Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

Exploration Of Affine Functions, Katelyn Jo Stirling

Honors Program Theses

This report starts out with a discussion of fractals. Learning about fractals will lead us to the explanation of what affine functions are and how they can be seen in nature. We will then move on to a mathematical discussion of how affine functions behave. We will see how preserving ratios of distances is significant in our process by looking at a relationship of relative distances. This equation will be further described in our first definition. We then move on to prove that we can state affinity in a new way. After proving the first lemma, we discuss our main …

Mathematical Conjectures In Grades Three Through Five Relating To Fractions And Decimals, Lauren Elizabeth Bork

Honors Program Theses

Studying fractions and decimals is foundational work in upper elementary grades. There are many challenges that students face with these topics and many ways teachers can build on the understanding that they bring to the classroom. Studying conjectures and students’ mathematical thinking is important as we build foundational knowledge for students with fractions and decimals. Studying the conjectures that students make can be a captivating journey into the world of mathematical reasoning and exploration. Making conjectures is one part of mathematical argumentation, an important practice to include in mathematics teaching. I studied the conjectures of grades 3-5 students in the …

An Analysis Of Crash Factors On Total Property Damage, Erica Peters

Honors Program Theses

Vehicle accidents occur across the world every day. Rain or shine, night or day accidents will always occur. While each accident has its own set of unique characteristics, a statistical data analysis can help identify important factors, trends and overall patterns that explain and predict the total property damage incurred after a car crash. As a result, the primary goal of this research is to employ a regression analysis to identify which environmental and collision variables are most important in explaining and predicting the dependent variable – total property damage that results from auto accidents.

This research will also explore …

Biology News 2024, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Biology.

Biology News

Contents:

Letter from the Department Head --- 2
Bolton Award Winner --- 3
Goldwater Scholarship Winner --- 3
Purple and Old Gold Award Winner --- 3
Faculty News Roundup --- 4
New Hires --- 6
UNI Botanical Center --- 7
Alumni Information Request --- 7
Support Our Programs --- 8
Floyd Fellowship Award Winner --- 8

Proportional Reasoning: Understanding Student Thinking With Direct And Inverse Proportions, Emma Marshall

Honors Program Theses

The topic of proportions in mathematics is often misunderstood by students, yet proportional reasoning is the foundation for higher-level math. The purpose of this study is to understand how students are currently solving direct and inverse proportion problems and how the degree of difficulty increases when solving inverse proportion problems. There is little research done about student thinking with inverse proportions. Primary data has been collected from students and will be used to analyze students’ thinking about inverse proportion as well as a comparative look between direct and inverse proportional reasoning. By understanding students' thinking about proportions, educators can better …

Teachers Do It All: A Cluster-Based Analysis Of Abbott Elementary, Peter Heryla

Iowa Journal of Communication

This study employs rhetorical criticism to analyze the television sitcom Abbott Elementary (2021). Through close examination of the episodes “Pilot,” “Development Day,” and “Egg Drop,” this analysis aims to uncover key ideas about the multifaceted roles and responsibilities educators are required to assume outside of their main job as “teacher.” Utilizing cluster criticism, the study shows that being a teacher is about more than educating, and that teachers are motivated by common themes when they act outside of their role. The study also focuses on the mediated representation of teachers and the harmful demographic tropes that have historically characterized them, …

The Future Of Mediation: Mcluhanisms For The Quantum Era, Erik Gustafson

Iowa Journal of Communication

The 21st century has been characterized as a time of expansive and rapid technological change, particularly regarding the internet, digital technologies, and now artificial intelligence. Both scholarly and popular conversations have rushed to make sense of the technological phenomenon as they occur. Now, the “second quantum revolution” and the race for “quantum supremacy” threaten to push technological knowledge and applications even further from public understanding. As such, the present article sought to provide a host of theoretical and practical tools that may aid the public and scholars alike in understanding and combatting the overwhelming features of technology that may come …

Integrating Music In Pk-12 Classrooms To Impact Behavior, Improve Academics, And Support Developmental Milestones In Children, Emily Grace Manis

Honors Program Theses

As a child, music was always a part of my life, and I believe this immersion has greatly impacted how I view music’s role in the world of education. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher, but it wasn’t until I started courses at the University of Northern Iowa that I really decided to focus on early childhood and social emotional learning. My desire to teach, combined with my passion for all things music, led to my decision to focus on how music integration can be a useful tool in every classroom. Specifically I want to focus the research and …

Why Play? Exploring The Realities Of Play-Based Learning In Kindergarten, Sofia Josephine Steele

Honors Program Theses

By nature, children are curious and love to explore the world around them. Play is one way that children can fulfill that innate curiosity. Through play-based learning, educators can utilize that innate curiosity and wonder in children to create valuable learning experiences that will engage and teach them. This pedagogical approach is used in early childhood education to help children develop their academic, social, and emotional skills through appropriate learning experiences that consider their abilities and interests. However, in recent years, there has been a shift away from play-based learning in kindergarten classrooms. The reasoning behind this shift may be …

Desert Or Mirage? An Examination Of Food Deserts In Iowa Cities, Andrew Creasey

Graduate Research Papers

Food insecurity affects millions of Americans and has been widely recognized as a significant health and economic issue. Because of this, researchers have sought to develop ways to identify areas that are prone to food insecurity, which have become known as food deserts. Food deserts have been broadly defined through a confluence of three factors: low income, a lack of vehicle access, and a predetermined distance from a healthy food retailer. But research into food deserts in Iowa is limited, and the most prominent source of information on this topic, the Food Access Research Atlas created by the U.S. Department …

A 30-Year Time Series Analysis Of The Impact Of Climate Change On Corn Yield In Iowa Using The Autoregressive Distributed Lag Model – 1992 To 2022, Tesleem Ajisafe

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Climate change poses significant socio-economic challenges globally, notably altering weather patterns and increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events (Seneviratne et al. 2021). This study investigates the impact of climate change on corn yield in Iowa from 1992 to 2022, using the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model to analyze time series data on temperature, precipitation, and corn yield at the county level. Iowa, the leading corn producer in the US (Xu, Twine, & Girvetz 2016), has experienced an 8% increase in precipitation from 1873 to 2008, with notable effects in the eastern region (“Climate Change,” n.d.). A detrending …

Modeling Phosphorus Loading Dynamics In Milford Creek Watershed: With Comparison To A Consent Decree Tmdl, Olivia Calvin

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In 1998 Milford Creek, located in northwest Iowa, USA, was included on Iowa’s Impaired Waters List due to its inability to support aquatic life and excessive algal growth that was attributed to an overabundance of phosphorus within the body. In 2001 there was a lawsuit filed against the U.S. EPA regarding the status of Iowa’s Total Daily Maximum Load (TMDL) program. The lawsuit resulted in a consent decree that required the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) to develop a TMDL for all bodies of water on Iowa’s 1998 impaired waters list by December 15, 2009, this list included Milford …

Teacher Use Of Rubrics To Assess Claim, Evidence And Reasonings In The High School Science Classroom, Brianna Finnegan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This qualitative study examines how high school science teachers in an eastern Iowa high school utilize rubrics to assess students’ claims, evidence, and reasoning (CER) in the science classroom. The research investigates the methodology teachers employ in assessing student proficiency using their own rubrics they have created. Data were collected through think-aloud interviews with participating teachers as they evaluated and scored CER examples. Analysis of interview data involved inductive coding to identify common themes and categories, shedding light on teacher’s scoring practices, rubric construction, and perceptions of student proficiency and rubric validity.

Findings reveal that teachers often weigh evidence and …

Commencement [Program], December 16, 2023, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Commencement Programs

The program of the commencement ceremonies, including a list of institutional leadership, a list of the departments by college, awards given at the ceremonies, and a list of undergraduate and graduate degree candidates. This commencement program is not an official graduate list.

Contents:

--- Iowa Board of Regents ... 2
--- Institutional Leadership ... 2
--- The Academic Procession ... 3
--- Academic Honorary Organizations ... 4
--- University Ambassador Organizations ... 5
--- University Honors Program ... 6
--- Legacy Graduates ... 6
--- Order of Events ... 7
--- College of Education ... 10
--- College of Humanities, …

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, December 2023, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- Grain PTE and 6X Reporting Deadlines
--- 2024-2025 Compliance Calendars for Dry Cleaners
--- 2024-2025 Compliance Calendar/Logbook for Bulk Gasoline Plants
--- Alluvial Brewing Company Achieves Gold Certification

Uni Impact: Faculty/Staff Scholarly Publications And Featured Awards Newsletter, V1i3-4, 2022, Rod Library. Research & Sponsored Programs. Uni Foundation. University Of Northern Iowa.

UNI Impact: Faculty/Staff Scholarly Publications and Featured Awards Newsletter

Highlights the scholarship, research, and other scholarly work produced by University of Northern Iowa faculty, students, and staff.

This issue covers the period of April - December 2022.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, November 2023, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- Unwrapping EPA's New Wasted Food Scale
--- Big Grove Brewery is Awarded for Their Sustainability and Innovation
--- The New Fashion Police: Conversations Continued . . .
--- IWRC Keeping Tabs on PFAS
--- Industry News

University Of Northern Iowa Graduate Council Minutes, October 12, 2023, University Of Northern Iowa. Graduate Council.

Documents - Graduate Council

Meeting minutes from the Graduate Council of the University of Northern Iowa.

Minutes Of Graduate College Committee On Curricula, October 6, 2023, University Of Northern Iowa. Graduate College Curriculum Committee.

Minutes - Graduate Curriculum Committee

Minutes of the committee that oversees the development of the curriculum of the University of Northern Iowa Graduate College.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, October 2023, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- EPA's Wasted Food Scale Replaces the Food Recovery Hierarchy
--- Vermicomposting Workshop Goes to Dayton, IA
--- Iowa Strategic Goals Workshop
--- The New Fashion Police: Fashion as a point of conversation
--- Blog: The Next Generation of Waste Reduction
--- Industry News

Uni Schedule Of Classes: Policies And Procedures, Fall 2023, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Schedule of Classes

A listing and schedule of the courses being taught as well as policies and procedures concerning attending classes at the University of Northern Iowa.

Standards Based Grading Learning Objective For The Chemistry, Life, The Universe, And Everything General Chemistry Curriculum, Dawn Del Carlo, Laura Strauss

Open Educational Resources

This document details the Learning Objectives (LOs) and accompanying rubrics used in CHEM 1110 and CHEM 1120 at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) and are aligned with the Chemistry, Life, the Universe, and Everything (CLUE) Curriculum (Cooper & Klymkowsky, 2019). These rubrics were first developed and implemented in the Fall 2021, underwent substantial modification and then implemented again in Fall 2022. Minor modifications were made again and this document represents the rubrics to be implemented in the Fall 2023. As with all curriculum, these will also likely undergo minor changes.

Determination Of The Presence Of Gun Powder Residue On Civil War Era Pulaski Musket With Xrf, Katelynn Mostek, Joshua Sebree

Fall 2023 - Chemical Analysis Class Projects

The goal of this project is to determine if the Civil War era Pulaski Musket owned by the UNI museum has been fired before. To do this, the presence of gun powder residue on the Pulaski Musket was compared to other gun from the museum's collection via X Ray Fluorescence. Sulfur and lead components that typically make up gun powder residue were analyzed.

Determination Of Oils In African Mende Helmet Mask Raffia Fiber Using Gas Chromatography, Megan M. Unger, Joshua Sebree

Fall 2023 - Chemical Analysis Class Projects

• African Mende helmet mask that is traditionally work during coming-of-age ceremonies.
• It is made from wood and finished in a black color made from vegetable dye.
• The raffia fibers come from a plant known as ‘raffia bamboo’.
• The African Mende helmet mask given to the UNI Museum was originally used in a classroom and is believed that it was not well preserved.
• The teacher reportedly used vegetable oil on the wooden part of the mask to keep the original look.
• unknown whether there have been more oils used on the mask.

Analyzing Microstructural Variations In Ancient Bricks: A Comparative Study Using Sem Analysis, Sabryn Labenz, Joshua Sebree

Fall 2023 - Chemical Analysis Class Projects

• A brick was donated to the University of Northern Iowa that was believed to have originated from Mesopotamia. However, the museum suggests the possibility it originated from Egypt.
• Brick structure can vary based on the raw materials used in their construction
• The size of the sand particles used in bricks contribute to the brick’s structural integrity.
• Bricks from Iran and England were analyzed for regional similarities to the unknown brick using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).

Uv-Vis Spectral Analysis Of Mende Cultural Mask, Kameron Kruger, Joshua Sebree

Fall 2023 - Chemical Analysis Class Projects

• The UNI Museum possesses a mask that originated from the Mende people of Sierra Leone, and has since been used as an educational tool. While the rafia fibers at the base have been replaced, the wooden mask is original.
• Under black light, the mask shows a complex fluorescence pattern that includes distinct regions of green, orange, and dark purple.
• This work used UV Vis spectroscopy to analyze the mask and potentially identify functional groups associated with compounds on the surface, such as oils and other wood preservatives. As many historical wood preservatives are known to damage their artifacts over time, …

X-Ray Analysis Of An Ancient Brick To Determine Its Origin, Jenna E. Heinen, Joshua Sebree

Fall 2023 - Chemical Analysis Class Projects

• This research is focused on studying an ancient brick of unknown origin which is housed in the University of Northern Iowa Museum
• It is theorized to be from Egypt during the time of the Israelite’s enslavement
• There are many disputes about the above claim; others believe it could be from Mesopotamia long after the time of Israelites lived in Egypt
• A museum artifact, determining the history and origin of this brick to a better understanding of its meaning and significance for historians and museum goers alike.

Examining The Metals Present In A Confederate Contact Musket Using Xrf, Lydia E. Richardson, Joshua Sebree, Colin Weeks

Fall 2023 - Chemical Analysis Class Projects

• Pulaski musket was made during Civil War in Pulaski, Tennessee
• Believed the Pulaski is compiled together using old rifles and muskets

Apresentando A Pedagogia Hānai: Um Chamado Para A Equidade Na Educação Através Das Lentes Da Aanapi, Robin Brandehoff

Spect-actor: A Journal of Pedagogy & Theatre of the Oppressed

Este artigo introduz uma nova abordagem pedagógica intitulada Pedagogia Hānai, que engloba identidade cultural, linguagem e relações familiares para contrariar narrativas dominantes em torno de sistemas educacionais históricos e coloniais. Derivado de um estudo mais amplo sobre mentorias informais (Brandehoff, 2020) e conceitos indígenas de conexão familiar e comunidade, a Pedagogia Hānai é prática; constrói alianças com alunos, famílias e membros da comunidade; aprofunda questões ligadas a opressões raciais, culturais e econômicas; enfoca a Autenticidade entre os educadores e nas práticas de aprendizagem; e incentiva o ensino exploratório através de inter-relações de tradição cultural e de métodos modernos de aprendizagem. …