Digital Commons Network^™

Cc406 Keeping Families First

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Campaign Circular 406 is about the state-wide campaign to keep families first by building communities where families are valued throughout businesses, schools, communities, and organizations.

Cc302 Revised With No Date New Directions

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension: Historical Materials

Campaign Circular 302 Revised with no date contains facts about the purpose, structure, funding, and activities of the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension

Elementary School Teachers' Interpretation And Promotion Of Creativity In The Learning Of Mathematics: A Grounded Theory Study, Yinjing Shen

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

Creativity is important for young children learning mathematics. Comparing the investment theory of creativity and national standards and principles for early mathematics shows that doing mathematics is more than applying rules and procedures; rather, learning mathematics takes a lot of creativity. However, much literature claimed that creativity for young children in the learning of mathematics was not adequately supported by teachers in the classroom due to teachers’ poor college preparation in mathematics content knowledge, teachers’ negativity towards creative students, teachers’ occupational pressure, low quality curriculum, and the like. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to generate a model …

The Senior Year Transition, Catherine E. Long

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

This research focuses on how college seniors emotionally and mentally experience their final year of college. The senior year experience should be a time of reflection and closure of their undergraduate experience. The students in this study identified how types of involvement led them to self-reflection and recognize individual strengths and outcomes that prepared them for their post-graduate lives. By capturing these students’ voices through their experiences the research examined the need for all-inclusive support during the senior year transition. The data provides implications for programming and services, with the intent to facilitate reflection and closure.

Adviser: Debra Mullen

Estimating Child Sleep From Parent Report Of Time In Bed: Development And Evaluation Of Adjustment Approaches, Timothy D. Nelson, Alyssa Lundahl, Dennis L. Molfese, Rachel N. Waford, Adrienne Roman, David Gozal, Victoria J. Molfese, Melissa C. Ferguson

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Objective To develop and evaluate adjustment factors to convert parent-reported time in bed to an estimate of child sleep time consistent with objective measurement. Methods A community sample of 217 children aged 4–9 years (mean age = 6.6 years) wore actigraph wristwatches to objectively measure sleep for 7 days while parents completed reports of child sleep each night. After examining the moderators of the discrepancy between parent reports and actigraphy, 3 adjustment factors were evaluated. Results Parent report of child sleep overestimated nightly sleep duration by ~24 min per night relative to actigraphy. Child age, gender, and sleep quality all …

Ncpa Newsletter February 2014

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Newsletters and Annual Reports

SENIOR CORNER

GRAND ISLAND SPRING SEMINARS

DIRECTOR’S LIST

NCPA APPLICATION DEADLINES

SPOTLIGHT SCHOLAR

NCPA SUMMER CALENDAR

TAYLOR ARMSTRONG

Research At The University Of Nebraska-Lincoln: 2013-2014 Report

Office of Research and Economic Development: Publications

The 2013-2014 UNL Research Report, published by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Office of Research and Economic Development, highlights some of the diverse research, scholarship and creative activity at the heart of UNL’s research enterprise during the fiscal year July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2014. A companion website includes more photos, videos and additional resources.

The Changes In Mainland Chinese Families During The Social Transition: A Critical Analysis, Anqi Xu, Yan Ruth Xia

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Modernization theory offers possible explanations for family changes related to advances in science and technology, and socio-economic development in industrial societies. Modernization impacts family structure, relationship, values and beliefs. Families become nuclear while people become mobile and the society becomes urban. Economic development provides employment opportunities outside the birthplace. Away from kinship network, a nuclear family is less influenced and controlled by elder members in the extended family in fulfilling its traditional roles and obligations (Parsons, 1943). The changes occur in all societies although they may vary in pace across societies (Goode, 1982). Modernization theory is criticized for valuing Western …

Family Policy In China: A Snapshot Of 1950–2010, Yan Ruth Xia, Haiping Wang, Anh Do, Shen Qin

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

The Chinese family policies are shaped by the country’s political, socioeconomic, and cultural contexts and have evolved over the years. China has passed its most significant family policies and laws in marriage; child rearing; child, women, and elderly protection; family planning; and health care in the past 60 years. This chapter will cover the most important laws and policies that affect Chinese families from 1950 to 2010. The discussion focuses on policy development, implementation and analysis, and the challenges China faces in relation to these policy issues.

Head Start And Child Care Providers’ Motivators, Barriers And Facilitators To Practicing Family-Style Meal Service, Dipti A. Dev, Katherine E. Speirs, Brent A. Mcbride, Sharon M. Donovan, Karen Chapman-Novakofski

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

This paper presents a qualitative investigation of the motivators, barriers, and facilitators for practicing family-style meal service (FSMS) from the perspective of 18 child care providers serving preschool children in Head Start (HS), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) funded, and non-CACFP child-care centers. Providers were selected based on maximum variation purposive sampling and semi-structured interviews were conducted until saturation was reached. Provider responses were systematically coded using thematic analysis. HS and CACFP providers reported being motivated to practice FSMS because it created pleasant mealtimes, opportunities to role model healthy eating, and healthful child development. CACFP and non-CACFP providers …

2014-15 Unopa Annual Report

UNOPA: Annual Reports

No abstract provided.

Race Still Matters: Preparing Culturally Relevant Teachers, Tonia Renee Durden, Caitlin Mcmunn Dooley, Diane M. Truscott

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

This qualitative study explores racial identity development of teacher candidates during a teacher preparation program dedicated to preparing teachers for diverse classrooms. Two black teacher can-didates in the United States demonstrate their racial identity development through critical reflections offered throughout the program. Findings suggest that teachers’ racial identities shaped their con-structions of culturally relevant (CR) pedagogy. Implications for teacher education programs include considering how the development of CR pedagogues is influenced by teacher candidates’ racial iden-tities and experiences.

Institute Of Agriculture And Natural Resources

2016 Accreditation Materials

The Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources serves Nebraska by providing internationally-recognized science and education to assure the state's competitiveness in a changing world. To fulfill this vision with its firm focus on Nebraska, we must achieve world-class excellence in: the life sciences, ranging from molecular to global systems; sustainable food, fiber and natural resource systems that support a bio-based economy; economics and environments for a sustainable future; and human capital development of children, youth, and families.

Caregiver Behavior Change For Child Survival And Development In Low- And Middle-Income Countries: An Examination Of The Evidence, John P. Elder, Willo Pequegnat, Saifuddin Ahmed, Gretchen Bachman, Merry Bullock, Waldemar A. Carlo, Venkatrama Chandra- Mouli, Nathan A. Fox, Sara Harkness, Gillian Huebner, Joan Lombardi, Velma Mcbride Murry, Allisyn Moran, Maureen Norton, Jennifer Mulik, Will Parks, Helen Raikes, Joseph Smyser, Caroline Sugg, Michael Sweat

United States Public Health Resources

In June of 2012, representatives from more than 80 countries promulgated a Child Survival Call to Action, which called for reducing child mortality to 20 or fewer child deaths per 1,000 live births in every country by 2035. To address the problem of ending preventable child deaths, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the United Nations Children’s Fund convened, on June 3–4, 2013, an Evidence Summit on Enhancing Child Survival and Development in Lower- and Middle-Income Countries by Achieving Population-Level Behavior Change. Six evidence review teams were established on different topics related to child survival and healthy development to …

Community Vitality Connects Nebraska, Charlotte Narjes, Connie Hancock

Cornhusker Economics

Fostering the future of Nebraska is the underlying mission of the newly formed Community Vitality Initiative (CVI) launched by UNL Extension. The Community Vitality Initiative is focused on expanding partnerships to build communities where businesses thrive, entrepreneurs have access to the resources they need and young people want to return. Currently multi-disciplinary teams include faculty from the Departments such as Ag Economics and the Department of Child, Youth and Family Studies and will include faculty from all the University campuses and service providers from outside of the University.

The “Female Fertility–Social Stratification–Hypergyny” Hypothesis Of Male Homosexual Preference: Factual, Conceptual And Methodological Errors In Barthes Et Al. [Commentary], Doug P. Vanderlaan, Zachary H. Garfield, Melissa J. Garfield, Jean-Baptiste Leca, Paul L. Vasey, Raymond B. Hames

Department of Anthropology: Faculty Publications

Barthes, Godelle, and Raymond (2013, Evolution and Human Behavior, 34, 155–163) proposed a hypothesis to (1) identify the process by which genes influencing male homosexual preference (MHP) are passed on over evolutionary time, and (2) account for why life-course persistent MHP is restricted to humans. According to their hypothesis, certain genes lower reproductive success in male carriers by causing MHP, but these same genes promote fertility in female carriers (i.e., sexual antagonism). Barthes et al. proposed that the female carriers of genes for MHP have physical cues of fertility (i.e., beauty) that help them marry up the social class …

Nebraska Center For Research On Children, Youth, Families And Schools Annual Report 2013-2014, Susan M. Sheridan

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

Table of Contents

Projects Taking Bite out of Early Obesity ..................................................................... 4

Texting Sends Message about Drug Use on Streets ................................................. 6

Studies Examining Fluid Dynamics of Early Personality ........................................... 7

MAP Academy Charts Methodological Pursuits ........................................................ 8

Inaugural Fellowship Makes Time for Research ........................................................ 9

Consortium, Schools Writing the Book on Student Literacy ................................... 10

10-Year Timeline ...........................................................................................................12

Results: 10 Years at a Glance .......................................................................................14

Program Changes Equation for Early Math Education .............................................16

Research Shares with Practice, Policy at Early Childhood Summit ..........................18

Study Seeks Ties that Bind Families & Schools ...........................................................20

Center Shows Initiative in Expanding Education ........................................................21 …

Nebraska Game And Parks Commission 2014 Annual Report

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

No abstract provided.

Childhood Exposure To Family Violence And Adult Trauma Symptoms: The Importance Of Social Support From A Spouse, Sarah E. Evans, Anne L. Steel, Laura E. Watkins, David Dilillo

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

This study examines the roles of positive and negative social support from a spouse as potential moderators of associations between experiences of physical abuse and exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) as a child and adult trauma symptoms. We hypothesized that positive social support received from a spouse would have a buffering effect on trauma symptoms whereas negative social support from a spouse would have a potentiating effect. Participants were 193 newlywed couples (total N = 386) randomly recruited from a marriage license database. Participants completed self-report questionnaires measuring the nature and severity of child maltreatment and trauma symptoms, and …

“Rebuilding Our Community”: Hearing Silenced Voices On Aboriginal Youth Suicide, Melissa L. Walls, Dane Hautala, Jenna Hurley

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

This paper brings forth the voices of adult Aboriginal First Nations community members who gathered in focus groups to discuss the problem of youth suicide on their reserves. Our approach emphasizes multilevel (e.g., individual, family, and broader ecological systems) factors viewed by participants as relevant to youth suicide. Wheaton’s conceptualization of stressors (1994; 1999) and Evans-Campbell’s (2008) multilevel classification of the impacts of historical trauma are used as theoretical and analytic guides. Thematic analysis of qualitative data transcripts revealed a highly complex intersection of stressors, traumas, and social problems seen by community members as underlying mechanisms influencing heightened levels of …

Predictors Of Head Start And Child-Care Providers’ Healthful And Controlling Feeding Practices With Children Aged 2 To 5 Years, Dipti A. Dev, Brent A. Mcbride, Katherine E. Speirs, Sharon M. Donovan, Hyun Keun Cho

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Few child-care providers meet the national recommendations for healthful feeding practices. Effective strategies are needed to address this disparity, but research examining influences on child-care providers’ feeding practices is limited. The purpose of this study was to identify determinants of child-care providers’ healthful and controlling feeding practices for children aged 2 to 5 years. In this cross-sectional study, child-care providers (n = 118) from 24 center-based programs (six Head Start [HS], 11 Child and Adult Care Food Program [CACFP] funded, and seven non-CACFP) completed selfadministered surveys during 2011-2012. Multilevel multivariate linear regression models were used to predict seven feeding practices.Working …

Examining Identity Consolidation Processes Among Ethnic Minority Gay Men And Lesbians, Heather R. Kennedy, Rochelle L. Dalla

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Past scholarship has demonstrated shortcomings in developmental theories for both sexual and ethnic identity. Furthermore, identity development may be especially challenging for members of multiple minority groups facing significant social stressors. The primary goal of this study was to explore identity consolidation processes among individuals with intersecting minority identities. Using in-depth, personal interviews and self-report measures, data were collected from 16 ethnic minority gay men and lesbians. Themes such as acceptance, invisibility, and fear confirm the influence of social context on identity integration. Findings revealed differing magnitudes of consolidation. Greater social support and educational endeavors were critical factors in distinguishing …

Teacher Support Mediates Concurrent And Longitudinal Associations Between Temperament And Mild Depressive Symptoms In Sixth Grade, Kathleen Moritz Rudasill, Patrick Pössel, Stephanie Winkeljohn Black, Kate Niehaus

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

The combination of changes occurring at the transition to middle school may be a catalyst for the onset of depressive symptoms, yet teacher support at this transition is protective. Research points to certain temperamental traits as risk factors for developing depressive symptoms. This study examines student reports of teacher support and teacher reports of student–teacher relationship (STR) quality as mediators of associations between child temperament (i.e. negative emotionality at age 4½ : and emotional reactivity in elementary grades) and depressive symptoms in sixth grade. Results indicate (a) negative emotionality predicted emotional reactivity and depressive symptoms; (b) emotional reactivity predicted depressive …

Efficacy Of The Getting Ready Intervention And The Role Of Parental Depression, Susan M. Sheridan, Lisa Knoche, Carolyn P. Edwards, Kevin A. Kupzyk, Brandy L. Clark, Elizabeth M. Kim

Department of Educational Psychology: Faculty Publications

This study reports the results of a randomized trial of a parent engagement intervention (the Getting Ready Project) on directly observed learning-related social behaviors of children from families of low-income in the context of parent-child interactions. The study explored the moderating effect of parental depression on intervention outcomes. Participants were 204 children and their parents, and 29 Head Start teachers. Semi-structured parent-child interaction tasks were videotaped two times annually over the course of two academic years. Observational codes of child behaviors included agency, persistence, activity level, positive affect, distractibility, and verbalizations. Controlling for gender and disability concerns, relative to children …

Children’S Attitudes Towards Peers With Disabilities: Associations With Personal And Parental Factors, Soo-Young Hong, Kyong-Ah Kwon, Hyun-Joo Jeon

Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families, and Schools: Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to investigate the following: (i) associations among children’s prior contact with people with disabilities and the three dimensions of children’s attitudes towards people with disabilities: children’s understanding of and their feelings about people with disabilities and their behavioral intentions to make inclusion decisions; (ii) the relation between children’s behavioral intentions to make inclusion decisions and the demands of activity contexts and the types of disabilities; and (iii) the association between parents’ attitudes and children’s attitudes. Participants included 94 typically developing four- and five-year-old preschoolers. Children’s understanding of disabilities and their prior contact with people …

Development And Initial Findings Of An Implementation Process Measure For Child Welfare System Change, Mary I. Armstrong, Julie S. Mccrae, Michelle Graef, Tammy Richards, David Lambert, Charlotte Lyn Bright, Cathy Sowell

Center on Children, Families, and the Law: Faculty Publications

This article describes a new measure designed to examine the process of implementation of child welfare systems change. The measure was developed to document the status of the interventions and strategies that are being implemented and the drivers that are being installed to achieve sustainable changes in systems. The measure was used in a Children’s Bureau-supported national effort to assess the ongoing implementation of 24 systems-change projects in child welfare jurisdictions across the country. The article describes the process for measure development, method of administration and data collection, and quantitative and qualitative findings.

Perceptions Of Positive Youth Development Experiences Related To Rural Hispanic Youth Academic Success, Jill A. Goedeken

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

Understanding the struggles rural Hispanic youth face academically, learning more about their perceptions of positive youth development experiences relating to their academic success connects the essence of the two experiences. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore rural Hispanic youths’ perceptions of positive youth development experiences as they relate to their academic success. The phenomenological design was chosen to explore the essence of the shared experiences of positive youth development experiences among rural Hispanic youth in the Columbus, Nebraska, community. To understand a possible perceived connection between positive youth development experiences to academic success, 28 Hispanic youth from …

Juvenile Court Officers’ Perceptions Of Innovation Adoption; What Personal And Contextual Factors Make A Difference In Levels Of Adoption? An Exploratory Mixed-Method Study., Brenda Jean Moran

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

This exploratory research examined levels of innovation adoption among Juvenile Court Officers (JCOs) in a Midwestern state. The researcher applied Everett M. Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation model as the study’s framework. According to Rogers (2003), innovation is “an idea, practice or object that is perceived as new by an individual or other unit of adoption” (p. 475). The study sought to determine the extent that demographic and work-life variables such as gender, office location, caseload, years of service, personality/temperament and employee engagement contributed to levels of innovation adoption by JCOs. This study examined the characteristics of individuals and contexts in …

Witnessing Inter-Parental Violence At Home: Adolescents And School Achievement, Renita Dawn Robinson-Tyrance

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Children’s exposure to violence is a serious social problem, but little is known about the educational implications for adolescents witnessing violence between parents. This study uses social learning theory (SLT) to examine the relationship between high school-aged adolescent students who witness parental intimate partner violence (IPV) and academic performance demonstrated by their grade point averages (GPA). A secondary analysis of data collected from the survey of 1,132 adolescent students in a medium sized, suburban/rural city was conducted. Of the respondents, 83% of the students did not witness parental IPV between parents. Students witnessing the most parental IPV had the lowest …

Preschool Children’S Conservation Reasoning And Understanding About Nature, Julia C. Torquati, Julia Kroeker, Carmun Kok

The Nebraska Educator: A Student-Led Journal

This research uses Moral Domain Theory to examine preschool children’s reasoning about conservation. Three criteria differentiate between moral, personal, and conventional issues: universal application to all people in morally similar situations; not contingent upon societal rules; justification tied to rights and welfare.

Kahn (2001) reported that young children use predominately “harm to nature” justifications when asked about potentially harmful actions such as throwing trash in a waterway. Based on his investigation on environmental moral reasoning of participants ages 6 years to young adulthood across multiple cultures, Kahn proposed a developmental model that progresses from justifications (for prohibiting an action) focusing …