Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Environment On Depressive Symptoms On Chinese Left-Behind Children, Lanyan Ding, Eric S. Buhs

The Nebraska Educator: A Student-Led Journal

Estimates indicate that about 70 million children in China have been left behind in their hometowns by one or both parents as their parents migrate to other places for work opportunities. However, the potential impact of parental migration on the emotional well-being of left-behind children is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine depression levels in Chinese left-behind children and to identify potential risk factors contributing to depressive symptoms in this population. Using a nationally-representative, stratified sample from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) database (3019 children, ages 10-15), an HLM model was applied at 1) the …

Students On The Edge: Evaluating An Academic Support Group, Benjamin P. Heinisch, Nicole M. Smith

The Nebraska Educator: A Student-Led Journal

This qualitative case study evaluated the effectiveness of the Academic Skills Discussion Group, a new retention intervention targeting undergraduate students on academic probation. This intervention utilized a support group structure to provide social and academic supports to academically-poor students. These supports incorporated didactic educational presentations and interpersonal discussions relating to life change and college expectations. The case comprised one pilot administration of the intervention for three student group members. Data was collected from pre/post-intervention resiliency surveys, grade point average comparisons, journal-entry analysis and semi-structured exit interviews. The researcher conducted inductive data analysis by coding participant statements for meaning, calculating and …

The Road Taken That Has Made All The Difference: A Narrative Inquiry Of Student Engagement And Success In Butler Community College's Accelerated Learning Program In English, Troy Nordman

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate whether students who completed the accelerated learning program (ALP) in English at Butler Community College in fall 2016 perceived a three-part, structured approach to the course as having been a significant factor to their persistence and successful completion of the course. These perceptions were gathered during the spring 2017 semester through one-on-one, face-to-face interviews with 12 students from the fall 2016 cohort. Utilizing the conceptual framework of narrative inquiry proposed by Clandinin (2006) allowing the individual student narratives to weave a common, thematic context, this study examined the specific factors associated with …

Surrendering To Gender In Education? Complacency And The Woman Leader, Kimberly L. Clark Ed. D., Ane T. Johnson Ph. D.

Journal of Women in Educational Leadership

The purpose of our study was to better understand the role of gender performance for aspiring school leaders through a reflection of their journey through the administrative pipeline. The transformation of professional aspirations throughout and following the certification process and during employment was also analyzed. Also, the appealing factors of a nontraditional administrative preparation program were evaluated. Using heuristic qualitative methods, women graduates of and expedited certification for educational leadership program participated in focus groups and a select group returned for individual interviews. Coding was employed to analyze the data. Our participants entered into school leadership as a result of …

Impacts Of Active School Design On Schooltime Sedentary Behavior And Physical Activity: A Pilot Natural Experiment, Jeri Brittin, Leah Frerichs, John R. Sirard, Nancy M. Wells, Beth M. Myers, Jeanette Garcia, Dina Sorensen, Matthew J. Trowbridge, Terry Huang

Interior Design Program: Faculty Scholarly and Creative Activity

Background Children spend a significant portion of their days in sedentary behavior (SB) and on average fail to engage in adequate physical activity (PA). The school built environment may influence SB and PA, but research is limited. This natural experiment evaluated whether an elementary school designed to promote movement impacted students' school-time SB and PA.

Methods Accelerometers measured SB and PA at pre and post time-points in an intervention group who moved to the new school (n = 21) and in a comparison group experiencing no school environmental change (n = 20). Difference-in-difference (DD) analysis examined SB and PA outcomes …

Examining The Relationships Between Prenatal Tobacco Exposure, Temperament, And Cognitive Ability In Early Childhood, Sam Pérez-González

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Prenatal tobacco exposure (PTE) has been extensively researched and consistently associated with outcomes indicative of self-regulation deficits (e.g., ADHD, behavioral problems, and impaired cognitive function). Self-regulation is a multifaceted construct critical to children’s successful behavioral, emotional, and academic adjustment and involves the integration of a cognitive component (executive function) and a temperamental component (effortful control). Previous research suggests temperament may be a pathway through which PTE affects children’s future behavior and cognitive outcomes, but such studies have been limited to infancy and have not included measures of executive function. Thus, the current study had three aims: a) to examine clusters …

The Influence Of Previous Subject Experience On Interactions During Peer Instruction In An Introductory Physics Course: A Mixed Methods Analysis, Judy A. Vondruska

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Over the past decade, peer instruction and the introduction of student response systems has provided a means of improving student engagement and achievement in large-lecture settings. While the nature of the student discourse occurring during peer instruction is less understood, existing studies have shown student ideas about the subject, extraneous cues, and confidence level appear to matter in the student-student discourse. Using a mixed methods research design, this study examined the influence of previous subject experience on peer instruction in an introductory, one-semester Survey of Physics course. Quantitative results indicated students in discussion pairs where both had previous subject experience …

How Discordant Hsv Status Impacts Dyadic Relationships: A Grounded Theory Study, Haley Ann Hermes

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in 2008 that there were an estimated 110 million sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among men and women with an estimated 19.7 million new cases every year in the United States (CDC, 2015). Having an STD is associated with negative individual and relational consequences (Beckerman, 2002; Brentjens, Yeung-Yue, Lee, & Tyring, 2003; Drob, Loemer & Lifshultz, 1986; Mark, Gilbert & Nanda, 2009). The combination of the high prevalence of STDs and the associated relational distress makes it likely that working with couples affected by STDs is a common experience for individual and …

Multilevel Metric Invariance: A Monte Carlo Simulation, Elizabeth Svoboda

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Multilevel measurement invariance determines the extent to which a construct is measured in the same way across multiple hierarchical nested levels in the context of the current study. Lower-level parameter estimates may differ from parameter estimates based on higher-level aggregates in applied research settings. Multilevel metric invariance is a method to detect the presence of a noninvariant factor loading.

The purpose of the current study was to determine the utility of multiple-group multilevel – confirmatory factor analysis (MGM-CFA) for detecting metric noninvariance in nested data. The example context is noninvariance occurring between treatment and control classrooms with students (i.e., level-one) …

Factors Associated To Teacher Longevity In A Title I Elementary School: A Qualitative Narrative Inquiry Study, Richard Devney

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The potential of our nation is hinged upon the strength of our educational system across all 50 states. Public education is the backbone of our country and continues to be a spotlight of focus for many. In 1983, President Ronald Regan shared the “Nation at Risk” report, based on the findings from the National Commission on Excellence in Education. The report claimed a level of mediocrity permeated the public education system and children were lagging behind compared to children in other first world countries. This landmark report put a level of accountability on school officials to create higher performing students …

A Revitalized Educational Conception Of Growth In The 21st Century For Contemporary Education Praxis In Nebraska, Scott Blum

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

My dissertation argues for a revitalized conception of growth in the 21^st century and contemporary education. Through reconstruction, re-conceptualizing, and re-emphasis of growth, this revitalization attends to acute challenges in schooling and can impact praxis in education today. This pragmatic and philosophical work places a revitalized conception of growth as the purpose of education and, to the extent that education is life, continual growth as a process for living.

John Dewey provided his conception of growth during the 19^th and 20^th centuries as he valued the natural capacities a human being possesses for experiencing life. He recognized …

"Hear Us, See Us": Constructing Citizenship In The Margins, Tricia M. Hagen Gray

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The meatpacking industry has drawn an increasing number of immigrants to the Midwestern community of Washington River from Mexico and Central America, making it a New Latino Diaspora (NLD) receiving community. Demographic change amidst the sociopolitical landscape of neoliberalism, declining civic engagement, and polarized partisan politics has forced interaction between longstanding residents and newcomers who are socially, culturally, and linguistically different. Historically marginalized groups have sought to claim rights—especially since Donald Trump’s election in 2016—resulting in a deeper fissure of the social landscape.

Washington River High School provided a context in which to explore questions about how students construct citizen …

Latinx Students In Stem Education Research: A Crt And Latcrit Analysis Of Nsf Funded Projects, Hortencia Lara

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis used Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Latino Critical Race Theory (LatCrit) to conduct an in-depth analysis of whether literature funded through the use of National Science Foundation (NSF) research awards perpetuates race, racism, or other interacting systems of oppression in the research or if the investigators resisted inequalities against Latinx students in STEM research. This thesis examined how the investigators of twenty NSF-funded articles examined the experiences of Latinx students in STEM. From a CRT and LatCrit lens I analyze articles to see if and in what ways researchers are complicit with oppression and which ways they resist. …

Provision Of Assistive Technologies In Academic Libraries To Students With Visual Impairment In Ghana: A Case Study Of The University Of Education, Winneba, Ghana, Efua Mansa Ayiah Mrs

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

Assistive technologies are tools used to promote access to information and general education curriculum for students with visual impairment. For students with visual impairment access to a diversity of high and low-tech assistive technologies, including screen readers, magnifiers, electronic braillers, braille n’ print, assist students in accessing materials in a standard print format which are not available to them. Provision of assistive technologies is to “level the playing field”, in conformity with the social model of disability where emphasizes is placed on physical and social barriers experienced by students with visual impairment and considers the problem as a society …

Individual And Community Well-Being In Nonmetropolitan Nebraska: 2017 Nebraska Rural Poll Results, Rebecca J. Vogt, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Randolph L. Cantrell, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, T. L. Meyer

Rural Futures Institute: Publications

Conclusion

By many different measures, rural Nebraskans are positive about their community. Many rural Nebraskans rate their community favorably on its social dimensions: as friendly, trusting and supportive. Most rural Nebraskans say it would be difficult to leave their community and have a positive attachment to their community. And, most rural Nebraskans disagree that their community is powerless to control its future.

Across all years of this study, rural Nebraskans’ views about the change in their community have generally been positive. The proportion believing their community has changed for the better during the past year has usually been greater than …

Nebline, Nov./Dec. 2017

NEBLINE Newsletter Archive from Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County

Feature: 4-H’ers Grow Into True Leaders through Service

Food & Health

Farm & Acreage

Pests & Wildlife

Horticulture

Early Childhood

4-H & Youth

and other extension news and events

Hexapod Herald - Vol. 29, No. 5, November 2017

Hexapod Herald and Other Entomology Department Newsletters

Contents: Welcome - Congratulations - ESA National Annual Meeting News, November 5-8. 2017, Denver, CO - Student News - Faculty News - Publications - Blast from the Past - Meet an Online Student - Grants - BugFest 2017

Awareness And Use Of Information Resources For Research By Final Year Students In Adeyemi College Of Education, Ondo., Peter Olubunmi Olubiyo, Samuel Oke Ogunniyi,

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the awareness and use of information resources for research by final year students of Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo. Four research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. 100 copies of questionnaire were administered to the respondents in the college library through face to face method in order to collect data. Simple random and stratified sampling techniques were employed for the study due to the largeness of the population. In the data analysis, frequency counts, simple percentages, mean, standard deviation and Pearson Product Moment Correlation were used for the statistical analysis. The findings …

Measuring The Impact Of Youth Leadership Development: An Evaluation Of Impacts, Heartland Center For Leadership Development

Heartland Center for Leadership Development Materials

Introduction

The research purpose of this collaborative study is to develop a psychometrically sound measure of youth leadership and examine its relationship to community outcomes such as retention, civic engagement, entrepreneurial activity and community attachment. This program, entitled the Rural Civic Action Program (RCAP), is designed to engage undergraduate “fellows” with rural middle or high schools to facilitate a service learning project intended to address locally identified needs.

Nebraska Acrl Scholarly Communication Roadshow Sharing Session, Catherine Fraser Riehle, Linnea Fredrickson, Margaret Mering

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Conference Presentations and Speeches

The session includes a report about the 2017 Nebraska ACRL [Association of College and Research Libraries] Scholarly Communication Roadshow that was held July 12, 2017, on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) campus. The presenters share key takeaways from each of three main program segments, which focused on (1) open education, (2) copyright, and (3) research metrics and author identifiers (e.g., ORCID). The session includes updates about (1) open education–related initiatives at UNL, including the UNL Libraries’ efforts to partner with other units on campus to increase awareness and integration of OERs in curricula; (2) selected copyright issues and continuing education …

Bonding Ideas About Inquiry: Exploring Knowledge And Practices Of Metacognition In Beginning Secondary Science Teachers, Ana Margarita Rivero Arias

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Metacognition, identified generally as “thinking about thinking,” plays a fundamental role in science education. It enhances the understanding of science as a way to generate new knowledge using scientific concepts and practices. Moreover, metacognition supports the development of students’ life-long problem solving, collaboration, and critical thinking skills. When teachers use metacognition with intention, it can promote students’ agency and responsibility for their own learning. However, despite all of its benefits, metacognition is rarely seen in secondary science classrooms. Thus, it is important to understand what beginning teachers know and how they use metacognition during their first years in order to …

Phys 211: Mechanics, Gravitation, And Waves, Ilya Kravchenko

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Syllabi

Syllabus for PHYS 211: Mechanics, Gravitation, and Waves syllabus for Fall 2017 semester.

Effects Of Outdoor Orientation Program Participation On Honors Program Completion, Joanna Gonsalves

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Improving rates of honors program completion is a goal of virtually all honors directors and deans, and research can help identify and evaluate promising strategies. A number of recent empirical studies have investigated predictors of program completion, including students’ admission credentials and honors program features. Though specific indicators of honors program success vary across institutional contexts and even by student cohorts within programs, some patterns have emerged. For instance, high school grade point average (GPA) tends to be a better predictor of honors program success than SAT scores (McKay; Savage et al.; Smith & Vitus Zagurski). Other completion studies focusing …

Moving From Forecast To Prediction: How Honors Programs Can Use Easily Accessible Predictive Analytics To Improve Enrollment Management, Joseph A. Cazier, Leslie Sargent Jones, Jennifer Mcgee, Mark Jacobs, Daniel Paprocki, Rachel A. Sledge

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Most enrollment management systems today use historical data to build rough forecasts of what percentage of students will likely accept an offer of enrollment based on historical acceptance rates. While this aggregate forecast method has its uses, we propose that building an enrollment model based on predicting an individual’s likelihood of matriculation can be much more beneficial to an honors director than a historical aggregate forecast. Many complex predictive analytics techniques and specialized software can build such models, but here we show that a basic approach can also be easily accessible to honors directors where a small amount of data …

Journal Of The National Collegiate Honors Council, Vol. 18, No. 2 (Fall/Winter 2017): Editorial Matter

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Cover

Masthead

Contents

Call for papers

Editorial policy / Submission guidelines

Dedication: Richard I. Scott

Editor's Introduction - Ada Long

About the Authors

About the NCHC Monograph Series

NCHC Monographs & Journals

NCHC Publications Order Form

Back cover: In this Issue

Stimulating The Diffusion Of Innovations In Honors Education: Three Factors, Inge Otto, Chris De Kruif

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

So far, few articles about innovations in Dutch or American honors programs appear to link their findings to an existing body of research about innovations in higher education in general. Although scholars are starting to make this connection more and more (see Kallenberg; NRO, “Excellentie” and “EXChange”; NWO, “Excellentie” and “EXChange”; Jong), both parties could profit from greater contact. Scholars who study innovations in honors programs could benefit from a comparison of their findings to those in more mature fields, i.e., research about innovation in higher education. At the same time, a full model of innovation in higher education should …

Aided By Adderall: Illicit Use Of Adhd Medications By College Students, Amber D. Rolland, Patricia J. Smith

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

“I don’t know that many kids that have done coke, none that have tried crack, and only a few that have dropped acid. I can’t even count all of the ones who’ve taken Adderall” (Stice). This statement made in an interview by a freshman art history major at the University of Maryland, College Park, in 2007 effectively highlights a still growing problem among undergraduate students in the United States: the nonmedical use of stimulant medications prescribed to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as “study aids.” Even as early as 2004, up to twenty percent of college students had used …

Teaching An Honors Seminar On #Blacklivesmatter In East Texas, Ervin Malakaj, Jeffrey L. Littlejohn, Kimberly Bell, Patrick J. Lewis, Julia D. May

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

In spring 2017, Ervin Malakaj (Assistant Professor of German) and Jeffrey L. Littlejohn (Professor of History) led a Difficult Dialogues seminar on #BlackLivesMatter for the Sam Houston State University (SHSU) Honors College. The seminar considered the complex historical, economic, and cultural forces that produced the movement along with the various responses to it. By mid-semester, however, the course had become a target for fake news blogs and websites. Critics of the #BlackLivesMatter movement attempted to portray the course as a propagandistic endeavor intended to force a left-wing ideology upon unwilling students who had reluctantly enrolled in the course in order …

Transformative Learning: Lessons From First-Semester Honors Narratives, Kyler Knapp, Phame Camarena, Holly Moore

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Although the National Collegiate Honors Council has clearly articulated the common characteristics of “fully developed” honors programs and colleges, these elements describe the structures and processes that frame honors education but do not directly describe the intended honors outcomes for student learners (Spurrier). Implicitly, however, the intended outcomes of distinct curricula, smaller course sizes, honors living communities, international programming, capstone or thesis requirements, and any number of other innovative forms of pedagogy are qualitatively different from faster degree completion, better jobs, or higher recognition at graduation. When intentionally directed, honors education promotes the full transformation of the student (Mihelich, Storrs, …

Mental Health Needs In The Honors Community: Beyond Good Intentions, Maureen Kelleher

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

In addressing mental health needs in honors communities, I first need to explain that I am not a mental health practitioner; I am a sociologist. The types of issues that interest me are structural: what can we do to set up supportive environments that help all our students. We need to respond appropriately to individuals, but we also need also to look at the larger system (Bertram et al.; JED Foundation, “A Guide”; Atkins & Frazier). For honors educators, the challenges that students face in their daily lives are an ongoing concern. We are all aware of the rising rates …