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Measurement: The Forgotten Unit: Introduction To Quantitative Data Acquisition In Ninth Grade Physical Science, James F. Duff

Graduate Research Papers

What if you have determined that the students you teach need foundational knowledge and skills that are not addressed in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)? My Ninth Grade Physical Science class provides an introduction to the data intensive subjects of subsequent secondary science classes. Sound data requires accurate measurements. Students in my classes have struggled with layering the metric system of measurement on top of the Imperial system and the NGSS lacks a standard that directly addresses measurement with metric units.

I used the Backward Design process of Wiggins & McTighe (2005) to construct a unit centered on the …

Equity In Harmony: Music Teacher Preparedness And Perceptions Of Multilingual Learners In The Midwest, Mckenzie Vick

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions music teachers in the Midwest have regarding working with multilingual students, how music education benefits their multilingual students, and how they perceive the struggles their multilingual students have regarding music education. The study was a qualitative study in which 5 teachers were interviewed on their perceptions. The study found that music teachers see many benefits of music education for multilingual students including: building a sense of belonging, helping with language learning, having a non-academic outlet, and providing additional socialization opportunities. It also found that teachers did not feel prepared to …

Concert Band Methods And Supplemental Ensemble Material For The High School Band, Carissa Blumka

Honors Program Theses

In a school band setting, most music educators will begin a rehearsal with a warm-up routine. When a unified group warm-up is desired, rather than allowing open time for students to warm up individually, a resource is needed. Many supplemental method books and materials have been published to provide exercises to organize this desired ensemble warm-up. After physically preparing students to play through a warm-up, many effective band directors choose to devote additional rehearsal time to the development of fundamental musical skills. Though much of the school band curriculum is taught through the repertoire selected for the ensemble to perform, …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On The It Services Industry, Shekynah Annemarie Haworth

Honors Program Theses

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruptions across industries worldwide, and the information technology (IT) industry has been no exception. As IT professionals continue to face unprecedented challenges due to the pandemic, it is essential to understand the current effects of COVID-19 on the IT services sector and what the future may hold. This study aims to provide an up-to-date understanding of how the pandemic has influenced the IT services sector by conducting an in-depth survey among IT professionals. The research will primarily focus on the persistent challenges faced by IT professionals during the pandemic and what changes have occurred …

Confronting Cte: A Blog Dedicated To Increasing Awareness In Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, Caden Shea

Honors Program Theses

The variation on a creative thesis that I formed was a website and blog that utilized research about Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and how it affects athletes of all kinds, specifically athletes in the National Football League. The reason that I chose this topic is because the field that I hope to go into is that of sports journalism. One of the biggest problems facing sports leagues all over the world is the issue of safety. One of the biggest safety concerns in sports is that of head injuries, and one of the most prominent head injuries is CTE. I chose …

Orthographic Influences On The Production Of French Nasal Vowels By English-Speaking Learners Of French, Claire Evelyn Tow

Honors Program Theses

The present study investigated acoustic differences (F1F2 vowel space and duration) in French nasal vowel productions by three participants who speak French as a first language (L1-French speakers) and ten participants who speak English as a first language and French as a second language (L2-French speakers). French nasal vowel production by L2-French speakers was acoustically analyzed in two conditions: Auditory-Orthographic (Aud-Ortho) and Auditory-Only (Aud-Only). The results indicated a larger F1F2 vowel space for L2-French speakers in the AudOrtho task compared to the Aud-Only task. French nasal vowel durations were slightly longer for the L2-French speakers. Spectrograms from L2-French speakers revealed …

The Role Of Flo11 In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Colonization Of The Lepidopteran Gastrointestinal Tract, Kayla Jeanette Minor

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Characterization Of Zebra Calcite To Better Understand Wind Cave National Park As An Extraterrestrial Analog, Jenna Heinen

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Balancing Progress And Ethics: Exploring The Science And Ethics Of Gene Editing: Literature Review, Jackson Burgess

Honors Program Theses

Two decades ago, the completion of the Human Genome Project marked a pivotal milestone in scientific history, unraveling the blueprint of human DNA and laying the foundation for the Genetic Revolution. This monumental achievement allows researchers to uncover the correlations between DNA sequences and biological functions. Today, this movement has propelled modern geneticists toward the peak of human health sciences: the ability to manipulate the very essence of our being. With the aid of Genetic Engineering, scientists now possess the capability to alter the fundamental framework of our genetic code, offering the potential to cure fatal genetic disorders alongside other …

Gender And Student Motivation In Domestic And Foreign Language Study, Macey Overturf

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Why Would I Read When The Game Is On?: Reasons Adults Give For Reading Or Not, Emmy C. Nelson

Honors Program Theses

This thesis dives into the ideas of why people read and do not read, beginning in their childhood years. Many different factors add to why people choose to read or why they choose not to read. School plays an important role as to why people choose to read because reading is not necessarily a natural process since it is different from learning how to speak. Reading has to be taught and understood fully in order to read independently, understand the material, expand ideas, and connect with the reading. Without this, individuals can become “poor” readers or have a low reader …

An Analysis Of Artificial Intelligence's Potential In Assessments Of Math Learning, Casandra Tounjian

Honors Program Theses

Many aspects of math teaching could be impacted by the implementation of AI in schools, but I chose to focus on the implementation of AI in assessments of mathematical learning. A large part of teaching mathematics is determining how students are progressing in their understanding of mathematics. There are typically certain benchmarks that students are expected to reach. For example, in middle school math, students typically learn about equivalent ratios before they learn about proportional relationships. Thus, when students are discussing proportional relationships—think recipes—they can use the language for equivalent ratios to describe proportional relationships—for every 3 cups of water …

Death And Grief In 21st Century America: A Literature Review On Bereavement & Attitudes Toward Death, Jordan Whitney

Honors Program Theses

In modern Western society, death has been dissected and neatly packaged like meat at the grocery store. The unsavory aspects are hidden and our discomfort around dying has turned death into a commodity. In typical consumerist fashion, we are sold the “proper way” to die and grieve as a result. Funeral homes guide us through this new experience with the goal of assisting us through our grief. While most report positive experiences with funeral directors’ services, there remains evidence of overcharging and pressuring into the purchases of unnecessary additional services. This thesis explores modern attitudes and practices towards death, grief, …

A Literature Review Of Factors Contributing To Archaeal Diversity, Anna R. Carmen

Honors Program Theses

Archaea, being classified as its own separate domain only within the past fifty years, has earned a reputation of being notoriously difficult to culture in a laboratory setting. Because of this, their functions in ecosystems and potential for use in bioremediation is largely unknown and untapped. In order to further develop methodologies to successfully cultivate these microbes, an analysis of past research is needed to help understand where to lead research. After analyzing past studies on archaea and recalcitrant microbes as a whole, it is found that other factors are often overlooked and a label of recalcitrance is added. This …

Changing Demographics In A Rural Iowa High School: A Case Study Of The Experiences Of Emergent Bilinguals, Lindsay Carter

Honors Program Theses

For this thesis project, I conducted a qualitative case study of a rural high school facing demographic changes that affected the district’s population of English language learner (ELL) students. This study took place in Smalltown Community School District (all locations and names in this study are pseudonyms), an Iowa school district located in a very rural area of the state. I have close ties to this district and have spoken with people involved in their efforts to work with this population change they are facing. As a future teacher of ELL and multilingual students, I was highly interested in pursuing …

"Sit Still, Look Pretty To Survive": An Analysis Of The Hunger Games Trilogy, Bryleigh Sharon De Jong

Honors Program Theses

In this thesis, it emphasizes that the analysis of this topic was done through an extensive literature review. Throughout the research process, academic and scholarly articles were reviewed and quoted from previous studies. From previous literature, results express the idea of varying ideals and needs for the “perfect” film adaptation; additionally how the people researched the workers within the film and seeing the differences involving work with the script and actors. Screenwriting theory was also taken into account through previous research.

At the end of a decade, a literary trilogy became a new pop culture phenomenon, The Hunger Games. The …

Csbs Statements, V25, 2023-24, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Social And Behavioral Sciences.

CSBS Statements

Contents:

From the Dean --- 3
A New Home for Health --- 4
Becoming Part of the Solution --- 7
Thriving Through Movement --- 10
Support Across the Lifespan --- 12
Atmosphere of Empathy: Path to Healing --- 14
College News --- 16
Student Spotlight --- 20
Alumni Highlights --- 24
Donor Spotlight --- 30
Annual Giving --- 34
Class Notes --- 38

Personalized Website Design For Differentiated Instruction: Emerging Research And Opportunities, Congcong Wang

Faculty Book Gallery

Technology has changed how people learn, socialize, and communicate. It is a vehicle which allows teachers and learners to reach their teaching and learning destination faster. Today’s educators have access to a flourishing array of learning options and tools daily; they are not blind digital followers but critical and independent thinkers, analysts, and decision makers. By deepening our understanding of technologic trends, this book further explores what these new trends mean in terms of how educators may rethink teaching and learning to keep up with the pace of technology and a changing society.

Critical Writing About Literature, Erika L. Bass

Faculty Book Gallery

This free custom textbook includes openly-licensed and public domain works for the University of Northern Iowa course ENGLISH 2120: Critical Writing about Literature. It introduces readers to the knowledge and skills necessary to critically read, interpret, and analyze literature. The editor--Dr. Erika L. Bass--chose these readings to orient readers to important concepts and literature genres, as well as develop writing skills. While these chapters were chosen from other OER textbooks, I took care in selecting the chapters that are relevant to course objectives and will help students transfer skills from one class to the next, regardless of major. -- Provided …

Increasing Reading Fluency In Ell Learners, Jennifer N. Patton

Graduate Research Papers

I am creating a project on how to effectively teach fluency to ELL students. To do so, I had to first research. Recent researches have revealed that English Language Learners (ELLs) face certain challenges that threaten their academic success, especially their reading fluency, and as a result, make learning difficult. To achieve the purpose of this research, this chapter is focused on providing a deeper analysis into the problem of fluency and how it affects ELLs. The target with this is to review shared knowledge around reading fluency development in ELLs. This chapter, therefore, entails reviews of the literature on …

Sefer Yosippon As A Source For Hasmonean History: The Mysterious Story Of John Hyrcanus And The Parthians, Kenneth Atkinson

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Psychological Traits And Public Attitudes Towards Abortion: The Role Of Empathy, Locus Of Control, And Need For Cognition, Jiuqing Cheng, Ping Xu, Chloe Thostenson

Faculty Publications

In the summer of 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the historic Roe v. Wade ruling, prompting various states to put forth ballot measures regarding state-level abortion rights. While earlier studies have established associations between demographics, such as religious beliefs and political ideologies, and attitudes toward abortion, the current research delves into the role of psychological traits such as empathy, locus of control, and need for cognition. A sample of 294 U.S. adults was obtained via Amazon Mechanical Turk, and participants were asked to provide their attitudes on seven abortion scenarios. They also responded to scales measuring empathy toward the …

Priorities For Pan-American Geography Education: Needs And Trends, Alex Oberle, Fabian Araya, Sandra Alvarez

Faculty Publications

Geography education research in Latin America is uneven in terms of its thematic focus and country-level contributions. Research demonstrates the necessity for a region-wide prioritization of geography education themes that builds on existing scholarship and adapts to emerging needs and trends. The Pan-American Institute for Geography and History, a scholarly society, established a research team with a four-year charge of advancing geography education in the region. Titled “Geographic Literacy for the Countries of the Americas”, the initiative develops research agendas that encompass the diversity of definitions and criteria, scholarly activities, and curricular resources across countries. The purpose of this study …

“Our Hands Are Tied”: How State Educational Diversity Laws Affect Iowa Public Educators And How Educators Respond, Lydia Berns-Schweingruber

Honors Program Theses

In May 2023, Iowa passed Senate File 496, which restricts public educators from sending students social-emotional learning surveys, requires public educators to inform parents when students request a pronoun change, and bans any books depicting a sexual act from public schools (Iowa Legislature 2023). Iowa and other states’ recent educational diversity laws are part of a broader history of public school censorship. This study examines how state educational diversity laws affect Iowa public educators and how educators respond. This paper draws on data from eight interviews with Iowa public teachers, administrators, and counselors. The findings show that state educational diversity …

Language Barriers In The U.S. Legal System For Primarily Spanish Speakers: Attorney Perspectives And Potential Solutions For True Equal Access, Emma F. Kizer

Honors Program Theses

The U.S. legal system is difficult to navigate for anyone who is attempting to use it, but non-English-speaking individuals have a unique set of obstacles to overcome. Communicating and understanding legal jargon and processes can become increasingly strenuous when one does not speak English in a predominantly English system. This study is specifically focused on the barriers that Spanish-speaking clients face and potential ways to change the system in order to make the experiences of non-English speakers more accessible. By interviewing attorneys who work with both English and Spanish speaking clients, we gain insight into their perspective on issues they …

Gender Socialization And Social Media In College Students' Fear Of Crime, Ashlyn C. Miller

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between gender (socialization), viewing crime related material on social media, and fear of crime experienced by college students. While violent crime rates have fallen, the majority of college students report levels of crime are increasing. Many individuals lack both knowledge and experience related to crime, leading media exposure to influence their levels of fear. Previous research has focused on television media related to fear of crime with little research on social media, the preferred media source of young adults. College students (n = 124) from a midwestern university completed a …

Information Provided By State Human Trafficking Websites: A Content Analysis, Brooklyn Dilley

Honors Program Theses

Human trafficking evolved from the legal and regulated slavery of the past and has likely been in existence throughout human history. Slavery was abolished in the United States in 1865, and slavery and servitude were prohibited globally through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 (United Nations General Assembly, 1948). Nevertheless, modern-day slavery has still thrived in the form of human trafficking. There have been many global and national efforts to combat human trafficking, including the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (OMCTP). The Trafficking Victims Protection …

Olivine Variability Of The Nickel Lake Macrodike Of Northern Minnesota, Katelyn Boege

Honors Program Theses

This project is looking at the mineralogy of olivine crystals found in an igneous formation called the Nickel Lake Macrodike. This formation is from 1.1 billion years ago and is a part of the Midcontinent Rift System that extends from Kansas to Michigan. Olivine crystals are typically only found in ultramafic and mafic rocks which are associated with the mantle of the Earth. Knowing more about the original composition of the magma that formed these crystals can give information about the consistency of the magma and can give more information about the formation of other rocks in the area. Given …

Exploring Social Emotional Learning: Impact, Policy, And Effective Implementation, Rebekah Simmons

Honors Program Theses

Throughout my time in the education program here at the University of Northern Iowa, I have had the opportunity to witness many lessons surrounding Social Emotional Learning (SEL). This inspired me to want to do more research on the impacts of Social Emotional Learning relating to prosocial behavior and student learning, as well as how state and national legislation influences how Social Emotional Learning is taught within schools. The purpose of this thesis study is to explore the impacts of Social Emotional Learning within school settings and the legislation that influences it.

A Qualitative Case Study Of Montessori Approaches To Learning Amidst The Covid-19 Pandemic In Iowa, Ellie Penick

Honors Program Theses

This research focused on the unique and innovative ways two Montessori Schools handled the pandemic in the context of Iowa’s COVID-19 regulations. Research focused on the state of Iowa due to its relevance and proximity to the researcher and its notably relaxed approaches to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the purpose and scope of this study, research focused on two Montessori contexts within the state of Iowa. While this research is not representative of all Montessori schools in Iowa, it provides useful insight into the topic that can support further research on Montessori approaches to COVID-19.

The driving question behind this …