Digital Commons Network^™

Teachers' Perceptions Of Skills Needed For Children's Entry Into Kindergarten, Jessica Blohm

Graduate Research Papers

Kindergarten readiness is an ever-increasing topic in the field of early education among educators. Research has indicated that children learn better if parents, preschool and kindergarten teachers' expectations are aligned. The purpose of this project is to understand local preschool and kindergarten teachers' perceptions of skills needed for children's entry into kindergarten. Teachers from two school districts and local preschools and daycares will be surveyed using the local Head Start Kindergarten Readiness Goals. Information gained will potentially lead to modifications in curriculum and learning goals for children, aid in professional development practices for teachers, and better prepare children in the …

Familial Influences On The Physical Activity Culture Of Children, Shari L. Vermeer

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

The Aftermath Of Deployment On Military Soldiers, Families And Children, Keri Lee Kulish

Graduate Research Papers

Learning ways that "we" as citizens of the United States of America can provide and support our military troops while they are diligently fighting for our country is the #1 priority. Soldiers are not the only ones that are enduring the hardships of the military, the soldier's families, but most importantly are their children, who are tomorrow's future.

The purpose of this literature review was to examine the hardships, affects of deployment on individuals, the development of an individual through the behavioral, emotional, physical and psychological aspects that effect military members, children and their families within the military lifestyle.

This …

Participation And Attrition In Youth Sport, Laura Sue Rowen

Graduate Research Papers

In the United States, an estimated 45 million children under the age of 18 years are involved in school and extracurricular physical activity programs, ranging from youth basketball and baseball to cross country skiing and rodeo (Weinberg & Gould, 2007). According to the American Journal of Diseases of Children, an additional 17 million children and adolescents in the US participate in an organized non-school-sponsored sport (DuRant et al., 1991). Many of these children are extremely involved in organized sport. On average, youth participate in their specific sport 11 hours a week for an 18-week season. Thus, over the past 40 …

Misconceptions In Science Education, Angela Francis

Graduate Research Papers

Like many science teachers today, I am a constructivist. I believe that students need to be active constructors of their own knowledge. I also understand that, prior to entering my classroom, students have had innumerable experiences that have led them to develop their own unique understanding of the natural world. This reality has certain advantages and disadvantages. One critical disadvantage is that students' prior knowledge and common-sense understandings about science can be at odds with the nature of science that is generally accepted within the scientific community. In order to be an effective teacher, I must identify and understand the …

Factors That Influence Wellness Program Participation Among Male Blue-Collar Workers, Lindsay M. Wolff

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Professional Development For The Library Para Educator: Developing A Guide To Answer Questions About School Libraries In The 21st Century, Tifini Foglesong

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this project was to create a manual for new and existing library paraprofessionals as well as administrators who coordinate teacher librarian professional inservice days. This information will provide content for library paraprofessionals to understand both the procedures and principles of school libraries.

Positive Portrayal Of Family In Children's Books With Homosexual Characters, Amanda Skellenger

Graduate Research Papers

In today's highly diverse society, it is important to include information in children's education reflecting the diversity they will encounter in their lives. Family is an important aspect in the lives of all children as well as being a diverse aspect of society; it is important that all family structures have adequate representation in a school curriculum (Chapman, 1999). The first article in the American Library Association's (ALA) Library Bill of Rights (1996) states "books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not …

Program Design Considerations For A 8-Week After-School Program Focused On Social And Personal Development And Physical Fitness, Lawrence Daniel

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this research paper is to describe the Carver Stars After- School Program and review factors considered in the design of an eight week long after-school program to enhance physical activity and increase academic performance in youth. This paper will present the goals and outcomes of the program, details of program design, and components of a successful after- school program. In addition, theories for behavior change will be reviewed. Finally, the process for evaluation will be presented. The information in this paper is to be shared with recreational programmers and fellow program directors with similar interest in program …

Social Bookmarking In The Classroom, Sara Richardson

Graduate Research Papers

The vast amount of content on the Internet causes complications when struggling to tame it. The purpose of this literature review is to uncover the viability of social bookmarking for managing Internet content for classroom learning. It also reveals how collaboration in social bookmarking can increase its effectiveness in the classroom and how social bookmarking models best facilitate learning. Sources researched were published in the last seven years, when social bookmarking started to become widely recognized. Studies in the areas of content organization, searching, collaboration, and education were reviewed. The conclusions acknowledge social bookmarking as not a replacement for, but …

Perceptions Of "Americanism": U.S. High School Students' Attitudes Towards Non-Standard English Accents, Christina Michelle Goering

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to identify the extent to which U.S. high school students perceive various English accents as being part of their American community or not and to further investigate how likely these high school students are to socialize with speakers of the varying English accents.

Quantz And Frederick The Great: Masters And Monarchs Of The Flute, Betsy Anne Groat

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the significant contributions that Quantz made as a flutist, composer, and pedagogue to the music world and in particular, to research the impact that Quantz had in the development of Frederick the Great as a virtuoso musician. The hope is to also illustrate the resulting significance of Frederick the Great as an important composer and flutist. This thesis is also intended to establish a case for the enduring significance of Frederick the Great and Quantz as significant flutists and composers and to encourage the acceptance of their compositions in the generally performed …

School Library Circulation Records: What Do They Reveal About Boys' Reading Preferences?, Chelsea Sims

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to examine what if any patterns emerge in the library checkout habits of elementary school age boys in consecutive grades and to compare them to common assumptions of which books boys prefer to read. A quantitative bibliometric method was used to analyze and count the circulation records of forty-four students over a three year period. The circulations to the boys in the study were compared to the circulations to the girls. Records revealed that on average, boys in third grade borrowed more books than the girls in the study, but girls selected more books …

Factors That Influence Wellness Program Participation Among Male Blue-Collar Workers, Lindsay M. Wolff

Graduate Research Papers

Regardless of the various pre-program assessments, health-risk data analyses, and attempts to plan and implement population appropriate interventions, male, blue-collar workers do not attend wellness programs offered at the worksite at the same levels as other populations. Because different individual, social, and organizational characteristics define and influence every work-setting (Linnan et al., 2001) and different variables likely motivate different groups of employees (i.e., male compared to female and blue-collar compared to white-collar, etc.), the focus of this study is to identify and examine the factors that best predict male participation in worksite wellness programs offered in blue-collar work-settings. Participation in …

The Relationship Between Down’S Syndrome And Dementia, Allison Brooke Cutsforth

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Lecture Capture Technology : Does It Make A Difference On College Student Achievement?, Debra S. Bruxvoort

Graduate Research Papers

Lecture capture technology allows professors to record live lectures for students to view after class. That same technology can be used to pre-record lectures for student viewing before class so that the class session can be used for other learning activities. This is referred to as the flipped classroom model. Most previous studies on the effect of lecture capture technology have focused on student perceptions and self-reported data and took place at large universities. This quantitative study collected multiple measures in an experimental design to compare the academic performance of 54 undergraduate students in three sections of the same course …

The Inverted Classroom : A Literature Review, Jennie Kies

Graduate Research Papers

Teachers struggle to thoroughly educate students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) related fields. This literature review examines the current research on STEM education, learning theories, and the effects of an inverted classroom on student learning in STEM classes in order to determine the possible benefits of implementation at pre-collegiate levels. Lacking research at the high school level, this paper focuses on articles describing inverted, college level STEM classes. This study indicates that further research is needed at both the high school and college level to prove that inverted classes result in improved learning and student retention; it also …

Comparing Fossil Instruction With And Without Analogy Use For Gifted Middle-School Students, Tabatha J. Klopp

Graduate Research Papers

Twenty-eight identified gifted elementary to middle school students (n=28) (16 female, 12 male; 26 Caucasian, 1 Hispanic, and 1 Native American), participated in the study of Iowa fossils through form and function analogy compared to self-research of information on the Internet, and practiced new concepts through technology-rich or hands-on craft projects. This study compared using analogical thinking skills along with technology skills to determine the effects on science learning in the elementary gifted classroom. Analogical thinking or teaching is a method recognized as a valuable source of new ideas, a way to transfer previous knowledge to solve new problems. Content …

Teaching Perfectionism Through Cartoons Compared To Bibliotherapy For Primary Grade Students, Miranda L. Zousel

Graduate Research Papers

Many students, especially high achievers, develop perfectionist tendencies during early childhood. It is important to teach students early to manage their perfectionism to avoid many negative consequences of neurotic perfectionism such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, procrastination , or underachievement, and to avoid entrenchment of behaviors. Traditionally, bibliotherapy and role-play have been used to help students recognize perfectionistic traits and learn strategies for ameliorating negative effects. But cartoon analysis is another potentially useful approach.

This pretest-posttest control group - experimental group design study of first, second and third graders (n = 46) compared concept acquisition and enjoyment of learning about …

The Impact Of Pretend Play On Cognitive And Academic Development Of Kindergarten Students, April Marie Thelen

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this literature review is to identify the cognitive and academic benefits of pretend play for kindergarten-aged children. The review will also identify ways that kindergarten teachers can integrate pretend play within their curriculum. The research reviewed enabled mathematics and literacy to be identified as related outcomes associated with pretend play. It also identified several teacher roles necessary for productive pretend play within kindergarten curriculum. The conclusion of this literature review includes recommendations for future action and education policies based on the research reviewed.

Examining The Differences In The Function Of Imagery Used Between Starters And Non-Starters On A Collegiate Football Team, Reid Christopher Evans

Graduate Research Papers

The current study adds to the research examining the use of imagery in relation to Paivio's (1985) four functions of imagery. The purpose of this study was to examine the practices of starting and non-starting collegiate football players at an NCAA Division III college in regards to the function of their imagery use. Imagery was assessed using the Sport Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ; Hall, Stevens, & Paivio, 2005). It was hypothesized that starters would have higher CG, MS, MG-M, and MG-A scores than non-starters. It was also hypothesized that non-starters would have higher CS scores than starters. The participants in the …

The Wright Message, 2012-2013, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Mathematics.

The Wright Message

Inside this issue:

-- Dear Department Alumni and Friends
-- Department Head
-- Around Wright Hall
-- 2012 - 2013 Tenure-Stream Faculty
-- New Faculty
-- Retiring Faculty: Larry Leutzinger
-- In Memory of Bonnie Litwiller
-- John & Marla Peterson: Making an Impact
-- The 2012 Hari Shankar Lecture
-- Internal UNI Awards
-- Projects and Grants
-- Student Spotlight: Melinda McDowell & Duncan Wright
-- Recent winners of the Purple and Old Gold Award
-- Alumni Spotlight: Karla Digmann, Kamilla Svajgl, & Suzanne Shontz
-- Math Day 2012
-- Squigonometry
-- Student Organizations
-- News from KME
-- …

Biology News, Winter 2012, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Biology.

Biology News

Contents:

-- Greetings from the Biology Department
-- Focus on UNI Biology Alumni
-- Let us hear from you...
-- Science Teacher Pays it Forward
-- Reconnect with the Department of Biology
-- Taiwan exchange program - year one a success!
-- Dr. Steve O'Kane and Dr. John Ophus receive Dean's Awards
-- Field Research in the Northern Gulf of Mexico
-- Biology receives grant from Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust
-- Dr. Peter Berendzen receives State Wildlife Grant
-- Seed Grants from the UNI-Office of Sponsored Research
-- Focus on UNI Biology Students
-- Pre-Med Club
-- Student Nature …

Building Sustainable Schoolwide Positive Behavior Supports In High Schools, Jessica M. Overturf

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this paper is to explore how School-Wide Positive Behavior Support (SWPBS) systems can be successful in high school settings. Chapter 1 will establish the need for SWPBS in high schools and Chapter 2 will provide an overview of and evidence supporting SWPBS. Chapter 3 focuses on what is considered best practice in implementing SWPBS. Chapter 4 discusses the characteristics exclusive to high schools that have been identified as potential barriers in implementing SWPBS efforts, and Chapter 5 provides examples of successful high school SWPBS case studies as well as recommendations for overcoming the aforementioned barriers.

Feedback : Best Practices For Effectiveness, Hanne Elizabeth Wuertz

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The focus of this paper is on the use of formative assessment in classrooms which is increasingly becoming a widespread practice in education today. More specifically, the paper examines the role feedback (a crucial element of formative assessment) plays in student achievement. Feedback and the way it is defined, delivered, and used impacts the effectiveness of formative assessment. In addition, decisions about, and changes in, instruction are often made based on what is communicated through feedback. Thus, this paper defines feedback, discusses best practices for effective feedback, and describes how school psychologists can encourage and help facilitate the use of …

Assistive Technology For Students With Disabilities: Resources And Challenges Encountered By Teachers, Dawn Larae Jacobsen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Assistive technology may be a solution for students with disabilities who are struggling to achieve academic growth; however, the consideration for assistive technology process is not prevalent in schools.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to take an in-depth look at the processes and factors that teachers of students with disabilities used in considering, adopting, and utilizing assistive technology to meet the needs of their students. Three teachers in one rural school shared the resources and challenges they encountered in the assistive technology process. Furthermore, using Rogers's Diffusion of Innovation Theory and Davis's Technology Acceptance Model as theoretical frameworks, …

Strategic Communication In Women's Rights Organizations: Tools, Challenges And Best Practices, Anastasia Kalinina

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Despite rapid globalization and tremendous expansion of the number of women's rights organizations, international attention to the issues of women and girls remains rather low. While some women's rights networks and organizations leap to prominence, others do not receive recognition and public support. I wanted to know why. I interviewed 13 directors and communication managers of women's rights non-governmental organizations to see how they manage communication. I used a convenience sample that included a wide range of geographical locations and sizes of NGOs. The interviews were held via Skype. I conducted a theme analysis of transcribed interviews. The participants indicated …

Destination Attractiveness Of The Silos And Smokestacks National Heritage Area, Puyong Choi

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics of destination attractiveness of the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area (SSNHA) in Iowa using the relative attractiveness and importance of the 15 attributes identified by Gearing, Swart, and Var's (1974) scale and 3 attributes identified by Hu and Ritchie (1993). These attributes represent the overall destination attractiveness of the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area (SSNHA) in Iowa. This study focused on the perspective of visitors and tourism experts.

Fishbein's (1967) multi-attribute model was used to determine the attitudes and preferences of the participants. The model is used to …

Baseball In The Heartland: Semi-Pro Baseball Survives In Iowa, Todd Michael Hospodarsky

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Baseball has been an important part of American popular culture for over one hundred years. In the early part of the twentieth century baseball was the nation's most pervasive sport and symbolized many values and attitudes that Americans held dear. During the late nineteenth century, adult baseball teams were formed within small towns across the nation. The team members were typically considered amateur athletes playing "town team" baseball. Over the years, as they were given opportunities to make money from their play, the term of semi-professional was applied to many of these players.

The decades following World War II were …

Disordered Eating Habits And Extreme Weight Loss Techniques In Collegiate Wrestlers: A Qualitative Analysis, Jaime Marie Mayer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Wrestlers have often been targeted as high-risk athletes for developing eating disorders. Research has found that wrestlers do practice extreme weight loss and disordered eating behaviors that are consistent with eating disorders. However, little evidence suggests that wrestlers also possess the psychological aspect that is required in order for a person to be diagnosed with an eating disorder according to the DSM (2000).

Many times researchers conclude that few wrestlers meet the criteria for eating disorders, but they participate in many behaviors that put them at risk of developing an eating disorder in the future. Very few if any researchers …