Education Commons^™

The Effectiveness Of A "Patient Discharge Information" Booklet In Patient Education Programs In Saudi Arabia, Amani Mohammed Al Rebeh

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of the Patient Discharge Information (PDI) booklet on the knowledge, attitude, and behaviors of participants who were cesarean patients in local hospitals in Saudi Arabia. This study investigated the following two research questions: (1) does the participant have information, resources, and understand basic personal health information regarding her health conditions including diagnosis, treatment, self-care management, medication instructions, normal expected symptoms, dangerous signs and what to do, as well as lifestyle changes?; and (2) how does patient discharge information provided by the hospital make a difference in participants’ knowledge, attitude, and …

Perceived Effects Of Family Status Changes On Male Collegiate Outdoor Recreation Coordinators, Andrew K. Martin

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

A career as a collegiate outdoor recreation professional is both a challenging and rewarding occupation. It is a position that consists of inconsistent hours as well as extended periods away from home. This qualitative study identified how changes in family status affect an individual’s perception of the position as a collegiate outdoor recreation coordinator. More specifically, the perceived benefits or challenges that occur throughout the family status changes, and what effect, if any, these perceptions had on the individual’s work performance, job satisfaction and career longevity.

Using a phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight individuals who were employed …

Quasi-Experimental Evaluation Of Undergraduate Learning In A Multidimensional Wellness Course, Kristi Leonard

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Introductory wellness courses are common among American institutions of higher education. These courses are typically of a unidimensional approach, focusing on just the physical component of wellness. Some wellness educators would argue that a multidimensional approach is a richer and more valuable learning experience. Furthermore, technology has played a larger role in wellness education, as it is being created, developed, and implemented into the field. Therefore, college wellness educators and curriculum designers need to determine the implications for both online and face-to-face instructional methods in their execution of teaching the holistic concept of wellness to their students.

The purpose of …

The Difference Connection Makes : Roles The Middle School Teacher Plays In Changing Adolescent Girls’ Lives, Denise M. Pralle

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Within the classroom setting, 'fitting in' can be a very difficult matter for both students as well as teachers. A sense of community and respect for others, which prevails in the elementary grades, seems more subdued among middle-schoolers as competition and the struggle for independence becomes part of the hidden curriculum. Adolescent girls especially struggle to imitate what developmental psychologists suggest is necessary at this age: independence and disconnection from others. However, disconnection at this stage of development may partially account for the competition, disrespect of others, and loss of morality in and out of the classroom. Connected classroom teachers …

A Study Of Cultural Orientation And Attitudes And Meaning Toward Play: A Cross Cultural Investigation Among Emerging Adulthood In The People Republic Of China, Hong Kong, And United States, Winnie Wing-Sze Wong

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to examine play among emerging adults in the People Republic of China, Hong Kong, and the United States. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the respondents' perceptions of play and their personal cultural orientation. The study also explored the relationship between respondents' perceptions of play's importance and their cultural orientation. Respondents' frequency of play was also studied to determine whether there were relationships between frequency of play, countries of origin, and personal cultural orientation. Finally, the study considered the interactive effects among perceptions of play, play's importance, personal …

A Comparison Of Face-To-Face And Online Instructional Delivery Methods In Large-Group Settings In A University Undergraduate Wellness Course, Lea Ann Shaddox

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Utilization of online delivery of the lecture component in an undergraduate wellness course is unique and undocumented in research. Wellness courses are traditionally taught with face-to-face lectures plus an activity component. This discipline is distinctive in terms of its activity components that are not conducted online.

The purpose of this study was to investigate two large group face-to-face and online courses to determine if the students enrolled were demographically equivalent and if there were differences in academic achievement in terms of final course grades and between subgroups of students. For the fall 2006 and spring 2007 semesters, 1,814 students were …

The Value Of Leisure In Coping With Natural Disaster: A Case Study In The Aftermath Of Hurricane Katrina, Germaine Jackson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries have witnessed more than their share of cataclysmic events, both natural and human-made. Most notable is Hurricane Katrina, a category 5 storm that ravaged the coasts of Louisiana and Mississippi. The infamous history of Hurricane Katrina's devastation stems from a couple of factors. First, the death toll reached what, for Americans, was a shockingly high figure of 1,577 people. Second, and more socially and politically relevant, was the federal government's mismanagement of the crisis.

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of leisure services available to adolescents following the traumatic …

The Efficacy Of An Intuitive Eating Education Program In A School Nutrition Education Curriculum, Nicole Healy

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Childhood and adolescent obesity and eating disorders are increasing at an alarming rate in the United States and they occur at younger ages than previously observed. To combat childhood and adolescent obesity, many school nutrition education programs offer obesity prevention programs. Some of these programs consist of restrictive eating plans for obesity prevention, yet their efficacy has been questioned because an unintended consequence is that they may actually increase eating disorder behaviors. An alternative to programs that focus on restrictive eating is the Intuitive eating approach, which is based on the premise that an adherence to physiological cues in determining …

A Study Of Elementary Instructors' Teaching Of Forearm Passing As A Part Of Volleyball Instruction, Tsui-Feng Tiffany Yeh

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate the teaching of forearm passing as a key component of volleyball game performance. More specifically, this study investigated teachers' content knowledge and teaching knowledge (pedagogical content knowledge) related to forearm passing as described by the teachers and manifested in teaching practices in the teaching environment.

Six elementary physical education instructors participated in this study. Several methods were used for gathering different information about forearm passing research including systematic observation, videotaping, field notes, and formal and informal interviews.

The findings revealed that (a) teachers' teaching philosophy significantly influenced their teaching and designing volleyball …

A Descriptive Study Of The Frequency And Intensity Of Physical Activity Among Incoming First-Year Students At Luther College, Kristi Leonard

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Young adults are not as active as they should be in comparison to national standards. They are more overweight than is healthy. The purpose of this study was to describe the physical activity volume (frequency + intensity) of incoming first-year students at an Iowa liberal arts college. Did certain demographic characteristics, such as gender; projected major area of study; age; native language; religious preference; ethnic background; and past high school and projected college athletic, theater/drama, and music participation of these students make a difference in their volume of physical activity? This study focused on the examination of exercise behaviors of …

An Analysis Of Physical Activity And Two Forms Of Self Defense Training And Their Impact On Women’S Sense Of Self-Efficacy, Elizabeth Susan Guernsey

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Since the mid-l 970s, incidences of rape in the United States have steadily increased. American females aged 16-24 are at the greatest risk to experience rape. This indicates that college-aged women have a high probability of experiencing a sexual assault during their college years. Women are at particularly high risk of being raped by an acquaintance or a date. This may be due to traditional social gender roles in American society. Rape Aggression Defense Systems is the largest self defense program for women that has become particularly popular on college campuses. Ozer and Bandura (1990) sought to study possible increases …

Predicting Ghanaian Pre-Service Teachers' Intention To Teach High-Risk Sexual Behavior Prevention From Teaching Efficacy And Prevention Approach, Joseph Kwesi Ogah

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Youth and adolescents in African Countries have been experiencing high prevalence levels of the outcomes of high-risk sexual behavior (HRSB), such as HIV/AIDS, teenage pregnancy, illegal abortions, and dropping out of school. Education is one means by which HRSB can be reduced among adolescents, but the sensitive nature of sex education and the controversy over which prevention approach to use have made the teaching of HRSB prevention in schools a cautious undertaking. The purpose of this study was to describe (a) pre-service teachers’ efficacy beliefs for teaching HRSB prevention and (b) pre-service teachers’ preferred approach to HRSB prevention, as determinants …

Effect Of Childcare Facilities On Vigorous Physical Activity In Preschool Aged Children, Nicole Kelly-Goreham

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of childcare centers with differences in outdoor space and play equipment upon the amount of time spent at vigorous physical activity by children. The research questions guiding this research were:

1. Is there a difference among childcare centers in the amount of time spent in vigorous physical activity by preschool age children?

2. Is there any relationship between the amount of time spent in vigorous physical activity at the childcare center and the child's BMI, the time spent outdoors time spent in vigorous physical activity outside the center, parental BMI, …

Authentic Assessment In Physical Education: Prevalence Of Use And Perceived Impact On Students' Self-Concept, Motivation, And Skill Achievement, Joseph Kwame Mintah

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The volume of traditional assessments in the public schools of the United States has increased. At the same time, complaints about the use of standardized tests have become louder. The complaints and dissatisfaction have led to a paradigm shift in assessment. Available literature supports the use of alternative assessment. The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the type and the extent of authentic assessment used in public school physical education. A second purpose was to investigate physical education teachers' perceptions about the impact of authentic assessment use on students' self-concept, motivation, and skill achievement.

The teachers rated …

School Playground Supervision Practices In The State Of Iowa, Heather Marie Bauer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate what types of playground supervision practices were being performed in Iowa public elementary schools. More specifically this study included the following research questions:

1. What is the typical public elementary school in Iowa? 2. Do schools in Iowa have playground supervision plans?
3. Who supervises the children?
4. Do schools require the supervisors to have playground safety training?
5. Do schools perform a regular maintenance check on their playground?

A questionnaire was designed to answer the research questions posed in this study. The questionnaire was reviewed by a panel of experts for …

Comparison Of Health Practices Of International Students At The University Of Northern Iowa Before And After Coming To The United States, Joseph Kwesi Ogah

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The primary purpose of this study was to compare the health practices of international students at the University of Northern Iowa before and after coming to the United States (US). Also included in the study was a description of differences in the selected health behaviors by gender, age, marital status, residence type, place of origin, and length of stay in the US. A random sample of 81 international students from about 60 different countries (35% male, 65% female) responded to a 50-item health behavior survey in the Fall semester of 1999.

The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was …

Physical Activity Patterns Among Physical Education Major Students In Selected Institutions Of China And The United States, Wei Bian

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The benefits associated with regular physical activity have been well documented in recent years. Numerous studies have investigated physical activity patterns among children, adolescents, and adults, yet little work to date has examined the patterns of habitual physical activity participation among pre-service physical education (PE) majors. Furthermore, inasmuch as physical activity affords health benefits irrespective of one's nationality or culture, comparisons among the peoples of nations around the world becomes of greater interest.

This study was designed to examine the leisure-time physical activity patterns of physical education major students in selected institutions from the People's Republic of China (PRC) and …

Factors Affecting The Self-Perceived Continuing Education Needs Of Certified Athletic Trainers, Marchell Cupett Austin

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This purpose of this study was to determine the self-perceived continuing education needs of Certified Athletic Trainers, the factors that affect those needs, and continuing education participation as well as preference for program format. A survey was developed using the domains and tasks depicted by the NATABOC's Role Delineation Study. Respondents rated the importance of their need for continuing education for each task within five domains: prevention of athletic injuries; recognition, evaluation and immediate care of athletic injuries; rehabilitation of athletic injuries; health care administration; and professional development and responsibility. The survey was sent to 2,000 randomly selected Certified Athletic …

Constructing Family Health Histories: Connecting Theory And Practice In The Health Education Classroom, Ragene Dalton Gwin

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purposes of this study were to describe how the construction of a multigeneration family health history affected health-related knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and intentions of postsecondary students enrolled in a personal health course; and to determine pedagogical effects of utilizing a multigeneration family health history construction project within that context. This study connects constructivist theory with authentic learning and health education outcomes to better understand what knowledge is important and what instructional methods enhance development of knowledge.

Research questions shaping this investigation included:

1. How does the process of constructing a multigeneration family health history influence health-related knowledge?
2. How does the …

Predicting Adolescent Aids-Related Risk Behavior From Psychosocial Factors: A Replication, Erika Lea Kumerow

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to replicate Hays's (1992) methodology and extend her sample size. Replication of Hays's (1992) results would allow for generalization and would lend support to the path model of sexual activity she proposed.

Subjects for the study were 529 ninth grade students attending four schools in a rural midwestern state. Of the four schools, three were public schools and one was a parochial school. The parochial school was made up of two separate buildings, one located in a metropolitan area and the other in a rural area. Although the buildings were considered to be combined …

Health Interests Of Ninth Grade Students In Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia, Jamel F. Al-Rashad

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to describe the health interests and preferred health education teaching methodologies of selected ninth grade male students in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia.

The review of the literature indicated the importance of taking students' interests into consideration in designing effective and meaningful health education programs. It is hoped that the results of this study will help Saudi authorities develop a health education program that effectively responds to the students' health interests and one that is delivered in the most meaningful fashion to them.

The sample for this study consisted of 250 ninth grade male students …

The Effects Of Two Teaching Methods On Students’ Aids-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs, And Behaviors, Connie M. Ryan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two different teaching methodologies on acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of a selected group of undergraduate students at the University of Northern Iowa. The two methods used were a lecture on AIDS for one group of students and the same lecture followed by a panel discussion with individuals upon whom AIDS has had a direct effect on their lives for a second group of students.

Subjects consisted of three sections of students enrolled in an undergraduate personal wellness course at the university. One section of …

Predicting Adolescent Aids-Related Risk Behavior From Psychosocial Factors: A Path Analysis, Sharon M. Hays

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study had two purposes. The first was to develop a model for relating the unique and combined contributions of knowledge about AIDS, attitudes toward AIDS, and several psychosocial characteristics to the self-reported sexual activity of adolescents. The second purpose was to validate the proposed causal paths by studying a sample of ninth-grade adolescents and using the results of a path analysis to revise the a priori model.

The model validation study was conducted among 179 ninth-grade adolescents. A questionnaire involving knowledge, attitudinal, psychosocial characteristics, and self-report behavioral information was administered (spring, 1989). The instrument used combined a questionnaire developed …

Philosophies And Practices Regarding Youth Physical Fitness Testing In Iowa Schools, Amy Elizabeth Fuller

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the study was to determine the current philosophies and practices of physical educators regarding physical fitness assessment of children and youth in public and private schools in Iowa. Specifically, the study was designed to investigate the physical fitness assessment preparational procedures, the actual testing procedures, the follow-up procedures to testing, and the professional opinions regarding physical fitness testing of children and youth.

The subjects included physical educators from 79 Iowa schools that participated in the Iowa Youth Fitness Project. These subjects were selected based on their prior involvement in the collection of data concerning the physical fitness …

A Descriptive Study Of Breastfeeding Promotion In Iowa Hospitals, Joyce Kay Hansel

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to describe the practices of selected Iowa hospitals in the promotion of breastfeeding. Routine hospital policies, procedures, and patient education programs regarding breastfeeding mothers and their infants were investigated.

The study sample consisted of hospitals in the state of Iowa which had 200 births or more for the reporting year as listed in the 1989 American Hospital Association Guide to the Health Care Field. Based on this criterion the sample size was 44. A 20 item self-reporting questionnaire was designed and used as the tool for data collection. Frequencies and percentages were reported for …

Prediction Of Maximal Oxygen Consumption In Boys, Ages 11 To 14 Years: An Investigation Of Field Measurements For Use In Schools, Loran D. Erdmann

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study investigated the prediction of maximal oxygen consumption in boys, ages 11 to 14 years, from a shuttle walk protocol and other field measurements appropriate to use in school settings. Maximal oxygen consumption was determined in 67 subjects using a treadmill protocol (M = 52.3 ml^·kg^-1·min^-1, SD = 8.4). Subjects performed an 800-yard shuttle walk as fast as possible on a 20-yard course, with elapsed time recorded. Telemetrically measured postwalk heart rate, height, weight, sum of triceps and subscapular skinfold measurements, body mass index, and exercise frequency were also considered as predictors. Multiple …

The Impact Of A Model Inservice Program On The Components Of Comprehensive School Health Education, Susan J. Koch

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Inservice education has been utilized for both professional growth and school improvement in all educational disciplines for more than a century. As the focus of school health education has extended to include the concept of the wellness lifestyle and health promotion, school health educators have employed inservice education as a vehicle for improving the three components of comprehensive school health education: curriculum and instruction, school health services, and the healthful school environment.

One response to the need for professional training of school employees in wellness has been the Seaside inservice model. Initiated in Oregon in 1977, the model is based …

Health Knowledge And Health Behavior Of Deaf Adults In Black Hawk County, Iowa, Leslie Ellen Smith

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the present health knowledge and health behavior of deaf adults in Black Hawk County, Iowa. In addition, the relationship between knowledge and behavior was examined. It was hypothesized that health knowledge and health behavior would be positively correlated.

A list of deaf adults was compiled through contacts with public and private agencies serving the deaf. Subjects received an introductory letter and response form by mail with subsequent telephone follow-up. Twenty-three deaf adults participated in the study representing 21% of the known, non-institutionalized deaf adults in the county. Participants were interviewed with …

Knowledge And Attitudes Pertaining To Sex Education Courses : A Survey Of A Selected Group Of High School Students, Rebecca Sue Barrionuevo

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate high school students' knowledge and attitudes pertaining to sex education courses. Specifically, the following questions were posed relative to the student's sex and his/her sex education background (in school):

1. How accurately will senior high school students match a given list of eleven sex topics with their respective standard definitions as stated in The Encyclopedia of Sexual Behavior? 2. Given a list of sex topics and a second list of possible sources of information, what "first" sources of sex information will most frequently be identified by senior high school students? 3. To …