Christina R. Davies, Melanie T. Pescud, Rhonda Clifford
et al.
Introduction This study describes and evaluates Good Arts, Good Mental Health® (GAGMH), a groundbreaking, population-level, arts-mental health promotion media campaign. The objectives of the campaign (Wave 1) were to increase brand awareness, comprehension, and agreement with the tagline Good Arts, Good Mental Health® and empower the general population to form an intention to engage in the Arts for their mental wellbeing. Methods The campaign ran from August to September 2024 (4 weeks), cost AUD$198,965 (23% creative and 77% media/advertising distribution), and targeted the Western Australian (WA) general population aged 18–65 years, all genders, in both metropolitan and regional areas. The campaign was distributed through a variety of platforms, channels, visual, audio, and static assets. To gauge the success of the campaign, a process evaluation and (short-term) outcome evaluation were conducted by sourcing online analytics and conducting an online survey of the campaign target group (n = 661). Results Overall, campaign reach and frequency were optimal and met set targets. Campaign website engagement substantially increased from baseline (7,505 to 53,810 events 1 month after the campaign). Advertising cost-per-reach was effective and ranged from $0 for free/organic media to $0.10 for radio. For paid media channels, the highest reach (948,106 people) and best cost-per-reach ($0.02) were delivered by Meta (Facebook and Instagram). Measured as both (1) a proportion of total respondents and (2) a sub-set analysis of each preceding level in the cognitive impact hierarchy, post-campaign, one-in-four respondents were aware of Good Arts, Good Mental Health®. This is comparatively high for a new tagline and health campaign without TV advertising. Overall, comprehension was satisfactory. Agreement and intention to act on the message were high and double that of comparison Western Australian health promotion campaigns. Discussion Study findings indicate the GAGMH campaign was successful. If funded, future waves of the campaign could build on Wave 1 to reinforce message awareness, increase understanding of GAGMH concepts, focus more on the arts-mental health dose, and extend the outcome evaluation by measuring behavioral action. The information contained in this study is useful to Public Health, Mental Health, and Arts-Health professionals in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of future arts-mental health promotion strategies and campaigns.
Kelly Gbeve, Virginie Francoeur, Sophie Bernard
et al.
Background Collaboration between scientists and artists is a growing trend driven notably by the need to take action against climate change. Consequently, the role of art is evolving to serve purposes beyond communication in the scientific community. With artistic projects increasingly becoming a form of intervention to influence pro-environmental behaviors, diverse methods are being deployed to assess their influence on behavior, yet little effort has been made to document coherently this emerging diversity of research designs and learnings. Objective The aim of this study is to explore methodological approaches used to assess the effects of visual arts in promoting pro-environmental behaviors to fight climate change and determine whether some general trends can be observed. Methodology We conducted a scoping review to identify empirical papers published between 2001 and 2024, from which 8 studies were selected. The selected papers assessed the influence of artistic intervention on pro-environmental behaviors and its defining variables. Results We found six redundant attributes in research designs. Four of them (mixed-method approach, literature-based conceptual basis, longitudinal studies, baseline environmental profiles) can help support better research designs, while two others (supplementary material, co-creation) can enhance the influence of science-art projects on behavior. We also found that, among the diverse types of art forms (movies, festivals, exhibitions, murals, immersive installation), none were able to directly and significantly affect behaviors, but they could all affect environmental attitudes or awareness to some degree. Originality This scoping review stands out from prior studies by highlighting the challenges and opportunities in assessing the influence of art on pro-environmental behaviors, as well as by exploring the role of visual arts for engaging the public in such behaviors.
This research aimed to investigate the relationship between the digital literacy levels of university students enrolled in art education and their attitudes towards Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. The study utilized a relational survey model and was conducted with a total of 229 students studying in fine arts, music, visual arts education, and conservatory departments across Turkey. Data were gathered using the “Digital Literacy Scale” (Hamutoğlu et al., 2017) and the “General Attitude towards Artificial Intelligence Scale” (Schepman & Rodway, 2020). The findings indicate that students demonstrate high levels of digital literacy, high levels of positive AI attitudes, and moderate levels of negative attitudes toward AI. A statistically significant difference in digital literacy was found based on gender, favoring male students, but no difference was observed in AI attitudes. Regarding class level, senior students exhibited higher digital literacy levels, while negative AI attitudes increased in the final years. Furthermore, a positive and significant correlation was established between digital literacy and positive AI attitudes. The results suggest that art education students are effectively using technology in their creative processes but maintain a cautious approach regarding the artistic originality and ethical dimensions related to AI. In line with the findings, it is recommended that art education programs develop courses that integrate digital literacy and AI awareness.
Abstract Scholarship on digital game-based learning (DGBL) demonstrates that digital games can facilitate substantial student learning across disciplines. Teachers’ perceptions impact classroom integration of technology and understanding their views on DGBL can help teacher educators and researchers identify opportunities for and barriers to classroom integration. Existing scholarship on DGBL has largely focused on the perceptions and experiences of in-service teachers. Limited research has examined the perspectives on preservice elementary teachers. This study investigated the perceptions and ideas of 100 preservice elementary teachers attending a large research university in the Midwestern United States. Participant data included their ideas for integrating DGBL activities into literacy instruction and written reflections on their general thoughts and perceived strengths and concerns of utilizing DGBL in the elementary language arts classroom. Data was qualitatively analyzed and identified themes that demonstrate opportunities, benefits, and challenges of DGBL in elementary literacy. Implications for teachers and teacher education are presented.
Resimli kitaplar, görsel okuryazarlık aracılığıyla, okuyucuların kendi yaşamları ve anlatılar arasında bağ kurmasını kolaylaştırarak kitapların rehberlik rolünü pekiştirmektedir. Resimli kitap tarihi içerisinde bu kitapların yalnızca çocuklara ilişkin olduğuna dair var olan genel kanı, crossover resimli kitapların ve yetişkinlere yönelik resimli kitapların gelişmesiyle giderek yok olmuştur. Çalışma kapsamında yetişkinlere yönelik resimli kitapların doğasını anlayabilmek adına amaçlı örnekleme yöntemiyle belirlenen beş resimli kitap betimsel olarak analiz edilmiştir. Beraberinde resimli kitaplar eşliğinde yürütülen bibliyoterapi uygulamaları, atölye çalışmaları ve projeler incelenerek, resimli anlatıların, duygusal refahın arttırılmasına yönelik katkıları ortaya konulmuştur. Resimli kitaplar, imgeler aracılığıyla hayal gücünü tetikleyerek ve metaforik anlatımın olanaklarıyla okuyucularına yaşamlarını anlamlandırabilmeleri için rehberlik ederek, duygusal refahın arttırılması konusunda yardımcı olmaktadır.
This paper explores the intersection of artificial intelligence and higher education administration, focusing on liberal arts colleges (LACs). It examines AI's opportunities and challenges in academic and student affairs, legal compliance, and accreditation processes, while also addressing the ethical considerations of AI deployment in mission-driven institutions. Considering AI's value pluralism and potential allocative or representational harms caused by algorithmic bias, LACs must ensure AI aligns with its mission and principles. The study highlights other strategies for responsible AI integration, balancing innovation with institutional values.
This study aims to examine the effect of online global collaboration on the learning outcomes of Grade 7 students in Southeast Asian arts at General Santos City SPED Integrated School. Globalization and digitalization are reshaping education, creating both opportunities and challenges in preserving Southeast Asian arts. Many young learners are losing connection to their artistic heritage due to the dominance of modern entertainment and limited cultural exposure in traditional classrooms. To address this, online global classroom collaboration can enhance students' proficiency in Southeast Asian arts while developing 21st-century skills such as digital literacy, cultural awareness, and cross-cultural communication. This study used a quasi-experimental research design involving Grade 7 PLA (Personalized Learning Approach) and Grade 7 SPA (Special Program in the Arts) students from General Santos City SPED Integrated School. The experimental group (G7 PLA students) participated in online collaborations with students from other countries, while the control group (G7 SPA students) followed traditional classroom instruction. A purposive sampling method was used to select respondents. Data were collected through pretests and post-tests, classroom observations, and a researcher-made questionnaire measuring motivation, engagement, and communication skills.Findings revealed that students in the experimental group (G7 PLA students) showed significant improvement in cross-cultural communication, motivation, and engagement. Their post-test scores were notably higher than those of the control group, indicating the effectiveness of online collaboration in enhancing their learning experience.The study highlights the potential of integrating online collaboration in arts education to foster cultural appreciation and engagement. Educational institutions should adopt blended learning approaches and provide teacher training in digital pedagogy to support effective online instruction.
Sara Sáez-Velasco, Mario Alaguero-Rodríguez, Vanesa Delgado-Benito
et al.
Generative AI refers specifically to a class of Artificial Intelligence models that use existing data to create new content that reflects the underlying patterns of real-world data. This contribution presents a study that aims to show what the current perception of arts educators and students of arts education is with regard to generative Artificial Intelligence. It is a qualitative research study using focus groups as a data collection technique in order to obtain an overview of the participating subjects. The research design consists of two phases: (1) generation of illustrations from prompts by students, professionals and a generative AI tool; and (2) focus groups with students (N = 5) and educators (N = 5) of artistic education. In general, the perception of educators and students coincides in the usefulness of generative AI as a tool to support the generation of illustrations. However, they agree that the human factor cannot be replaced by generative AI. The results obtained allow us to conclude that generative AI can be used as a motivating educational strategy for arts education.
Pregnancy remains a rare diegetic occurrence in literature. When it appears, it has been remarked, most recently by writer Jessie Greengrass, that pregnancy struggles to ‘stand both for itself and for something other’ (Greengrass 2018). Pregnancy and maternity are at best metaphors or allegories for something else, a tendency that is not exclusively found but most often observed and most problematic in male-authored texts (Friedman 1987; Hanson 2015). While this is true of texts in which pregnancy and maternity are ‘despatched elsewhere while in the centre of things a man paces a carpet’ (Greengrass), it hardly applies to two contemporary male-authored texts in which pregnancy and maternity are central to the diegesis: Graham Swift’s Waterland (1983) and Andrew Cowan’s Common Ground (1996). This article shows that these texts’ anxious male perspectives offer ‘a new figure of the father’, one whose language makes manifest that which ‘does not signify’ and restores balance between tenor and vehicles in metaphors of pregnancy and maternity (Miller 2005).
Purpose: This study explores interactive poetry therapy as a method for empathetic reading in holistic, emotional literature education. Design: Five experienced teachers participated in a descriptive case study by attending interactive empathetic reading sessions during in-service education. The participants, inspired by an extract from a novel, wrote personal stories and presented them for group discussions. Methodology: The data, consisting of audio recordings of the dialogues and the researchers’ associated notes, were analysed via thematic content analysis. Three main themes, which are presented under the headings: Story level; narrative meanings; Individual level; emotions relating to storytelling moments; and Communal level; issues of welfare and self-care. Findings: The results indicated that the writers’ personal stories and the group dialogues based on them prompted the participants to reflect on their own experiences and emotions, and prompted them to examine ethically challenging issues in the teaching profession. Originality: The study of empathetic reading in teachers’ in-service education provide more understanding of possibilities for teachers to increase their knowledge of the value of stories and narratives.
Dimensionality reduction algorithms are often used to visualise high-dimensional data. Previously, studies have used prior information to enhance or suppress expected patterns in projections. In this paper, we adapt such techniques for domain knowledge guided interactive exploration. Inspired by Mapper and STAD, we present three types of lens functions for UMAP, a state-of-the-art dimensionality reduction algorithm. Lens functions enable analysts to adapt projections to their questions, revealing otherwise hidden patterns. They filter the modelled connectivity to explore the interaction between manually selected features and the data's structure, creating configurable perspectives each potentially revealing new insights. The effectiveness of the lens functions is demonstrated in two use cases and their computational cost is analysed in a synthetic benchmark. Our implementation is available in an open-source Python package: https://github.com/vda-lab/lensed_umap.
Ali Youssef, Kristina Vodorezova, Yannick Aarts
et al.
IUMENTA (Latin for livestock) is an innovative software framework designed to construct and simulate digital twins of animals. By leveraging the powerful capability of the Open Digital Twin Platform (ODTP) alongside advanced software sensors, IUMENTA offers researchers a user-friendly tool to seamlessly develop adaptive digital replicas of animal-based processes. This framework establishes a dynamic ecosystem that integrates insights from diverse experiments, consequently enhancing our understanding of animal behavioural and physiological responses. Through real-time tracking of an animal's energy balance. IUMENTA provides valuable insights into metabolic rates, nutritional needs, emotional states, and overall well-being of animals. In this article, we explore the application of the IUMENTA framework in developing a digital twin focused on the animal's energy balance. IUMENTA includes the EnergyTag system, a state-of-the-art wearable software sensor, which facilitates real-time monitoring of energy expenditure, allowing for continuous updates and personalisation of the energy balance digital twin.
Joey S. G. Mombarg, Conny Aerts, Geert Molenberghs
The theory the rotational and chemical evolution is incomplete, thereby limiting the accuracy of model-dependent stellar mass and age determinations. The $γ$ Doradus pulsators are excellent points of calibration for the current state-of-the-art stellar evolution models, as their gravity modes probe the physical conditions in the deep stellar interior. Yet, individual asteroseismic modelling of these stars is not always possible because of insufficient observed oscillation modes. This paper presents a novel method to derive distributions of the stellar mass, age, core-boundary mixing efficiency and initial rotation rates for $γ$ Dor stars. We compute a grid of rotating stellar evolution models covering the entire $γ$ Dor instability strip. We then use the observed distributions of the luminosity, effective temperature, buoyancy travel time and near-core rotation frequency of a sample of 539 stars to assign a statistical weight to each of our models. This weight is a measure of how likely the combination of a specific model is. We then compute weighted histograms to derive the most likely distributions of the fundamental stellar properties. We find that the rotation frequency at zero-age main sequence follows a normal distribution, peaking around 25% of the critical Keplerian rotation frequency. The probability-density function for extent of the core-boundary mixing zone, given by a factor $f_{\rm CBM}$ times the local pressure scale height (assuming an exponentially decaying parameterisation) decreases linearly with increasing $f_{\rm CBM}$. Converting the distribution of fractions of critical rotation at the zero-age main sequence to units of d$^{-1}$, we find most F-type stars start the main sequence with a rotation frequency between 0.5 and 2 d$^{-1}$. Regarding the core-boundary mixing efficiency, we find that it is generally weak in this mass regime.
J. Sonke, Alexandra K. Rodriguez, Aaron J. Colverson
et al.
Arts participation has been linked to positive health outcomes around the globe. As more research is taking place on this topic, there is heightened need for definitions for the complex concepts involved. While significant work to define “arts participation” has taken place in the arts sector, less work has been undertaken for the purpose of researching the arts in public health. This study developed a definition for “arts participation” to guide a national arts in public health research agenda and to advance and make more inclusive previous work to define the term. A convergent mixed-methods study design with sequential elements was used to iteratively develop a definition that integrated the perspectives of field experts as well as the general public. Literature review was followed by four iterative phases of data collection, analysis, and integration, and a proposed definition was iteratively revised at each stage. The final definition includes modes, or ways, in which people engage with the arts, and includes examples of various art forms intended to frame arts participation broadly and inclusively. This definition has the potential to help advance the quality and precision of research aimed at evaluating relationships between arts participation and health, as well as outcomes of arts-based health programs and interventions in communities. With its more inclusive framing than previous definitions, it can also help guide the development of more inclusive search strategies for evidence synthesis in this rapidly growing arena and assist researchers in developing more effective survey questions and instruments.
In order to improve liberal arts education in Korean universities, it is necessary to analyze the characteristics of European Liberal Arts & Science [LAS] programs. This is because LAS in Europe reflects the orientation of modern liberal arts education such as universal, academic, and contemporary property, and can supplement the limitations of the Korean liberal arts curriculum, which is heavily influenced by sub-disciplines. The purpose of this paper is to explore the implications of the European University College [UC]s’ Liberal Arts & Science model for undergraduate liberal arts education in Korean universities. To this end, text data of three European UCs and Amsterdam UC [AUC] were collected, preprocessed, and then analyzed using techniques such as frequency analysis, topic modeling, and a semantic network. By comparing the results of the frequency analysis, 14 common keywords were extracted and classified into universal (<i>social, human, public, development</i>), academic (<i>research, science, knowledge, skills, analysis</i>), and contemporary (<i>international, global, contemporary, data, economic</i>) orientation. In the structure of the semantic network, some keywords were assigned in several topics. As a result of analyzing 5 keywords of 8 topics in the course titled Data of AUC LAS, 18 of 226 courses included an Introduction. 11 of them are introductory courses of convergence and 7 are theme-oriented courses, which is different from the cases in Korea, which are mostly focused on introductory courses in sub-disciplines. Based on the analysis of texts of AUC LAS, this paper proposes three things: the introduction of a coordinator system and convergence courses, the strengthening of the role of advisors, and the development of teaching-learning methods. The results of these discussions based on text data analysis can be used to improve the standards of liberal arts education in Korea or to reorganize liberal arts education at each university. They can also be used as a reference when developing and managing educational programs such as in institutions dedicated to liberal arts education, university colleges, and departments for self-designing curriculum at Korean universities.
Analizamos en el presente trabajo una estatua del tipo convencionalmente denominado Orante sumerio, depositada en el Museo Arqueológico Nacional (Madrid), y expuesta actualmente en sus salas de Egipto, Nubia y Oriente Próximo. Revisaremos la pieza en detalle, comentando sus características y estado de conservación, haremos una breve referencia al significado que pudo tener en la sociedad en que surgió, y finalmente nos plantearemos su posible origen geográfico y su cronología, así como ciertos elementos que tal vez podrían ser indicios de una discutible antigüedad.
History of the arts, Museums. Collectors and collecting
Production systems deteriorate stochastically due to usage and may eventually break down, resulting in high maintenance costs at scheduled maintenance moments. This deterioration behavior is affected by the system's production rate. While producing at a higher rate generates more revenue, the system may also deteriorate faster. Production should thus be controlled dynamically to trade-off deterioration and revenue accumulation in between maintenance moments. We study systems for which the relation between production and deterioration is known and the same for each system as well as systems for which this relation differs from system to system and needs to be learned on-the-fly. The decision problem is to find the optimal production policy given planned maintenance moments (operational) and the optimal interval length between such maintenance moments (tactical). For systems with a known production-deterioration relation, we cast the operational decision problem as a continuous-time Markov decision process and prove that the optimal policy has intuitive monotonic properties. We also present sufficient conditions for the optimality of bang-bang policies and we partially characterize the structure of the optimal interval length, thereby enabling efficient joint optimization of the operational and tactical decision problem. For systems that exhibit variability in their production-deterioration relations, we propose a Bayesian procedure to learn the unknown deterioration rate under any production policy. Our extensive numerical study indicates significant profit increases of our approaches compared to the state-of-the-art.
Clustering algorithms are often used to find subpopulations in exploratory data analysis workflows. Not only the clusters themselves, but also their shape can represent meaningful subpopulations. In this paper, we present FLASC, an algorithm that detects branches within clusters to identify such subpopulations. FLASC builds upon HDBSCAN*, a state-of-the-art density-based clustering algorithm, and detects branches in a post-processing step that describes within-cluster connectivity. Two variants of the algorithm are presented, which trade computational cost for noise robustness. We show that both variants scale similarly to HDBSCAN* in terms of computational cost and provide stable outputs using synthetic data sets, resulting in an efficient flare-sensitive clustering algorithm. In addition, we demonstrate the benefit of branch-detection on two real-world data sets.