Digital Commons Network^™

Visual Phonics : Its Impact As An Instructional Tool To Promote Literacy Development In Kindergarten Students, Lori J. Bower

Graduate Research Papers

This review of literature examined the impact of See The Sound/Visual Phonics (STSNP), a supplemental instructional strategy, on kindergarten students, especially those at risk for future reading challenges. STSNP is an instructional strategy originally designed for use with children who are deaf/hard of hearing, that utilizes the multi-sensory tool of gesture to focus on the development of phonemic awareness skills. Research reviewed for this study first examined the importance of phonemic awareness in overall literacy development. Additional studies reviewed establish support for the use of multi-sensory instructional approaches, including the specific use of gesture to help efficiently encode information. This …

Taking University Business Courses Online: An Instructional Designer's Perspective, Zachary P. Benton-Slocum

Graduate Research Papers

This report details an instructional design project for the College of Business (COB) at the University of Northern Iowa, an average-sized Midwest university. During the project as an instructional designer, I converted an existing traditional face-to-face business readiness program (Business 1000, 2000, 3000, & 4000) to online/flipped/blended courses using the Blackboard Learning Management System. The process involved working with faculty, program heads, students, and the staff of the COB with the intention of lowering the technology bar of intimidation enough to integrate it with the pedagogy needs of the courses.

Parent-Child Interaction : How It Impacts Language And Literacy Skills, Angie Thurman

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this review is to examine the importance of parent-child interaction in children ages birth through five-years old. The review focuses on how these interactions impact literacy and language skills in young children. Parent interventions and strategies to help children grow in the areas of literacy and language are also highlighted. The conclusion of this review includes recommendations for parents and teachers as well as suggestions for future research.

The Value Of Inquiry-Based Science Instruction For Elementary Students, Jessica Renae Enger

Graduate Research Papers

This review examined the academic benefits of using inquiry-based science instruction in elementary classrooms. It also examined different ways teachers integrate inquiry-based instruction. Several studies identified increases in science content knowledge, concepts, and process skills as outcomes associated with inquiry-based instruction. Other studies in this review showed mixed or negative results for academic benefits of inquiry-instruction. This review also highlights hands-on investigations, discourse, and literacy as three ways teachers integrate inquiry. Findings of this review suggest inquiry-based instruction allows students to understand difficult science concepts, justify their ideas, and can create positive attitudes toward science.

Homo Humanus: An Installation Investigating The Omnipresence Of Self-Documentation, Ashley Elizabeth Jones

Honors Program Theses

Historically, human beings have always been interested in documenting themselves and the world around them. Early humans left hand prints on cave walls, marking their presence for the future; royalty throughout history have commissioned portraits of themselves to leave their immortal mark on the world; Polaroid pictures and letters kept in parents’ closets record the earlier days of their lives. Today, humans document their daily lives digitally through social media platforms like Snapchat and Facebook. Images posted to these sites pervade our lives: they are constant, everywhere, and range from photographs of meals to quick snapshot self-portraits – “selfies” – …

Secondary Mathematics Educators And Coaches' Role In Providing Motivation, Reggie Schulte

Honors Program Theses

The compatibility between learning goals for students and mastery-oriented athletes makes sense based on my experience in both fields. I have often heard from coaches that it is important to “embrace the process” or “trust the process.” This same idea can be applied to a mathematics secondary classroom by praising effort and embracing the struggle that comes along with having a conceptual understanding of mathematics. As a future educator and coach, it is exciting, and to be honest somewhat scary, to know that I can a great effect on what my students believe they are able to achieve. After conducting …

Realizing Edgar: Eliminating Information Asymmetries Through Artificial Intelligence Analysis Of Sec Filings, Ryan H. Giarusso

Honors Program Theses

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) maintains a publicly-accessible database of all required filings of all publicly traded companies. Known as EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval), this database contains documents ranging from annual reports of major companies to personal disclosures of senior managers. However, the common user and particularly the retail investor are overwhelmed by the deluge of information, not empowered. EDGAR as it currently functions entrenches the information asymmetry between these retail investors and the large financial institutions with which they often trade. With substantial research staffs and budgets coupled to an industry standard of “playing …

A Comparison Of Technologies For Recording Speech And The Effects Of Speaker Age, Jacquelyn Marie Knustrom

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare recordings of speech samples obtained with a dedicated recording device to those from more readily available devices. Speech recordings are used by professionals in the field of communication sciences and disorders to identify and transcribe features of an individual’s speech, regardless of his or her age. This process requires high-quality recordings, but devices intended to produce such recordings are often expensive, not easily accessible, and have few uses. This research addressed the following questions: (A) What combination of microphones and recording devices provides the clearest speech sample based on a signal-to- noise …

A Comparison Of Model-Based Design And Traditional 2d Engineering Drawings In Manufacturing Using Flowchart Analysis, Josh Gerbig

Graduate Research Papers

Model-based definition is an emerging evolution of the process for creating technical documents for use in manufacturing. Having all of the information needed to produce a part contained in a 3D model is the basic concept of model-based definition. Model-based definition removes the need to create a 2D drawing for the use of dimensioning, tolerances, and additional notes. In this paper, the concept of model-based definition was examined in order to understand if it truly increases efficiency and productivity. Through literature review, case study review, and flow chart analysis the advantages and disadvantages of model-based definition were investigated. This paper …

Tpack Learning Activity Types For Secondary Computer Science Courses, Rebecca Carton

Graduate Research Papers

Learning activity types for secondary computer science courses support educators in integrating technology and developing their TPACK (technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge) authentically. The taxonomy of computer science activity types presented in this project report provide seven identified activity types and descriptions aligned with the Computer Science Teachers' Association (CSTA) standards and framework. Included in the taxonomy are possible technologies for each activity type. Along with the CSTA standards and framework, ten peer-reviewed studies published between 2009 and 2015 were selected for analysis in the literature review and as research backing the construction of the taxonomy. Further research and expansion …

The Effects Of Using Digital Tools To Support Writing In The Ell Classroom, Katrina Lint

Graduate Research Papers

Incorporating digital tools to support English writing instruction is a growing area of interest as technology advances and students become more submersed in it. This review addresses how social networks, specifically Facebook and Wiki, can be used to support writing to increase students’ writing skills as well as students’ perceptions and attitudes towards using these tools for writing. Peer-reviewed research studies published between 2008-2016 were selected for analysis. Results of these studies suggest that students have positive perceptions and attitudes towards using Facebook and Wiki for collaborative writing and results demonstrate these tools help improve students’ English as a second …

Fluency And Instruction In The Elementary Grades, Stacey Bakken

Graduate Research Papers

Elementary teachers are being challenged to increase student's oral reading fluency. This can be attributed to today's high demands and focus on students fluency scores from required assessments, focusing mostly on correct words per minute. This project examines the history of reading instruction along with the five essential components highlighted by the National Reading Panel (2000), specifically, fluency. This project defines reading fluency and assessments used, as well as describing best practices in supporting and developing reading fluency in the elementary classroom.

Vocabulary Matters : Why Vocabulary Instruction Is Important And How To Implement Quality Instruction In Preschool, Melanie Blocker

Graduate Research Papers

This review examined why vocabulary instruction is important in preschool, and ways that a teacher can implement quality vocabulary instruction into the classroom. The review describes why vocabulary instruction is crucial in preschool, and then provides five different ways that a teacher can implement vocabulary instruction into the preschool classroom. Vocabulary instruction is valuable as it builds the foundation for later reading skills, such as comprehension. The conclusion of this literature review provides recommendations on how to implement vocabulary instruction into preschools, educational policies, and teacher practices.

Invented Spelling And Its Effect On Kindergarten Students' Reading And Writing Abilities, Kelli A. Daly

Graduate Research Papers

This review investigated the effects of invented spelling on kindergarten students and how it can affect their phonemic awareness, as well as how it can affect his or her reading and spelling in kindergarten. In addition, this review compared different writing instruction techniques and how they differ and impact a child's writing and spelling in kindergarten. Several articles compare the use and acceptance of invented spelling in comparison to conventional spelling. Findings from the review propose that invented spelling is a beneficial technique to helping young children learn to read and write and has a positive influence on their reading …

Using Google Tools To Enhance Secondary Writing Instruction, Sarah Ebener

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review analyzes the use of Google Apps for Education and other Google tools as a way for teachers to improve writing instruction. It focuses on 30 studies conducted in the United States and internationally which investigate varying uses of technology tools with secondary and college-aged students. The results showed that students’ writing improves and students experience more engagement when technology is used to enhance collaboration, feedback, editing, and revision, and that students generally enjoy using Google tools to accomplish writing tasks. Recommendations include guidelines for teachers when assigning technology-based writing activities, but further research needs to be conducted …

Impact Of Family Engagement On Child Outcomes In Preschool, Kathryn S. Ingham

Graduate Research Papers

This review considered the impact of family engagement on child outcomes in preschool and what variables impact the success of family engagement in preschool. Many child outcomes are affected by family engagement. This particular work focuses on child outcomes related to literacy and approaches to learning. The variables of the family engagement examined include demographics, culture, family unit, and socioeconomic status. Many forms and degrees of family engagement are described with the degree of success for family engagement determined by the actual participants. Findings of the review point towards family engagement promoting positive outcomes for children enrolled in preschool despite …

Collaboration Between School And Public Librarians, Elizabeth Pearson

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this descriptive study was to analyze and describe the collaborative relationships of teacher librarians and public librarians in one Iowa county. The research focused on how collaborative relationships are established between public and school libraries, what type of collaborations exist, what resources are shared, and what barriers to successful collaboration exist. This was a qualitative study using semistructured interviews with three public youth services librarians in two public libraries and two teacher librarians in two different districts in the same county. The findings included an overall desire to collaborate with other libraries in the area, but difficulty …

The Role Of Working Memory Among Non-Traditional Foreign Language Students, Gabriela Olivares-Cuhat, Michelle H. Ploof

Faculty Work

Over the last 40 years, a growing number of nontraditional students have joined the ranks of higher education. However, due to a number of internal and external factors, these students face multiple social, economic, and academic challenges that may limit their success in postsecondary education. The focus of this article is to examine the implications of these challenges on the learning of a foreign language (FL), and more specifically on the role played by working memory (WM) with nontraditional FL learners. To this end, research studies in the fields of psycholinguistics, cognitive psychology and neuroscience are reviewed and their findings …

The Update, January-April 2017, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Humanities, Arts And Sciences.

Update

In this issue

-- CHAS Briefs
-- Alumni Spotlight - Mason Greer
-- Student Spotlight - Lucas Beving
-- Alumni Spotlight - Caleb Vander Wiel
-- Student Spotlight - Micayla Dawson
-- Department of Art Hearst Lecture Series
-- Communication Studies Digital Media Program
-- Computer Science National Cyber Defense Competition
-- Earth and Environmental Sciences Geo-Service Project
-- Faculty Spotlight Kyle Gray
-- Faculty Spotlight Suzanne Dripps Communication Sciences
-- Calendar of Events April - May

Biology News, Winter 2017, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Biology.

Biology News

Contents:

--Greetings From the Department of Biology
--Department of Biology Alumni
--Kelly Bahl Interns at Epcot in Disney World
--Former Student, Susann Ahrabi-Fard, Working With the Zika Virus
--Department News
--Study Abroad Course to the Galapagos
--UNI Maintains Strength in Undergraduate Research
--Biology Faculty Incorporate Their Artistic Skills Into the Classroom and Publications
--Faculty Retirement
--Alumni In Residence
--University of Northern Iowa Awarded Grant Through the Roy J. Carver Foundation
--Reconnect With the Department of Biology
--You Can Make a Difference
--Scholarships and Funding

[Social Work] Newsletter, 2017, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Social Work.

Social Work Newsletter

Inside This Issue:
--2017 Year In Review
--Professor Spotlights
--Professor Highlights
--Alumni Highlights
--Student Highlights
--Student Services
--Awards Ceremony
--In the Field
--Agency Highlights

Comparison Of Various Technologies In The Acquisition Of Speech Samples For Transcription Purposes: Listener Perception Vs. Acoustic Analysis Of Signal Quality, Alexa Klimes

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the quality of recordings obtained with a dedicated recording device in comparison to more readily available devices. Professionals in the field of communication disorders need to identify and transcribe specific details about individuals’ speech and need high quality recordings for this purpose (Louko & Edwards, 2001). The dedicated recording devices that provide high quality signals are not readily available and can be expensive. The available research on this topic focuses on analysis of voice characteristics such as fundamental frequency, amplitude, and stability of amplitude and frequency (Lin, Hornibrook, & Ormond, 2012; Vogel …

A Presidential Paradigm Shift: Changes In Presidential Rhetoric Regarding Cuba, Alyssa Chellan Dixon

Honors Program Theses

On March 22, 2016, United States President Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro sat side-by-side in the Estadio Latinoamericano baseball stadium, watching the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cuban national team face off in a historic game. Such an event would have been unprecedented in the several decades prior to its occurrence. Indeed, though at the U.S.-Cuba game Obama and Raúl Castro were even as friendly to have participated in doing “the wave” together,ii relations between the U.S. and Cuban governments were anything but, even during the preceding U.S. presidency of George W. Bush.

The United States has had a …

Examining The Supportive Employment Practices Used By Project Search: A Descriptive Study, Saeed A. Almalki

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Project SEARCH is a unique high school transition program from school-to-work for young adults with intellectual disabilities. This program teaches individuals with disabilities (interns) job skills in an inclusive work environment, such as a hospital. Therefore, the overall goal of this study was to examine Project SEARCH as a transition program that has data indicating positive outcomes regarding supportive employment for individuals with disabilities. Specifically, this study aimed to: (1) examine the ways in which Project SEARCH enacts its transition supported employment services for individuals with disabilities, and (2) examine the experiences and perceptions of Project SEARCH employees and coworkers …

Psychoeducational Module To Promote Knowledge And Reduce Stigma Towards Recreational Marijuana Users, Stephanie J. Strong

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Stigma can affect many aspects of life for those who are subject to stigmatization. As contact with stigmatized groups increases, less stigmatization occurs. Marijuana is one of the most commonly used illegal substances and is growing in popularity. Relatively few studies have examined the relations between stigma and specific substance use or particular characteristics of non-users that may influence stigma. Additionally, current anti-stigma interventions targeted at the general population have been largely unsuccessful in the reduction of stigma. The current study assesses a 25- minute online psychoeducational module designed to increase knowledge and reduce the stigma of recreational marijuana users …

Creating Intentional Paths To Citizenship: An Analysis Of Participation In Student Organizations, Julianne Gassman, Jennifer M. Beck, Jonathan Klein

Faculty Publications

This study examines undergraduate students’ that graduated from a Midwestern university in May 2013 through December 2015 and their perception of their development of core competencies identified by Bok (2006), related to their participation in student organizations. The results indicated that students who participate in student organizations are significantly more likely to develop citizenship and other related skills and abilities. Furthermore, their degree of involvement, measured by the number of organizations they participate in, their level of involvement and the role students have within the organization can impact their development of competencies.

Connections Between Science Teachers' Professional Development Preferences And Their Teaching Practices And Beliefs, Jessica Marie Wayson

Honors Program Theses

The effect of professional development preference, in relation to its effect on teacher practices and beliefs, has not been well studied. In order to better understand this dynamic, a nationwide online survey was developed and sent to secondary science teachers. The findings of this survey indicate a relationship does exist, but only within specific practices. During analysis, teachers were grouped by preference of professional development type including collaboration, reflection, conducting research, and professional development (such as conferences and workshops). Significant differences emerged from each group and implications for effective professional development practices will be addressed.

Student Perceptions On The Innovative Use Of Technology In Iowa Classrooms, Preston Vorthmann

Honors Program Theses

According to information from AEA 267 and the Annual Report on the Condition of Education 2016 by Iowa’s Department of Education (IDOE), 198 school districts out of 336 in Iowa (about 58%) have implemented a form of 1:1 programs, giving their students access to a tablet or laptop computer. This trend in education falls in line with the increased technology expenditures observed by the state in the past 10 years (Figure 1). These expenditures also relate to increased spending per pupil, which further supports that this increase is due primarily to the adoption of 1:1 and not, for example, a …

Anticipatory Reactions To Erotic Stimuli: An Exploration Into "Psychic" Ability, Margarita Meza

Honors Program Theses

The current study investigated psi ability (precognition) based on Bem’s (2011) experiments. The study used a computer-based program that tested for the prediction of erotic stimuli via erotic and non-erotic images. Sensation seeking and cortisol were explored as moderators of psi ability. Participants provided saliva samples at the beginning and end of the study for a measure of cortisol. It was predicted that participants would detect the future position of erotic images significantly more than they would by chance and more than non-erotic images. Additionally, it was predicted that those who scored high in sensation seeking would have greater psi …

Dungeons And Dragons And Literacy: The Role Tabletop Role-Playing Games Can Play In Developing Teenagers' Literacy Skills And Reading Interests, Stefanie L. B. Kaylor

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to explore the role that tabletop role-playing games (TRPGs) play in developing the literacy skills and leisure reading interests of teenagers who play them. Additionally, this study sought to determine what role or roles educators should play in developing the gaming culture of teenage students. In order to answer these questions, seven people who played TRPGs as teenagers were interviewed about their past and current TRPG interests, past and current leisure reading habits, and the effects that playing TRPGs had on their literacy skills. This study revealed that all participants felt that playing TRPGs …