Education Commons^™

Shrink And Squeeze: Today's Teaching Pressures And Its Effect On Teaching Social Studies, Alyssa Diane Mckeone

Honors Program Theses

Social studies education is one of the four core subjects taught to students in elementary schools. Teaching social studies provides students with the content knowledge and ways of thinking to allow them to be participating members in their communities. Although there are many skills students learn from social studies, due to federal legislation starting with No Child Left Behind, social studies has been put on the back burner while math and reading take the forefront. The goal of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of teachers regarding their social studies teaching. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with veteran …

Using The Growth Mindset To Improve Opportunities For Negotiation In Argument-Based Inquiry Elementary Classrooms, Bridget Tharp

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to evaluate if teaching students about the growth mindset improves achievement on standardized science assessment in a classroom that uses argument-based inquiry (ABI) instruction. A critical part of ABI is also referred to as negotiation and is considered cognitively demanding for students. The demands of argumentation often make its implementation extremely challenging for teachers because students often do not have strategies to overcome the failure they will encounter during the process. ABI is a research-based instructional practice that has been shown to improve student learning in science. This study will look at specific aspects …

The Impact Of Peer Coaching On Peer Relationships And The Distribution Of Knowledge In Pre-Service Teachers, Kelsey J. Bowers

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of peer coaching on peer relationships and the distribution of knowledge in pre-service teachers. The increasing prevalence of teacher attrition in schools across the nation provides rationale for investigating potential avenues in combating this issue (Ingersoll, 2003). Increasing support and reducing teacher isolation are two important goals in peer coaching processes (Kurtts & Levin, 2000). This qualitative study was conducted using a single-case study research design. Pre-service teachers enrolled in an undergraduate advanced literacy practices course within an after-school literacy clinic setting were the participants of this study. Participants learned …

Intergenerational Conversation: Authentic Learning Through Critical Reflection Of A Community Engagement Learning Experience, Amy Davison

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to determine the type of reflection students are using in their final reflection stories to see if there was evidence of reflection in relation to authentic learning. Assignments from four Human Relations courses that included a community engagement learning component provided the data for a qualitative content analysis to determine authentic learning through the reflective writing assignments. Levels of reflection outlined in Kember, McKay, Sinclair, and Wong’s (2008) four category scheme for coding and assessing the level of reflection was applied to students’ written work. The student’s final essay written about their intergenerational community …

Examining The Supportive Employment Practices Used By Project Search: A Descriptive Study, Saeed A. Almalki

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Project SEARCH is a unique high school transition program from school-to-work for young adults with intellectual disabilities. This program teaches individuals with disabilities (interns) job skills in an inclusive work environment, such as a hospital. Therefore, the overall goal of this study was to examine Project SEARCH as a transition program that has data indicating positive outcomes regarding supportive employment for individuals with disabilities. Specifically, this study aimed to: (1) examine the ways in which Project SEARCH enacts its transition supported employment services for individuals with disabilities, and (2) examine the experiences and perceptions of Project SEARCH employees and coworkers …

Food Insecurity And The Elder Male: Exploring The Gap From Needing Food To The Utilization Of Assistance Programs, Gale Carlson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the qualitative study was to explore the relationship between the male elder’s experience of food insecurity and the utilization of food assistance programs. Particular emphasis was placed on the meaning the men ascribe to their experiences in accessing food. In the review of the literature, the determinants of food insecurity, especially for the elder male population, were identified as having important implications for fulfilling food needs. Additionally, distinct characteristics of men, along with how they view their needs, surfaced as impacting their food insecurity. This study utilized participant observation and in-depth interviews with five elder men who …

Current Practices Of Co-Teaching In An Elementary Inclusive School: Moving Toward Effective Co-Teaching Relationship, Mona Nassir Al Nassir

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Co-teaching has become more prevalent in schools. The purpose of this study is to explore how general and special education teachers build successful co-teaching relationships to provide special education services to students with disabilities. This case study specifically described how two pairs of co-teachers including one special education teacher and two general education teachers interact, collaborate, and build and promote their co-teaching relationships.

The observation and interviews with two first grade co-teaching pairs provided data that told the story of how their co-teaching relationships developed and were promoted through working together in an inclusive classroom. Research data for this qualitative …

Education Inequity: A Comparative Analysis Of Johannesburg And Chicago City Schools, Melissa Marie Johnson

Honors Program Theses

Variances in the quality of education between schools in the same metropolitan areas have been noted around the world, and researchers have speculated on several causes. In order to study the specific impacts of funding gaps, lower numbers and qualifications of teachers, and lack of resources for students learning English, the cities of Johannesburg and Chicago were compared and contrasted. Both cities contained areas with very high quality schools and isolated neighborhoods where schools generally had fewer resources and lower test scores. This research shows that the problems in both cities mirror one another to an extent. Schools systems in …

Iowa Schoolmarms: The Significance Of Rural Schools And The Feminization Movement, 1865-1920, Ashley Nicole Loper

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Approximately twelve to fourteen thousand one-room schoolhouses occupied the Iowan landscape during the late nineteenth century. Rural schools possess a strong connection to the memories Iowans have of their state and have a particularly strong impact on women’s recollections. The state was established during the climax of the educational reformation led by Horace Mann and Catharine Beecher. Consequently, Iowa mostly negated schooling by religious leaders and developed public school systems almost immediately upon the state’s foundations. The majority of the people settling Iowa already contained firm beliefs on public education being accessible for all citizens. Women began entering the schoolhouse …

"Slavery Wasn't That Bad": An Examination Of The Effects Of Reduced Social Studies Class Time And Student Misconceptions, Matthew Karl Mengler

Honors Program Theses

There are four core subjects taught in American public schools today: math, English language arts, science, and social studies. For years, the social studies have been receiving less instructional time when compared to “more important” subjects such as reading, language arts, and math. This has especially been the case since the legislation of No Child Left Behind which placed English language arts and math as the two main pillars of a child’s education. The goal of this study was to figure out how teachers are adapting to this lack of social studies instruction time and to see if there have …

Secondary Mathematics Educators And Coaches' Role In Providing Motivation, Reggie Schulte

Honors Program Theses

The compatibility between learning goals for students and mastery-oriented athletes makes sense based on my experience in both fields. I have often heard from coaches that it is important to “embrace the process” or “trust the process.” This same idea can be applied to a mathematics secondary classroom by praising effort and embracing the struggle that comes along with having a conceptual understanding of mathematics. As a future educator and coach, it is exciting, and to be honest somewhat scary, to know that I can a great effect on what my students believe they are able to achieve. After conducting …

Effects Of Role-Goal Methods On Student Engagement: A Case Study, Zachariah John Lillquist

Honors Program Theses

As a pre-service teacher, areas of focus that I have found to be incredibly intriguing are student motivation and student engagement. How educators motivate their students in their respective classrooms is something that has always been of interest to me. Many topics, including science – my field of teaching – are often remembered by students as the class they disliked the most or the one with the poor teacher. This could be due to a number of factors; it may be the style of teaching, the methodology of teaching, the age of the teacher, the curriculum itself, etc. The list …

Connections Between Science Teachers' Professional Development Preferences And Their Teaching Practices And Beliefs, Jessica Marie Wayson

Honors Program Theses

The effect of professional development preference, in relation to its effect on teacher practices and beliefs, has not been well studied. In order to better understand this dynamic, a nationwide online survey was developed and sent to secondary science teachers. The findings of this survey indicate a relationship does exist, but only within specific practices. During analysis, teachers were grouped by preference of professional development type including collaboration, reflection, conducting research, and professional development (such as conferences and workshops). Significant differences emerged from each group and implications for effective professional development practices will be addressed.

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, …

Student Perceptions On The Innovative Use Of Technology In Iowa Classrooms, Preston Vorthmann

Honors Program Theses

According to information from AEA 267 and the Annual Report on the Condition of Education 2016 by Iowa’s Department of Education (IDOE), 198 school districts out of 336 in Iowa (about 58%) have implemented a form of 1:1 programs, giving their students access to a tablet or laptop computer. This trend in education falls in line with the increased technology expenditures observed by the state in the past 10 years (Figure 1). These expenditures also relate to increased spending per pupil, which further supports that this increase is due primarily to the adoption of 1:1 and not, for example, a …

Student Affairs Approaches To Religion And Spirituality In U.S. Public Higher Education, Kayla J. Stafford

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The field of student affairs addresses diversity and inclusion for all students; however, the student affairs profession may not provide support and resources for all developmental identities. There are a small number of public institutions that provide resources to help address and support students’ religious and spiritual development. It is known that private colleges are able to provide spiritual and religious resources for students, but the current study investigates the opportunities that lie within public universities. Literature has provided evidence of the importance of religious and spiritual discussions and resources for holistic student development, and the significance of this study …

Improving Learning Center Usage Verification Processes Using Six Sigma, Latricia C. Hylton

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The Academic Learning Center at the University of Northern Iowa provides tutoring and advising services to enrolled students at the university. As Iowa legislatures consider performance based funding, having accurate and timely student usage data is imperative for the Academic Learning Center as the data is used in making funding decisions. The purpose of this research is to improve the student usage verification process and increase the accuracy of data collected by a math and science tutoring center located in the Academic Learning Center. An Access database was designed to record and track the math and science tutoring services provided …

The Power Of Team In Iep Meetings, Caroline Elser

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to examine school-family collaboration for students with disabilities by exploring how communication during Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings supports or limits parental participation. Research has indicated strong school-family partnerships lead to better educational outcomes for students. The IEP meeting is a critical component of the educational process for a child with a disability. The interactions between parents and school personnel during IEP meetings are complex events that can leave parents feeling frustrated or uninvolved in their child’s education. This qualitative study examined one IEP team meeting through in-depth interviews, participant observation of an IEP …

Living And Teaching For Social Justice: Teacher Educators' Stories And Experiences, Courtney Kay Clausen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In the United States, the population of students’ with diverse racial/ethnic, linguistic, and economic backgrounds is on the rise, while teachers entering the field of education continue to be White or of European decent, monolingual, and female. These experiential differences between students and teachers can result in a demographic gap, where teachers struggle to meet the needs of all learners due to misperceptions, stereotypical beliefs, and biases. Educational scholars have called for the integration of social justice education into teacher preparation programs in order to assist preservice teachers in challenging their perceptions of students, to challenge the existing inequitable educational …

A Case Study Analyzing The Traits, Programs, Actions, And Beliefs Necessary To Overcome The Correlative Relationship Between High Free And Reduced Lunch Rates And Low Standardized Test Scores, John Speer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

As the K-12 student population in Iowa continues to become more socioeconomically challenged, as evidenced by a continued increase in the free and reduced lunch rates for schools in Iowa, a demand for increased student performance on standardized tests is growing. This dichotomy proves challenging to schools. In general, schools with a higher rate of identification of students eligible for free and reduced lunch rates produce lower achievement scores on standardized tests. The purpose of this study was to (1) Identify the strength of the corollary relationship in Iowa between free and reduced lunch identification rate and 4th grade achievement …

Outcomes, Perceptions, And Experiences In One Cped-Aligned Educational Doctorate (Edd) Program, Jolene Kay Farley Teske

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

EdD programming has been questioned because of lack of clarity in the initial degree construction and confusion regarding its unique focus on enhancing practice. An improved, coherent focus was developed through the Carnegie Project on the Educational Doctorate (CPED). To understand the changes happening in CPED-influenced EdD programs, studies conducted within these newly-revised programs are vital.

The current mixed-methods study explored perceptions of education doctoral (EdD) students in a CPED-Influenced program at one Midwestern university (n=36 for survey; n=8 for interviews). The research questions examined: (a) the successful completion of outcomes in the program; (b) the influence of the seven …

An Investigation Of The Assessment Practices Of Elementary General Music Teachers In Iowa, Michelle Linn Hyde Swanson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Assessment, leading to informed decisions, is an integral part of music education and may be a means to justify the importance of music as a valued content subject (Brophy, 2000). The purpose of this study was to describe the elementary general music assessment practices in Iowa. The study was framed using Stiggins’ (2005) categorical definition of assessment as gathering, organizing, summarizing, and reporting data. Mixed methodologies were utilized to gather data regarding these four categories through survey questions (N=211) and two focus group discussions. The participants were from a variety of school district sizes as well as teachers with varying …

A Qualitative Comparison Of General Chemistry And Advanced Placement Chemistry Students' Misconceptions Regarding Solution Chemistry, Megan J. Vandersee

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study focused on identifying misconceptions which high school AP and collegiate general chemistry students hold with regards to solution chemistry topics and comparing the misconceptions held by each student group. Previous research has found that misconceptions can greatly impact students’ understanding of material and have a negative impact on student learning. However, not all solution chemistry topics had been explored in previous research. In addition, it has been suggested that collegiate students have reached a higher level of cognitive development as they are older and more advanced in their studies. If this is the case, one could assume that …

Using Blended Learning To Improve Undergraduate Introduction To Literature Courses: A Mixed Methods Approach, Julie Leigh Klein

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Blended learning is being used more and more in higher education. However, for humanities and other loosely content structured areas, blended learning can be challenging. It has generally been reserved for subject areas such as computer programing, mathematics, business, science, and statistics--courses where competence is commonly assessed by administering work on which performance is either right or wrong. Furthermore, agreement has not yet been reached on how to best incorporate the face-to-face and online teaching resources. This study examines one approach of implementing web-based instruction to improve undergraduate Introduction to Literature courses at a midsized Midwestern university.

This study was …

Impact Of Teacher Scientist Partnerships On High School Students' Perceptions Of Science, Kevin John Schneider

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

There exist a multitude of global issues in the 21^st century that can be addressed with the scientific process. In response to these dilemmas, there are a number of education initiatives that aim to raise interest in science careers. This study provides an evaluation for one such effort. Over 200 students from 4 different high schools and 4 teachers were presented with a pre to post survey to measure the impact of Research Experience for Teachers (RET) curricula. High school science teachers participated in a research experience, created curriculum with a scientist, taught the content in their classrooms, and …

Investigating The Role Of The Written Curriculum On Lesson Planning For First-Year Elementary Mathematics Teachers, Anna Kron

Honors Program Theses

While studies have previously explored aspects of lesson planning from the perspective of experienced teachers, there is a lack of research investigating how this process is different for brand new educators. The researcher, a preservice elementary teacher studying at the University of Northern Iowa, wanted to learn more about the available resources and how she would utilize them when planning for mathematics instruction in her first elementary classroom. At the completion of this project, the researcher hoped to have a better understanding of the process first-year elementary teachers experience when transforming written textbook materials into a mathematics lesson plan. The …

"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 …

For Two Or Two Hundred: A Workbook For Making A Difference, C. A. Brimmer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Designed for young people who want to develop a sense of active citizenship through social justice and community organizing; this workbook is founded on four main components: autoethnography/personal narrative, research based in critical pedagogy, social justice methodologies and literature. Activist profiles and exercises introduce the reader to a leadership style based in critical consciousness. The reader is part of the text as they complete exercises and fill in their own blanks, contributing ideas and carrying out practices related to various aspects of community organizing. This work book is designed for beginning activists who are new to concepts such as social …