Digital Commons Network^™

Competition And Extrinsic Motivation In The Band Classroom: A Review Of Literature And Suggestions For Educational Practice, Stephanie Kay Opsal

Honors Program Theses

Public school bands teach students valuable artistic expression as they work together to learn and perform music in instrumental ensembles. Music educators who claim this purpose need to sustain student interest and involvement in band to continue the art form, because band is an elective course in which students join voluntarily. Factors that motivate students to participate in band include the intrinsic desire for music and the extrinsic stimuli for participation, including a large emphasis on competitions.

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 …

Scheduled Library Visits And Reading Achievement, David Stanfield

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to measure the correlation between the number of materials checked out from the school library and students’ achievement on two reading assessments. Students in a setting with a flexible library schedule had a fixed visit scheduled with their literature classes so that all students could regularly visit the library. A quantitative bibliometric method was used to analyze the number of books checked out by students and how often their classes visited and compare the data with their achievement on two reading assessments. Results showed students that checked out more material did not have significantly …

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 …

The Uniqueness Of The English Language Learner : Research Based Strategies For English Language Learners, Carolyn Lindgren Dietz

Graduate Research Papers

Currently, the United States is experiencing a growth in the number of English Language Learners. At the same time, the US economy has shifted to a more knowledge based focus, making higher education a requirement (in order to be) able to compete for higher paying jobs. Using a "scientifically validated approach" (Short, Vogt, & Echevarria, 2008), the SIOP model is a framework for instructing English Language Learners. This research targets research based professional development for teachers, to provide the essential programming to meet the literacy learning needs of the English Language Learner.

Volunteer Satisfaction: An Examination Of The Pertinent Literature About Volunteer Satisfaction And A Nonprofit Organization, Ginger J. Sakas

Graduate Research Papers

Volunteers play a crucial role in the success of nonprofit organizations. Even though their role and service is vitally important, little attention is paid to the volunteer experience and understanding of their satisfaction is thus unknown to nonprofit managers. This paper outlines what contributes to a volunteer's satisfaction with their nonprofit volunteer service. It addresses the positive rewards and negative consequences that come from a satisfied and unsatisfied volunteer experience. It looks at employees who chose to volunteer. This paper identifies various personality characteristic traits of volunteers and how those traits can affect satisfaction and effectiveness. Lastly, this literature review …

A Training Guide And Reference Handbook For Elementary School Library Secretaries In The Iowa City Community School District, Lisa Collier

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this project was to create a document that can be used as both a training guide and reference handbook containing of the some basic philosophical and practical information needed for library secretaries in the Iowa City Community School District to perform their jobs as effectively and efficiently as possible. This training guide and reference handbook is presented in two parts. Part 1: Principles of Librarianship, and Part 2: Destiny Basics. Library policies and procedures that are supported by professional organizations and publications have integrity. The goal of Part 1: Principles of Librarianship is to provide ICCSD library …

Young Adult Memoir Dealing With Alcohol, Abuse, Infidelity, Violence And Poverty, Kelly Reinhold

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this project was to create a memoir that exposes genuine family issues, such as alcoholism, drugs, infidelity, poverty and abuse, from the perspective of a young adult who lived through these experiences first-hand. The story took place in the early 1990' s when the main character was eleven years old. At the time, she was facing the divorce of her parents and was forced to make painful decisions on her living arrangements and choices within her relationships with her parents and brother.

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 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 …

The Effects Of One-To-One Computing For Students With Disabilities In An Inclusive Language Arts Class, Billie Jo Cowley

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Technology has become increasingly prominent in schools. The purpose of this study was to examine the integration of technology with students with disabilities, particularly the use of one-to-one computing when used in inclusive classrooms. This study took a qualitative approach exploring how one teacher integrated one-to-one computing into her curriculum and how students with disabilities perceived that integration.

The nine week study took place in a rural, Midwest, eighth grade inclusive language arts classroom. The general education language arts teacher and two students who received special education services were participants in the study. Data were collected from teacher interviews, student …

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 …

How About The Real Responders' Perceptions? A Comparative Case Study On School Principals' Perceptions Of School Administration Through Metaphors In Usa And Turkey, Harun Parpucu, Ibrahim H. Karatas

Faculty Publications

Expectations of school administration changed dramatically over the course of the 20th century. Today, the roles and responsibilities of school administrators must be re-defined for success in the 21st century. The current research aimed at revealing the perception of school leadership by school administrators who were expected to cope with problems and enable students to succeed in the U.S. and Turkey. Comparative case study design was used to analyze and compare the U.S. and Turkey school administrators’ perceptions of school leadership through metaphors. The study sample consisted of 47 school administrators employed in K-12 schools in Turkey and the U.S. …

Effects Of Traumatic Brain Injury On Domestic Violence Survivors, Elizabeth Marie Martin

Honors Program Theses

Very little research exists on the topic of traumatic brain injury within the context of domestic violence. The purpose of this research is to increase the body of knowledge on traumatic brain injury in domestic violence survivors. More specifically, this research serves to understand the frequency of traumatic brain injury among domestic violence survivors with the subsequent foci of analyzing the relationship between traumatic brain injury and domestic violence, identifying the impact of traumatic brain injury on domestic violence survivors, and discovering strategies for serving domestic violence survivors who have sustained traumatic brain injury. A secondary data analysis of a …

A Heroic Journey Within Videogames And The Effects Of Player Experience, Jeremiah Moffitt

Honors Program Theses

The popularity of videogames globally is increasing dramatically. The gamer explores first hand fantastic worlds. The story structure of many games follows the hero's journey-a rite of passage that social scientists view as a transformative experience. Although the content of the journey may be culturally specific, the similar structural components of the journey enable the hero to ultimately complete his/her journey as a changed person. I hypothesize that during the playing process, the gamer incorporates the experiences of his/her character and shares in some of these transformative processes. My research is based on participant observation and open-ended interviews with individuals …

Categorical Vs. Dimensional Models Of Mental Health Assessment, Nic Stewart

Honors Program Theses

The model that is currently in place is the categorical model and its use has been widespread since 1980 when the DSM-III was published and used internationally for categorical assessment (Mayes & Horwitz, 2005). It has since been widely utilized by professionals, but is not without flaws. Based on the argument for an alternative approach, researchers have argued several limitations of the categorical model: that no true discrete mental illness can be reasonably operationalized by categorical measures; that negative stigmas can accompany a diagnosis of mental illness; that there is inherent uncertainty when making diagnoses, whether to perceive certain information …

The Role Of Imagery In The Priming Of A Mental Construct, Patrick Michael Tiernan

Honors Program Theses

Priming is a term in psychology that refers to the unconscious activation of internal mental knowledge structures, such as trait concepts and stereotypes or mental representations of a stored idea, by specific details in the surrounding external environment (Bargh, Chen, & Burrows, 1996). This thesis conceptually replicated a priming experiment that used "old age" themed words in a sentence task to slow the walking speed of participants leaving the experimental room (Bargh, Chen, & Burrows, 1996). In the replication attempt University of Northern Iowa alumni themed posters were placed along a walking path near Rod Library on the UNI campus. …

Defensive Communication Between Professors And Students And Its Effects On Student Outcomes, Alexa Pomerenk

Honors Program Theses

This study investigated the relationship between defensive communication and student outcomes in college classrooms. The researcher hypothesized that students would perceive a greater defensive climate in classes taught by their least favorite professors, and that the defensive climate would encourage the use of coping mechanisms. Defensive communication was also hypothesized to negatively affect student grades, attendance, and course satisfaction and to increase student burnout. Surveys were administered to college students, and results supported all hypotheses. Findings showed that students linked defensive attributes to their least favorite professors more frequently than they did to their favorite professors, and they reported using …

Should I Stay Or Should I Go?: A Comparison Study Of Cornerstone And Non-Cornerstone Students' Levels Of Campus Engagement And Institutional Commitment, Theresa Luensmann

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to discover if sophomores who took Cornerstone as freshmen are more committed to UNI and more engaged in the campus community than sophomores who did not take Cornerstone as freshmen. This work is important because it focuses on the role of a unique first-year experience course on sophomores, which as a group is more likely to leave the institution they are attending. The study helps in determining the effectiveness of the Cornerstone class in keeping students committed to UNI in their second year. It will also help with the development of ideas for ways …

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

Going Offline: Personality And Its Effects On The Transition Of Online Relationships To The Offline World, Morgan Johnson

Honors Program Theses

Because the internet is a relatively new technology, few studies have researched the correlations between online behavior and personality. As such, this study set out to determine if online friendships and personality are related. In this study differences in personality were examined between individuals who have met their online friends face-to-face and those who have not. A survey was distributed online using the Five Factor Model to measure personality. Participants in this study were recruited from an online community called Nerdfighteria. The results found that the facets of the Five Factor Model of personality were largely found not to be …

Uni's Dance Craze: A Psychological Analysis And Creative Documentary On 'The Interlude Dance' And 'The Dance Party', Ian Goldsmith

Honors Program Theses

The UNI campus has been part of an epidemic: a dance epidemic. “The Interlude Dance” and “The Dance Party” are two recent dance phenomena that have played a major role in my undergraduate experience. I sought to study these phenomena through an analytical approach. I sought to determine the psychosocial factors that lead to the initial and continuing success of “The Interlude Dance” and “The Dance Party”, and to build conceptual connections between both phenomena. This creative-research hybrid project culminated in a documentary short-film.

Transition To Kindergarten : A Project For The Grinnell-Newburg School District, Donna Godar

Graduate Research Papers

This project looked at the following research questions:

How can schools establish a strong transition plan for students entering kindergarten?

What information would be valuable to evaluate and revise a kindergarten transition plan for the benefit of all parties involved?

In order to answer these questions, current literature was reviewed looking at all parties involved in the transition to kindergarten: children, families, schools, and the community. The path to the project included collaboration initially with kindergarten and preschool staff and led to the final development of the project collaborating with two community members, a preschool laboratory director and a scholar …

The Rise Of The Benefit Corporation: An Examination Of The Strengths And Potential Obstacles To Long Term Success, Lisa L. Freeman

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of the study is to conduct a comprehensive literature review to document and examine the strengths and potential obstacles of the Benefit Corporation framework with the intent of informing the larger question - is the Benefit Corporation 'made to stick?'

Portrayal Of Agriculture In Children's Literature: Contemporary Stories In Picture Books, Traditional Tales, And Nonfiction, Kathryn S. Koller

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to analyze the representations of modern American farming in traditional tales in picture book format, storybooks with contemporary settings, and non-fiction literature to assess how accurately agriculture information is provided to children. This project will contribute to the knowledge base about how well children’s books are compensating for the lack of first-hand experience. The four hypothesizes studied were: 1. Ninety percent of storybooks with contemporary settings will depict a male in the role of farmer. 2. One hundred percent of traditional literature in picture book format will depict a farmer wearing bib overalls, straw …

An Examination Of The Criteria For The Iowa Children's Choice Award List, Jessica Zimmerman

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to examine the Iowa Children's Choice Award lists for variety of reading levels, topics, and protagonists and compare this to the criteria set by the Iowa Association of School Librarians. A quantitative content analysis was conducted to allow comparison between the last four years of Iowa Children's Choice Award lists. Results showed that all of the texts chosen for the award lists in the last four years fell in the third through sixth grade level according to Fountas and Pinnell. The majority of the texts include a female protagonist making the award lists more …

Positive Effects Of Physical Activity On Behavior In Individuals With Intellectual And Adaptive Disorders, Tara Stemsrud

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this review was to examine the literature associated with the effects of physical activity upon individuals with intellectual and adaptive behaviors.

Capitalizing On Human Capital: An Examination Of Employee Motivation In A Changing Nonprofit Landscape, Katherine A. Betts

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of the study is to conduct a comprehensive literature review related to examining the relationship between employee satisfaction and productivity in order to identify and capitalize on how to motivate workers. It is this author's belief that only through the evolution of the nonprofit sector to a more hybrid structure can it hope to handle the loss of government funding. As such, it is imperative to understand how employee motivation works in the private, public and nonprofit sectors. Only with a clear understanding of all potential influencers on a cross-sector hybrid organization can we hope to maximize the …

Barriers And Facilitators Of Physical Activity For Adolescent Females, Elisa M. Cohen

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on barriers and facilitating factors that are associated with physical activity among adolescent females. This paper discusses how selected factors influence physical activity participation and avoidance. Knowledge of these factors may be useful for professionals in the field to better cater to the needs of adolescent girls.