Digital Commons Network^™

Re-Framing The Master Narratives Of Learning Dis/Abilities Through An Emotion And Intersectional Lens, David I. Hernández-Saca

Faculty Publications

In this conceptual framework paper, I critically chronicle the historiography, policy, and scientific literatures of learning disabilities (ld) and provide a conceptual framework for reframing these as master narratives. I defined master narratives as the pre-existent sociocultural forms of interpretation. I interrogated the a) cultural-historical; b) the federal definition of ld within idea, c) the educational-professional academic and focused on, the d) social and emotional literature of ld. The master narratives from these literatures included: a) ld as a boy who struggles with reading, ld as a symbolic complex, and the legacy of the term "feebleminded", d) assumptions about learning, …

Ai In Academia: Supportive Ally Or Cheating Accomplice?, Ian Offner

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

• The purpose of this study was to investigate student attitudes toward the use of AI for college class work in a variety of domains.
• For some situations, the use of the AI was collaborative. The students would have to utilize their own abilities in conjunction with the AI as a co-intelligence. For some situations, the AI was a dominant agent, requiring little input from the students.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, April 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- Celebrating Earth Day
--- Looking back at 2024
--- MSEI deadline approaching for Eastern Iowa
--- Painter Training Classes
--- Partner events
--- Industry News

Uni Schedule Of Classes: Policies And Procedures, Spring 2025, 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.

Uni Science Education Update Conference, Save The Date Flier, Spring 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. Science Education Program.

Science Education Update Conference Documents

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Emergency Haying On Grassland Birds In The Conservation Reserve Program Habitats Of Northwest Iowa, Claire Widmer, Ai Wen, Kenneth Elgersma, Mark Vandever

Research in the Capitol

Data was collected on breeding grassland bird communities in northwest Iowan Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields. Within those fields, CRP grasslands in drought areas could be hayed or grazed for emergency management to harvest supplemental forage for livestock. We compared the bird communities in emergency hayed versus undisturbed grasslands to understand how the drought induced emergency haying affected the grassland birds. Using distance sampling, we found that significantly higher bird richness was found in undisturbed habitat areas compared to the emergency managed hayed areas in the same CRP parcel. In addition, we found that bird density in the emergency managed …

19th Annual Research In The Capitol [Program], March 31, 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. University Honors Program. Iowa State University. Honors Program. University Of Iowa. Honors Program.

Research in the Capitol Programs

Program of research presentations given at the Capitol by students from the University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Iowa.

Origin Of Large Effective Phonon Magnetic Moments In Monolayer Mos2, Hussam Mustafa, Cynthia Nnokwe, Gaihua Ye, Mengqi Fang, Swati Chaudhary, Jia An Yan, Kai Wu, Connor J. Cunningham, Colin M. Hemesath, Andrew James Stollenwerk, Paul M. Shand, Eui Hyeok Yang

Faculty Publications

Recent helicity-resolved magneto-Raman spectroscopy measurement demonstrates large effective phonon magnetic moments of ∼2.5 μB in monolayer MoS2, highlighting resonant excitation of bright excitons as a feasible route to activate Γ-point circularly polarized phonons in transition metal dichalcogenides. However, a microscopic picture of this intriguing phenomenon remains lacking. In this work, we show that an orbital transition between the split conduction bands (Δ0 = 4 meV) of MoS2 couples to the doubly degenerate E″ phonon mode (Ω0 = 33 meV), forming two hybridized states. Our phononic and electronic Raman scattering measurements capture these two states: (i) one with predominantly phonon contribution …

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, March 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- Navigating Change Together
--- UNI Day at Capitol
--- Welcome Olivia
--- Free Assistance Available
--- MSEI Assistance
--- Resilient Iowa Communities
--- Industry News

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, February 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- Diane Albertson Memorial Scholarship
--- Introducing new IWRC Advisory Committee Members
--- Launching Compost Training Program in Rural Midwestern Communities
--- 2024 MSEI Reminder
--- Resilient Iowa Communities
--- Industry news

Between Pedagogical Content Knowledge And Confidence: A Case Study Of Pronunciation Training And Teacher Preparation, Lena Barrantes-Elizondo, Joshua Gordon

Faculty Publications

While many teachers do not feel confident teaching pronunciation because of limited preparation in different areas, research has demonstrated positive effects of training in pronunciation pedagogy, as teachers who receive such training develop cognitions (i.e., knowledge, beliefs, thoughts, actions) that align with current tenets of pronunciation pedagogy. Drawing on this assertion, this paper reports the results of a qualitative case study with five pre-service teaching-English-to-speakers-of-other-languages (TESOL) teachers enrolled in a pedagogical pronunciation course as part of their teacher training program. The study’s main purpose was to understand the role of training in developing content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge …

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, January 2025, Special Edition, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- EPA’s New Hazardous Waste e-Manifest Registration Requirements

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, January 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- Welcome Marketing and Communication Intern Jada Dachtler
--- Farewell Odee!
--- MSEI Season is Underway for Eastern Iowa
--- Grain Facility PM10 PTE
--- 6X Certification and Compliance Report
--- Industry News

Programs And Courses Catalog 2025-2026, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Programs and Courses Catalogs

Contents:

Academic Calendar ... 5
General Information ... 7
The University and Its Programs ... 7
Academic Structure ... 9
Admission Requirements ... 16
Enrollment and Registration Procedures ... 21
Fees and Financial Aid ... 22
Student Life ... 28
University Facilities and Educational Services ... 33
The Fine and Performing Arts at UNI ... 39
Academic Regulations ... 44
Undergraduate Information and Degree Requirements ... 61
Graduate Information, Admission, Academic Regulations, and Degree Requirements ... 81
List of Programs by Department ... 111
Department of Accounting ... 118
Department of Applied Engineering ... 121
Department of Art and Graphic …

Gamification And Geography Education: A Survey And Typology Of Games, Ruth Ohaka

Graduate Research Papers

Gamification in education transforms traditional, non-gaming contexts (i.e., classrooms) by incorporating challenges and scenarios with their own rules, stories, and stakes. In geography education, teachers have sought ways to gamify the classroom, develop students’ spatial reasoning, and develop place-based capabilities for critical thinking and problem-solving, making complex geographical and environmental concepts more relatable and accessible to the students. Regardless of the documented achievements with gamification, such as more engagement, deeper understanding, and increased motivation, there remains a lack of a comprehensive typology of games used within geography education. This paper aims to develop a typology of games used in education …

Developing And Modifying High Quality Instructional Materials For Biology, Lee Christians

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Annual Report Of The Registrar 2024/2025, University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Contents:

--- Definitions
--- Some Comparisons
--- Annual Report Data
--- Summary of Attendance
--- Attendance by Session
--- Full-Time Equivalency Enrollment
--- Degrees Granted 2024/25
--- Degree Summary 2024/25
--- Program Certificates 2023/24
--- Miscellaneous Enrollment Information
--- Degrees Granted by College, Degree and Racial/Ethnic Classification

Tallgrass Prairie Center 2024-2025 Highlights, University Of Northern Iowa. Tallgrass Prairie Center.

Annual Reports

Contents:

--- Staff
--- From our Director
--- Iowa Roadside Management: Enhancing our public roadsides
--- Research and Restoration: Native seeds and methods for prairie reconstruction
--- Plant Materials: A prairie pedigree for Iowa’s roadsides and beyond
--- Irvine Prairie: Restoring a piece of the original Iowa landscape
--- Prairie on Farms: Making prairie practical
--- Prairie Roots Project: A deeper appreciation of the prairie ecosystem
--- Green Iowa AmeriCorps: Service members expand TPC capacity
--- A Hidden Gem - UNI's Biological Preserves: A legacy of service and partnership
--- UNI Students at the TPC: Practical experience in support of …

Using Analysis Of Teaching And Assessment Practices To Revise Implementation Of A Force Unit In An 8th Grade Science Course, Caleb Christine

Graduate Research Papers

One thing I have noticed from my fellow teachers is a desire to improve how we teach and to engage our students in active learning. As a new teacher I have that same desire. Accomplishing my goal of being an effective teacher while also improving how the material is presented requires an approach that includes evaluating not only how the students are performing, but also how they are responding to my instruction.

I used self reflection journals to keep track of how I was presenting material in my classroom. I also collected information from completion of ungraded assignments and investigations. …

The Impacts Of A Problem-Based Learning Unit On Computational Thinking Skills In A 7th Grade Lego Robotics Classroom, Madison Beeler

Graduate Research Papers

The primary focus of this study was to determine what impact problem-based learning (PBL) has on developing computational thinking skills, self-efficacy, and earth science understanding in a middle school robotics classroom. Twenty-eight students took part in a 36-day instructional unit based on the 5E Learning Cycle. Students explored Martian geology, analyzing rock data collected by the Perseverance rover mission to make connections between landforms, integrating Earth science with computational thinking tasks. Pre and post-test data assessed growth of computational thinking and self-efficacy. Statistical analysis showed significant growth in student self-efficacy, while gains in computational thinking were not statistically significant. Students …

Communiqué: College Of Humanities, Arts & Sciences Alumni Magazine, Volume 11, 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Humanities, Arts, And Sciences.

Communiqué: College of Humanities, Arts & Sciences Alumni Magazine

Contents:

EVERY ISSUE
Message from the Dean --- 4
Donor Feature --- 5
CHAS Briefs --- 36
Class Notes --- 38

FEATURES
Engineering Advances --- 6
Japan Water Quality Trip --- 10
Theatre Outreach --- 14
A Future in Physics --- 18
International Teaching --- 24

STORIES
SLP Community Partnership --- 22
Professional Readiness --- 28
Syndaver Lab --- 30
Art Teaching Sisters --- 32
Math Alum Now NBA Coach --- 34

Empowering Young Learners From Diverse Economic Backgrounds, Tonya Wilson-Story

Graduate Research Papers

This paper explores the importance and benefits of empowering young learners from diverse economic backgrounds through goal setting, specifically focusing on students enrolled in an urban school serving a highly diverse population. Over time, students have changed neurologically and behaviorally—shaped in part by the influence of technology, which has affected how they process information and maintain attention. As a result, today’s students learn differently than in previous generations. Research shows that many young learners now enter school with only half the vocabulary of their middle-class peers (Wentzel, 2020), underscoring the urgent need for new instructional approaches that effectively engage and …

Collaborative Groups In Math: How Student Grouping Strategies Can Impact Math Achievement, Trevor S. Fletcher, Jenifer J. Dise

Graduate Research Papers

This study looked into the academic effect of student grouping strategies in math class. Twentyseven third graders, attending a public charter elementary school in the South and nine sixth graders, attending a public elementary school in the Midwest, are the participants in this study. Most of the third grade students scored below grade-level, and most of the sixth grade students scored above grade-level on their recent respective state tests in math. This study focuses on the academic effect of the style of collaborative grouping based on exit tickets and a survey on student thinking about math. When collaboration was used, …

Analysis Of The Menstrual Product Initiative At The University Of Northern Iowa, Catrina Marie Tounjian

Honors Program Theses

Period poverty is defined as the inability to access menstrual products or adequate feminine hygiene due to economic vulnerability. This ultimately can cause social, political, and educational barriers. In the USA, 1 in 5 menstruating students will miss school since they are unable to obtain period products. The relationship between period poverty and educational disparities is not well understood but needs to be addressed to ensure equitable education. The provision of free menstrual products in public restrooms has slowly become more prevalent as a potential interventional approach. At the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) in Cedar Falls, Iowa, there is …

A New Application Of The Coimbra Method On Cranial Entheseal Changes, Emily Marie Carlo

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Language As Privilege: Socioeconomic Status And The Politics Of Foreign Language Learning, Brenda Koumondji

Honors Program Theses

This study investigates the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and foreign language learning among young adult learners. Much research suggests that parental education level, household income, and access to educational resources significantly shape language learning attitudes and behaviors. However, United States scholars have lagged in this analysis. Through a mixed-methods research approach, this study combines quantitative surveys and qualitative data to gather comprehensive insights on how SES influences foreign language acquisition, motivation, and advantages. Findings reveal that students with higher SES backgrounds consistently report greater access to language learning resources and significantly higher proficiency levels. While parental education might not …

Addressing Iowa’S Teacher Shortage: University-Led Strategies And Their Impact, Makenzie Mae Morris

Honors Program Theses

Teacher shortages continue to be a critical challenge for Iowa’s education system, affecting both the recruitment and retention of qualified educators. Over the past decade, Iowa’s Regent universities have made significant changes to their teacher preparation programs in response to declining enrollment and workforce demands. This study examines how these programs, particularly at the University of Northern Iowa, have evolved through the expansion of online offerings, accelerated licensure pathways, and strengthened student support systems. The purpose of this research was to identify institutional strategies that effectively address the teacher shortage and provide insight into sustainable models for future teacher preparation. …

Strengthening Social-Emotional Learning For Elementary Students Through Explicit Instruction, Miah Phalen

Honors Program Theses

Teaching social-emotional learning skills has been found to yield various behavioral and academic benefits for students, yet there has been limited research into effective instructional practices for teaching these skills. This qualitative study examined the extent to which specific explicit instruction elements are present in kindergarten lessons from three evidence-based SEL curricula: Kindness in the Classroom, Leader in Me, and Second Step. Each of these lessons was rated on a 0-2 scale regarding the presence of clearly established learning goals, lesson opening, modeling, guided practice, independent practice, opportunities for feedback, lesson closure, and skill sequencing. Results of this study indicated …

The Effects Of Short-Term, High Dosage Creatine Supplementation On Cognitive Measures Following Mental Fatigue In Healthy Young Adults, Olivia Van Meter

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Using A Research-Based Approach To Develop An Updated Claim, Evidence, And Reasoning (Cer) Writing Rubric For A High School Science Department, Robin Ashley Thaisen

Graduate Research Papers

All students must be proficient in reading and writing, and science materials present an added layer to these skill areas. Both national and Minnesota state standards require students to show their understanding of science content through certain practices, including constructing evidence-based arguments. A common instructional approach is a claim - evidence - reasoning (CER) framework for writing scientific conclusions. While there are many sources of CER rubrics and guidelines, both commercial and non-commercial, there is a wide range of language or word choice and formatting, among other differences, and none have been tailored to the ninth grade level. By using …