Gifted Education Commons^™

Early Intervention Within Orthodontics: The Sociological Aspects, Trenton Hammond

Honors Theses

Orthodontic treatment is one of the final phases of dental treatment. Its use is to provide aesthetics in some cases, yet the quality-of-life aspect that it can provide is greatly underestimated. Orthodontic care can provide proper function of teeth, improve facial structure, avoid tooth decay/loss, and improve gum health (AAO, 2024). Within this research the overarching goal is to understand the sociological aspects of families looking to start orthodontic care, what the reasons behind starting or not starting are, and providing information to the public about orthodontics that may be misunderstood or might push people away from searching for orthodontic …

Thinking Outside The Box: Exploring The Instructional Conversations Model Beyond English Language Learners Into Gifted Learners, Terri Thornton

Dissertations

Gifted students, characterized by exceptional intellectual abilities and unique learning needs, often find themselves navigating an educational landscape that may not fully cater to their specific requirements. Traditional teaching methods may fall short of engaging and challenging these students to realize their full potential. This dissertation delves into the efficacy of instructional conversations as an innovative pedagogical approach tailored to the distinctive learning profiles of gifted students. Through a comprehensive examination of relevant literature, theoretical frameworks, and empirical evidence, this study seeks to illuminate the impact of instructional conversations on the academic, social, and emotional development of gifted learners.

The …

Increasing Nursing Aide Knowledge On Benefits Of Light For Sundowning Syndrome, Grace Hilfiker, Julie Masters

Honors Theses

In this study, the knowledge of nursing aides on the benefits of light for sundowning syndrome was investigated. While dementia and sundowning syndrome is discussed during nursing aide training in the state of Nebraska, there is no discourse focused on how light plays beneficial role in lessening the symptoms of sundowning syndrome for those who are afflicted with dementia. This study asked what the current knowledge base surrounding dementia and sundowning syndrome is of nursing aides in the state of Nebraska. The aim was to justify adding a focus on concrete methods to use when caring for patients with dementia …

The Future Of The Organization Of The Petroleum Exporting Countries, Mikayla Gross

Honors Theses

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a multinational and intergovernmental organization that dictates the petroleum exportation policies of 13 countries: Algeria, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela (About Us, 2023). The mission of OPEC is to ensure a stable supply of petroleum through its shared policies for its Member Countries and consumers (Our Mission, 2023). Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela founded OPEC in 1960 under the foundations and principles that dictated the international world order. Those foundations and principles …

An Interdisciplinary Lesson Plan Of Social Studies And English Language Arts For Third Graders, Sidney L. Yant

Honors Theses

My name is Sidney Yant and I am a current senior honors student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I am majoring in Elementary Education. For my honors senior project, I have created a four-week-long unit lesson plan that focuses on English Language Arts and Social Studies. This unit starts off with two weeks of separate lesson plans for English Language Arts and Social Studies and then the last two weeks the lessons are completely integrated together into one plan.

Imsaloquium 2024 Event Booklet, Student Inquiry And Research (Sir)

IMSAloquium Event Booklets

Cover design by Harish Chandar '26

Welcome to IMSAloquium 2024. This is IMSA’s 37th year of leading in educational innovation, and the 36th year of the IMSA Student Inquiry and Research (SIR) Program.

Exploring School Leaders' Perceptions Of Gifted Education Educator And Gifted Program Evaluation, Rachel Louise Geesa, Krista M. Stith

Journal of Organizational & Educational Leadership

In an effort to better support the needs of PK-12 students identified as gifted or high-ability, school leaders need to be familiar and comfortable with supporting gifted education educators and developing and evaluating gifted education programs. Gifted education educators should have defined roles and responsibilities, and school leaders need to be prepared to effectively evaluate gifted education educators. In this mixed-methods study, we explored pre-service and in-service school leaders’ perceptions of evaluation of gifted education programs or gifted education educators through responses from one anonymous survey with 36 respondents and one optional, confidential interview with seven participants. The findings from …

Equality In Times Of Uncertainty: Economic Downturn And Body Image Messaging Toward Women, Ritsa Giannakas

Honors Theses

A vast body of literature indicates that the economy and the status of women are interlinked, with higher levels of economic well-being tending to correspond with advancements in women’s rights. However, little of this research has investigated the changes in the wellbeing of women as it pertains to their physical and mental health, especially as it pertains to exploring the impacts of economics on eating disorder rates and societal messaging toward women. This thesis investigates a novel theory linking economic uncertainty and downturn to the spread of pro-eating disorder content online, positing that economic uncertainty may coincide with a “conservative …

Gamma Sigma Delta, Nebraska Chapter Newsletter, Issue #64 Spring 2024

Gamma Sigma Delta, Nebraska Chapter: Newsletters

President-Elect's message, John R. Ruberson

Nominations form for Gamma Sigma Delta, Nebraska chapter

2023 Outstanding Graduate Student Award nominations solicitation

2023 Teaching Award nominations solicitation

2023 Research Award nomination solicitation

2023 Extension Award nomination solicitation

2023 Award of Merit nomination solicitation

Annual dues notice

List of active members with expiration terms

Membership renewal form

Outstanding Graduate and Undergraduate Student Award fund solicitation

In memoriam:

Raymond "Gene" White (October 10, 1930-May 28, 2021)

ΓΣΔ pledge

Eli Lilly: A Managerial Strategic Audit, Colby Marsden, Ethan Domsch, Whitney Schwisow, Ryan Marlatt, Luke Buettner

Honors Theses

This strategic audit assesses both internal and external landscapes affecting Eli Lilly; financial, qualitative, and competitive performance; strategy and governance; and recent strategic decisions. All information has been gathered from news reports, industry analyst reports, and Lilly’s investor reports, financial statements, and notes to investors. The purpose of this strategic audit is to showcase Lilly’s success in the brand name pharmaceutical industry based on the strategic decisions made in its 147 year history.

Survey Of The Performance Of 5 Nm Goldnanoparticles Within An Ssdna-Stabilizedbiosensor For The Detection Of Hg2+, Madalyn J. Zagajowski

ELAIA

The formation of a fluorescent biosensor complex consisting of 5 nm diameter gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) was conducted using a low-cost, efficient binding method. The analytical potential for the complex to detect mercuric ions (Hg2+) in an aqueous solution was assessed through the collection of UV-vis and fluorescence spectrometry data for the AuNP-ssDNA complex. The researcher aimed to investigate this potential in case the nanoparticles formed utilizing this method were too small to result in detectable fluorescence. To eliminate this possibility, the complex synthesized from this specific method was qualitatively evaluated to determine if it consistently and …

Analysis Of The Population Structure And Migrationhabits Of The Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates Pipiens) At Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, Gretchen A. Brinkman

ELAIA

Massive amphibian declines of recent years have pushed researchers to pursue population genetics surveys and assess the status of these essential components of many ecosystems. The Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates pipiens) has continuously experienced population declines across the continental United States due to a combination of habitat losses and environmental changes. Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie houses a considerable portion of L. pipiens in Illinois, and the two creek watersheds studied within this location provide ideal conditions to support these animals. Because this prairie restoration project is a relatively recent development, further assessments regarding the population structure and degree of migration …

The Effect Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On The Self-Esteem Of College Students, Maggie J. Van Heemst

ELAIA

Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are known to predict negative health and mental health effects later in life. One in two Americans has experienced at least one ACE. This issue is prevalent across class, race, and ethnicity. However, little is known about ACEs and the young adult population. Methods A survey was conducted to measure ACEs and self-esteem in fifty college students. The hypothesis was a negative correlation between ACE and self-esteem scores. Results A small negative correlation was found between ACEs and self-esteem in college students. The average ACE score was 3.9 and the average self-esteem score was 16.78. …

Tracking Simulated Somatosensory Deficiencies That Affect Postural Stability Through Detrended Fluctuation Analysis, Cameron L. Steele

ELAIA

Falls are a prevalent problem among elderly populations. Falls increase the cost of healthcare, frequently cause severe injuries, and negatively affect quality of life. Lack of postural stability is a major contributing factor to falls, with postural stability defined as the correct biomechanical execution based on sensory feedback. Types of sensory feedback include vision, vestibular, proprioceptive, and somatosensory. This study focuses on the lack of postural stability in quiet standing (standing upright and still) due to somatosensory and vision deficiencies. To track these deficiencies, fifty-one subjects stood for sixty seconds on two force plates, and their center of pressure (COP) …

Evaluating College Students’ Health Literacyand Its Effects On Their Perceptions Of Informationconcerning Mask-Wearing In The Covid-19 Pandemic, Hannah S. Ketchum

ELAIA

Background Mask-wearing was a controversial and polarizing phenomenon during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beliefs concerning mask-wearing differed depending on sources of information concerning the pandemic, levels of health literacy, political leaning, demographics, or other factors. This project attempted to connect college students’ level of health literacy to their understanding of and adherence to mask-wearing in the COVID- 19 pandemic. There is a gap in research connecting health literacy to understanding information concerning pandemics and an even bigger lack of studies conducted that relate college students’ health literacy to their perception of illnesses or pandemics. It is important to understand the impact …

The Effect Of Masks On Allergic Rhinitis Symptomsrelated To Ragweed And Its Influence On College Students, Katherine A. Knutte

ELAIA

Background This study explored the effect of masks on allergic rhinitis related to ragweed. Research shows surgical and KN95 masks reduce nasal symptoms arising from dust, pollen, and ragweed. Other studies have contradictory findings about the effect of masks on ocular symptoms. Very few studies have examined the effect of masks on early and late allergic rhinitis. Methods This qualitative study involved thirty college students aged 18 to 25 from Olivet Nazarene University with self-reported or physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis on November 15, 2022. Participants were randomly assigned to a control (no mask), surgical, or KN95 mask group and walked around …

A Curriculum Designed To Teach Elementary-Age Children In Diverse Settings The Kingdom Concept Of Loving One’S Neighbor, Abigail J. Flood

ELAIA

United States Census data from 2020 show that the country is becoming increasingly diverse and urbanized. Other research shows children are aware of race from an early age and can pick up biases and stereotypes by watching the adults around them. However, there are no children’s ministry curricula that specifically address how children should navigate differences from a biblical perspective. To fill this gap, a children’s ministry curriculum was written to model how children can love their neighbors like Jesus did, especially those who look different from themselves. The curriculum is comprised of an introduction for the ministry leader, five …

Assessment Of Walls With Phase Change Materials Through Synergistic And Performance Measures Using Experimental And Simulated Test Houses, Cory J. Enfield

ELAIA

Current research on living and working spaces continues to strive to identify the most energy-efficient methods for heating and cooling, and many novel technologies have emerged from the research. One of the most promising, and the topic of this quantitative analysis, is the retrofitting of phase change materials (PCMs) into the walls of structures. Research has shown positive results, such as a reduced transfer of heat through walls, when PCMs are retrofitted into wall construction. The present research takes previously gathered data from test houses, built with typical North American framing, and simulates an additional fourteen test houses from the …

Police Officers’ Perceptions Regarding Their Interactions With The Disabled In Kankakee County, Jilliann M. English

ELAIA

Background Previous research shows the rate of crime against people with disabilities is significantly higher than the general population. Despite this, gaps in the training and resources for officers to assist those with disabilities may exist. Eadens et al. (2008) explored this issue by evaluating officer attitudes towards intellectual disabilities. Kankakee County has a significant disabled population, and Illinois is ranked very low in the improvement of related policies, making this a valuable area of interest. Methods This study utilized the modified version of the Social Distance Questionnaire (SDQ) used by Eadens et al. (2008), which is both qualitative and …

Identifying The Optimal Pedagogy For Preparing Undergraduates For The Mcat Exam, Alyssa J. Black

ELAIA

Excelling on the MCAT is an essential step for undergraduate students preparing for a future as a physician in the medical field. Previous research has made links to MCAT performance and success in the medical field, yet there is a lack of research on how to best prepare undergraduate students for this extensive exam. Various research has been done on assessing the most effective studying strategies for undergraduates on typical collegiate exams, which students often translate to their MCAT studying. To assess the effectiveness of these practiced pedagogies on the MCAT, a social science experiment using a pre- and post-test …

The Effect Of Education On Support For Tnr As A Method Of Feral Cat Management, Kaitlyn F. Bishop

ELAIA

A feral cat is a cat that is untamed and not suitable for placement in a home. Through their naturally high rate of reproduction and lack of population management, feral cat populations have grown exponentially, leading to overpopulation. Feral cats effect their communities through their impact on wildlife, financial burden, and health risk to both humans and other animals. Due to the impact feral cats place on their communities, multiple management methods have been suggested. Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is a humane, effective method of management; however, controversy surrounds its use. Existing studies have determined that age, gender, and past experiences with …

Preprocessing Of Astronomical Images From The Neowise Survey For Near-Earth Asteroid Detection With Machine Learning, Rachel Meyer

ELAIA

Asteroid detection is a common field in astronomy for planetary defense, requiring observations from survey telescopes to detect and classify different objects. The amount of data collected each night is continually increasing as new and better-designed telescopes begin collecting information each year. This amount of data is quickly becoming unmanageable, and researchers are looking for ways to better process this data. The most feasible current solution is to implement computer algorithms to automatically detect these sources and then use machine learning to create a more efficient and accurate method of classification. Implementation of such methods has previously focused on larger …

Kankakee In Deindustrialization: An Oral History Approach, Rachel H. Shepard

ELAIA

The City of Kankakee was an industrialized city that prospered economically for decades. Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, economic trends shifted for Kankakee and the surrounding communities. The major factories, such as Roper Corporation and A.O. Smith, migrated their source of production from Kankakee to other regions of the United States and abroad during the 1970s and 1980s. As a result, the declining industrial economic activity led to changing community perceptions. Kankakee is an example of the “Rust Belt” region, a region in the Midwestern and Northeastern States of the United States where declining industrial activity occurred throughout the …

Deepfake It Til You Make It: How To Make A Short Film, Adam G. Lee

ELAIA

A recent development in the realm of computer technology is the deepfake. Deepfakes, which train a computer model to digitally superimpose one person’s face onto another body in a separate video, has its uses for good and for ill, with the unfortunate tendency to the latter. The vast majority of deepfakes are used for pornography, most commonly depicting female celebrities as the subjects. At the less notable level, it is also often used for revenge pornography. These aspects of deepfake technology are rarely discussed in mainstream media, which tends to focus on the less harmful uses, such as those for …

Effects Of The Tax Cuts And Jobs Act Of 2017 On Nonprofits’ Charitable Contributions, Megan J. Drenth

ELAIA

Background The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), passed in 2017, significantly altered individuals’ taxes for all filing statuses, notably increasing the standard deduction. By nearly doubling the standard deduction, it considerably decreased those individuals choosing the itemized deduction. Due to this, it may impact charitable contributions, a major source of nonprofits’ revenues. Prior studies projected a variety of stances regarding changes in giving levels due to the TCJA. This study attempted to determine the overall effect of the TCJA on nonprofits, as well as within the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE) major groups Education, Health, Human Services, Public …

Analysis Of Botulinum Toxin A And Interacting Proteins In Skeletal Muscle Cells: An Investigation Into The Mechanisms Of Botulinum Toxin A As A Treatment For Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome, Lauren R. Kee

ELAIA

Background Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) is a condition in which muscle tissue expands against the surrounding fascia during activity and is compressed along with the nerves and blood vessels within the muscle compartment, leading to abnormally high intracompartmental pressure (ICP) and debilitating pain. Treatment typically includes fasciotomy, which results in significant levels of CECS recurrence; however, botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) injection has recently been seen to decrease both ICP and pain through an unknown mechanism with little to no recurrence. Methods In this study, PyRosetta was used to model the probability of docking interaction between BoNT-A light or heavy …

Sport Specialization And Injury Risk In Naia Athletes, Connor H. Cavanaugh

ELAIA

Background Sport specialization is defined as intense year-round training in a single sport while excluding other sports. Though some studies have supported a relationship between increased levels of sport specialization and injury risk, others have contradicted this. Previous literature has also suggested that sport specialization levels increase dramatically throughout high school, though this hypothesized increase and possible relationship between sport specialization and injury risk has not been investigated in posthigh school athletes at the NAIA level. Methods This study aimed to investigate the possible relationship between sport specialization and injury risk, as well as how sport specialization levels change throughout …

Impact Of Mindfulness Training On Test Anxiety In College Students, Lindsay Alcock

ELAIA

Background Mindfulness is defined as the state of giving full attention to a stimulus, internal or external, without inducing judgment or becoming reactional about the feelings experienced, positive or negative (Davis & Hayes, 2012). Previous studies have investigated the relationship between mindfulness techniques and the reduction of anxiety (Chambers et al., 2008; Macdonald & Olsen, 2020); a smaller number of studies have considered test anxiety (Cho et al., 2016; Sparks, 2017). Prior research has used multiple mindfulness techniques to measure the impact on test anxiety, but few have isolated mindfulness trainings to compare the relative impact of each type on …

Mindfulness: The Missing Link In Education, Ashley L. Baer

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Were you asked to pay attention or behave in school? As educators, we must stop expecting focus and self-regulation, and instead we must teach it. Learn how in this experiential session to connect and regulate students using the breathing ball, games, breath, and movement. Let’s practice!

Familismo And Familial Support On The Psychological Effects Of Traumatic Event Exposure In Latinx Populations In The Midwest, Elizabeth Miller

Honors Theses

Embedded within Latinx culture is Familismo, which serves as a source of strength and support for family members, while also shedding light on how familial support influences mental health. This study explores how Familismo and familial support impact the psychological effects of traumatic event exposure among Latinx populations in the Midwest. Analyzing data from 80 Latinx residents, I examined the relationship between familial support, traumatic event exposure, and mental health outcomes, focusing on depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Results indicated a negative association between familial support and PTSD symptoms, indicating that higher support levels correlated with reduced PTSD …