Digital Commons Network^™

The Impact Of Alcohol Use On Dating Violence Among Adolescents, Kaygen Kay Deitrick

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Sleep Quality On The Performance And Health Of Athletes, Andy Niese

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Body Image In College Athletics, Tyrell Gordon

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Alcohol Use In Adulthood, Callie Franzen

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Experiences Of Women High School Band Directors In Iowa, Karina Kelso

Graduate Research Papers

Women high school band directors in the state of Iowa may experience teaching in secondary band programs differently than men high school band directors. Previous research has shown that women have faced many challenges in music education, particularly in teaching high school band. Four women band directors from different school class sizes and currently teaching in Iowa were interviewed about their teaching experiences to collect data using a qualitative case study design. My findings support the literature reviewed in suggesting that women band directors in secondary band programs in Iowa may be treated differently than men band directors by experiencing …

The Impact Of Sexual Assault And The Influence Of Leadership Within The Military, Holly Rigel

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Implications Of Educational Environments For Gender And Sexually Diverse Adolescents, Margaret J. Staff

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Parental Divorce In Childhood On Depression Among Adults, Amy Stoermer

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Alcohol Consumption On Cognitive Decline, Ashley Highland

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Components Of Effective After School Programs In Under Resourced Communities, Hector Salamanca Arroyo

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Gamification And Engagement In A 3rd Grade Classroom, Ellen Braet

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Representation Of Lgbtq+ Characters In The 2019 To 2022 Iowa Teen Award Books, Jamie Thompson

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Effects Math Achievement Has On A Student’S Attitude Toward Physics, Katherine Weivoda

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Physical Activity And Mental Health Symptoms In Adults, Olivia A. Brecht

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Using Fundraising Data Strategically In Nonprofit Organizations To Drive Relational Fundraising, Anna L. Warner

Graduate Research Papers

Nonprofits are continuing to compete for resources and trustworthiness in their communities. Using data in the relational fundraising program at a nonprofit organization is one way to build both the resources needed and the trustworthiness with donors that will ultimately also result in more resources. Looking for ways to implement strategic data in relationships with donors can be time consuming and overwhelming for nonprofit professionals. The purpose of this literature review study is to examine the use of fundraising data to strategically drive relational fundraising in nonprofit organizations. The research questions address the ways in which data can be leveraged …

Diversity In Collections Utilizing Accelerated Reader Programs, Leah Cahill

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to compare current Accelerated Reader YA book lists to YALSA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults lists from 2019 to 2022 to examine the number of current YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults titles included on the AR list and determine whether there is a discrepancy between the percent of YALSA books overall and the percent of YALSA AR books that meet the diversity definition (We Need Diverse Books, 2022). Data was collected by looking at 314 titles from the 2019-2022 YALSA Best of the Best List and then comparing two review sources to determine …

Identifying Misconceptions About Evolution Relative To Science Curriculum Exposure At The Secondary Level, Rachel Carney

Graduate Research Papers

Evolution is the foundation of the biological sciences. Addressing misconceptions related to biological evolution ensures students have a solid understanding of evolution so that they can become scientifically literate members of society. While studies have identified misconceptions about evolution, there is much less research on the degree to which specific biology curricula address these misconceptions. The goal of this study is to determine how exposure to the SEPUP biology curriculum affects the misconceptions about evolutionary theory held by 10th grade students.

This study took place at a moderately-sized school located in the Midwest. Students respond with their agreeability to a …

Mental Illness Representation In Young Adult Literature, Ashley Aberle

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this qualitative content analysis is to study the portrayal of characters who have a mental illness in award-winning young adult books for teacher librarians to recommend for young adult readers and for teachers to use in teaching and curriculum for mental illness acceptance. The research questions asked the following: how does award-winning young adult literature that includes characters with mental illness portray interactions with peers and adults; This study used qualitative content analysis to examine 10 novels portraying multiple mental illnesses and that were published from 2013 to 2020. This research identified three themes: Theme 1 is …

The Impact Of Advocacy And Social Justice Work On Nonprofit Funding And Support, Brittany Appleton

Graduate Research Papers

Advocacy and social justice work has become a widely discussed topic over the past year, especially in the nonprofit world. As organizations work to move their mission forward and address critical issues in their community, they must balance the delicate relationships they have with their clients, their supporters, other organizations, and the community as a whole. This includes navigating their mission, vision, and values and the values and beliefs of supporters and community members. Taking an active role in advocacy and social justice work can impact these relationships, but little research has been done that shows what that impact could …

Impact Of Inquiry Science Courses On Preservice Elementary Students' Ideas On Science, Lance Charles Baetsle

Graduate Research Papers

This study examines how students' scientific ideas compare between students who have taken different numbers of general science and inquiry science courses at a midwestern university. The purpose of this study is to gain perspective and to inform current teaching practices based on how preservice elementary education teachers view scientific ideas after taking a different number of inquiry science courses. Students in a science inquiry course completed a science survey (Appendix B) of science and non-science questions and were asked to explain their reasoning. A scoring rubric (Wilson et al., 2010) was used to apply a score for correct and …

Examining The Impact A Teacher Librarian Has On Students' Self-Selection Strategies, Stefanie Throndson

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the impact a Teacher Librarian has on students’ self-selection strategies and the broader impact on a culture of reading in a school building. Data was collected from 263 students in middle school (grades 5-8) resulting in 1322 reponses over eight weeks. Research Question 1 asked, What appeal strategies do students use when selecting an independent reading book? “You liked the author or it is in a series” was the number one book selection approach used with 21.6% of the responses indicating this approach when selecting a book. The least helpful book …

Inspiring Students To Take Action In Order To Make Positive Change Through The Integration Of Social Studies Themes In Children's Literature, Morgan Ives, Taylor Marsho, Ashtyn Riley, Deidra Rudd

Graduate Research Papers

This study explores the use of children literature to teach social studies concepts within literacy instruction. Fifty-eight kindergarteners and twenty seventh graders, attending four different rural elementary schools, are the participants in this study. All four schools included in the study were racially and ethnically homogeneous, with a majority of the students being White. The study focuses on the effects of limited social studies instruction within all schools and how social studies can be integrated within a literacy time block. The kindergarten general education teachers and the seventh grade English Language Arts teacher provided all of the instruction. The results …

Teaching Race Through Multicultural Children's Literature, Kaley Bailey, Maiya Duthoo-Wolpert

Graduate Research Papers

There is considerable confusion in today’s society when it comes to talking about race. In result to this, race talk in schools can be overseen with challenges, leading to problematic conversations, disconnection, and ultimately student disengagement. This study is used by two Elementary educators one an Asian, the other a Caucasian - found in the Midwest, showing how teachers can break that uncomfortable barrier of the topic about race and navigate conversations through multicultural children’s literature books. The study demonstrated how to choose the most effective multicultural children’s literature to share to a classroom of students and how beneficial it …

Analysis Of Assessments On Secondary Students' Development And Interpretation Of Models, Alaina L. Appley

Graduate Research Papers

As districts are making the shift to three-dimensional learning the development of a coherent set of high-quality task-based assessments has been a challenge. For this research I collected and analyzed twelve of my district's assessments over the scientific skill of modeling from grades seven through 12. The analysis involved two tools developed by NGSS and Achieve.org to determine the extent to which the assessments ask students to perform tasks that are driven by phenomena and use the three-dimensional in service of sense-making, the Task Screener and the Framework to Evaluate Cognitive Complexity in Science Assessments. The findings support what …

Abracadabra: Combatting Nonprofit Turnover When Your Staff Perform The Disappearing Act, Averi Gabrielle Jones

Graduate Research Papers

As one of America’s top employers, the nonprofit sector is filled with outlets for individuals to blossom in creativity and innovation, while allowing them to be connected to a cause they are passionate about advocating for. However, more and more nonprofit organizations are faced with a frightening disappearing act amongst their staff. With this readily growing rate of high employee turnover, it is more vital than ever for employers to build workforce environments that inspire dedication and longevity amongst staff. This study is focused on pinpointing sources for poor employee retention and differentiating the role that these sources play amongst …

Portrayal Of Immigration In Fiction For Grades 4-6, Melissa N. Marwedel

Graduate Research Papers

With an increasing awareness of immigrant students in American schools, this study sought to examine current upper elementary fiction portraying immigrant characters. The purpose of this research was to discover how immigrants are currently portrayed in upper elementary literature. Through engaging with high-quality literature, native-born students could gain a perspective on the experiences of their immigrant classmates and develop empathy for them. Nine upper elementary fiction books were examined and coded for initial and emerging themes. Four major themes emerged: Importance of Family, Language Conflict, Life After Immigration, and Identity Development. This research supports classroom teachers and teacher librarians in …

Characterizing Protagonists In Graphic Novels For Teens, Danielle Lahr

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study is to utilize qualitative content analysis to examine the main characters in teen graphic novels from 2018. This study is designed to analyze the main protagonist in graphic novels to find patterns to help secondary librarians and teachers choose graphic novels that will appeal to students in grades 9-12. Three questions this study asks are: 1)What traits make a compelling protagonist for high schoolers? 2)Are there any traits shared between protagonists in graphic novels? And 3)What roles do protagonists of graphic novels play in the storyline?

Culture In Transitional Chapter Books: Assimilation Or Inclusion, Jeanette P. White

Graduate Research Papers

In the context of schools experiencing an influx of students from a more diverse range of cultures, and with a goal of assisting librarians to better serve these students, this qualitative research focuses on the presence of cultural diversity in transitional chapter books and, when present, identifies whether characters modify culturally determined behaviors. The cultural diversity within books, especially transitional chapter books, can allow newly independent readers an opportunity to deepen their identification with and connection to reading. The value of identifying with a character in a book is established in prior research (Alter, 2016; Goodale, 2012; McNair & Brooks, …

The Effects Of Educational Attainment Of State Legislators On State Appropriations To Public Higher Education, Nathan J. Gruber

Graduate Research Papers

Elected officials come to office from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, and researchers have sought to discover how these characteristics affect the policy making process. There is a gap in the literature pertaining to whether educational attainment of policymakers influences education policy. This research analyzes the educational attainment of state lawmakers and whether higher levels of educational achievement influence the legislative support of public universities as measured by budget appropriations to those schools. Results show there is a statistically significant positive relationship between educational attainment of lawmakers and support of post-secondary education. Future studies should consider developing an improved …

Issues Of Accessibility In Victim Services For Survivors With Disabilities: An Agency Assessment, Sara Naughton

Graduate Research Papers

In fulfillment of the requirements for the University of Northern Iowa’s Women’s and Gender Studies Applied Track Master’s Degree, this paper includes research conducted during a 200-hour internship experience with Cedar Valley Friends of the Family, consisting of three sections: a background paper, the agency report, and reflection. The research conducted for this project was done so utilizing a manual and scoring tool provided by the Vera Institute of Justice in order to measure Friends of the Family’s capacity to effectively serve survivors and clients with disabilities, as well as suggestions for short and long-term improvement.