Digital Commons Network^™

Providing A Print-Rich Environment For Young Writers, Rita S. Nierling

Graduate Research Papers

A print-rich environment can provide many experiences to nurture young children's writing abilities. Cambourne's instructional elements for promoting literacy have been related to a literature-based program. Literature experiences and related writing activities extended to the science area of an elementary instructional program, specially to the concept of air, are developed.

The Role Of Prereading Instruction In Content Area Reading, Mary Carol Smith

Graduate Research Papers

The graduate project presented in this paper is a workshop for teachers of grades 4, 5, and 6. The workshop will consist of prereading strategies to use in the content areas. Participants will learn that prereading instruction is preparing the student to read content area material. Teachers involved in the workshop will also gain an understanding of the need for and importance of prereading preparation.

Integrating Children's Literature And Mathematics In The Early Childhood Classroom, Jamie M. Christensen

Graduate Research Papers

"Historically there have been three reasons for groups to formally adopt a set of standards: (1) to ensure quality, (2) to indicate goals, and (3) to promote change. For NCTM, all three reasons are of equal importance" (The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 1989, p. 2).

Now, more than any other time in history, mathematical reform is essential in our school systems. The traditional mathematics curriculum was designed to prepare shopkeepers, farmers, and factory workers for occupations in the early 1900s. Some of those skills are still useful in today's society. However, as the new millennium approaches, our future …

Technology, At-Risk Intervention & The Music Classroom, Kurt M.J. Devore

Graduate Research Papers

This research paper will provide an overview of the music technologies available for students, address how the National Standards for music education are fulfilled by utilizing technology in the music classroom, and discuss how technology applications can aid learning in the music classroom. There will also be a description of several technology based workstations for the music classroom.

Autism : A Look Into Cause And Treatment, Sarah Chase Ferguson

Graduate Research Papers

This paper reviews the literature on the etiology and treatment of autism in an attempt to answer three questions. First, what are the main theories on the cause of autism? To answer this the theories of the psychoanalytic, behavioral, and biological perspectives are examined. Second, what treatment methods are available for children with autism? Ideas on treatment are discussed from each of. the three perspectives. In addition, UCLA's Young Autism Project and Project TEACCH are covered. Third, what is the nature of treatment? The importance of specific treatment in the areas of language, social skills and daily living skills is …

The Internet And Education : Uses And Issues, Ronald William Fitch

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is two-fold. First, to provide a short overview of how the Internet, especially e-mail and the World Wide Web (WWW), is used in education for all age groups, elementary school through university and corporate training. Second, to examine current issues surrounding the use of the Internet in education. This paper will answer the question "What is the current state of the Internet in education?" Educational uses of the Internet as supplemental tools to classroom learning will be defined and discussed.

Using Interactive Writing With Reluctant Writers, Candis Frieden

Graduate Research Papers

Interactive writing provides an authentic opportunity for children to learn the conventions of writing while constructing meaningful text. As the teacher and children compose a text together, children are active participants in analyzing sounds and constructing words. While writing, children develop strategies for spelling. Interactive writing gives children confidence to use invented spelling which increases children's independence in writing.

Educational Technology And Language Teaching: Research On The Application Of Videos And Computers, Lihua Zheng

Graduate Research Papers

One of the major problems with the use of educational technology in China is the lack of qualified teachers who know their academic field and the application of instructional technology as well. This problem inhibits the improvement of the Chinese instructional environment and the development of the Chinese educational cause. The purpose of this research paper is to present some of the most current research in the effective use of educational technology in foreign language teaching with the focus on two technologies: video and computer. Concerning video technology, different learning styles and the implications for language learning are analyzed; the …

Integration Of Technology Into Science Education, Paul Zahner

Graduate Research Papers

In this paper, the importance of integrating technology into science education is discussed. The correlation between technology and science is noted and national science standards are examined. The evolution of today's learners requires a change in science education, and technology can serve as a vehicle for meaningful reform. The starting point for any change in science education lies with the teacher, who must adopt new strategies to meet the needs of all types of learners. Various examples of these teaching plans are discussed within this paper. Other important components of the change process include school administration support, especially financial. These …

Technology In The Elementary Art Program, Michele Weisinger

Graduate Research Papers

The advancement of technology use in todays' schools has provided teachers with new teaching resources. This applies to all teachers in every curricular area at every grade level. One area of instruction in which technology has had an overwhelming effect is the visual arts. Technology has created a new art form with which artists young and old may express themselves visually. Technology has also provided art educators with a unique teaching tool to promote visual learning.

Classroom Discussion: A Journey To Decentralizing The Classroom, Mike Suther

Graduate Research Papers

Throughout history of the United States, teachers have instigated classroom discussion about text in hopes that talk enhanced understanding. More recently, Vygotsky (1978) produced evidence of the importance of social talk in learning. It is through this social interaction or discussion that students construct and negotiate meaning of text. What constitutes social interaction or discussion is what leads some teachers to disagree. The literature on discussion has classified it into two types: recitation and discussion.

A Structural Analysis Of The Information Problem Solving Strategies Of Selected Home Schooled Students, Jacquelyn M. Stoakes

Graduate Research Papers

This research investigated the information problem solving curriculum of home schooled students who lived in four central Iowa school districts, all of whom belonged to the same home school networking group. Fourteen home schooling parents were interviewed, and asked to respond to questions dealing with the research process, and how those skills were being taught, the major focus being on whether the skills were taught as part of the curriculum, or in supplement to it, and whether information problem solving was taught as a process or separately as content. Use of electronic searching was also investigated.

This study indicated that …

Technology And Its Impact On Language Arts, Tresa Ann Dietrich

Graduate Research Papers

Language arts is a field where technology can be worked into the writing and reading fields with word processors, CD-ROMs, and other multimedia materials that focus on communication. Learning to effectively communicate is one goal of language arts education. This encompasses speaking, listening, writing, and presentation – utilizing all the available technologies and incorporating them into highly motivating and innovative units or activities.

Ability Grouping In The Elementary School, Ellen M. Azinger

Graduate Research Papers

Ability grouping has been used in schools for many years in an attempt to meet children's instructional needs. Is this type of grouping nurturing for children? The purpose of this paper is to examine ability grouping and then to offer the alternative of flexible grouping to extend the instructional program at the elementary level. Flexible grouping allows students to more readily pursue meaningful learning, thus extending their abilities.

Effective Uses Of Technology In The Classroom, Sherrie Kopecky

Graduate Research Papers

Research Questions: How is technology being effectively used in the elementary, middle, and high schools both by the teachers and the students? What are some effective pieces of software students are utilizing in their learning? What is the best way to integrate technology into the curriculum?

Providing A Rich Learning Environment Through A Literature-Based Unit Across The Curriculum : Gardens And Gardening, Glenda G. Moleski

Graduate Research Papers

A literature base with related expressive activities from the language arts and graphic and performing arts can support an integrated instructional study. As a result, personal-social and thinking-language abilities can be nurtured. This specific literature base on gardens and gardening was developed for at-risk children in a multi-age classroom (grades 2-3).

Book Discussions : Guiding Students In Creating Their Own Questioning, Christine Matthew

Graduate Research Papers

Book discussions increase the understanding and personal meaning of books through the students' active participation during the reading process. Previous to book discussions the students would give a statement from the book or paraphrase the book. With the new format students are able to talk about the character's feelings, predict the happenings in the story, discuss the circumstances in the story and how the story could have been written differently.

The success of the book discussions makes it an easy decision to continue the program. This process is very enjoyable and can be adapted for any classroom and teacher. The …

Barriers To Effective Programming Of Rural Gifted And Talented Students, Linda K. Moehring

Graduate Research Papers

Gifted and talented students in rural areas have barriers that are specific to them. Through a review of literature on gifted and talented students in rural schools this writer has determined five barriers to effective educational programming: (1) Anti-intellectualism as a societal attitude; (2) isolation of rural gifted students; (3) the all-encompassing role of the gifted and talented teacher; (4) inadequate curricular or programming opportunities; and (5) lack of funding.

The review and analysis of literature on the rural gifted and talented include the recommendation that much more research needs to be conducted in the area of service to rural …

Technology And The Early Childhood Classroom, Donna Weinbrenner

Graduate Research Papers

As we close in on the 21st century, educators all over the nation are racing to meet the challenge to develop "technological literacy" in their students, students who are able to use computers and other technology to improve their learning and performance.

Extrinsic Rewards And Their Subsequent Effects On Student Intrinsic Motivation, Anne-Grete Kaldahl Miller

Graduate Research Papers

This paper reviews the current literature on the advantages and disadvantages of the use of different extrinsic rewards and their impact on student intrinsic motivation. A review of literature will address three central questions: 1.What are the advantages of extrinsic rewards? 2.What are the disadvantages of extrinsic rewards? 3.What are the special conditions under which external rewards impact intrinsic motivation?

Computers And Young Children, Suzanne M. Parsons

Graduate Research Papers

This study addresses the issue of using computers in early childhood classrooms. Benefits, as well as problems, associated with using computers with young children were discussed. Guidelines for choosing developmentally appropriate software were outlined and conclusions were drawn from literature. Recommendations were made for future computer studies.

A Phenomenological Analysis Of An Instructional Systems Design Creative Project, Daniel M. Benson

Graduate Research Papers

This research paper is a phenomenological analysis of a creative project involving University of Northern Iowa undergraduate art students in the planning and creation of visual illustrations, graphic design concepts, .html documents, and imagery for a world wide web intranet/lnternet virtual space.

This analysis looks at instructional design as a creative process and the phenomenology of the UNI Art/Cat (Art Resources Technology/Computer Assisted Training) computer laboratory. The mission, goals, and objectives of the creative project, experiential and experimental philosophies of education, and the phenomenologies of the instructional design process are the main considerations. The methodology of this thesis is primarily …

Experiencing Poetry Daily In The Classroom: Listening, Reading, And Writing, Carol Wenger

Graduate Research Papers

A second grade teacher provides students with daily poetry experiences based on research of the benefits of using poetry in the classroom. Poems were read for the enjoyment of the words, to further develop topics of study, to notice the use of writing conventions, to improve students' reading skills, and to improve the writing skills of students.

Poetry For Young Adults: A Textual Analysis Of Poems By Mel Glenn And Paul Janeczko, Lisa Pope

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalent characteristics and elements of young adult poetry by examining a random sample of poems by Mel Glenn and Paul Janeczko. The characteristics and elements include themes, subjects, and other items of apparent relevance to teenagers' lives.

Because poems are the data being studied, a qualitative approach is utilized. More specifically, textual analysis is employed because this type of analysis is focused upon text.

The findings show that both sets of poetry contain similar elements and characteristics. All poems studied are of high poetic merit, contain imagery, are relatively simple, and …

Promoting Inference-Making In A First Grade Classroom, Susan E. Flater

Graduate Research Papers

School-age children throughout their life experiences make inferences. Teachers can offer instruction and modeling in inference-making and opportunities for children to make inferences. As a result, children can become accustomed to bringing their prior knowledge to reading experiences, thus extending their thinking-language abilities.

An Investigation Of Women’S Motivational Factors To Run A Marathon, Michelle Roland

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to begin to understand what motivates women to participate in marathons. Twenty-seven Caucasian women enrolled in the "Seminar in Fitness and Mental Health" at a Midwest university answered the questionnaire (Motivations of Marathoners Scale Questionnaire). After participants completed the questionnaire a focus group interview was conducted with six participants. The Motivations of Marathoners Questionnaire was used to identify the participants' motives to run a marathon. The questionnaire contained 56 items distributed across nine scales. The scales included the following areas: health orientation, weight concern, self-esteem, life meaning, psychological coping, affiliation, recognition, competition, and personal …

Bioremediation Of Soil Contaminated With Explosives, Catherine A. Axtell

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Bioremediation of contaminated soil and water has been the topic of considerable research interest. White rot fungi have recently been proposed for use in biodegradation of explosives. The explosives, TNT, RDX and HMX are integral components of the manufacture of munitions. The wastes from the production of these and other explosives have been discharged into the surrounding environment resulting in contamination. Phanerochaete chrysosporium and strain F600, a proprietary white rot fungus developed by Mycotech Corporation, were studied with regard to their ability to degrade TNT, HMX and RDX in liquid cultures and in soil. Laboratory studies demonstrated that P. chrysosporium …

Toxicity Of Tnt, Hmx, And Rdx Degradation Products To Mammalian Cells Before And After Bioremediation Of Contaminated Soils, Irina Yurievna Blinova

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The production and disposal of hazardous substances has resulted in environment pollution and has become one of the most important issues in the United States. New technologies such as site bioremediation using microorganisms or microbial processes that enhance contaminant detoxification and destruction are being developed. This project assessed the success of bioremediation by a white rot fungus. The material tested was soil from Virginia site contaminated with a mixture of explosives (TNT, RDX, and HMX). The assays examined toxicity of soil eluates to several mammalian cell lines (Ll210, Jurkat, and U-937). Two separate assays were used and compared in the …

A Case Study Of Four Fifth Grade Teachers And Their Perceptions Of How And Why They Teach Science, Ana K. Houseal

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of four 5th grade teachers and their perceptions of the influences on how and why they taught science in their classrooms. The four participating teachers who were from three school districts in Iowa were observed teaching science lessons and interviewed following the observations. The results of the study showed that the data obtained during the observations and interviews focused on three major themes. The first theme centered on the teachers' perceptions of changes in teaching elementary science. These included a move away from text-based learning with a subsequent move …

Use Of Rapds To Develop Specific Primers For The Identification Of Mycorrhizal Fungi, Cynthia A. Boyd

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The restoration of damaged ecosystems, particularly at superfund sites is a complex issue. These sites present problems with revegetation attempts due to their unique chemical, physical, and biological properties. Revegetation of damaged ecosystems may be enhanced by mycorrhizal associations. The establishment of a facultative mycotroph, Festuca arundinacea Screb. (tall fescue) treated with a commercial fungal inoculum, was studied at a Galena, Kansas mining site. The evaluation of this revegetation project required the identification of endomycorrhizal fungi, Glomus c/arum and G/omus etunicatum in the inoculum. Traditional identification of these fungi based on spore morphology and other physical characteristics is not suitable …