Digital Commons Network^™

W.R.I.T.E: Writing’S Role In Thoughtful Endeavors, Catherine M. Miller

Faculty Work

“Mathematicians actually spend a great deal of time writing. If a mathematician wants to contribute to the greater body of mathematical knowledge, she must be able communicate her ideas in a way which is comprehensible to others.” Lee, 2014, pg. 1

Why should our students be different from the mathematicians Lee (2014) refers to in the quote above? Learning mathematics requires a confluence of spoken, written and mathematically abstract languages. After all, who thinks entirely in mathematical symbols? No one, except a few mathematical thinkers who are live in the abstract worlds they construct. Thinking about mathematics in the language …

Population Structure, Size, And The Thermal Ecology Of Iowa Wood Turtles (Glyptemys Insculpta): A Comparison Between Suburban And Rural Populations, Samuel Wesley Berg

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Population structure, population size, and the thermal ecology of wood turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) was studied in a suburban population in Black Hawk County (BHC) and compared to a rural population in Butler County (BC), Iowa. In a suburban population of 35 wood turtles, 32 (91.4%) were adults distributed in a 1:1 sex ratio [16 (45.7%) females and 16 (45.7%) males], and 3 (8.6%) were juveniles. In the rural population, 60 (98.4% of the total population) adult turtles were distributed in a 3:2 sex ratio [36 (59.0%) females and 24 (39.3%) males], and one (1.7%) juvenile was located. Population structure was …

Effectiveness Of Preschool Lessons For Active Youngsters (Play) Curriculum On The Gross Motor Development And Physical Activity Level Of Preschool Children, Karyn K. Finn

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Presumably, energy balance can help to stabilize and ultimately reverse the rising rates of childhood obesity. Research findings generally point to a positive association between preschool children’s motor skill competence and their level of physical activity. This study was conducted as part of Project PLAY (Preschool Lessons for Active Youngsters) to objectively evaluate Project PLAY curriculum in order to provide childcare centers with an outcome-based curriculum that can improve motor skill development and positively affect physical activity level. This study used a quasi-experimental, cross over design with pre-mid-post assessment of motor skills and physical activity. The study was conducted with …

A Graduate Recital In Voice, Brent M. Smith

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Brent Smith presented his graduate recital on March 3, 2014 at 6:00 p.m. in Davis Hall of the Gallagher-Bluedorn Perfroming Arts Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus. The program consisted of four sets of music, in collaboration with pianist Jessica Schick, by the composers Theron Kirk, Robert Schumann, Francis Poulenc and Tom Lehrer. This abstract discusses musical and historical features of the recital pieces in the order of the program.

Understanding The Long-Term Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of The Taimyr Reindeer Herd During The Summer Concentration Period, Matthew D. Cooney

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study was part of a larger research effort devoted to investigation of spatiotemporal patterns and dynamics of the Taimyr Reindeer Herd (TRH) migration under changing climate and environmental conditions. The research aimed to systematize and analyze available historical (archival) data on wild reindeer (Rangifer tarandus L.) migration and ecosystems change in the Taimyr Peninsula, Russia. The summer concentration patterns of the TRH as observed from 1969-2009 were investigated through the utilization of existing and innovative spatioanalytic methods and advanced GIS technologies not previously used to examine R. tarandus migration in the Russian Arctic. The project applied and tested the …

The Effects Of Interactive Videoconferencing On Elementary Literacy : Collaborative Learning Environment, Heather A. Klenke

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this literature review is to examine the effectiveness of videoconferencing on elementary students' literacy learning process. Over thirty peer-reviewed journal articles published within the last ten years are critically analyzed and evaluated. The findings suggest that videoconferencing can embrace elementary students' literacy learning by motivating them to learn, engaging them in diverse activities for collaboration, and enhancing their communication skills development and academic achievement, if appropriate and meaningful learning and teaching strategies are adopted. This review also identifies benefits of using videoconferencing for teacher professional development.

The Effects Of Web 2.0 Pedagogy On Student Engagement, Collaboration, And Achievement, Kelsey Lage

Graduate Research Papers

This review explores various studies and articles on the effects of Web 2.0 pedagogy on student engagement, collaboration, and achievement in a K-undergraduate setting. A critical review of purposefully selected peer-reviewed journal articles highlight the relationship between Web 2.0 pedagogy and student engagement, collaboration, and achievement. This literature review provides an analysis for administrators and teachers when implementing Web 2.0 pedagogy. This review suggests that the implementation of Web 2.0 pedagogy increases student engagement, collaboration, and achievement.

The Development Of Curriculum For Monticello High School’S General Biology Class, Nicole A. Chambers

Graduate Research Papers

This curriculum development project focused on Monticello High School's recently-offered General Biology course. The General Biology course was developed to be taught in addition to the traditional college-preparatory biology course and was first offered in the 2012-2013 academic year. The Monticello High School Building Leadership Team made the decision to offer another science credit option for students who needed a life science credit but were not planning to attend a four-year college after graduation. The goals of the course, as outlined by the Building Leadership Team, were for the course to focus on practical life science material that would be …

Instructors' Perceptions Of Their Own Effectiveness, Abdullah S. Al-Asmari

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study is to explore the effectiveness of college instructors regarding the role of credibility and nonverbal immediacy in teacher’s effective behavior in the classroom. It seeks to understand instructors’ perceptions of the importance of nonverbal immediacy and its impact on their credibility. A qualitative method was used to examine the perceptions of instructors. A sample table and two graphs provide numeric indicators to illustrate the study’s results. Participants were selected based on a convenience sampling of twelve instructors from a communication department at a mid-sized Midwestern university. Although the sample is one of convenience, efforts were …

The Environmental Performance Of Biobased Resin Within Phenolic-Urethane Nobake Binders: A Feasibility Study, Ian David Morgan Williams

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The objectives of this research were to investigate the discovery and development of a biobased nobake binder resin for use within the foundry industry toward improved energy efficiency and environmental performance. The performance of polysaccharides within biobased resins was evaluated using industry-accepted methods and standards such as cure rate, tensile-strength development, and casting performance based upon step cone core results. Biobased nobake resins comprised of polysaccharide raw materials cure at a rate that is comparable to conventional nobake sand binders. Upon reaching stripping time, the development of biobased resin reveals a rapid increase in tensile strength, reaching 80% of its …

How Fifth Grade Elementary Students Select Books, Tiffany Evans

Graduate Research Papers

This study was created to discover what strategies or influences impact a student's selection of books from the school library. The purpose of this study was to discover how fifth grade students select library books when they are seeking resources for voluntary reading. Seven students were observed and interviewed after their library check out time. Students volunteered to participate in the study with their consent and with their parent's consent. The researcher met with each student and presented the students with the same six interview questions within the duration of four weeks. The interviews provided the researcher with further insight …

Semantic Feature Analysis Application For People With Aphasia, Alison Meyer

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of the Name That! App as a treatment for aphasia. There are a variety of treatment approaches available. This study will look into the benefits of each approach as well as testing one approach in particular: Semantic Feature Analysis. In addition, there are a limited number of apps available that use this approach and there is very little research into the efficacy of them. Conducting research will help determine the benefits of using a Semantic Feature Analysis approach as well as the benefits of working with the Name That! App. …

Using Seed Recovery Methods To Determine Causes Of Failed Germination In Native Prairie Species, Paige Leytem

Honors Program Theses

Prairie restorations are expensive and emergence rates as low as ten percent are often observed. This could be because seeds are exposed to dangers from microbial and fungal attack, as well as predation from granivores after planting. Our experiment aimed to determine the post-dispersal seed fates of four native prairie species after they had been planted in the soil and covered with an exclosure to limit vertebrate predation. It was performed in a prairie restoration on the University of Northern Iowa Campus in Cedar Falls, Iowa. I coated five sets of 100 seeds of each species (Elymus canadensis, Oligoneuron rigidum, …

The Effects Of Hypergravity On Development Of The Heart And Behavior Of Xenopus Laevis, Stacey Howes

Honors Program Theses

Every living organism on earth has developed and evolved in a 1G environment. It is likely that any deviation from Earth’s standard gravity will influence development, particularly at early stages. Previous reports from this lab showed that body length is reduced and that ventricle size is increased during development at 7G. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of hypergravity on the development of the ventricular myocardial wall and neuromuscular responsiveness of Xenopus laevis. At early gastrulation, (Nieuwkoop and Faber Stage 10) embryos were placed in a centrifuge simulating 7G, 10G, 15G or 17G until they …

Biology News, Winter 2014, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Biology.

Biology News

Contents:

-- Greetings from the Department of Biology
-- Biology Students and Alumni

-- Department News

-- The Department of Biology receives funding for specimens and microscopes from the Carver Charitable Trust
-- Carl Thurman's efforts extend the benefit of Carver Funding
-- Reconnect with the Department of Biology

-- Faculty and Staff News
-- Jeff Tamplin receives $60,000 grant
-- Marine Biology (new course offering)
-- Field trip to hatchery
-- Award of Faculty Excellence
-- Dean's Teaching Award
-- TriBeta Teaching Award

-- Student Club News
-- Student clubs combined to travel to Omaha zoo
-- Annual spring …

Influencing Incoming Fourth Graders' Reading Habits Through A Summer Literature Circle: A Case Study, Brandy E. Bingman

Graduate Research Papers

Digital communications are profoundly influencing young adult communications; yet little is known about how novels that use digital communications such as text messages, e-mails, or blogs as the voice and point of view. The purpose of this qualitative content analysis was to analyze how select young adult novels portray digital communications themes using the following research questions: What digital communication themes are portrayed in young adult literature that use digital communication as the voice and point of view? In what ways are the digital communication themes developed in these young adult novels? In what ways might these themes inspire young …

Effectiveness Of Blended Learning On Student Engagement, Tyler Youngers

Graduate Research Papers

Despite the increase in 1:1 computing initiatives in K-12 schools and increased technology use in higher education for blended learning, there is little empirical evidence of significant gains in learning outcomes. The use of the 1:1 initiatives to support student blended learning is the intent and purpose, but improved learning outcomes will not occur solely from investment in devices. This review investigates the promises and emerging research evidence of effectiveness of blended learning as a way to augment learning initiatives both in K-12 and in the higher education settings. This review draws from 30 peer-reviewed studies published in academic journals, …

Why Don't They Read?, Cynde Duncan

Graduate Research Papers

Engaging all students in books and helping them develop the habit of reading is an important goal of every school librarian. In 2007 the National Endowments for the Arts compiled data in the report To Read or Not To Read that showed there was a decline in the frequency of leisure reading in students between the ages of nine and thirteen (NEA, 2007). The investigations in this study are in response to the findings of the National Endowments of the Arts (2007) report. In this study three research questions were investigated: (a) the differences in participating reluctant readers' total scores …

A Master's Recital In Flute, Tara Lynn Meade

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Tara Lynn Meade performed a graduate flute recital at eight o’clock in the evening on Friday, March 7, 2014 in Davis Hall at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. Collaborating with Ms. Meade on selected works were pianists Polina Khatsko and Brittany Lensing and flutists Mara Miller and Natalie Neshyba. The recital was presented in partial fulfillment of a Master of Music in flute performance. The program opened with a set of contrasting fantasies — Telemann’s Fantasia No. 3 in B Minor, a baroque work for solo flute, followed by François Borne’s virtuosic Fantasie brillante on themes from Bizet’s Carmen. …

Developing Rating Curves In A Small Iowa Watershed To Evaluate Nutrient Loading In Streams, Jennifer Mary Shepeck

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Dry Run Creek, a tributary to the Cedar River in northeast Iowa, is a watershed under high pressure from the surrounding region. With its headwaters located in farm fields and urban drainage ditches, it is subject to flash flooding and erosion and is on the DNR’s list of impaired waters. Dry Run Creek is similar to other small watersheds across eastern Iowa. As tributaries to the larger rivers that eventually flow into the Mississippi River and then to the Gulf of Mexico, they are significant contributors to the nutrient loading causing the hypoxia in the Gulf. The purpose of this …

Human Trafficking And The Media: Comparing Newspapers' Portrayal Of Victims And Offenders, Brittany Leigh Virkus

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

his study examined the portrayal of victims and offenders of human trafficking in three major newspapers from 2005- 2012. Additionally, this study examined if the age, gender, and legal status effected the portrayal of victims and offenders in the newspapers. Also included is an examination of groups of claims-makers and whether different groups portrayed victims and offenders same or differently. Utilizing a quantitative and qualitative content analysis to analyze the newspapers’ framing of victims and offenders, this research compared the portrayal of its groups. The findings indicated that claims-makers socially construct victims and offenders in ways that may not reflect …

How To Reach Disengaged Adolescents In Physical Education: A Review Of Causes And Solutions To The Crisis In Physical Education, Sam Backstrom

Graduate Research Papers

This paper reviews the current crisis of adolescent disengagement in physical education. Evidence suggests that current practices are not effectively engaging adolescent students in physical education classes, which may have negative consequences. This paper investigates 1 what factors are causing students to become disengaged with physical education. Environmental factors as well as classroom practices are examined to determine what is causing disengagement in students. When disengagement factors are discovered, solutions are offered on how best to engage students in the physical education environment. Solutions involving both practical applications for teachers as well as possible implications for broader school-based solutions are …

Homocysteine Intensifies Embryonic Lim3 Expression In Migratory Neural Crest Cells: A Quantitative Confocal Microscope Study, Jordan Naumann

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Elevated levels of homocysteine in maternal blood and amniotic fluid are associated with cardiovascular, renal, skeletal, and endocrine diseases and also with embryonic malformations related to neural crest cells. Neural crest cells are necessary for the formation of tissues and organs throughout the body of vertebrate animals. The migration of neural crest cells is essential for proper development of the target tissues. When migration is disrupted, abnormalities may occur. Migration is affected by transcriptional factor LIM3 protein, which regulates the dynamic components of the neural crest cell cytoskeleton. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that exogenous …

Chimes Of Christmas, December 10, 2013 [Program], University Of Northern Iowa. School Of Music.

Music Recital Programs

Program of a music recital given by faculty, students, or guest artists from the School of Music at the University of Northern Iowa.

Ists, November 2013, Iowa Academy Of Science

ISTS Newsletter

In this issue:

--News

--Opportunities

Michael Norsworthy, Clarinet, David Gompper, Piano, October 19, 2013 [Program], University Of Northern Iowa. School Of Music.

Music Recital Programs

Program of a music recital given by faculty, students, or guest artists from the School of Music at the University of Northern Iowa.

Student Disability Services Campus Newsletter, Fall 2013, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of Student Disability Services.

Student Disability Services Newsletter

Inside this issue:

-- Temporary Medical Conditions
-- The Hot Seat! with SDS Staff
-- SDS to Collaborate with Examination Services
-- New Version of Read&Write GOLD Available
-- Thinking Universally: Putting UDL Into Practice
-- Read&Write GOLD (continued)
-- Celebrating Disability Awareness Month!
-- SDS Staff Attend Iowa Regents Institutions Disability Awareness Summit

Uni Today, V96n3 [V97n2], Fall 2013, University Of Northern Iowa Alumni Association

UNI Today

Inside This Issue:

-- All for a Cause
-- Bucking the Trend
-- 80 years of Pinning Tradition
-- The Power of A
-- All Signs Point to Panther Pride
-- Tackling a New Stage
-- Shh - collaboration at work!
-- $2 million grant creates new center
-- Scholarships enhance opportunities
-- A grand adventure
-- Bridging two worlds
-- A family united
-- Class Notes
-- Calendar of alumni events

Tallgrass Prairie Center Newsletter, Autumn 2013, University Of Northern Iowa. Tallgrass Prairie Center.

Tallgrass Prairie Center Newsletter

Inside This Issue:

-- New Roles at the Tallgrass Prairie Center
-- UNI Roadside Program Takes Storm Lake by Storm: 27th Annual Roadside Conference Marks "A Watershed Year"
-- Volunteer Tree Control
-- To what forb does this seed pod belong?
-- Milkweeds for Monarchs and Other Native Pollinators
-- Featured Student Employees/Interns

International Panther, Fall 2013, University Of Northern Iowa. Culture And Intensive English Program.

International Panther

Inside this issue:

-- From the Director:
-- CIEP & CBA: Working together to build student programs
-- Professional english Program
-- CIEP Special Programs
-- Meng-Ju Lu, CIEP Alumni
-- Short-term programs make a long-term IMPACT
-- China CIEP World's Window
-- Global Connections Scholar Isabel Alvarado Yactayo,
-- CIEP Staff Spotlight: Mike Williams
-- Meet the CIEP Staff
-- CIEP Activities
-- Welcome New Students!
-- New CIEP Website