The purpose of this study was to understand the process of music teacher large-scale conference professional development (PD) implementation (i.e., the integration of conference-derived learnings into classroom practice). The context of this investigation was two national music conferences, the Midwest Clinic and the National Association for Music Education National In-Service Conference, and one state music conference, the Texas Music Educators Association Clinic/Convention. Using purposive maximum variation sampling, active music teachers (n = 32) who each attended one of these conferences were recruited. Data collection occurred in a series of three participant interview phases, staggered according to which conference participants attended and when each conference was held. Twenty-eight participants were interviewed twice, and four participants were interviewed once, yielding a total of 60 interview transcripts, which were then openly, axially, and selectively coded in accordance to grounded theory method. The principal finding, the cycle of music teacher large scale conference professional development implementation (C-MTPDI), revealed an implementation process in three phases. First, the consideration phase (before/during conference) entailed needs assessment, direct engagement, change articulation, and, for some participants, deterrent factors/contingencies. Second, the realization phase (immediate post-conference) included translation, integration, and recalibration. Third, and finally, the decision phase (3-5 weeks post-conference) included evaluation. The core category, or main theme of the research, was seeking convergence: relevance, practicability, and impact. Contextual conditions included PD worldview and PD policy environment. Avenues for future scholarship include clarifying differences in design and effectiveness among and within music-specific PD models, more fully understanding the status of large-scale conference PD in music education and its effect on practice, and theorizing PD implementation in non-conference contexts. Practical implications include developing new theory-aligned PD policies, putting into place more robust infrastructures of implementation support for large-scale conference attendees, addressing PD funding inequities between teachers in music and non-music disciplines, and helping practitioners to newly conceive "one-off" PD events (e.g., large-scale conferences) as sustainable investments in long-range professional growth.

<p dir="ltr">Robotic surgery has transformed the landscape of minimally invasive procedures, offering unmatched precision and quicker patient recovery times. Despite all these advancements, training surgeons to use these sophisticated surgical systems effectively remains a daunting challenge, primarily due to high costs, limited accessibility, increased learning curve, and inconsistent training quality. Existing training modalities are limited by the high costs of original training robots, logistical challenges, lack of emphasis on hand movements, the necessity of expert presence, and limited scalability and effectiveness. This thesis introduces TrainVR, a low-cost based training system designed to overcome these hurdles and enhance the skillset of surgical trainees. TrainVR integrates affordable Virtual Reality (VR) technology with enhanced fidelity, creating an engaging and realistic training environment. TrainVR is designed to simulate realistic surgical environments and procedures, focusing on the development of motor, cognitive, and spatial skills for tasks required for robotic surgery through computer vision algorithms, gamified environments, performance analytics, and supporting both asynchronous and remote expert-led training scenarios. This system features customizable training modules, enabling trainees to practice a wide array of surgical procedures in a safe, virtual setting. The device also focuses on the importance of user’s hand, clutch, and ergonomics during surgical training which is crucial based on feedback from surgeons. The development of TrainVR involved crafting detailed 3D models of surgical instruments and anatomical structures, by integrating hardware, software and designing a user-friendly interface. We conducted testing with different game environments which compare the performance of the users and provide insights to improve the learning. The thesis concludes by experimenting and proposing new configurations to improve the fidelity and hand tracking which should closely match with the experience provided by the present training simulators at a substantially lower cost. TrainVR’s scalable design and compatibility with standard VR hardware make it accessible to a wide range of institutions, including those with limited resources. By offering a cost-effective, immersive, and adaptive training solution, TrainVR aims to enhance surgical education and ultimately improve patient care outcomes.</p>

One of the presuppositions of the present research is that readers and their contexts play a significant role in the interpretation of biblical texts. The key text of this thesis is Proverbs 31: 10-31 and the main readers are African women in a kyriarchal South African (Northern Sotho) context. Given their context of a multiplicity of oppressive forces ( racism, sexism, classism and African culture), how can these women read Proverbs 31: 10-31 appropriately with a view to their liberation? The researcher proposes a new woman's liberationist perspective, a Bosadi perspective, a perspective committed amongst others, to the African-ness of the African woman in South Africa. The question is: If Proverbs 31:10-31 is read from a Bosadi (Womanhood) perspective, how will the Northern Sotho women in a South African context find the text - a text emerging from a kyriarchal Hebraic culture? Will they find it to be oppressive or liberative or will it be found to be containing both elements? The present researcher, like many reformist women liberation biblical scholars (cf some feminists and womanists ), argues that though the Bible emerged from patriarchal cultures, and contains elements oppressive to women, it also has liberative elements. Through the use of socio-critical hermeneutics, reception criticism and historical-criticism, evidence supporting this came to light as the present researcher re-read Proverbs 31:10-31 from a Bosadi critical perspective. It is therefore argued that when the Bible was used by the previous proponents of apartheid to subordinate people of other races, Black Theologians re-read the Bible from a Black perspective and used it for the racial liberation of Black South Africans. Likewise, an average South African woman, particularly an African woman, is basically a victim of male interpreters who use the Bible to subordinate women. It is the task of all African women to take the responsibility upon themselves to use appropriate tools in re-reading the Bible in order to discover that the Bible does not only alienate them, it is also the liberating word; the word which makes more sense to them because of their relationship with the Word which became flesh (Jn 1:1). / D. Litt. et Phil. (Biblical Studies)

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