Education Commons^™

Historical And Legal Considerations In Development Of A For-Credit Internship Program, Nichole Zumbach Harken, Shelley Price-Williams

Faculty Publications

Background: This research outlines important factors in the development of a for-credit internship program by providing a historical context of internship work dating back to the original case of Walling v. Portland Terminal (1947), which outlined acceptable non-paid work of trainees, to more current applications of these labor laws in Wang v. Hearst (2016) and Glatt v. Foxlight Pictures (2016) then connects those legal precedents with current research in best practices.

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to examine legal implications on for-credit internship programs and create recommendations based on United States law. Methodology/Approach: This work uses peer-reviewed research …

Faculty And Student Perceptions Of Cheating, Anita M. Gordon, Helen C. Harton, Emma Welch

Faculty Publications

Students and faculty at a mid-sized masters comprehensive university completed a survey regarding their perceptions of student cheating and other academic misbehavior. A total of 656 student surveys (22%) and 303 faculty surveys (35%) were analyzed to determine the perceived prevalence of cheating across campus, which behaviors are considered cheating, and how wrong they are perceived to be. Results demonstrated less consensus among faculty than expected on which misbehaviors violate the academic ethics policy as well as considerable variation in the perceived frequency that the policy violations occur, for both students and faculty. Increased education about plagiarism and cheating is …

Perceptions And Predictors Of Questionable Research Practices In The Biological Sciences, Anita M. Gordon, Helen C. Harton

Faculty Publications

A nationally representative sample of 429 biology researchers (40% response rate) from 107 R1 and masters universities assessed the features of six research scenarios and reported the probability they would take the same (questionable) action as the actor in the scenario. Results suggest that individual factors such as moral judgment and perceived internal and external consequences may play a larger role in research misbehavior than perceptions of organizational justice or other features of the research environment.

Perceptions And Predictors Of Questionable Research Practices In The Social Sciences, Anita M. Gordon, Helen C. Harton

Faculty Publications

Conclusions

■ As expected, moral judgment, anticipated shame, and perceptions of harm were the strongest and most consistent predictors of the perceived likelihood of misconduct.

■ Perceived likelihood of detection only predicted for one scenario, and sanctions had no overall effect (sanctions did affect how strongly moral judgment affected likelihoods).

■ There were no differences in perceived likelihood of misconduct by type of university.

■ Early career faculty reported higher likelihoods.

■ Organizational justice was not related to likelihoods.

Perceptions Of Questionable Research Practices In Social Work And Other Disciplines, Anita M. Gordon, Cindy Juby, Helen C. Harton

Faculty Publications

Outline

 Background on research misconduct

 Study purpose and method

 Overview of descriptive results

 Regression results

 Limitations

 Implications for reducing misconduct

University Faculty Perceptions Of Research Practices And Misconduct, Anita M. Gordon, Helen Harton

Faculty Publications

This poster presentation shares preliminary results from a national survey, funded by the U.S. Office of Research Integrity, to investigate the perceptions of research misconduct by faculty researchers from four disciplinary areas (biology, social work, sociology, and psychology). About 4,500 faculty from 107 randomly selected researchintensive and master’s universities were invited to participate. Respondents assessed scenarios depicting more and less serious researcher misbehavior and reported how likely they would be to take those actions under the same circumstances. They also rated their perceptions of how wrong the actions were, how likely the actions were to become known to others, and …

Perceptions Of Research Misconduct: Pilot Data From A National Survey, Anita M. Gordon, Helen Harton

Faculty Publications

Studies have shown that serious misconduct in academic research (e.g., data fabrication) is uncommon, whereas questionable research practices (e.g., courtesy authorship) occur on a fairly regular basis (Fanelli, 2009; John, Lowenstein, & Prelec, 2012). Yet limited research has been undertaken to understand why researchers engage in these behaviors (Martinson, Anderson, Crain, & DeVries, 2006; Mumford, Connelly, Murphy, Devenport, Antes, Brown, et al., 2009), in spite of the critical attention that misconduct cases bring from scientists, policymakers, and the public. As in other areas of human endeavor, understanding the complex causes of misbehavior is critical in formulating appropriate prevention structures or …

Rational And Moral Perceptions Of Research Misconduct, Anita M. Gordon

Faculty Publications

Previous research has shown that a variety of factors may be implicated when researchers engage in misconduct, typically falling within three broad categories of personal background or disposition, immediate situational factors, and environmental variables related to peers, departments, fields, universities, or larger scientific systems. The goal of this project was to examine how faculty researchers elect to engage in more or less serious forms of misconduct, grounded in two theoretical frameworks: a) Rational Choice Theory, which posits that individuals are rational beings who select options that promise the greatest rewards and fewest drawbacks possible (Tittle, et.al., 2010); and b) the …

Perspectives Of Fitness And Health In College Men And Women, Jennifer J. Waldron, Rodney B. Dieser

Faculty Publications

Because many college students engage in low levels of physical activity, the current study used a qualitative framework to interview 11 college students to examine the meaning physically active college students assign to the practice of fitness and health. Students discussed the importance of healthy eating, but that it was difficult to accomplish at college. Additionally, students intertwined health and fitness with physical appearance and attractiveness. In particular, the media shaped many of their perceptions of health and fitness. Implications of these findings to policy making in higher education, in particular wellness programming, are highlighted.

What Would Buffy Do? The Use Of Popular Culture Examples In Undergraduate Library Instruction., Jerilyn Marshall

Faculty Publications

This paper presents results of a survey that gathered information on the use of popular culture examples in college library instruction sessions; including the types of popular culture materials currently being used as examples; the types of courses in which they are used; the librarians' purposes in using the examples; and the librarians' impressions of whether or not the examples had an effect on the success of the session. A call for participation in the survey was distributed through two online discussion lists; BI-L and LIBREF-L during December 2001. Librarians working at the University of Northern Iowa were also invited …

A Districtwide Staff Development Program For Transitioning From A Basal To A Whole Language Literacy Program: The Teacher Educator's Role As A Partner In The Change Process, Jeannie L. Steele, Kurt Meredith

Faculty Publications

This paper describes Project MILE (Moline Improvement in Literacy Education); a school/university partnership program between the University of Northern Iowa and Moline (Iowa) Public School District #40. The project called for a long-term collaborative effort in order to develop a complex and sophisticated level of university involvement with a single school district; which would allow for observation of successes and failures and provide opportunities for refinement of training efforts based on feedback. The project combined the prescriptive and catalytic models of organizational intervention; as teacher educators served as consultants to bring new information and strategies to the school teaching and …

A Pilot Study: Comparing The Use Of Computer-Based Instruction Materials And Audio-Tape Materials In Practicing Chinese, Ka-Fai Shiu, Sharon E. Smaldino

Faculty Publications

Computer-based and audio tape materials were compared for their effectiveness in helping students practice Chinese language lessons. Subjects were enrolled in an intensive elementary course in Mandarin Chinese. The textbook and audio tape were prepared by the Beijing Language Institute in China; and the computer-based material was developed by the author using HyperCard based on the textbook. Written and spoken components were tested; using tests developed by the instructor; a native of China. The instructional materials were used alternately in the 16-week course at the University of Northern Iowa (Cedar Falls). Students performed better in the weeks the computer-based materials …

An Approach To The Evaluation Of Elt Preparation Programs, Stephen J. Gaies

Faculty Publications

Discussion of the evaluation of training programs for teachers of English as a Second Language consists of: (1) characterization of general approaches; (2) review of reasons for interest in program evaluation; and (3) description of a University of Northern Iowa (UNI) evaluation project that uses a portfolio approach extending 3 years beyond program completion. At UNI; assessment of teacher trainees occurs at four points in the trainee's career: at declaration of undergraduate ESL major; at approximately the second semester of the junior year; during the last undergraduate semester; and 1-3 years after graduation. The principal method used is evaluation of …

The University Of Choice: Social Work Students At Uni, James G. Mccullagh

Faculty Publications

The study examined expressed reasons for choosing the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) by undergraduate students majoring in social work there. Responses of 205 social work majors to a questionnaire found that these students chose UNI primarily because of location; size; cost; the presence of a social work program; to get a good education; to be with their friends; and to continue a family tradition. Other findings indicated that 44% of students had attended other colleges previously; that many students considered other majors before deciding on social work; that 84% of the students had been born in Iowa; that 50% …

Career Status Of Baccalaureate Social Work Graduates: An Appraisal Of A Professional Program, James G. Mccullagh, Donald E. Maypole

Faculty Publications

A followup survey was conducted of baccalaureate-level graduates of the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Department of Social Work to develop a database on graduates' career activities and to determine the market for the Masters of Social Work (MSW) program as well as graduates' view of the efficacy of the social work major. Of 538 graduates mailed a questionnaire; 172 responded. Findings include the following: 65 percent were either working full-time; part-time; or were enrolled full-time in a graduate social work program; 11 percent had not obtained a social work position; most graduates were employed by agencies in urban areas …

Instruction In College Freshman Composition. Final Report., Ross M. Jewell, John Cowley, Gerald Bisbey

Faculty Publications

The research attempted to determine whether or not there was any difference between the scores of two groups of juniors; both of which had no freshman composition instruction; but one of which (Group 1) had composition instruction in the junior year and the other (Group 2) had not. Three measures; COOP; CEEB; and a theme; were administered at the end of the sophomore year and again at the time when Group 1 completed the course. Comparisons were made between scores of the two groups; of the males of each group; and of the females of each group. Results are: (1) …

The Effectiveness Of College-Level Instruction In Freshman Composition. Final Report, Ross M. Jewell, John Cowley, Gordon Rhum

Faculty Publications

This final report of a two-stage project describes an effort to determine whether students receiving instruction in freshman English composition perform better on standardized tests than students who do not receive similar instruction; when both groups are in college the same length of time. The second phase of the experiment detailed in the report involves 1;040 matched pairs of students from the University of Northern Iowa; the University of Iowa; Kent State University; the University of Colorado; and Northern Illinois University. Using the Cooperative English Tests: English Expression (COOP); the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) English Composition Test; and a …

Evaluation Of College-Level Instruction In Freshman Composition; Part Ii, Richard Braddock, Charles R. Statler

Faculty Publications

To supplement an experiment at the University of Northern Iowa on the effectiveness of college-level instruction in freshman composition; the University of Iowa conducted its own experiment on the evaluation of freshman composition. This experiment was designed to determine (1) which method of rating papers is more reliable--the "general impression" method of the Educational Testing Service or the "analytical" method used at the University of Iowa; (2) if a more significant measure of writing quality is obtained when the better of two papers; rather than merely one; is used as a criterion; and (3) if the writing performance of students …