Education Commons^™

Teacher Perceptions Of Cross-Cultural Adaptability And Instructional Practices In International Locations, Debra S. Lee

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the study was to investigate differences in cross-cultural effectiveness between classroom teachers in international settings and classroom teachers in Iowa, and to examine, within a multicultural education framework, instructional practices of international teachers.

It is well documented that in American schools today, classrooms are becoming more diverse in regard to socio-economic status, ethnicity, race, intellectual ability, language, and religious heritage. School children today represent an incredibly diverse population. Conversely, the teacher population continues to be primarily female, White and from a monocultural background. This creates a mismatch between student and teacher backgrounds, perspectives, and cultural understanding, which …

The Use Of Direct Observation In Functional Behavior Assessment, Lori O'Rourke

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The present study is an investigation into the use of observational strategies as they apply to functional behavior assessment. In addition to highlighting the key observational methods, practical issues that affect the development of an observational instrument are discussed. Furthermore, the factors that influence the reliability and validity of an observation session are discussed. Suggestions are provided for practitioners who are observing the instructional, social, and physical factors that may influence a student's behavior within the classroom. Finally, this study will demonstrate how assessment knowledge, which is gained through direct observation, can be tied to effective classroom interventions.

Achievement Goal Theory: A Preliminary Study Examining Educators' Motivational Beliefs And Practices, Marc Groen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Achievement goal theory has become one of the most promising motivational theories examining both student motivation and achievement. The purpose of this study was to expand the current body of research on achievement goal theory by exploring educators' motivational beliefs and instructional practices. Data was collected from two Eastern Iowa school districts using an online survey. Results from this preliminary study provide important information about the practical nature of motivational problems from the perspective of elementary and middle school educators. The author explores the implications of the findings for educators, school psychologists, and future research.

Examining The Role Of Empathy Training In Anger Management Programs For Young Children, Amy L. Zirkelbach

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of empathy in anger management programs for young children. Given the growing body of research demonstrating the effectiveness of early intervention, efforts are being made to adapt anger management programs to younger populations. As researchers tackle this challenge, careful attention must be given to the unique developmental needs of this age group. Because many anger management programs involve an empathy training component, it is important to determine whether younger populations can benefit from this training. If children are not able to demonstrate these skills at this age, programs and curriculums …

A Qualitative Investigation Of Student Interactions In A Learning Activity Center: Defining Success, At-Risk Factors, And Resiliency For Developmental Programs In Community Colleges, John L. Kalkwarf

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This purposive study selected ten students of different background in order to understand how the educational success of adults was affected by Learning Activity Centers (LAC) in a community college. The ten selected students were all non-traditional students who had at least these three at-risk factors: (a) they scored below the college minimums on a diagnostic test in reading, writing, or mathematics, (b) they were below student financial aid guidelines, and (c) they had an interrupted educational history of two or more years. The ten students were paired into five categories: (a) Sudanese males, (b) Mexican females, (c) single parent …

An Exploration Of Academic Advising Care Groups At An Iowa Private College, Kendra Williams-Perez

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Care Group advising, as it was institutionally developed, is an academic advising method intended to improve the first year experience of undergraduate college students. The purpose of this study was to explore student perceptions of their participation in Care Group advising, as well as faculty and administrative perceptions. The overarching research question was: "How are academic advising Care Groups perceived by students, faculty, and administrators?" From the perspectives of students, faculty, and administrators, the following sub-questions served to guide this study:

1. Are academic advising Care Groups serving their intended purpose?
2. What are the perceived benefits of academic advising Care Groups, …

The Mind Is The Tabernacle Of The Consciousness Soul: A Journey Visiting The Roles Of Consciousness, Communication, Education, And Technology In Human And Curriculum Development By Integrating Dewey, Gebser, And Steiner: Past, Present, Future, Daniel Joseph Kazim Bardy

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This descriptive philosophical study examines 355+ question seeds of thought and discourse on consciousness, communication, education, and technology, much in the contexts of philosophical structures of human beings from 4,000,000 B.C. hominid man to the future of humankind and genetic enhancement. Curriculum and consciousness discussion of American John Dewey (1859–1952), Polish-born Jean Gebser (1905–1975), and Austrian-born Rudolf Steiner (1865–1920) is interwoven, finding commonalities of these philosophers and that of Daniel J. K. Bardy. Language being developed only 50,000 years ago is the defining point for Homo sapiens as the tool of linguistic communication, mutated forward much like the protrusion development …

Namibia Principals' Knowledge And Attitudes Towards Hiv/Aids And Their Compliance With The Ministry's National Policy, Shamani-Jeffrey Shikwambi

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is infecting school-age children at an alarming rate. Effective education is the only prevention at this time. School principals can serve as a vital component in the prevention of HIV/AIDS in school-age children. The purpose of this study was to examine the knowledge and the attitudes of school principals in Namibia towards HIV/AIDS. The study also examined the extent of Namibian school principals' awareness level and implementation practices of the Namibian HIV/AIDS National Policy.

One hundred and forty-three school principals completed the HIV/AIDS Knowledge and Attitudes Scales for Teachers (Koch …

Opportunity And Access For Children With Disabilities In The Inclusive Preschool Classroom, Jodi Meyer-Mork

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In this qualitative case study, I investigated how one teacher provided opportunity and access to full classroom participation for children with disabilities in the inclusive preschool classroom over two academic years. The site was a state-funded preschool program for children considered at risk for school failure. The principle participants included a preschool teacher with more than 22 years of experience and ten preschoolers identified with mild to moderate disabilities. In this naturalistic inquiry (Bogdan & Biklen, 2003), data were collected through participant observation over two academic years. Primary data sources included descriptive and analytic field notes as well as formal …

The Efficacy Of Writing Course Placement At An Iowa Community College, Kristine D. Owens

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of writing course placement at an Iowa community college. The following questions were addressed: What indicators, separately or in combination, resulted in an appropriate or inappropriate student writing placement? (a) To what extent did the COMPASS test result in an appropriate placement? (b) To what extent did the self-directed essay result in an appropriate placement? (c) To what extent did a student's preference result in an appropriate placement?

This study was important to understand how the “directed self-placement” model, adapted from Royer and Gilles (1998, p. 1), impacted the institution's …

Investigating The Effectiveness Of Professional Development On High School Physics Teachers' Conceptual Understanding Of Newtonian Mechanics, Instructional Practices, And The Conceptual Growth Of Their Students, Julia K. Moeller

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a physics professional development program on secondary science teachers' conceptual knowledge of Newtonian mechanics, instructional practices and the conceptual growth of their students. The University of Northern Iowa Physics Institute enabled a group of twenty-one Iowa high school and middle school science teachers to complete the physics coursework required to obtain the State of lowa 7-12 Grade Physics Teaching endorsement. The Institute provided experiences to improve physics content knowledge and proficiency of constructivist methodologies for teaching high school physics.

Twelve Institute participants completed a two-year program during the 2002 …

Inter-Institutional Collaboration: A Case Study Of Factors Contributing To The Viability Of The Iowa Community College Online Consortium, Kent Johnson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In the competitive arena of distance education, the strategy of inter-institutional collaboration has been cast as a promising approach in reducing costs, expanding services, and demonstrating responsiveness. However, the work involved with collaborative arrangements has proven difficult, and the results have frequently failed to meet expectations.

The problem this research sought to address is that little is known about the factors involved in making distance education collaborations work. The Iowa Community College Online Consortium (ICCOC) was selected as a unit of analysis on the basis of purposeful sampling. The ICCOC, a comprehensive distance education collaboration involving seven member colleges, has …

Using Office Referral Data To Help Understand School-Wide Discipline, Sarah Remakel-Henkels

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Some schools looking to create and maintain a safe and supportive learning environment implement Positive Behavior Supports (PBS). Maintaining a safe and supportive school requires a solid sense of the current school climate and a continuous improvement process for measuring progress and making appropriate corrections. Schools need to be keeping track of whether a safe, supportive learning community is being provided to all students all of the time through key indicator data.

Due to the increased amount of accountability being placed upon schools and states through NCLB, there is also an increased amount of academic data collection required. One school …

Administrative Strategies That Foster Self-Reflective Practice In Iowa Educators As Perceived By Middle Level Principals And Teachers, Jane Brandt Lindaman

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

With the onset of the Iowa Quality Teacher Legislation, the Iowa Teaching Standards are mandated for use by all school districts in Iowa. These standards call for administrators to assist teachers in becoming self-reflective practitioners. The purpose of this study was to investigate administrative strategies employed by principals to assist teachers in becoming self-reflective toward the Iowa Teaching Standards. A secondary purpose of the study was to investigate the extent to which teachers are currently utilizing self-reflection as a method of improving their instructional effectiveness, as perceived by middle level teachers and principals in Iowa.

Four research questions were examined …

The Impact Of The No Child Left Behind (Nclb) Legislation On School Leadership Of Two School Buildings Designated In Need Of Improvement: An Agency Theory Perspective, Susan Pecinovsky

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of conducting this study was to describe and analyze how NCLB has influenced school leaders in school buildings designated in need of assistance (SINA) and to the sanctions that accompany that label. Included in this study is the examination of the principal-agent interactions proposed in agency theory through the relationship of Iowa school leadership and the Iowa Department of Education.

From the 11 school buildings presently designated schools in need of assistance according to the Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 2001 or No Child Left Behind, the school leadership of two school buildings participated in …