Education Commons^™

School Wide Positive Behavioral And Intervention Supports : The Effectiveness Of Tier 1 Strategies, Gregory James Halsor

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This literature review critically examines the effectiveness of Tier 1 Positive Behavioral and Intervention Supports (SWPBIS). Managing problem behavior in the school setting has been a major focus of educators, with the goal of lowering classroom disruptions and increasing the effectiveness of learning.

Over the years, school wide behavior management programs have not been consistent or widespread leading educators to identify disruptive behavior as a primary concern in their classrooms. SWPBIS emphasizes the integration of measurable outcomes, data-based decision making, and evidence based interventions. Research on the implementation of SWPBIS in schools has displayed positive effects related to decreasing the …

Identification Of Motivation In Senior Individuals Who Engage In The Adventure Experience Of Ice Climbing, Donald B. Briggs

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Research has shown that individuals participate in high adventure activities for a variety of reasons. This study identified motivational factors for seniors, 55 and older, who participate in the high adventure activity of ice climbing. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight senior ice climbers who had at least three years of experience, had climbed the Midwest Silos, and were familiar with the researcher. Using a constant-comparative method, primary and secondary themes were identified from the data.

The findings of this study suggest senior ice climbers participate for a variety of reasons with the primary motivators of self-efficacy, social interaction, fun, …

An Examination Of Opposing Theoretical Perspectives: Are The Current Assessment And Instructional Practices For Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders And Mental Health Issues Effective And Sufficient?, Karen Aldrich-Duden

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Increasing student achievement is the purpose of all educational programs, including the programs for students with disabilities. The adequacy of the educational programing for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBO) who also have mental health issues was the focus of this qualitative study. Specific attention was paid to the assessment and instructional practices used with students with EBO in order to answer the research question: Are the current assessment and instructional practices for students with EBD and mental health issues effective and sufficient? This study explored the potential benefits of using an ecological theoretical framework based on the bioecological …

Investigating Blended Learning In The High School Science Classroom, Holly Cassandra Hinkhouse

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Blended learning combines the best practices of online learning with face-to-face learning and some research has shown it to have positive benefits for students at the postsecondary level. However, few studies have reported the use of blended learning in the high school setting. This study used quantitative methods to measure student attitudes and learning of science content in both a treatment and control group consisting of 9th grade Physical Science classes. Students in the treatment group experienced one semester of blended learning by using online science modules to supplement their in-class learning while the control group continued to have only …

An Analysis Of The Effect Of A 21st-Century-Designed Middle School On Student Achievement, Gary David Schwartz

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Considering the billions of dollars invested in school buildings and the accountability for improving student achievement, there has been the lingering question about how the physical learning environment impacts student achievement. This study explored the impact of a new 21st-century-designed middle school facility on student academic achievement in mathematics and science. This case study used a mixed methods approach to examine the student achievement of 158 middle school students and the perceptions from 13 teachers and two administrators about the impact of the new facility on teaching and student learning. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect …

Evaluating The Effects Of Increasing Mathematics Graduation Requirements: A Survey Of The Effects Of State Policy Change In Illinois, Corey Tafoya

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In the summer of 2005, Illinois lawmakers made the decision to elevate the graduation standards for students, joining an increasing number of states who decided current requirements in their state were insufficient. This legislation affected aspects of English, science, and mathematics. The most significant change resulted in the increase of mathematics study from two years of mandatory study to three years in order to graduate. Any district that did not already require students to take three years had to decide how to react to this new requirement. This quantitative research study was designed to examine what effects this change had …

Perceptions Of Dimensions Of Service Quality And Recreational Benefits In Collegiate Recreational Sports Programs, Christopher Berne Denison

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

An enduring and essential element of collegiate recreational sports programs is an emphasis on providing high quality, high impact programs and services. In addition, participants in collegiate recreation settings have an expectation to receive benefits as a result of their participation. If recreational sport programs cannot meet the expectations of participants in their pursuit of these benefits, continued participation is unlikely. As collegiate recreational professionals work to continually improve their programs and services, they should also understand the needs and wants of their participants. Understanding what participant needs and wants are should allow leisure service providers to improve the programs …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Professional Development For The Use Of Interactive White Boards In Turkey, Erkan Taskin

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The primary purpose of this study is to investigate Turkish public school teachers’ and principals’ perceptions regarding professional development opportunities and practices that may be available for interactive whiteboard (IWB) use. The study aims at investigating the following questions: (1) What are Turkish teachers’ perceptions of the quantity and quality of IWB training they receive? (2) How does professional development affect teachers’ use of an IWB in a Turkish K-12 classroom? (3) What type of professional development do teachers have before and after the installation of the IWB in their classroom? (4) What differences, if any, are there among teachers …

Nurturing Resiliency Among Adolescents With Emotional And Behavioral Disturbances (Ebd) In A Special Education Setting, Rimaz Herz

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Many youth with emotional and behavioral disturbance (EBD) face significant challenges and difficulties with their families, schools, friends and peers, and even themselves, and experience them academically, emotionally, physically, socially and behaviorally. These youth need resilience to help them overcome these difficulties and challenges. This qualitative study focused on understanding the nature of schooling and interventions provided to students identified as having the most severe emotional and behavioral disabilities or needs, and how such schooling and interventions might explicitly or implicitly promote resilience. The researcher sought to examine interventions used by observing a specific self-contained program with clearly defined services. …

Leading Through Change: A Study Of The Role Of Central Office Leadership In The Process Of Secondary Change, Dirk A. Halupnik

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to more fully understand the actions of district level leaders in a major change effort and their effects on the change process. Furthermore this study aimed to provide additional information about the factors that school district central office administrators confront when making the decision to add another high school and the actions taken by these administrators to lead the district through this process so that other school districts and leaders may learn from this. The methodology for this study was a qualitative case study approach in which central office leaders in a district that …

Providing Academic Access To Individuals With Significant Disabilties [Sic], Lindsey Jill Frandsen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Academic access to the general education curriculum for individuals with significant disabilities poses many challenges for educators. With the implementation of the Essential Elements in the summer of 2013, educators will have a new instructional framework for providing access to their students. Within this thesis I have explored the challenges educators face in regards to facilitating academic access for students with significant support needs through the use of focus group interviews, and provide a literature review demonstrating where schools have been in regards to providing access, and where they are headed.

Mental Illness And Schools: An Examination Of How Schools Are Providing Supports And Services To Students With Mental Health Concerns, Nikki Leigh King

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This purpose of this study was to explore the educational experiences of an individual entitled to services through the labels of an intellectual disability and a mental health concern. The study employed qualitative methodologies and methods, through the use of a life/oral history, which allowed the researcher to interview the participant to gain a deeper understanding of the school experiences pertaining to a student with a mental health concern. The study concluded that authentic and individualized supports and services are needed as well as promoting meaningful relationships. Study considerations and future studies are discussed at the end.

A Survey Of Literacy Instruction In Public Preschool Programs In Iowa, Anne Marie Berthelsen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This paper focuses on the importance of emergent literacy instruction with preschool populations. Emergent literacy refers to the early developmental stages of reading in preschool children and focuses on strengthening pre-reading skills. This paper describes best practice for survey development as well as recommended changes to the methodology of a previous study. The paper also describes changes made to improve the previous emergent literacy survey and concludes with a discussion of how the results of the survey could be used to improve emergent literacy instruction for preschool children.

A Review Of A School Psychologist's Roles In The Implementation Of An Rti System, Leigh Ann Thul

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

As schools continue to move into this era of accountability, they must consider system level changes that will address the needs of students as a whole. Using the problem solving model through a system of Response to Intervention (Rtl), schools can use data to monitor discrepancies between expectations of learning and actual student outcomes. Not only can individual student data be used to problem solve about students but also, aggregated data as a whole can help inform system level decision making to reach accountability goals.

Moving to a system of Rtl takes many system level changes that can be daunting …

Comparing Second Grade Students' Creative And Content Knowledge Performance On Figural Transformation Activities Introduced In A Standard Or Enhanced Manner With Nutrition Content Knowledge Taught Through Factual Or Fantasy Reading, Angela Naomi Webb

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Creativity and problem solving are skills students need for success in the 21st century. With the increasing pressures of achieving higher student scores in emphasized content areas, teachers' instruction in science, social studies, music and art has been reduced to provide additional time for teaching reading and mathematics.These lost instructional areas often allowed students to express themselves creatively. Therefore, educators need to find a way to incorporate creativity into content areas like reading and mathematics.

This 16 week repeated measures study examined second grade students' academic and creative performance on figural transformation drawings during an extended reading-science-creativity integrated unit. A …

Comparing Sixth Grade Students' Creativity In Word Play To Spatial Construction With Integrated Academic Content Eliciting A Distal Or Proximal Perspective, Ksenia S. Zhbanova

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Pressing global problems require solutions from innovative ideas that depend upon educating a new generation to think creatively. The current study aimed at assisting 24 sixth grade students in a summer program develop their creativity skills in two different areas while integrating academic content. Student performance was examined for transfer of skills across domains and for support of Construal Level Theory, which holds that addressing topics distant in space, time, probability or experience leads to abstract thought supporting greater creativity.

The study was a counterbalanced, repeated measures, two-experimental condition study with students divided into two groups of 12 each. In …

The Effects Of One-To-One Computing For Students With Disabilities In An Inclusive Language Arts Class, Billie Jo Cowley

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Technology has become increasingly prominent in schools. The purpose of this study was to examine the integration of technology with students with disabilities, particularly the use of one-to-one computing when used in inclusive classrooms. This study took a qualitative approach exploring how one teacher integrated one-to-one computing into her curriculum and how students with disabilities perceived that integration.

The nine week study took place in a rural, Midwest, eighth grade inclusive language arts classroom. The general education language arts teacher and two students who received special education services were participants in the study. Data were collected from teacher interviews, student …

An Investigation On How Operational Wind Turbines Are Used In Secondary Classrooms, James Smith

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Through a review of literature, it was found that many schools in the United States are installing operational wind turbines, but it was unclear how teachers were using them in their science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) classrooms. In order to identify how these operational wind turbines were being used and to create a list of expectations for schools with operational wind turbines, this exploratory study surveyed STEM teachers from all across the United States. A stratified random sample was created using a U.S. Department of Energy database of schools with operational wind turbines. Administrators from the selected schools identified …

Designing Elementary Engineering Education From The Perspective Of The Child, Beth Dykstra Van Meeteren

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Many concerned leaders of industry and government believe the ability to sustain our quality of life and address the grand challenges of our times is contingent upon the successful engagement of our younger children in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). What STEM curricula, specifically engineering curricula, should address, how the curriculum should be delivered, and how the children construct an understanding of engineering are still unanswered questions. Engineering curriculum is beginning to emerge for elementary students, but does more to teach children about engineering than allowing them to develop engineering habits of mind.

This qualitative study used constant comparative …

Lessons Learned From A Cognitively Guided Instruction Professional Development Project, Christina Nugent

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The professional development, which was the basis for this case study, was a 3- year Title II grant-funded project with Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) as the research-based core. Twenty-one elementary school teachers from an urban setting were studied. The purpose of this study was to analyze the professional development project in order to discover the lessons learned. The professional development model used had several key elements. These elements included an evaluation plan, implementation of the learned strategies, collaboration, summer workshops and follow-up school year sessions, and lesson study. Despite the fact that participants were engaged in the same professional development …

Factors That Influence Superintendents In Iowa To Implement A One-To-One Computer Initiative, Gerald Eugene Schnabel

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study is to identify factors that influence superintendents in Iowa to implement a one-to-one computer initiative. An in-depth, phenomenological based interview method was used. Two interviews were conducted with each of the five superintendents in the study. The superintendent responses were then organized using the Saskatchewan Educational Indicators, which are context, process and outcome indicators. The major questions addressed in the study were: 1. What factors influenced the decision to implement a one-to-one computer initiative? 2. What are the results of implementing a one-to-one computer initiative? 3. What decision-making process do superintendents in Iowa use when …

The Perceptions Of The Skills And Competencies Needed By New Student Affairs Professionals : A Collective Case Study, Tyann Marie Lindell

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Much research suggests there is a disconnect between how student affairs graduate preparation programs prepare students and what new professionals need. Recent studies indicate the skills, knowledge, and dispositions emphasized in student affairs graduate preparation programs are not necessarily the ones most needed by student affairs professionals.

The framing question of this inquiry is: What are the perceptions of graduates, supervisors, and program coordinators about the preparation of new student affairs professionals? The following supporting questions were asked: 1. What basic competencies do graduates, supervisors, and program coordinators perceive as important for new professionals? 2. How do graduates, supervisors, and …

Quasi-Experimental Evaluation Of Undergraduate Learning In A Multidimensional Wellness Course, Kristi Leonard

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Introductory wellness courses are common among American institutions of higher education. These courses are typically of a unidimensional approach, focusing on just the physical component of wellness. Some wellness educators would argue that a multidimensional approach is a richer and more valuable learning experience. Furthermore, technology has played a larger role in wellness education, as it is being created, developed, and implemented into the field. Therefore, college wellness educators and curriculum designers need to determine the implications for both online and face-to-face instructional methods in their execution of teaching the holistic concept of wellness to their students.

The purpose of …

Integrative And Holistic Global Higher Education : An Investigation Of Camp Adventure Child And Youth Services As A Model Service Learning Program, Bin Ruan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Camp Adventure™ Child and Youth Services (CACYS) is a distinctive academic program that emphasizes service learning opportunities for students. It focuses on preparing students with necessary knowledge, skills, and competencies to plan and implement the services for children and youth of varying lengths with a focus on different ages and needs. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the changes of college and/or university students in core competencies from entry to exit in the CACYS using a framework offered by Bok (2006). The core competencies included in this study were communication, critical thinking, character development, citizenship, diversity, global …

The Difference Connection Makes : Roles The Middle School Teacher Plays In Changing Adolescent Girls’ Lives, Denise M. Pralle

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Within the classroom setting, 'fitting in' can be a very difficult matter for both students as well as teachers. A sense of community and respect for others, which prevails in the elementary grades, seems more subdued among middle-schoolers as competition and the struggle for independence becomes part of the hidden curriculum. Adolescent girls especially struggle to imitate what developmental psychologists suggest is necessary at this age: independence and disconnection from others. However, disconnection at this stage of development may partially account for the competition, disrespect of others, and loss of morality in and out of the classroom. Connected classroom teachers …