Interacção entre estruturas intervalares e estruturas espectrais, na música instrumental/vocal

A presente tese apresenta-se num formato bipartido, sendo a primeira parte uma investigação teórica e a segunda parte um conjunto de composições originais que procuram estabelecer, directa e indirectamente, uma relação com a temática investigada. A investigação incide sobre as diferentes relações que se podem estabelecer entre estruturas intervalares e estruturas espectrais, a partir de um conjunto representativo de obras de diferentes compositores. As obras originais da segunda parte configuram um objecto final de análise e reflexão. As composições que integram a segunda parte da tese são: Inês – sete miniaturas sobre A Castro, para soprano e orquestra, sobre excertos de “Castro”, de António Ferreira; Um sino contra o tempo, para flauta, clarinete, percussão e piano; Terra, para orquestra de cordas; Dor e Amor, para voz, flauta, clarinete, percussão, harpa, piano, violino, viola e violoncelo, sobre poemas de Nuno Júdice; e Ode a Gaia, para soprano solo, coro misto e electrónica, a partir de textos de diversos autores e épocas, desde Homero a Fernando Pessoa. Esta investigação surge a partir da convicção de que é possível e enriquecedor para a composição a coexistência e o estabelecimento de uma relação entre estruturas que valorizam as qualidades dos intervalos que as constituem e estruturas de tipo espectral. Se o pensamento intervalar pode ser relacionado com princípios de estruturação ligados a toda uma tradição musical, desde a música modal, à tonal e à atonal, o pensamento espectral relaciona-se com o estudo do fenómeno sonoro e do timbre e é integrado mais tardiamente no séc. XX como um possível modelo estruturante na composição. A investigação sobre as obras seleccionadas, sobretudo de compositores que colocam o fenómeno da percepção num plano central, procura diferentes interacções entre os dois tipos de estrutura, interrogando-se sobre em que medida é que essa interacção influencia ou é mesmo determinante para o resultado musical final. São analisadas diferentes aplicações, tais como: a procura de qualidades acústicas na criação de estruturas intervalares, a criação de timbres particulares para linhas estruturantes, a manipulação tímbrica de estruturas verticais, a inter-relação de camadas intervalares e espectrais na textura musical de forma sincrónica e diacrónica, e o surgimento de material intervalar a partir de estruturas espectrais. Os principais resultados passam pela confirmação de que o pensamento intervalar é compatível com o pensamento espectral e vice-versa, podendo-se concluir que são essenciais diferentes funções para os dois tipos de estrutura na textura musical e que quer as estruturas intervalares quer as espectrais se relacionam com diferentes aspectos da percepção, tendo, assim, uma influência determinante no resultado musical final, na eficácia da escuta e na sua fruição.

A importância da prática de orquestra no ensino especializado da música : implicações no âmbito da motivação para a aprendizagem instrumental

A ideia inicial para esta investigação era estudar o efeito da prática de orquestra na motivação intrínseca dos alunos, nomeadamente as repercussões no estudo individual do instrumento. Foram realizados dois estudos no contexto da investigação: um primeiro estudo de natureza exploratória, no qual foram entrevistados 15 professores e 15 alunos; um segundo estudo, de natureza descritiva e explanatória, no qual se administraram 274 questionários a alunos de 9 classes de orquestra em 4 escolas do ensino especializado da música, assistiu-se a um ensaio de cada uma das orquestras e realizou-se uma entrevista informal ao professor de cada classe de orquestra. Os resultados obtidos indicam que a prática orquestral pode produzir efeitos na motivação dos alunos, com implicações claras no estudo do instrumento. Também foi possível concluir que a participação dos alunos em orquestra poderá ser um fator capaz de motivar os alunos, e capaz de transformar para melhor a perspetiva dos alunos em relação à aprendizagem musical. Este facto sugere que a prática de orquestra deve ser entendida como um pilar fundamental da dinâmica das escolas do ensino especializado da música, e como uma disciplina nuclear do curriculum deste ensino.

‘Running with the Fox and Hunting with the Hounds’: Social Work Tutors' Experiences of Managing Failing Social Work Students in Practice Learning Settings

The paper explores the issues raised by social work students failing in practice learning settings from the perspective of university tutors, by drawing on existing literature in this area from social work and nursing, as well as findings from a small‐scale empirical qualitative study. The qualitative study was influenced by practitioner‐researcher and practice‐near paradigms; and is based on interviews with twelve social work tutors in England. The findings reveal that tutors are able to articulate the important tasks and functions of their roles when issues of failing students in practice learning settings arise, although the process can be challenging. The challenges include: supporting practice educator and student, concerns about other tutors’ practices, the difficulties in promoting appropriate professional standards and values within higher education contexts and frustrations with practice educators and placements. Only a third of the respondents (four) however, articulated their gate keeping roles and responsibilities although this was not without its difficulties. Given the current reforms in social work education in England at this present time, with greater emphasis on threshold standards at entry level, and at key stages throughout the programme of study, the research is timely in terms of the critical consideration of the tutor role and challenges inherent in promoting appropriate standards.

Most Significant Change in conflict settings: staff development through monitoring and evaluation

Capoeira4Refugees is an NGO that uses the Afro-Brazilian art-form of Capoeira to promote psychosocial well-being in children affected by conflict and occupation. Capoeira4Refugees introduced the Most Significant Change (MSC) methodology to monitor and evaluate project implementation and impact across two locations in the Middle East. Analysis of interviews conducted with five field staff revealed that in line with, and building on previous research, MSC became an empowering tool that led to staff development. The potential for MSC to build staff reflexivity, independence and leadership has implications for other organisations working in conflict areas, particularly in situations of remote management.

‘It's been hell.’ Italian and British practice educators’ narratives of working with struggling or failing social work students in practice learning settings

Periods of assessed learning in practice settings are common requirements for social work students world wide. The ‘practice learning opportunity’ as it is known in the UK, and ‘tirocinio di servizio sociale’ as it is referred to in Italy, are important sites of gatekeeping in preventing unsuitable people from becoming social workers. The experience of assessing failing students in practice learning settings however, has been found to be particularly stressful and challenging for practice educators. This article documents findings from two qualitative studies that explored field educators’ experiences of working with struggling or failing social work students in Italy and England. The study finds both similarities and differences in the narratives of the assessors from the two countries Similarities include, unpleasant emotional experience of working with a failing student, internalisation of the students failing as the practice educators’ own failing, perceptions that the universities may hide negative information about students and lack of acknowledgement of the gatekeeping function inherent in the practice educator role. Differences include the level of emotionality experienced by educators, the way students are spoken about and the perceived role and responses of the university. Further comparative European research which focuses on practice education is indicated.

Projective Identification and the Fear of Failing: Making Sense of Practice Educators' Experiences of Failing Social Work Students in Practice Learning Settings

The paper focuses on emotions and processes that may arise for practice educators when working with a struggling or failing student in a practice learning setting.1 The paper firstly documents a previously undertaken thematic review of the literature, which explored why practice educators appeared to find it difficult to fail students in practice learning settings. Secondly, the paper draws on two UK qualitative studies that highlighted the emotional distress experienced by practice educators when working with a marginal or failing student. The paper documents key findings using a case study approach from both studies. We argue that the concept of projective identification offers a plausible and illuminating account of the states of mind experienced by practice educators and in making explicit, unconscious states of mind, our aim is that practice educators will feel confident to make appropriate assessment decisions when required.

Sediment dynamics and tidal inlet relocation in mixed-energy settings: the case of Ancão inlet (Algarve - Portugal)

Tese de dout., Ciências do Mar, Faculdade de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, Univ. do Algarve, 2003

Ocean bottom seismic noise : applications for the crust knowledge, interaction ocean-atmosphere and instrumental behaviour

Tese de doutoramento, Ciências Geofísicas e da Geoinformação (Geofisíca), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2014

The Use of Touch Screen Technology by People with Dementia and Their Carers in Care Home Settings.

Dominic Upton, Jennifer Bray, Tim Jones and Penney Upton report on research that confirms that touchscreen devices can be of great benefit in engaging and supporting people with dementia.

Development of Social Relationships, Interactions and Behaviours in Early Education Settings

Recent research and policy regarding the advantages of early years provision has focused largely on the enhancement and development of cognitive skills for preschoolers. This study, based in the United Kingdom, focuses on a range of cognitive and social skills and identifies beneficial characteristics of a government pilot scheme for 2-year-olds in areas of social disadvantage. Data were collected from nursery managers and parents across six early years settings using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods centred around in-depth observational techniques focused on children. Results indicate that in addition to the development of cognitive skills, children showed increased confidence and modes of communication and interaction and that these were associated with the varied activities and routines established within the early years settings. Some variations in terms of frequency and quality of interactions, activities and practice were identified in settings; however, interpersonal support for learning and development was consistent across settings.

Using Workload Measurement Tools in Diverse Care Contexts: the Experience of Staff in Mental Health and Learning Disability Inpatient Settings

Introduction The critical challenge of determining the correct level and skill-mix of nursing staff required to deliver safe and effective healthcare has become an international concern. It is recommended that evidence-based staffing decisions are central to the development of future workforce plans. Workforce planning in mental health and learning disability nursing is largely under-researched with few tools available to aid the development of evidence-based staffing levels in these environments. Aim It was the aim of this study to explore the experience of staff using the Safer Nursing Care Tool (SNCT) and the Mental Health and Learning Disability Workload Tool (MHLDWT) in mental health and learning disability environments. Method Following a 4-week trial period of both tools a survey was distributed via Qualtrics on-line survey software to staff members who used the tools during this time. Results The results of the survey revealed that the tools were considered a useful resource to aid staffing decisions; however specific criticisms were highlighted regarding their suitability to psychiatric intensive care units (PICU) and learning disability wards. Discussion This study highlights that further development of workload measurement tools is required to support the implementation of effective workforce planning strategies within mental health and learning disability services. Implications for Practice With increasing fiscal pressures the need to provide cost-effective care is paramount within NHS services. Evidence-based workforce planning is therefore necessary to ensure that appropriate levels of staff are determined. This is of particular importance within mental health and learning disability services due to the reduction in the number of available beds and an increasing focus on purposeful admission and discharge.

Investigating Behaviour and Face Encoding in a Hypothetical Real-World Social Contract: Handwashing in Hazardous Health Settings

Investigations into the evolutionary origins of human cognition has shown that individuals’ memory for others is influenced by the latter’s behaviour in social contracts. Such research is primarily based on hypothetical or more abstract forms of social contracts, whereas an application of this knowledge to everyday health behaviours can be of great value. To address this, the current study investigated whether participants who were asked to imagine themselves in a hypothetical hazardous health scenario showed differential response sensitivity (d’) and latency (RT) to faces of hospital staff tagged with contrasting hand hygiene before touching patients: clean hands, dirty hands, or unknown hand-washing behaviour (control). The test used a two alternative forced-choice (2AFC: “old/new”) face recognition paradigm. The findings showed that d’ to dirty and clean hands was similar, but higher than for controls. Moreover, d’ was not affected by the occupation of hospital staff (nurses vs porters). The absence of memory gains towards clean or dirty hands points to the need for new strategies to remind patients to observe (and remember) the hand hygiene of others when exposed to hazardous health environments.

Personality and performance on digit span tests in online and offline settings.

This paper describes two studies examining links between personality and performance on a cognitive test in online and laboratory settings. Study 1 was completed online. 345 participants passively recruited through a personality assessment website completed a Five Factor Model personality inventory derived from the International Personality Item Pool. They then completed an online text-based digit span test. This required participants to repeat increasingly longer strings of digits, either in the same order (forward) or in the opposite of the presentation order (reverse). Conventional digit span tasks ask participants to respond verbally; in this instance they responded by typing the digits. Agreeableness and Openness to Experience each had small but significant associations with forward and reverse digit span. In a second, laboratory based, study, 103 participants completed paper versions of the IPIP Five Factor inventory, the NEO-FFI, and a battery of cognitive tests including the WAIS 4 digit span test. In this instance, Agreeableness and Openness to Experience were not significantly correlated with digit span measures. Taken together, these studies suggest that personality characteristics may influence performance on an online cognitive test. This effect was not seen in an offline version of the study. The paper will consider potential implications for online testing, for equivalence of online and offline methods, and for links between personality and performance on this cognitive test.

Applying gaze-contingent training within community settings to infants from diverse SES backgrounds

Even in infancy children from low-SES backgrounds differ in frontal cortex functioning and, by the start of preschool, they frequently show poor performance on executive functions including attention control. These differences may causally mediate later difficulties in academic learning. Here, we present a study to assess the feasibility of using computerized paradigms to train attention control in infants, delivered weekly over five sessions in early intervention centres for low-SES families. Thirty-three 12-month-old infants were recruited, of whom 23 completed the training. Our results showed the feasibility of repeat-visit cognitive training within community settings. Training-related improvements were found, relative to active controls, on tasks assessing visual sustained attention, saccadic reaction time, and rule learning, whereas trend improvements were found on assessments of short-term memory. No significant improvements were found in task switching. These results warrant further investigation into the potential of this method for targeting ‘at-risk’ infants in community settings.