Factors affecting performance proficiency : a case study involving intermediate piano students

The goal of this study was to determine the effect of a number of factors on the performance proficiency of three intermediate piano students having different learning styles, all of whom shared the same teacher. Four sets of data were collected in this investigation: the methodology of the teacher; the practice behaviour of the participants; the effect of intrinsic factors, such as participant attitude, motivation, and ownership of learning; and the effect of extrinsic factors that included parental influence, and participants' school- and employment-related responsibilities. Performance proficiency and assessment of practice behaviour were measured by three external, professionallyqualified music examiners. Performance proficiency varied to some extent between participants, but they shared similar practice behaviours. Learning style does not, therefore, affect practice behaviour. Although they planned their practice time, participants did not show much evidence of monitoring the quality of their practice. On the other hand, participants showed positive attitude; they were motivated to learn; and they were observed to plan their practice time, all indicators of, among other things, positive influence of the teacher and parents. Participants showed evidence that these constructive habits were a denominator common to both their schoolwork and piano practice. It was apparent that, except for learning style, all factors examined had an effect on performance proficiency. Performance proficiency is, therefore, influenced by a large web of factors, a finding that is instructive for classroom teachers. Teachers need to avoid the temptation to teach toward performance expectations. Emphasis should be placed instead on teaching and assessing formative learning strategies.

Canadian Niagara Power Company fonds

Power at the Falls: The first recorded harnessing of Niagara Falls power was in 1759 by Daniel Joncairs. On the American side of the Falls he dug a small ditch and drew water to turn a wheel which powered a sawmill. In 1805 brothers Augustus and Peter Porter expanded on Joncairs idea. They bought the American Falls from New York State at public auction. Using Joncairs old site they built a gristmill and tannery which stayed in business for twenty years. The next attempt at using the Falls came in 1860 when construction of the hydraulic canal began by the Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Manufacturing Co. The canal was complete in 1861 and brought water from the Niagara river, above the falls, to the mills below. By 1881 the Niagara Falls Hydraulic Power and Manufacturing Co. had a small generating station which provided some electricity to the village of Niagara Falls and the Mills. This lasted only four years and then the company sold its assets at public auction due to bankruptcy. Jacob Schoellkopf arrived at the Falls in 1877 with the purchase of the hydraulic canal land and water and power rights. In 1879 Schoellkopf teamed up with Charles Brush (of Euclid Ohio) and powered Brush’s generator and carbon arc lights with the power from his water turbines, to illuminate the Falls electrically for the first time. The year 1895 marked the opening of the Adam No. 1 generating station on the American side. The station was the beginnings of modern electrical utility operations. The design and operations of the generating station came from worldwide competitions held by panels of experts. Some who were involved in the project include; George Westinghouse, J. Pierpont Morgan, Lord Kelvin and Nikoli Tesla. The plants were operated by the Niagara Falls Power Company until 1961, when the Robert Moses Plant began operation in Lewiston, NY. The Adams plants were demolished that same year and the site used as a sewage treatment plant. The Canadian side of the Falls began generating their own power on January 1, 1905. This power came from the William Birch Rankine Power Station located 500 yards above the Horseshoe Falls. This power station provided the village of Fort Erie with its first electricity in 1907, using its two 10,000 electrical horsepower generators. Today 11 generators produce 100,000 horsepower (75 megawatts) and operate as part of the Niagara Mohawk and Fortis Incorporated Power Group.

Revisiting the Jewish American princess : Jewish girls, the J.A.P. discursive stereotype, and negotiated identity

This qualitative exploratory research investigates how Canadian Jewish girls understand the discursive stereotype of the Jewish American Princess (JAP), and how they take up these understandings of the J AP in relation to their identities. Three focus groups and six interviews were conducted with girls attending Jewish high schools in Toronto, Canada to explore these questions. From a third wave Jewish feminist perspective, and taking a mediated action approach to identity, two analyses were conducted. A thematic analysis of peer relations, gender, community, and religious understandings demonstrates how aspects of individual identities mediate interpretations of the JAP. A series ofpor t rai t s of JAP-related identity were constructed to analyze how the JAP discursive stereotype also functions as a cultural tool that is taken up by the participants to mediate expressions of their identities. These findings establish the contradictory ways these Jewish girls describe, interpret, and utilize the JAP discursive stereotype, and the complex roles it plays in their social worlds.

Small Cabinet Card of African American Man by John S. Thom, of Lucan, Ontario [n.d.]

A very small cabinet card type photograph of an unidentified man, possibly a relative of the Bell - Sloman family. A handwritten entry on the reverse of the photograph indicates it was taken by John S. Thom, of Lucan. No date is provided, however, John S. Thom is known to have been a photographer in Lucan from 1877-1882. This cabinet card was in the possession of Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines. Relatives of the Sloman - Bell family include former African American slaves who settled in Canada.John S. Thom is listed as a photographer in Lucan, Ontario from 1877-1882. Aside from photography, he also operated a general store and sold notions. It appears he then moved to Sarnia, Ont. and is listed as a photographer there from 1882-1900. He is also recorded as being a Sarnia bicycle dealer. Source: Phillips, Glen C. The Ontario photographers list (1851-1900). Sarnia: Iron Gate Publishing Co., 1990.

Tintype of Unidentified African American Woman Leaning on Chair [n.d.]

A small tintype of a young Black woman dressed in white. The date, location and name of the photographer are unknown. This tintype was among the family memorabilia belonging to Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines, Ontario. Relatives of the Sloman - Bell family are descended from former American slaves."Tintypes were the invention of Prof. Hamilton Smith of Ohio. They begin as thin sheets of iron, covered with a layer of black paint. This serves as the base for the same iodized collodion coating and silver nitrate bath used in the ambrotype process. First made in 1856, millions were produced well into the twentieth century. When tintypes were finished in the same sorts of mats and cases used for ambrotypes, it can be almost impossible to distinguish which process was used without removing the image to examine the substrate." Source: American Museum of Photography http://www.photographymuseum.com/primer.html

Tintype of African American Gentleman Seated on Stool [n.d.]

An unidentified man poses for his portrait seated on a stool in this undated black and white tintype photograph. This tintype was in the possession of Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines, Ontario. Relatives of the Bell - Sloman family include former Black slaves from the United States who settled in Canada."Tintypes were the invention of Prof. Hamilton Smith of Ohio. They begin as thin sheets of iron, covered with a layer of black paint. This serves as the base for the same iodized collodion coating and silver nitrate bath used in the ambrotype process. First made in 1856, millions were produced well into the twentieth century. When tintypes were finished in the same sorts of mats and cases used for ambrotypes, it can be almost impossible to distinguish which process was used without removing the image to examine the substrate." Source: American Museum of Photography http://www.photographymuseum.com/primer.html

Tintype of Young African American Woman Seated at Table [n.d.]

Black and white tintype of an unidentified woman seated with hand-colored red detail on her scarf and the tablecloth. The date, location and photographer are unknown. This tintype was in the possession of Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines, Ontario. Relatives of the Bell - Sloman families include former slaves from the United States who escaped to Canada. They later settled in the London and St. Catharines areas of southern Ontario."Tintypes were the invention of Prof. Hamilton Smith of Ohio. They begin as thin sheets of iron, covered with a layer of black paint. This serves as the base for the same iodized collodion coating and silver nitrate bath used in the ambrotype process. First made in 1856, millions were produced well into the twentieth century. When tintypes were finished in the same sorts of mats and cases used for ambrotypes, it can be almost impossible to distinguish which process was used without removing the image to examine the substrate." Source: American Museum of Photography http://www.photographymuseum.com/primer.html

Tintype Portrait of African American Couple [n.d.]

An unidentified couple is pictured in this early black and white tintype photograph. The date, location and name of the photographer are unknown. This tintype was in the possession of Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines, Ontario. The Bell - Sloman families have relatives who are descended from African American slaves who settled in Canada."Tintypes were the invention of Prof. Hamilton Smith of Ohio. They begin as thin sheets of iron, covered with a layer of black paint. This serves as the base for the same iodized collodion coating and silver nitrate bath used in the ambrotype process. First made in 1856, millions were produced well into the twentieth century. When tintypes were finished in the same sorts of mats and cases used for ambrotypes, it can be almost impossible to distinguish which process was used without removing the image to examine the substrate." Source: American Museum of Photography http://www.photographymuseum.com/primer.html

Tintype of African American Man Standing at Wooden Fence [n.d.]

An unidentified African American man poses beside a wooden fence in the studio of an unknown photographer in this small black and white tintype photograph. A painted landscape serves as the backdrop. This tintype was in the possession of Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines, Ontario. The Sloman - Bell families are descended from former American slaves who settled in Canada."Tintypes were the invention of Prof. Hamilton Smith of Ohio. They begin as thin sheets of iron, covered with a layer of black paint. This serves as the base for the same iodized collodion coating and silver nitrate bath used in the ambrotype process. First made in 1856, millions were produced well into the twentieth century. When tintypes were finished in the same sorts of mats and cases used for ambrotypes, it can be almost impossible to distinguish which process was used without removing the image to examine the substrate." Source: American Museum of Photography http://www.photographymuseum.com/primer.html

Tintype of African American Woman Standing with Book [n.d.]

A woman standing with a book beside a table covered with a decorative cloth is featured in this small black and white tintype photograph. The tintype has been mounted in a paper slip frame with gold edging. There is a small area of red, hand-colored highlighting on the tablecloth. The backdrop appears to be a painted landscape scene. The tintype is undated and there is no indication of the identity of the woman in the photo or the photographer. This tintype was in the possession of Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines, Ontario. The Sloman - Bell families have relatives who are former slaves from the United States who later settled in southern Ontario."Tintypes were the invention of Prof. Hamilton Smith of Ohio. They begin as thin sheets of iron, covered with a layer of black paint. This serves as the base for the same iodized collodion coating and silver nitrate bath used in the ambrotype process. First made in 1856, millions were produced well into the twentieth century. When tintypes were finished in the same sorts of mats and cases used for ambrotypes, it can be almost impossible to distinguish which process was used without removing the image to examine the substrate." Source: American Museum of Photography http://www.photographymuseum.com/primer.html

Tintype of Three African American Women [n.d.]

Three unidentified Black women, two seated and one standing, pose against a painted backdrop in the studio of an unknown photographer. This small black and white tintype has been cut on the upper and lower left-hand corners. The back of the tintype is a copper color. This photograph was among the family memorabilia in the possession of Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines, Ontario. Relatives of the Sloman - Bell families include former American slaves who settled in Canada."Tintypes were the invention of Prof. Hamilton Smith of Ohio. They begin as thin sheets of iron, covered with a layer of black paint. This serves as the base for the same iodized collodion coating and silver nitrate bath used in the ambrotype process. First made in 1856, millions were produced well into the twentieth century. When tintypes were finished in the same sorts of mats and cases used for ambrotypes, it can be almost impossible to distinguish which process was used without removing the image to examine the substrate." Source: American Museum of Photography http://www.photographymuseum.com/primer.html

Tintype of Seated African American Gentleman [n.d.]

An unidentified young African American gentleman sits cross-legged on a decorative wooden stool in this small black and white tintype photograph. The date and name of the photographer are unknown. Hand-colored red detailing is visible on the curtain cord and the tablecloth. This tintype was in the possession of Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines, Ontario. Relatives of the Sloman - Bell families were former American slaves who settled in Canada."Tintypes were the invention of Prof. Hamilton Smith of Ohio. They begin as thin sheets of iron, covered with a layer of black paint. This serves as the base for the same iodized collodion coating and silver nitrate bath used in the ambrotype process. First made in 1856, millions were produced well into the twentieth century. When tintypes were finished in the same sorts of mats and cases used for ambrotypes, it can be almost impossible to distinguish which process was used without removing the image to examine the substrate." Source: American Museum of Photography http://www.photographymuseum.com/primer.html

Tintype of Young African American Woman Standing with Purse [n.d.]

An unidentified young African American woman stands beside a chair in this small black and white tintype, undated. The name of the photographer is unknown. This tintype was in the possession of the Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines. The Sloman - Bell families have relatives who are descended from former American slaves who settled in Canada."Tintypes were the invention of Prof. Hamilton Smith of Ohio. They begin as thin sheets of iron, covered with a layer of black paint. This serves as the base for the same iodized collodion coating and silver nitrate bath used in the ambrotype process. First made in 1856, millions were produced well into the twentieth century. When tintypes were finished in the same sorts of mats and cases used for ambrotypes, it can be almost impossible to distinguish which process was used without removing the image to examine the substrate." Source: American Museum of Photography http://www.photographymuseum.com/primer.html

Tintype of African American Woman with Fan [n.d.]

This small tintype features a young Black woman standing in front of a painted backdrop with a large stone in the foreground at the studio of an unknown photographer. The unidentified woman is wearing a hat and holding a round fan. This black and white tintype was in the possession of Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines, Ontario. Relatives of the Bell - Sloman families are former slaves from the United States who settled in Canada."Tintypes were the invention of Prof. Hamilton Smith of Ohio. They begin as thin sheets of iron, covered with a layer of black paint. This serves as the base for the same iodized collodion coating and silver nitrate bath used in the ambrotype process. First made in 1856, millions were produced well into the twentieth century. When tintypes were finished in the same sorts of mats and cases used for ambrotypes, it can be almost impossible to distinguish which process was used without removing the image to examine the substrate."

Signed Tintype of African American Men in Derby Hats [n.d.]

This undated small black and white tintype, slightly scratched, discolored and bent with age, shows a group of Black men posing for an unknown photographer. There is handwritten signature scratched into the reverse which appears to read "B.J." and "Owen" (see digital image of reverse). The original also has a hand-drawn "X" over the face of the seated man in the middle. This tintype was in the possession of Iris Sloman Bell, of St. Catharines, Ontario. The Sloman - Bell family descendants include former American slaves who settled in Canada."Tintypes were the invention of Prof. Hamilton Smith of Ohio. They begin as thin sheets of iron, covered with a layer of black paint. This serves as the base for the same iodized collodion coating and silver nitrate bath used in the ambrotype process. First made in 1856, millions were produced well into the twentieth century. When tintypes were finished in the same sorts of mats and cases used for ambrotypes, it can be almost impossible to distinguish which process was used without removing the image to examine the substrate." Source: American Museum of Photography http://www.photographymuseum.com/primer.html