Education Commons^™

Teaching For Educated Children, Jane Ericson

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

Considering the question, "What are the qualities of an educated child?" has been both a personal and professional journey for me. That question was what I sought to answer nearly a year ago and have been thinking about ever since. Through this paper I intend, not just to share any conclusions I have reached, but also describe the thinking process I went through to get there. Actually, the process may have been more significant than the end. I believe that it has been a worthwhile topic to investigate, helping me to grow as I complete my own formal education and …

Rhodes Scholar: Defining An Opportunity, Kevin Diehl

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

While amateur athletes pursue the Olympics to prove their athletic prowess, collegiate scholars try to quantify their academic success by winning a Rhodes Scholarship. Track athletes must post an acceptable qualifying time just to compete in the Olympic trials where they must earn a berth to the Olympics. Likewise, after receiving their university's formal endorsement, aspiring Rhodes Scholars have to portray their all-around qualities and dreams in an application and essay, hoping to earn the chance just to be selected for a state interview. If they are fortunate at this level, the applicants become one of two nominees from each …

Making Meaning From International Educational Experiences: Transforming Inner Landscapes, Sami Lyn Story

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This qualitative study sought to gain a more complete understanding of the transformative potential of international educational experiences for US college students. The stories of seven traditionally aged students were evaluated to discern possible commonalties across the diverse experiences. These themes were framed as a cyclical process of departures, passages, and arrivals with special attention given to how students constructed meaning from their intercultural encounters. Factors such as the need to understand, affiliate, and create experiences appeared to be influential along with expectations of host cultures, definitions of family, and time spent in dialectical thought. Students who spent more time …

Perceptions Of Writing In A Community College Composition Course, Rebecca Ann Kamm

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate community college students' and their teacher's perceptions about writing in a beginning composition course. This study explored student and teacher views about composition, possible tensions about ways writing is defined, and ways to resolve tension. Specifically, this study addressed the following questions:

1. How do my perceptions as a writing instructor in a beginning community college composition course compare with my students' perceptions?
2. How do my students and I understand real and perceived consequences that arise from various views about writing?
3. How could my students and I mediate or resolve various views about …

Analysis Of Violence Prevention Perceptions Among Teachers And Principals In Iowa Public Secondary Schools, Elizabeth Fischer-Jurgensen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to examine teachers' and principals' perceptions of violence prevention training in Iowa's public secondary schools. The perceived level of danger, the actual amount of violence prevention training, the desired amount of violence prevention training, and the discrepancy between actual and desired amounts of violence prevention training were identified for 11 types of school violence. Additionally, the relationship between the size of community and each discrepancy was examined.

Five research questions were utilized with a quantitative research approach. A survey instrument was mailed to 480 public secondary school teachers and 120 public secondary school principals …

Multicultural, Gender-Fair Infusion Index And Survey, William P. Austin

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study investigated teachers' and students' perceptions of the degree of infusion of multicultural gender-fair educational components at the high school level. Two instruments were used: Multicultural Gender-Fair Educational Infusion Index and Multicultural Gender-Fair Educational Infusion Survey. The Multicultural GenderFair Educational Infusion Index was administered to 50 teachers in the subject areas of reading language arts, social studies, and physical science. The Multicultural GenderFair Educational Infusion Survey was administered to 82 high school-age students from the same mid-size Midwestern town. The results of the study showed a discrepancy in what teachers value in terms of multicultural education and how regularly …

A Case Study Of One Iowa Public School Superintendent's Evaluation Process, Gail Vanous Moon

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this exploratory case study was to identify and describe one Iowa public school district's superintendent performance evaluation process. This study explored the perceptions of one superintendent and one school board of directors in regard to the purposes, criteria, sources of information, and general effectiveness of their superintendent performance evaluation process.

The study was conducted in an urban K-12 public school district in northeastern Iowa. Factors considered in the selection of the school district included: size, location, demographics, as well as the willingness of the participants ta have their voices heard through the researcher. Also, the district was …

Student Self-Assessment, Portfolios, And The Context Of The Classroom, Colleen Goodenbour

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that seemed to influence student self-assessment in a language arts classroom where portfolios are used as a vehicle to align teaching, learning, and assessment. This was a qualitative study using naturalistic inquiry as a means to identify and explicate those factors. Data were gathered on individual students and the classroom by observation, which took the form of anecdotal records, surveys, portfolio work samples, conferences, and a personal reflective journal. This data provided information for three student portrayals and a composite language arts morning portrayal. The analysis of the portrayals and …

The Effects Of A Student-Centered Thinking Strategies Approach To Learning Basic Facts, Amber L. Grotjohn

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

Now the question becomes, "Can children learn basic facts even better by using a student-centered approach to helping them learn thinking strategies?" This study is an examination of a thinking strategies approach to teaching basic addition facts.

U.N.I. Think Tank, Brad Koch, Judson Poppen

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

This paper will discuss the possibility of a student-run think tank on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa. The goal of this paper is to give a complete view of how a student-run think tank would be implemented at U.N.I. The paper will be divided into three main sections. First, the paper will begin with a discussion of the basic requirements for a think tank at U.N.I. Second, the paper will discuss the keys to making the think tank a success. Finally, the paper will go into the actual steps that the think tank should take in order …

The Use Of Medication In The Management Of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder, Abigail S. Natvig

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

As Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder is a newly characterized disorder, and only beginning to be fully recognized, there are a multitude of options for its management and treatment. The purpose of this paper is to weigh the benefits and risks of medications and nonpharmacological treatments used for ADHD management.

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 …

The Effects Of Systematically Fading Reinforcement While Maintaining Skills, Jodi Suzanne Bronson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

A review of the literature describing treatment programs for young children with autism revealed two distinctly different strategies. One, the Lovaas approach (Lovaas, 1987), focused on an intense, one-on-one discrete trial training format implemented for approximately 40 hours per week. A prescribed curriculum targeted at social and communication skills is incorporated. The second program, TEACCH, emphasized an individualized curriculum selected after a careful assessment process to determine a person's strengths and limitations. Goals and objectives were subsequently implemented in highly structured special education classrooms where the focus was on antecedent control and the use of visually mediated strategies. Interviews with …