Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Defining Teaching Excellence: A Phenomenological Study Of Seven Nationally Recognized Secondary Educators, Rosalee A. Swartz

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Scholarship

Change has been an integral part of the American education system since the 1830s (Lucas, 1999) when universities began preparing students to teach. Over the past 20 years, changes including federal mandates (Disabilities Education Act, 1990; No Child Left Behind, 2003) and increasing diversity in school populations require a responding sensitivity from classroom teachers. In the midst of challenges that these changes present, teachers are increasingly asked to do more.

Research shows that nearly 50 percent of new teachers leave within the first five years of teaching, citing issues such as lack of preparation and mentorship, working conditions, pay, and …

Sources Of Altruistic Calling In Orthodox Jewish Communities: A Grounded Theory Ethnography, Stephen J. Linenberger

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Scholarship

This study of altruistic calling the Orthodox Jewish community began with a line of inquiry, grounded in previous hypotheses and studies of factors that motivate altruism in the general population, including empathy, unintended consequences of altruism, altruistic role modeling, collectivism, and principlism. Counter to past research suggesting altruism is activated along an empathy-altruism path (Batson, et al., 2007) the findings of this study revealed a consistent low empathy response by participants when asked about their feelings about those in need. However, when asked to describe outcomes of helping situations, there was a consistent high empathetic joy response, indicating the helper …

How Are The Torres Strait Islander's Traditional Hunting Practices Affected By The Current Rate Of Decline In Dugong And Sea Turtle Populations And The Australian Government's Co-Management Policies On Marine Preservation?, Katilyn Price

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

This paper will attempt to identify the extent to which the Torres Strait Islanders traditional hunting practices have been disrupted by the overall decline in dugong and sea turtle populations, which has directly correlated to an increase in hunting restrictions put in place by the Australian Government. The traditional hunting of dugongs and sea turtles provides not only a food source, but brings prestige to the men who catch them and serves as an educational platform to teach the younger generations about their culture. There are many environmental threats that impact the populations of sea turtles and dugongs though the …

Recent Legislation To Promote Wind Energy In Nebraska, Ryan Lemke

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Nebraska is currently ranked 4th in the nation for wind energy potential, but ranks low in actual wind power production. The lack of wind energy production could be the result of Nebraska’s unique public power districts that have eminent domain of distribution and retail sales of electricity in the State. Public Power districts are prohibited from receiving benefits of state and federal tax incentives for the development of wind farms, however some Nebraska power districts still pursue wind energy as a renewable source of energy.

Recent legislation changes, including the passing of laws LB629 and LB1048, have provided the State …

Developing An Online Horseless Horse Learning Lesson: An Action Research Study, Jessica M. Bauman

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Scholarship

In today’s society it is becoming ever so important to find creative and influential outlets to keep young people occupied in positive ways. High quality youth programs are shown to make a positive difference in the lives of many young people; therefore, it is important to continue the use of established youth programs as well as develop new programs. Equine science programs have proven to be a popular and beneficial outlet for many youth due to the ability to learn a variety of life skills, improve character, and increase positive youth development in those youth who participate.

Traditional equine programs …

Discovering The Leadership Skills Of Alumni Who Participated In An Adult Agricultural Leadership Development Program: A Case Study, Terence Alan Hejny

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

November 12, 2010 - Alec Departmental Meeting Minutes

ALEC Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

Scaling Up: Professional Development To Serve Young Children In Chinese Welfare Institutions, Carolyn P. Edwards, Janice N. Cotton, Wen Zhao, Jerònia Muntaner-Gelabert

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

As senior program directors and field supervisors, we at Half the Sky Foundation asked ourselves, how can we empower children's welfare institution staff to provide nurture, enrichment, and education for all young children in state care? Creating an infrastructure for providing professional development was the first step. The HTS training infrastructure for early childhood includes international experts and a cadre of skilled Chinese teacher trainers, who together create a network of HTS teacher trainers (program directors and field supervisors for Infant Nurture and Little Sisters). In addition, Blue Sky model training centers-soon to number 31, one for each province of …

October 8, 2010 - Alec Faculty Meeting Minutes

ALEC Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

October 8, 2010 - Alec Faculty Meeting Minutes

ALEC Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

Comment On Richardson: Progressive Federal Taxation Drives Redistribution From Blue To Red States, Seth H. Giertz

Department of Economics: Faculty Publications

Professor Richardson documents redistribution from Democratic states to Republican states and links this to the 1994 "Republican revolution" -- suggesting a deliberative effort by Republicans to redistribute income towards their constituents. Seth Giertz of the University of Nebraska argues that what Professor Richardson's analysis really shows is that "red" states -- but not necessarily Republicans within those states -- are (increasingly) the major beneficiaries of federal redistributive policies -- and that "blue" states are (increasingly) the benefactors.

The Elasticity Of Taxable Income During The 1990s: New Estimates And Sensitivity Analyses, Seth H. Giertz

Department of Economics: Faculty Publications

Over the past two decades, the elasticity of taxable income has emerged as the central parameter for assessing efficiency and revenue implications from changes to tax policy. This article estimates short- and longer-run responses of taxable (and gross) income to changes in tax rates using panels of U.S. tax returns for the 1990s. With the richest set of income controls, income-weighted elasticity estimates range from 0.19 to 0.33, depending on whether responses are measured over one- or three-year intervals. An alternative approach designed to capture delayed and anticipatory responses yields much larger estimates -- ranging from 0.43 over the short …

September 17, 2010 - Staff Meeting Minutes

ALEC Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

September 17, 2010 - Alec Departmental Meeting Minutes

ALEC Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Participation In Community Service Through Intercollegiate Athletics On Servant Leadership Behaviors, Damien Westfield

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Scholarship

This study examined the relationship between intercollegiate athletes who participate in community service and servant leadership. Data were collected from 136 student-athletes from two large Midwestern universities. These athletes were members of men’s and women’s soccer, women’s rifle, men’s and women’s gymnastics, men’s and women’s cross country, volleyball and women’s basketball. A MANCOVA statistical test was used to test the null hypotheses. Overall, the results yielded no statistically significant relationships between intercollegiate athletes who participated in community service and servant leadership when comparing the two universities. However, univariate between-subjects analyses yielded a statistically significant finding on subscale altruistic calling at …

The Effects Of Participation In Community Service Through Intercollegiate Athletics On Servant Leadership Behaviors, Damien Westfield

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Scholarship

This study examined the relationship between intercollegiate athletes who participate in community service and servant leadership. Data were collected from 136 student-athletes from two large Midwestern universities. These athletes were members of men’s and women’s soccer, women’s rifle, men’s and women’s gymnastics, men’s and women’s cross country, volleyball and women’s basketball. A MANCOVA statistical test was used to test the null hypotheses. Overall, the results yielded no statistically significant relationships between intercollegiate athletes who participated in community service and servant leadership when comparing the two universities. However, univariate between-subjects analyses yielded a statistically significant finding on subscale altruistic calling at …

Leadership Experiences Of Adolescent Girls In A Girl Scouts After School Program: A Phenomenological Approach, Cyndi A. Munson

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Scholarship

The purpose of this qualitative, interview-based study was to explore the leadership experiences of adolescent girls attending low income schools involved in a Girl Scouts after school program. This research study specifically focused on a Girl Scouts after school programs in a Midwest city. The qualitative study was based on insights obtained from adolescent girls who participated in a Girl Scouts after school program during the 2009-2010 academic year. Participants were individuals actively involved in a Girl Scouts after school program and supplemental activities provided by the program since August 2009. The participants’ ages and grade levels varied between 12 …

Student Leader Lmx Relationships As Moderated By Constructive-Developmental Theory, Shelly Mumma

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Scholarship

This study examined how the quality of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) relationships was moderated by the Constructive-Developmental stage or Order of Consciousness of both leader and follower. Using student organization presidents and officers on a small, private, liberal arts college campus in the Midwest, the researcher used a sample of 37 students to study the impact developmental stage had on the leadership relationship. Using the Leader Member Exchange-Multi-Dimensional Measure (LMX-MDM), four dimensions of LMX were examined. The four dimensions were Affect, Contribution, Loyalty and Professional Respect. There was no significant relationship between Order of Consciousness and quality of LMX relationship. While …

Preservation Ethics In The Case Of Nebraska’S Nationally Registered Historic Properties, Darren Michael Adams

Department of Geography: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation focuses on the National Register of Historic Places and considers the geographical implications of valuing particular historic sites over others. Certain historical sites will either gain or lose desirability from one era to the next, this dissertation identifies and explains three unique preservation ethical eras, and it maps the sites which were selected during those eras. These eras are the Settlement Era (1966 – 1975), the Commercial Architecture Era (1976 – 1991), and the Progressive Planning Era (1992 – 2010). The findings show that transformations in the program included an early phase when state authorities listed historical resources …

Examining The Interrater Reliability Of The Comprehensive Inventory Of Mental Health And Recovery And Rehabilitation Services (Cimhrrs), Robert W. Johnson

Department of Psychology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This dissertation is one step in the continuing development, evaluation, and validation of the Comprehensive Inventory of Mental Health and Recovery and Rehabilitation Services (CIMHRRS). The CIMHRRS is an instrument to guide comprehensive assessment of programs that provide integrated services to people with serious mental illness (SMI).

The project described in this dissertation evaluated three key aspects of its performance in real world application: practical feasibility, internal consistency and reliability, and ability to distinguish between different programs. Investigators utilized a combination of principles and methods, associated with psychometric scale development, field methods, and program evaluation. Using a structured site review …

Examining Public Perceptions Of Career And Technical Education In Nebraska, Mitchel Herian

University of Nebraska Public Policy Center: Publications

KEY FINDINGS

Perceptions of Career and Technical Education (CTE) Courses
o The Nebraska public believes that CTE prepares students for careers and college, and that CTE courses are just as important as traditional academic subjects.
o However, substantial proportions of Nebraskans believe that CTE students are not as respected as students who take more traditionally academic courses.

Career Awareness and Exploration
o Most Nebraskans believe that students should begin to learn about potential careers in middle school and that activities such as job shadowing and internships should be made available in high school.
o Large proportions of respondents said they …

Antecedents Of Servant Leadership: A Mixed Methods Study, Curtis D. Beck

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Scholarship

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore the antecedents of servant leadership. The sequential explanatory research design consisted of two distinct phases: quantitative followed by qualitative.

The Phase One quantitative survey collected data from 499 leaders and 630 raters from community leadership programs in the United States using the Servant Leadership Questionnaire (Barbuto & Wheeler, 2006).

During Phase Two, selected leaders from phase one (N = 12) were interviewed to explain those results in more depth. The data were coded and analyzed for possible themes. Triangulation was used to analyze the quantitative and qualitative data to validate …

May 14, 2010 - Staff Meeting Minutes

ALEC Committee Minutes

No abstract provided.

Fire Effects On Wildlife In Tallgrass Prairie, Maria Gaetani, Kayla Cook, Sherry Leis

United States National Park Service: Publications

Abstract

In the tallgrass prairie region of North America, grasslands are often burned on a rotational schedule to prevent the encroachment of woody species and maintain the vigor of plant communities. Although prescribed fire practitioners often consider the effects of fire on plant communities, the effects of fire on wildlife are also important. Practitioners as well as park visitors inquire about the effects of fire on birds, deer, and other animals of interest. Many wildlife species focus on vegetation structure in choosing suitable habitats, and fire can temporarily alter that structure. Wildlife species have varying habitat needs, and therefore, a …

Determining The Relationship And Influence Organizational Culture Has On Organizational Trust, Mindy S. Genetzky-Haugen

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Scholarship

The present research examines the influence of organizational culture on organizational trust. Leaders in the present and future will try to create a culture of trust, but leaders who do not examine and understand their current culture will not be successful in changing their organizational culture. The study shows constructive behavioral norms are both predictors and influencers of trust. The results suggest that companies that want to create a culture of trust need to instill into their culture achievement, self-actualizing, humanistic-encouraging and affiliative behavioral norms. Leadership needs to make sure avoidance behaviors are reduced in order to create and instill …

The Lived Experience Of Empowered Volunteers: A Study Of Christian Church Volunteers, Adam K. Peters

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Scholarship

Psychological empowerment has been thoroughly studied in the workplace context. Volunteerism has also been thoroughly studied through a multitude of different facets. However, little research could be found bridging the empowerment construct into volunteerism. Therefore, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the experience of empowerment among volunteers. Volunteer empowerment was discovered through four primary themes, make a difference, rewarding, lifestyle of service, and passion, and three secondary themes, autonomy, awareness, and ability. Other relevant findings included and revolved around volunteer time and balance, challenges, propelling forces, and getting started. Current …

Impediments To And Opportunities For Fulfillment Of The Rational Comprehensive Intent Of The National Environmental Policy Act, Brian P. Mcmullen

Community and Regional Planning Program: Theses and Student Projects

The National Environmental Policy Act of 1960 (NEPA) initiated the study and practice of environmental impact analysis. Upon passage, NEPA transformed the process in which the federal government plans, seeks input on, and documents major projects of environmental significance. While NEPA has surely affected project-level incremental actions, its rational comprehensive mandate as expressed in Title II of the statute has remained largely unfulfilled. Neglect of Title II has occurred as a result of broad language in NEPA that is difficult for federal judges to interpret and administrators to implement. Political interference with the President’s Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has …

Nifa Review Report For Alec Department

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Materials and History

No abstract provided.

Self Study Review 2010

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication: Materials and History

No abstract provided.

Nebraska Urban Environmental And Agricultural Systems Education Program: An Evaluation For Development, Heather Ann Borck

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Scholarship

In Understanding Agriculture: New Directions for Education, the National Research Council (1988) reported, “Too many Americans know very little about the social and economic relevance of agriculture in the United States, and agriculture is too important a subject to be taught only to a relatively small proportion of students enrolled in vocational agriculture” (p.1). Now over 20 years later, this problem is still relevant. During the 2007-2008 school year 10.5 percent of Nebraska high school students were enrolled in an agricultural education course. This may be the result of an absence of agricultural education in the largest four school districts …