Digital Commons Network^™

Smaf: A Soil Health Assessment Tool, D. L. Karlen, C. D. Nance, D. L. Dinnes, D. W. Meek

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

The Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF) was developed to help quantify soil quality/health effects of tillage, crop rotation, and other soil management practices. Our objective was to determine if the SMAF could detect soil health differences after growing a single winter triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack) crop. Soil samples were collected from 0 to 7.5- and 7.5 to 15- cm depth increments during the 2003 – 2004 and 2004 – 2005 growing seasons near Ames and Lewis, IA, and analyzed for several potential soil quality indicators. The SMAF analysis showed higher soil quality ratings for surface than subsurface samples. It also …

The Vascular Flora Of Clay Prairie State Preserve (Butler County, Iowa): Recommendations To The Iowa State Preserve System, Edwin L. Freese, William R. Norris

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Clay Prairie State Preserve (1.2 ha) is an upland prairie located in Butler County, IA, and represents one of the last remnants of black-soil tallgrass prairie in northeast Iowa. An annotated checklist of the vascular flora of Clay Prairie is presented here, based on a previously published flora of the preserve and recent field work conducted by the authors between 1997 to 2001, and 2008 to 2011. The preserve contains a diverse vascular flora representing 50 families, 145 genera and 214 taxa (174 native to Iowa). In comparison with 26 larger prairies (4 to 121 ha) protected in the Iowa …

Song For Alice Munro, J. R. (Tim) Struthers

Short Story

No abstract provided.

Analyzing The Creative Problem-Solving Process: Inventing A Product From A Given Recyclable Item, Caralee K. Doak, Stacey M. Jambura, Jason A. Knittel, Audrey C. Rule

Curriculum & Instruction Faculty Publications

Detailed documentations of creative invention are scarce in the professional literature, but could be useful to those engaging in or studying the problem solving process. This investigation describes the creative process of graduate students (7 female, 4 male) in a problem-solving theory and practice course grappling with the task of creating products from four identical recyclable items that were circular, star-impressed bottoms of plastic juice bottles. Several popular models of the problem-solving process are compared to the participants’ steps in this invention problem. Participants first provided emotional reactions to the given ill-defined problem of making a product from the specified …

"The Most Deadly Spot On The Face Of The Earth": The United States And Antimodern Images Of "Darkest Africa" 1880-1910, Melinda Stump

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

During the late nineteenth and early twentieth-centuries in the United States, images of Africa and Africans were prevalent throughout society. Africans were described as primitive or child-like and were contrasted with the so-called high civilization of middle-class Anglo-Saxons. This thesis will look at these images and attempt to complicate the current historiography on United States images of Africa. Furthering Jackson Lears’s theories of antimodernism in Progressive Era United States, I argue that the images produced of Africa and Africans were attempts at regeneration and intense experiences. Due to the huge progress made due to the Industrial Revolution and the urbanization …

From Saeter To Sod: Single Women Homesteaders Of Norwegian Descent Farming Their Land In Dakota Territory, 1862-1929, Sara Marie Skindelien

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

On May 20, 1862 Congress signed into effect the Homestead Act which provided 160 acres of surveyed government land to any citizen over the age of twenty-one and who was a head of household. One of the most historical aspects of this act was that it allowed single women the opportunity to own land. Not only were native-born women taking advantage of such a lucrative offer, but the women of Norway saw just the opening they needed to venture out on their own. They joined thousands of their countrymen across the Atlantic to find a bit of land where they …

Postmodern Humanism And The "Exhaustion Of Easy Life", Mason Beets

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The twenty-first century appears to herald a new epoch, one in which religion and other similar belief systems appear to have run their course. However, this should not necessarily mean that other forms of spirituality and interconnectedness must fade away. Within America, there is a humanistic undercurrent that is gaining strength within our postmodern condition, even as we begin to challenge several of the tenets of postmodernity itself. The groundswell of American humanism has a notable and wholly unintended effect: it ideologically rehabilitates modes or vehicles of thought that might otherwise be labeled as defunct, or inapplicable to the changing …

Integrated Curriculum In The Elementary Classroom, Katherine Decker Simpson

Graduate Research Papers

Integrated curriculum can be broadly defined as using a theme to connect standards and objectives from multiple subject areas in a meaningful way to create relevant, student-centered learning tasks that promote social growth and deep comprehension. This type of instruction can promote higher-order thinking skills, cooperative learning, motivate students to engage in their own learning, and many other "intangibles".

The purpose of this project was to create an integrated unit for a first-grade classroom. The outcome will be an actual unit that can be used as a guide for teachers. However, another purpose of the project was to grasp the …

An Examination Of Opposing Theoretical Perspectives: Are The Current Assessment And Instructional Practices For Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders And Mental Health Issues Effective And Sufficient?, Karen Aldrich-Duden

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Increasing student achievement is the purpose of all educational programs, including the programs for students with disabilities. The adequacy of the educational programing for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBO) who also have mental health issues was the focus of this qualitative study. Specific attention was paid to the assessment and instructional practices used with students with EBO in order to answer the research question: Are the current assessment and instructional practices for students with EBD and mental health issues effective and sufficient? This study explored the potential benefits of using an ecological theoretical framework based on the bioecological …

Mean Girls And Troublemaking Boys : A Qualitative Study About Interpretive Reproduction And Peer Culture In A Preschool Classroom, Heidi Marie Gansen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Within preschool classrooms children soon realize that they are under the enforcement and direction of their teachers, which in turn limits their control over their classroom experience. To compensate for this, children develop a peer culture that is based on their interpretations of what they have observed in the adult world (Corsaro and Fingerson 2003). This occurs through a process called interpretive reproduction in which children creatively appropriate information from adult culture in order to produce a peer culture that is unique and different from adult culture (Corsaro 1997; Corsaro and Eder 1990; Corsaro and Fingerson 2003). Through almost 70 …

Student Centered Instruction & Incorporation Of Information, Communications And Technology (Ict) Into The Life Science Curriculum, Cathy Hones

Graduate Research Papers

My job as a high school teacher is a continual quest for helping my students explore and learn about the biological world. However, I also would like them to be self-motivated learners who develop 21st Century Skills to help them succeed as they move on to future learning, working and living experiences. I would like to use ICT (Information, Communications & Technology) tools such as Google Apps and Moodie along with other Web 2.0 tools and incorporate them into my life science curricula in order to meet the following three goals:

The first goal is to take advantage of the …

Developing The Nature Of Science Skills In At-Risk High School Students: Students “Doing” Science Using Historical Perspectives And Inquiry, Glenn Dewayne Varner

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of Obesity Patterns Between University Students From The United States And Gulf Arab Countries, Ali Alsultan

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Desulfotomaculum Dissimilatory Reduction Of Iron (Iii), Jim Elric

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Excess plant nutrient, often from agricultural runoff, can cause uncontrolled algal growth that leads to eutrophic conditions in a water body. Desulfotomaculum sp. reduction of ferric ions to ferrous ions can aid in reduction of excess phosphate in a water body. This bacterium may use iron mine tailings as an inexpensive source of iron ions that can aid in elimination of excess nutrient load such as phosphates. As part of a remediation plan Desulfotomaculum sp. reduction of ferric ions can help restore and maintain a healthy aquatic ecosystem. The biochemical pathway of iron reduction by Desulfotomaculum sp. is unclear and …

Vocabulary Acquisition In Kindergarten For English Language Learners: Ventriglia's Rule Of 3, Or Marzano's Six Steps To Effective Vocabulary Instruction?, Danielle Marie Rose

Graduate Research Papers

Teaching kindergarten is my passion. I love the excitement five and six year old children bring to the classroom. Their sense of wonder, their smiles and their laughter bring constant joy to my life. A group of children that I especially love teaching is the English language learners in my classroom. These children are always so curious to learn, but many times lack the adequate vocabulary to understand conversations between peers or comprehend the meaning of books. This lack of vocabulary knowledge decreases their success in the classroom. Throughout my teaching career, it has been my constant desire to implement …

Using Virtual Worlds In Medical And Health Education, Amy J. Renze

Graduate Research Papers

This review examines the use of virtual worlds in medical and health education. The purpose of this review is to outline various, enabling and three-dimensional, virtual world technologies that prove to have a positive impact on the development and retention of medical knowledge and skills. Virtual worlds offer unique design features for disseminating health information, training health professionals, and enabling patient education. The primary sources used in this review include published literature and electronic media sources. Conclusions derived from this review support the use of virtual worlds as part of the educational technology landscape. Although the potential of virtual worlds …

Library Instruction Designed To Support Core Curriculum, Julie Courter

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this project was to develop a library curriculum for grades 3 and 4 structured in accordance with AASL and Common Core State Standards to meet the teaching role of the teacher librarian as defined by the State of Iowa Department of Education guidelines for School Libraries (Iowa Department of Education, 2007). Due to local circumstances, only the third grade curriculum was developed as a prototype for curricula in other grades. Developing a library curriculum for third and fourth grades, structured in accordance with AASL and Core Curriculum State Standards responds to standards defined by the State of …

College Freshmen Dispositional Readiness: Examining The Perceptions, Jennifer Dovre

Graduate Research Papers

Evidence shows that many young people are unprepared for the transition from high school to college. Much of the research surrounding this problem has focused on determining the skills required at the postsecondary level, while a few have turned the focus on dispositions required. Additionally, there has been little or no research on the dispositions specified in the AASL (2007) Standards for 2 1st Century Learners in relation to college readiness. The purpose of this descriptive study is to determine the perceptions held by key players, i.e., high school seniors, high school teachers, and college freshmen, regarding the AASL dispositions …

From Here To There: The Music's Journey: How The Music In The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy Represents The Cultures Of Tolkien's World, Jennifer Louise Titus

Honors Program Theses

The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien is one of the most beloved stories of all time; it has been distributed around the world and translated into over fifty languages. The story that Tolkien created was, essentially, how a small group of people can change the course of history through bravery, loyalty, and friendship. It is a story that has touched many hearts over the years. This series of books also has one of the more developed fictional worlds in literature. There are a variety of cultures, which include elves, men, and dwarves. Tolkien not only gave each …

The Search For Catalytic Subunit Of Dna Polymerase Α In Thermomyces Lanuginosus, Chelsea Elyse Meier

Honors Program Theses

In eukaryotes, the enzyme DNA polymerase a (DNAPa) begins the process of DNA replication. Ultimately, this means DNAPa is responsible for all cell proliferation and growth of an organism. The mechanism by which this enzyme operates is interesting due to its implications in medicine; however, that mechanism remains largely elusive. DNAPa, including its catalytic subunit, has been studied in several eukaryotes. Unfortunately, these organisms present issues with the ease of study and with ethics. This research delved into a novel model organism that was potentially devoid of all these issues: the fungus Thermomyces lanuginosus. Though T. lanuginosus was easy to …

Atp-Induced Changes In F-Actin Expression Via P2x7, Taylor Hircock

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this research project was to study the effects that extracellular ATP has on F-actin levels in cells containing the P2X7 purinergic receptor. MAC-T cells which express the receptor were exposed to various levels of ATP and stained to undergo flow cytometry. In this case, F-actin was labeled with 488 phalloidin which was able to be detected by the flow cytometer. This was done in conjuction with controls to show how ATP exposure affected Factin levels. Based on these results, the cytoskeletal changes taking place in the cell in response to ATP were able to be measured and …

Birds And Butterflies Respond To Soil-Induced Habitat Heterogeneity In Experimental Plantings Of Native Tallgrass Prairie Species In Iowa, Usa, Benjamin J. Hoksch, Mark C. Myers, James T. Mason, Jarrett D. Pfrimmer, Andrew J. Ridgway

Undergraduate Student Work

We studied interrelationships between prairie plant establishment, habitat heterogeneity, and bird and butterfly biodiversity in an experimental prairie reconstruction in Iowa, USA. We seeded 48 research plots on three soil types with one of four treatments containing one, five, 16, or 32 species. During early establishment, neither bird nor butterfly abundance, species richness, or community diversity varied among the three soil types; however, there were significant treatment × soil type interactions when comparing bird and butterfly community composition among plots. Our results demonstrate that plots established with identical seed mixes and management practices developed variable habitat characteristics due to variation …

Competition And Extrinsic Motivation In The Band Classroom: A Review Of Literature And Suggestions For Educational Practice, Stephanie Kay Opsal

Honors Program Theses

Public school bands teach students valuable artistic expression as they work together to learn and perform music in instrumental ensembles. Music educators who claim this purpose need to sustain student interest and involvement in band to continue the art form, because band is an elective course in which students join voluntarily. Factors that motivate students to participate in band include the intrinsic desire for music and the extrinsic stimuli for participation, including a large emphasis on competitions.

Developing Crochet Patterns For Surfaces Of Non-Constant Curvature, Katherine Lea Pearce

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this project is to develop an algorithm to create crochet patterns for a variety of surfaces. I start with surfaces of constant curvature: the Euclidean surface and the sphere. Then, I generate patterns for surfaces of revolution by calculating the change in circumference for each row of stitches. My methods suggest an approach to crochet more surfaces such as surfaces whose cross section is not a circle. This research demonstrates how crochet can act as a discrete model of differential geometry. Producing these patterns allows for further research into the surfaces themselves by providing accurate models as …

101 Books For Youth That Feature Hunters & Hunting, Leann Seddon

Graduate Research Papers

Librarians, teachers and other adults concerned with motivating reading among youth hunters want to provide them with books that feature the sport; however many sources cite a concern at the lack of positive, or at least neutral, portrayal of hunting in books for youth. There was also a lack of any comprehensive bibliography that identified books that feature hunters and hunting, yet alone one that identified how they were portrayed in those books. The purpose of this project was to create an annotated bibliography which would fill that gap and support recommendations for reading and purchase. The annotated bibliography consists …

Communiqué: College Of Humanities, Arts & Sciences Alumni Magazine,Volume 2, Winter 2013, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Humanities, Arts, And Sciences.

Communiqué: College of Humanities, Arts & Sciences Alumni Magazine

Contents:

-- Dean's Message
-- Major Change
-- The Art of Teaching
-- Briefs: Humanities and Fine Arts
-- Square Peg, Round Hole
-- Brazil and Back
-- CHAS Applause
-- News in Short
-- Going Viral
-- NASA: We Have an Intern
-- Get Energized, Iowa!
-- Blowin' Up
-- Briefs: Sciences
-- New Exchanges
-- Change and Innovation
-- Transitions
-- Donor Feature
-- Alumni News

Biology News, Winter 2013, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Biology.

Biology News

Contents:

-- Greetings from the Department of Biology
-- Focus on UNI Biology Alumni
-- Focus on UNI Biology Students
-- Microscopes purchased with Carver Trust Grant
-- Two-headed planarian!
-- UNI Day in the Capitol on February 11, 2013
-- Letter of appreciation......
-- Dr. Kimberly Cline-Brown Receives Excellence in Teaching Award
-- Joan Smothers attends national advising meeting
-- Public speaking engagements for Biology faculty
-- Pre-Vet Club project gives aid to shelter animals
-- Faculty on Professional Development Assignment
-- Tri-Beta
-- Reconnect with the Department of Biology
-- Retiring Faculty
-- New Faculty
-- Floyds receive …

Long-Term, Low-Dose Exposure Of People Residing In Arsenic Affected Areas Of Iowa: A Cross-Sectional Analytical Study, Junu Shrestha

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Arsenic contamination in the ground water source is a major problem throughout the world. Epidemiological studies show that long-term arsenic exposure in drinking water, even at low concentrations, can lead to chronic toxicity problems and negative health outcomes. In the United States, private wells are not mandated to comply with the drinking water standards that piped water is, putting many people at risk. This study focused on monitoring of arsenic contamination of private well water, hair samples, and questionnaire based surveys. Of the 260 private well owners selected from 13 counties in Iowa who were invited to participate in the …

Language As A Social Reality: The Effects Of The Infantilization Of Women, Chelsae R. Huot

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The current study examined how people’s perceptions can be affected by various terms used to describe women. Participants from a Midwestern university read a script describing 26-year-old Erin either as a “woman,” a “girl,” or “person.” Participants then rated Erin on eighteen different traits (e.g., mature, forceful). They also completed an ambivalent sexism scale and answered three questions about their use and interpretations of the terms “girl” and “woman.” It was predicted that the participants in the “woman” condition would rate Erin as more mature, responsible, warm, understanding, and successful than the participants in the “girl” condition. Also, it was …

A Webquest For The Instruction Of Appropriate Online Behavior, Susan Heilig

Graduate Research Papers

The requirements of the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and the expectations of the Iowa Department of Education's (2012) Iowa Core Curriculum 21st Century Skills increase the importance of having an organized collection of resources to teach Internet safety. These requirements and the literature reviewed confirmed the importance of preparing students to use the Internet safely and ethically and be productive digital citizens. While the teachers in the Calamus-Wheatland School District were already instructing students in appropriate online behavior, there wasn't an organized Internet Safety resource that could be used effectively within the time limits of the scheduled computer classes. …