Digital Commons Network^™

Problem Based Learning Lesson For The Next Generation Science Standards: Earth And Space, Amy Ann Tursi

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

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.

Using Readers Theaters To Help Students Develop Reading Fluency, Adrianna D. Cavanaugh

Graduate Research Papers

This study examines how Readers Theater can support the literacy development of struggling readers, especially in regards to improving fluency. The study was done over two school years, each time focusing on four students with the lowest fluency scores. The study focuses on using Readers Theater to increase student's fluency. The first year fiction Readers Theater was used, while the second year the focus was on using nonfiction Readers Theater. The results indicate that using Readers Theater has a positive impact on increasing student's fluency and disposition towards reading. The study showed an increase in students' WCPM from their baseline …

Library Paraeducators' Training: Assumptions Or Facts?, Virginia H. Knapp

Graduate Research Papers

Paraeducators seem to be in a quandary. State officials, administrators, teachers, special education teachers, librarians, local educational agencies, community colleges and school boards all have perceptions of what training paraeducators need but few consider the special expectations for a library paraeducator.

The current study seeks responses to the following research questions:

1. How well qualified for their positions do library paraeducators feel?

2. How do library paraeducators describe their job training?

3. What are perceptions-of teacher librarians and administrators regarding the training of paraprofessionals to work in school libraries?

The researcher will examine the requirements of the Iowa Department of …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Improving Multiplication Fact Recall; Interventions That Lead To Proficiency With Mathematical Facts, Brandon J. Bauer

Graduate Research Papers

This three-week study focuses on basic multiplication fact recall. Twenty-six fourth grade students from a public school took a baseline test to quantify their multiplication fact recall. These 26 students then received 11 ten-minute practice sessions targeted to improve automaticity with multiplication facts. Each student was placed in a randomly assigned group for 11 practice sessions. Each of the four groups were assigned different modes of practice including: 1) flash cards; 2) paper and pencil practice; 3) website – XtraMath.org; 4) website – Multiplication.com. The results show that all students experienced growth from the baseline test to the post-test, with …

Portrayal Of Latinos In Young Adult Fiction, Jennifer Cole

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to establish criteria for rating Latino literature for cultural and literary quality and the existence of Latino stereotypes. This study determined the themes found in the young adult fiction selected and if those themes reflected positive character and cultural traits. The criteria gained through research can be used by teacher librarians to support and enhance the Latin collection in the Storm Lake Middle School library and others by creating guidelines literature should match. The questions asked in the study were: 1. What examples of Latino stereotyping are found in the Storm Lake collection and …

The Effects Of Stem Inquiry Practices On English Language Acquisition In A First Grade Classroom In Thailand, Rebecca J. Fuhrman-Petersen

Graduate Research Papers

This mixed-methods teacher action research project describes and interprets the effects of one American teacher's bicultural critical inquiry praxis on Thai first grade students' English language acquisition. The observations were conducted for one full academic year for 37 students enrolled in a bilingual, multicultural STEM pilot program. The results are based upon participant observation and narrative inquiry from a qualitative standpoint. However, quantitative methods were used to analyze 1) students' questioning, answering techniques and physical activities based on video recordings of STEM lesson activities; 2) students' growth in critical thinking skills as measured by their writing in relation to their …

Teacher Perceptions Of Graphic Novels, Katherine Block

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this research study is to ascertain classroom teachers’ dispositions toward graphic novels as quality literature and the rationale for their beliefs and attitudes. Of particular interest in this study is how teacher dispositions toward graphic novels may differ across teacher age groups. In conducting research, a survey was given to a variety of classroom teachers. These participants are language arts teachers for grades three through eight and range in age from 20 to 60 years. The researcher recorded the frequencies and percentages of responses, looking for teachers’ perceptions of graphic novels, the origin of these perceptions, and …

Improving 21st Century Literacy Skills And Student Engagement By Integrating Digital Storytelling Across The Curriculum, Sandra J. Steinfadt

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this literature review is to explore how literacy skills and engagement are increased through the integration of digital story telling into multiple content areas. Thirty peer reviewed articles were analyzed for this peer review. It has been revealed that the use of digital storytelling allows students more creative freedom and increases self-expression and helps students that normally struggle to create written pieces have greater success. Digital storytelling connects classroom content to students' lives, encourages deeper reflection, helps students analyze information and increases their motivation to succeed.

Early Childhood Library Resources And Support, Lisa Catherine Riese

Graduate Research Papers

The increasing demands on teachers' time and the extra strain that small districts face in trying to meet the needs of all students, can mean that sometimes programming or certain groups may be overlooked. In the Colo-Nesco district, realignment of district buildings has caused a loss of library access and resources for the preschool program. This research project created an annotated list of library resources that align with the Iowa Early Learning Standards. Titles were found within the Children's Core database, have been published within the past ten years, and align with the seven content areas of the standards. This …

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

The Update, January/February 2013, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Humanities, Arts And Sciences.

Update

Inside this issue:

-- UNI Debate and Speech Finish the Year
-- Department News
-- Allison Arp, Senior PR Major, Wins PRSSA Ron Culp Scholarship
-- School of Music Events
-- Diversity Inclusion Lecturer for 2013: James Loewen
-- Mary Frisbee Johnson: FERROUS: International Metals Exhibition
-- Student Spotlight: Department of Art: Brittany Deal
-- Student Spotlight: School of Music: Rhys Talbot

The Wright Message, 2013-2014, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Mathematics.

The Wright Message

Inside this issue:

-- Dear Department Alumni and Friends
-- Around Wright Hall
-- New Faculty: C. Adam Feldhaus
-- 2013 - 2014 Tenure-Stream Faculty
-- Faculty Spotlight: Syed Kirmani
-- UNI on the March
-- The Litwiller Bequest: A Gift that Keeps on Giving
-- Retiring Faculty Member: Glenn Nelson
-- The Center for Teaching and Learning Mathematics
-- David & Lois Kail: Donor Spotlight
-- Addresses by Mathematics Faculty
-- Department of Mathematics Goes Digital
-- Alumni Spotlight: Slade Hovick & Sarah Miesner
-- Student Spotlight: Jesse Moeller, Katherine Pearce, & Adam Feller
-- The 2013 Math Shindig …

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 …

A Review Of A School Psychologist's Roles In The Implementation Of An Rti System, Leigh Ann Thul

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

As schools continue to move into this era of accountability, they must consider system level changes that will address the needs of students as a whole. Using the problem solving model through a system of Response to Intervention (Rtl), schools can use data to monitor discrepancies between expectations of learning and actual student outcomes. Not only can individual student data be used to problem solve about students but also, aggregated data as a whole can help inform system level decision making to reach accountability goals.

Moving to a system of Rtl takes many system level changes that can be daunting …

Measuring The Growth Of Science Teaching Efficacy Of Participants In The Inspire Program, Loren Thalacker

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this research project is to measure the growth of INSPRE participant's comfort in teaching scientific concepts, as measured through science teaching self-efficacy (as defined on page 6). It will also function to measure the effect of the program in general.

This research aligns with the goals of Iowa's Governor STEM Advisory Council by creating authentic opportunities for pre-service teachers to participate in and later utilize the experience to increase their students' interest and achievement in STEM (Governor's STEM Advisory Council, 2012). This project also aligns with goals of the Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership by helping …

A Comparison Of Brazil And The United States: How Higher Education Can Shape And Be Shaped By History, Politics, Culture, And Economy, Cassandra Mae Oliveira

Honors Program Theses

This thesis will argue that, in order to cooperate, negotiate, and coexist in the future with Brazil, it is necessary to understand the way in which Brazil is educating its youth in comparison to how the United States is doing so since the products of these educational systems are the future leaders of their nations. Also, this thesis will analyze the reasons these educational institutions evolved so differently by reviewing how they were influenced by the intricate histories, the differing political leadership, the eccentric cultures, and the fluctuating economies of each nation. It will also evaluate how these different university …

A Study In Merger Induced Galaxy Evolution Through Post-Starburst Systems, Zachary Dean Griffith

Honors Program Theses

We discuss an optical study of a triple galaxy system at a redshift of 0.06. In optical images from Data Release 7 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), the system consists of a close pair plus another galaxy at a projected distance of 35 kpc. Tidal features extending at least 30 kpc are visible to the southeast of both the galaxy pair and the third member of the system, suggesting significant interaction. One of the the pair and the more isolated galaxy are low-luminosity radio sources. The lone galaxy appears extended in a radio map from the FIRST survey. …

Learning Styles: A Viable Approach To Instruction?, Lauren A. Hanzelka

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of the project is to research the concept of learning styles, a common theory used in education, through a critical lens, then take the information, and apply it to a classroom environment. Numerous sources of literature that address the background, research, and efficacy of learning styles will be critically analyzed in order to determine the effectiveness. The research and conclusion will discuss the implications for learning styles in the K-8 classroom

Clean Up Our Home: Ellen Swallow Richards' Human Ecology And Emerging Environmental Ideologies, 1890-1915, Raeann Lillian Swanson

Honors Program Theses

In the late 1880s, after years of study and hard work, Ellen Richards began publishing her ideas on the home and the natural and urban environment. She called for the knowledge of basic scientific principles to be available to everyone. She believed that ignorance was holding back the public from altering their environment to make life healthier, happier, and safer. Over one hundred years later, Malcolm Gladwell wrote the book The Tipping Point. In his book, Gladwell explores the Broken Windows Theory that social scientists claimed they developed in the 1980s. The Broken Windows Theory states that there is a …

What Are The Mechanisms Of Action Of Stereotype Threat And How Does It Contribute To The Development Of Cardiovascular Disease In African Americans, Anthony Gage

Graduate Research Papers

The rate of hypertension and cardiovascular disease for African Americans is disproportionately higher compared to Whites Americans. Previous research has focused much of its attention on biological and socioeconomic differences as a pathway to explain the disparity in rates of cardiovascular disease. Reviewed is the connection between socioeconomic status and cardiovascular disease, but also extends the reach of etiology to include racially induced cardiovascular reactivity responses in African American. Stereotype threat occurs when a member of a stereotyped group encounters a situation where a stereotype exists, the threat of confirming the stereotype produces an exaggerated cardiovascular response. This model takes …

Gifted Student Achievement And Motivation Levels Related To Participation In Gifted Programming, Stacey M. Jambura

Graduate Research Papers

This study evaluated the gifted program of an urban school district in the Midwestern United States. Fifteen identified gifted students ( 4 male, 11 female; 11 European-American, 4 African-American; 7 ninth grade, 4 tenth grade, and 4 eleventh grade students) participated in the study by replying to a survey. High school gifted student attitudes toward achievement and motivation were examined and open-ended prompts supplied information on program strengths and weaknesses. Results indicate that participation in the program has led to the development of critical thinking skills, increased students ' desires to strive for excellence, and allowed students to examine different …

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. …

Comparing Second Grade Students' Creative And Content Knowledge Performance On Figural Transformation Activities Introduced In A Standard Or Enhanced Manner With Nutrition Content Knowledge Taught Through Factual Or Fantasy Reading, Angela Naomi Webb

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Creativity and problem solving are skills students need for success in the 21st century. With the increasing pressures of achieving higher student scores in emphasized content areas, teachers' instruction in science, social studies, music and art has been reduced to provide additional time for teaching reading and mathematics.These lost instructional areas often allowed students to express themselves creatively. Therefore, educators need to find a way to incorporate creativity into content areas like reading and mathematics.

This 16 week repeated measures study examined second grade students' academic and creative performance on figural transformation drawings during an extended reading-science-creativity integrated unit. A …

Designing Elementary Engineering Education From The Perspective Of The Child, Beth Dykstra Van Meeteren

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Many concerned leaders of industry and government believe the ability to sustain our quality of life and address the grand challenges of our times is contingent upon the successful engagement of our younger children in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). What STEM curricula, specifically engineering curricula, should address, how the curriculum should be delivered, and how the children construct an understanding of engineering are still unanswered questions. Engineering curriculum is beginning to emerge for elementary students, but does more to teach children about engineering than allowing them to develop engineering habits of mind.

This qualitative study used constant comparative …

Playing By New Rules: Board Games And America's Cold War Culture, 1945-1965, Matthew John Sprengeler

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This thesis examines the domestic culture of the United States during the first two decades of the Cold War, using popular games as an interpretive tool to expand our understanding of the changes that took place. Four board games which were popular during the 1950s – Scrabble, chess, Clue, and Risk – explain some of the anxieties and evolutions in mass culture. Scrabble illustrated the nation's growing respect for expertise and, along with game theory, the hope for intellectual solutions to the country's problems. Chess, often seen as a symbol of the Cold War, served as a proxy battlefield for …

Investigating Blended Learning In The High School Science Classroom, Holly Cassandra Hinkhouse

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Blended learning combines the best practices of online learning with face-to-face learning and some research has shown it to have positive benefits for students at the postsecondary level. However, few studies have reported the use of blended learning in the high school setting. This study used quantitative methods to measure student attitudes and learning of science content in both a treatment and control group consisting of 9th grade Physical Science classes. Students in the treatment group experienced one semester of blended learning by using online science modules to supplement their in-class learning while the control group continued to have only …