued and heard, empowering them to maintain interactions. Alternatively, feeling dismissed, inferior or pressured to provide 'correct' responses deterred them from further conversations. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: People with dementia have an awareness of their relationships, communications and preferences. Thus, it is imperative to respect this population and make attempts to understand their communication as they sense this effort even when miscommunications occur. Embrace qualities that facilitate person-centred care within communications is vital as this can preserve valued relationships, support one's needs and enhance wellbeing. Such features include active listening, empathizing, being physically and mentally present, spending time to know the individual and sharing experiences, thoughts and emotions. Abstract Introduction Social isolation can be problematic for people with dementia; understanding what makes communication meaningful may reduce such risk. Scientific rationale Previous research has examined caregivers' or professionals' experiences of meaningful communication. Understanding this from the perspectives of people with dementia could enhance their interactions and wellbeing. Aim Exploring what makes communication meaningful from the perspective of people with dementia. Methods Nine dyadic interactions between a person with dementia and a family carer were filmed. Individuals with dementia watched the footage and reflected on their communications in semi-structured interviews. Results Three superordinate themes emerged. Themes 'sharing moments of emotional connection' and 'empowering one's ability to communicate' related to the experience of feeling connected, understood, valued and heard, allowing further communication. Conversely, 'inhibitors to communication' related feeling disempowered and reduced interactions. Discussion Even when carers could not understand what people with dementia attempted to communicate, their efforts to interact with them were valued and considered meaningful as they reinforce their sense of connectedness. Implications for practice Embracing a person-centred approach by actively attuning to the person and continuously attempting to empathize and understand persons with dementia can help preserve important relationships and allow the person to feel valued and interpersonally connected.

Music Listening for Supporting Adolescents’ Sense of Agency in Daily Life

Abstract: Sense of agency refers to the ability to influence one’s functioning and environment, relating to self-efficacy and wellbeing. In youth, agency may be challenged by external demands or redefinition of self-image. Music, having heightened relevance for the young, has been argued to provide feelings of self-agency for them. Yet, there is little empirical research on how music impacts adolescents’ daily sense of agency. The current study investigated whether music listening influences adolescents’ perceived agency in everyday life and which individual and contextual determinants would explain such an influence. Participants were 44 adolescents (48% female, 36% with training in music, mean age 14), recruited through local schools. The mobile Experience Sampling app MuPsych was used to collect brief self-reports of personal music listening experiences during daily life. This method assessed the change in the listener’s perceived control over both their emotional states (Internal Agency), and their external environment (External Agency), over five minutes of music listening. Also measured were changes in mood states, and contextual variables (social situation, concurrent activity, and reason for listening). The impact of music on the sense of agency was analyzed using multilevel structural equation modelling. There was no general increase of agency across all music episodes, but agency fluctuations were determined by specific individual and contextual factors. Music training predicted increases in both internal and external agency during music listening, and external agency increased more for male participants. Certain context features such as listening alone, paying attention to music, and listening for enjoyment were related to greater increases in agency. Increases in agency significantly correlated with increases in mood valence. Our findings confirmed the plasticity and situational embeddedness of the sense of agency. Music indeed can support agency, but the impact is dependent on specific individual and contextual factors. Sense of agency can be seen as a health resource and significant part of youth development, and current findings provide new insight into when and by whom such affordance is likely to be employed.

From Speaker Verification to Multispeaker Speech Synthesis, Deep Transfer with Feedback Constraint.

Abstract: High-fidelity speech can be synthesized by end-to-end text-to-speech models in recent years. However, accessing and controlling speech attributes such as speaker identity, prosody, and emotion in a text-to-speech system remains a challenge. This paper presents a system involving feedback constraint for multispeaker speech synthesis. We manage to enhance the knowledge transfer from the speaker verification to the speech synthesis by engaging the speaker verification network. The constraint is taken by an added loss related to the speaker identity, which is centralized to improve the speaker similarity between the synthesized speech and its natural reference audio. The model is trained and evaluated on publicly available datasets. Experimental results, including visualization on speaker embedding space, show significant improvement in terms of speaker identity cloning in the spectrogram level. Synthesized samples are available online for listening. (this https URL)

Looking closely and listening carefully: A sociocultural approach to understanding the complexity of Latina/o/x students’ everyday language

Abstract: The definitions of “academic language” available to teachers and teacher educators often invoke generalized assumptions about the supposed gap between complex, discipline-specific forms of ...

An exploratory Study of EEG Alpha Oscillation and Pupil Dilation in Hearing-Aid Users During Effortful listening to Continuous Speech.

Abstract: Individuals with hearing loss allocate cognitive resources to comprehend noisy speech in everyday life scenarios. Such a scenario could be when they are exposed to ongoing speech and need to sustain their attention for a rather long period of time, which requires listening effort. Two well-established physiological methods that have been found to be sensitive to identify changes in listening effort are pupillometry and electroencephalography (EEG). However, these measurements have been used mainly for momentary, evoked or episodic effort. The aim of this study was to investigate how sustained effort manifests in pupillometry and EEG, using continuous speech with varying signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Eight hearing-aid users participated in this exploratory study and performed a continuous speech-in-noise task. The speech material consisted of 30-second continuous streams that were presented from loudspeakers to the right and left side of the listener (±30° azimuth) in the presence of 4-talker background noise (+180° azimuth). The participants were instructed to attend either to the right or left speaker and ignore the other in a randomized order with two different SNR conditions: 0 dB and -5 dB (the difference between the target and the competing talker). The effects of SNR on listening effort were explored objectively using pupillometry and EEG. The results showed larger mean pupil dilation and decreased EEG alpha power in the parietal lobe during the more effortful condition. This study demonstrates that both measures are sensitive to changes in SNR during continuous speech.