Seeing Voices: A Dynamic, Interprofessional Approach to Teaching Performing Arts and Speech-Language Pathology Students About Vocal Anatomy and Physiology

Deborah Hersh; Luzita Fereday; Fiona Palmer; David Hall; Pedro Amarante Andrade; Priscilla Cornelius; Charn Nang; Jane White

doi:10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.07.029

Seeing Voices: A Dynamic, Interprofessional Approach to Teaching Performing Arts and Speech-Language Pathology Students About Vocal Anatomy and Physiology

J Voice. 2023 Aug 27:S0892-1997(23)00240-0. doi: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.07.029. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Deborah Hersh¹, Luzita Fereday², Fiona Palmer³, David Hall⁴, Pedro Amarante Andrade⁵, Priscilla Cornelius⁶, Charn Nang⁷, Jane White⁷

Affiliations

¹ Speech Pathology, School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia; Speech Pathology, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth Australia; School of Allied Health Science and Practice, Adelaide University, Adelaide, Australia. Electronic address: deborah.hersh@curtin.edu.au.
² Western Australian Academy of the Performing Arts (WAAPA), Edith Cowan University, Perth Australia.
³ Private Practice, Claremont, Perth, Australia.
⁴ Perth ENT Centre, Subiaco, Perth, Australia.
⁵ Speech Pathology, School of Allied Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
⁶ Kelmscott, Perth Australia.
⁷ Speech Pathology, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth Australia.

PMID: 37643947
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.07.029

Abstract

Objectives: Seeing Voices was an interprofessional, technology-enabled, large-scale, teaching and learning event developed to address the need to improve voice students' knowledge of laryngeal anatomy and physiology toward understanding and maintaining vocal health. Seeing Voices trialed a novel interprofessional educational approach, collected both quantitative and qualitative data about student experiences of laryngostroboscopic examination, and built a databank of laryngeal recordings for future student learning.

Methods: Seeing Voices involved two 3-hour seminars in a large, university lecture space, run by an interprofessional team (speech-language pathologists, vocal coach, Ear Nose and Throat consultant) with quality equipment projecting laryngeal images to large screens with expert commentary in real time. Participants were 18 students who volunteered for laryngeal examination (9 per seminar) and student attendees (n = 175) from performing arts courses (classical singing, contemporary, jazz, musical theater, acting) and a speech-language pathology course. A quantitative evaluation of knowledge gained was undertaken using a Qualtrics survey. Results from pre (n = 175; performing arts = 120; speech-language pathology (SLP) = 55) and postevent (n = 99; performing arts = 56; SLP = 43) questionnaires were received from the students who attended. Interviews were collected from 15 of the 18 student volunteers about their experiences of nasendoscopic evaluation and data were analyzed using qualitative description and qualitative content analysis.

Results: Quantitative results demonstrated a strong trend toward increased knowledge following attendance at the event across year cohorts for both student groups. Qualitative interviews highlighted the value in seeing multiple examples of normal laryngeal functioning across different vocal techniques in real time. For those undertaking nasendoscopic examination, simultaneously seeing and feeling laryngeal maneuvers used in training appeared to promote understanding of their own vocal mechanism and the purpose of different vocal techniques.

Conclusions: Seeing Voices offers a novel way to improve interprofessional collaboration, and engagement with, and understanding of, laryngeal anatomy and vocal health by students in performing arts and speech-language pathology courses.

Keywords: Interprofessional education; Laryngeal imaging; Performing arts students; Speech-language pathology students; Vocal anatomy and physiology.