Education Commons^™

Assessing The Implicit Curriculum In Social Work Education: An Examination Of The University Of Northern Iowa Students' Experiences, Madison Motz

Honors Program Theses

As part of a social work program’s accreditation process, social work programs across the United States are now being asked to assess their implicit curriculum, defined as the educational environment in which the explicit curriculum is presented, as new evidence has shown that implicit curriculum plays an important role in the learning, development, and professional outcome of social work students. Following the wake of a series of student diversity-related injustices across the state of Iowa, our team set out to create an implicit curriculum survey tool shaped by the experiences, concerns, and feedback presented by students within the social work …

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Asian American Transracial Adoptees In College, Frances Elizabeth Mcdermott

Honors Program Theses

Asian American transracial adoptees are an underserved and underrepresented population in America, specifically on college campuses. The purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of experiences lived by individuals in this group, focusing on their time in college. Through qualitative interviews, this research captured the feelings, opinions, and experiences of select individuals within this group. Two semi-structured interviews were conducted with six separate participants via video chat. All participants attend(ed) the University of Northern Iowa, were 18 years of age or older, and were adopted from an Asian country into a White, American family. Results showed that …

Measuring Meaningful Learning In A Chemistry Laboratory, Kylie Engstrom

Honors Program Theses

In the past, students in general chemistry classes at the University of Northern Iowa have struggled with pre-labs due to cognitive overload. To better prepare students for the lab portion of the class and to reduce the amount of cognitive load, professors can provide students with strategies to scaffold information for students. The CLUE General Chemistry curriculum, which emphasizes the use of scientific practices, paired with a new SWH/ADI hybrid laboratory model was implemented in one of the sections of CHEM 1110 in the Fall 2019 semester. The goal of including these new features was to provide more scaffolding for …

Determining And Addressing The Needs Of Transracial Korean Adoptees In Higher Education, Alison Yoo-Jung-Kim Dickinson

Honors Program Theses

One out of ten Korean Americans is estimated to be an adoptee (McGinnis, 2007). The majority of these adopted Korean Americans are transracial adoptees (TRAs), a group that has not received enough attention despite their unique experiences, perspectives, and needs. On top of the unique challenges TRAs face throughout life in general, most young adults go on to pursue a higher education which is a developmentally challenging time for anyone, pushing students to define their own values and personal identity (Long, 2012). According to the U.S. State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs (2018), there were 20,800 transracial Korean adoptees (TRKAs) …

Organized Gaming And Its Effect On Collegiate Academics, Mark Cochran

Honors Program Theses

With the emergence of gaming as an ever more popular pass time, and professional level eSports gaining steam, collegiate student organizations are beginning to reflect this change as well. This study of 166 college students from across the United States addresses the rise of gaming organizations and their subsequent effects of collegiate academics, namely grade point averages (GPA). The results suggest that participation in an organization dedicated to gaming results in a slightly lower GPA than those involved in other organizations, but still higher than average pointing towards factors of involvement still benefiting students. An important factor to note is …

"Perks And Produce Of The Panther Plot": A Multi-Component Program To Engage Uni First-Year Cornerstone Students In Local Foods, Gardening, And Food System Sustainability, Lauren Janning

Honors Program Theses

The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Panther Plot is an on-campus garden originally designed to provide university students with the opportunity to learn practical gardening skills and apply educational concepts concerning sustainable food systems (Aquilani, 2013). When implemented in 2013, the garden was expected to foster relationships and connections throughout the UNI community and offer a diverse learning experience in the pursuit of academic and civic excellence (Aquilani, 2013). Due to resource constraints, no activities have been undertaken to track objectives/indicators associated with the Panther Plot goals. After speaking with students, staff, and faculty associated with the functioning of the …

Variations In State Higher Education Grant Programs: Potential Reforms From A Case Study, Rachael Johnson

Honors Program Theses

As higher education costs continue to rise across the nation, students are increasingly needing financial assistance. State grant aid programs play a vital role for millions of students across the nation when paying for their postsecondary education. This case study looks specifically at Iowa’s, Nebraska’s, and Wisconsin’s state funded grant aid models to understand how Iowa could restructure their current grant aid program to better serve both the students and taxpayers of the state. Specifically, for Iowa’s grant aid programs, four changes are recommended.

1. All higher education sectors should be eligible for the state’s primary grant aid program.
2. At minimum, …

Comparing First-Generation And Continuing-Generation College Students' Self-Efficacy, Campus Involvement, And Academic Performance, Kaylin Nichole Upah

Honors Program Theses

In order to highlight potential differences between first-generation college students (FGS), defined as neither parent having completed a Bachelor’s degree, and continuing-generation students (CGS), this study compares FGS and CGS in terms of self-efficacy, campus involvement, and academic performance measured by grade point average (GPA) during their first year at a university. In order to investigate these relationships, this study utilizes University of Northern Iowa (UNI)’s 2015-2016 Mapworks data. Mapworks is a voluntary survey that first-year students, including freshmen and transfer students, complete during the fall and spring semesters. A total of 1549 first-year students participated in the 2015-16 survey, …

"A Special Program For Highly Gifted Students:" The Evolution And Growth Of Uni's Honors Program, 1959-2009, Matthew Christian Miller

Honors Program Theses

In 1959, the faculty of the Iowa State Teachers College (ISTC), what is now known as the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), approved the creation of an honors program for gifted students, those who performed “above the norm for their age.”¹ Over the next 50 years, this program’s structure evolved and expanded to meet the changing needs of both the university and students from various backgrounds. The UNI Honors Program’s creation and evolution were not isolated events; rather, they reflected various local and national trends in education. UNI’s first honors program began as a reflection of ideas promoted by …

Dropping In On Dropouts: An Analysis Of Withdrawals From The University Of Northern Iowa, Lindsey Marie Pedersen

Honors Program Theses

A university needs to maintain enrollment to keep its budget relatively constant each year. Universities can maintain enrollment by either recruiting new students or retaining current students. Retaining current students requires fewer resources, making retention the more cost effective strategy. To increase retention a university must know the factors that lead to withdrawal. However, current withdrawal studies focus on aggregate enrollment. At the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), students who have decided to withdraw from classes during the semester complete a form that asks for their reason of withdrawal. The Enrollment Management Department at UNI could use the student responses …

Higher Education Expenditures And Revenues : A Case Study On The University Of Northern Iowa, Thomas Keld Madsen

Honors Program Theses

Higher education costs have skyrocketed in recent years, leaving millions of students in copious amounts of debt. Facing problems with decreased support from state legislators, universities have increased tuition and fees to compensate. At the same time, university spending, especially in non-academic programs and services, has continued to rise. A fight as emerged between states and the schools residing in them for who is to blame for the increasing cost of higher education, and in the middle of the debate are schools such as the University of Northern Iowa (UNI). A medium-sized school, UNI faces decreasing financial support from the …

Asset-Based Community Development Practices In International Service-Learning: A Content Analysis Of Short-Term Programs In Nicaragua, Kara Christine Poppe

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of the study is to explore how students on short-term international service-learning programs in Nicaragua interact with local communities by analyzing the structure of the programs as evidenced by course syllabi and website content. After extensive online research of international service-learning programs offered in Nicaragua, seven programs became the focus of the study. The four research questions included: 1) In what ways do the international service-learning programs support key components of service-learning, such as academic connections and reflection? 2) In what ways do the international service-learning program structure the time in the host country for service and tourism? …

Assessing Study Abroad Outcomes: Groundwork For Change In Curriculum, Avary Bradford

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine the outcomes of participating in a short-term study abroad program. This study outlines experiences of undergraduate students from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) who completed a three-week study abroad course in Southern Italy in May 2015. Data for this study were collected through the use of three online surveys. I compare and contrast survey results in order to provide a model for analysis such that study abroad programs like this provide both rigorous and relevant content and structure which increases the well-roundedness and global awareness of students. According to past studies, …

Investigating Educational Quality At One Comprehensive University, Blake Thurston Findley

Honors Program Theses

President Obama has called for increased access to higher education and simultaneously wants greater educational quality from our colleges and universities. Comprehensive universities in particular, due to their high enrollment of underserved populations, need to ensure they are providing the highest quality education possible. The current study investigated educational quality at a comprehensive university by examining research-supported behaviors related to educational quality as well as perceptions of educational quality of faculty and students. The study found that faculty play a tremendous role in comprehensive universities, yet are underappreciated by their administration. Additionally, comprehensive universities are trying to be everything to …

A Comparison Of Brazil And The United States: How Higher Education Can Shape And Be Shaped By History, Politics, Culture, And Economy, Cassandra Mae Oliveira

Honors Program Theses

This thesis will argue that, in order to cooperate, negotiate, and coexist in the future with Brazil, it is necessary to understand the way in which Brazil is educating its youth in comparison to how the United States is doing so since the products of these educational systems are the future leaders of their nations. Also, this thesis will analyze the reasons these educational institutions evolved so differently by reviewing how they were influenced by the intricate histories, the differing political leadership, the eccentric cultures, and the fluctuating economies of each nation. It will also evaluate how these different university …

Should I Stay Or Should I Go?: A Comparison Study Of Cornerstone And Non-Cornerstone Students' Levels Of Campus Engagement And Institutional Commitment, Theresa Luensmann

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to discover if sophomores who took Cornerstone as freshmen are more committed to UNI and more engaged in the campus community than sophomores who did not take Cornerstone as freshmen. This work is important because it focuses on the role of a unique first-year experience course on sophomores, which as a group is more likely to leave the institution they are attending. The study helps in determining the effectiveness of the Cornerstone class in keeping students committed to UNI in their second year. It will also help with the development of ideas for ways …

Scholarship Management System, Eric Irvin Sauser

Honors Program Theses

The following document is my personal reflection looking back at the process to develop the Scholarship Management System. I will begin by offering a high‐level overview of the system as well as why I chose the project for my honors thesis. I will then explain the steps I took to complete the project as well as the functionality included in the system. I will close by assessing the value of the system to the users and provide a statement of my personal gains as a result of this project.

Effects Of Sexual Assault Education On College Students' Rape-Supportive Attitudes, Jessica Ann Ueland

Honors Program Theses

Few studies have measured the effectiveness of sexual assault programming is in decreasing acceptance of rape myths. This study examined two research questions. First, would students in a class that included a sexual assault education component be more likely to demonstrate a change in degree of rape myth acceptance than students who were not in a class that included sexual assault education? Second, within the treatment group, would males demonstrate a larger change in rape myth acceptance than females? At the end of the course, the treatment group showed a significant decrease in rape myth acceptance; there was not a …

Study Abroad: Products, Practices, And Perspectives Of A New Culture, Molly Marie Juza

Honors Program Theses

How does one adapt him/herself to an environment that is so different in almost every way? Noticing exactly how one is forming their gestures and body movements so as not to offend anyone, modifying one’s point-of-view on issues that seem so straightforward like cutting in line, and realizing that even facial expressions are partially culturally determined are among countless other topics within the situations that sojourners voluntarily place themselves for months at a time. How do they adapt to these strange new situations? What are some of the difficulties in adapting? What aspects of their home culture do they maintain? …

Problem-Solving Behaviors In College Relationships, Bethanie Frattini-Scott

Honors Program Theses

This study examined the individual characteristics that affect one’s willingness and ability to resolve problems in romantic relationships and one’s decision to seek support from a romantic partner. One hundred twenty-six college students in romantic relationships completed measures of attachment style, relationship efficacy, partner attributions, and relationship satisfaction, and responded to hypothetical scenarios assessing their problem-solving and support-seeking behaviors. Participants reporting higher attachment ambivalence were more perceptive than others to threats to their relationships and exhibited a greater effort to reduce conflict, although they reported lower levels of confidence in their problemsolving abilities. People reporting higher avoidance anticipated placing greater …