Digital Commons Network^™

Leisure: Definitions, Patterns, And Constraints: A Study Of University Students In China, Shisi Zhou

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

China has witnessed tremendous social transformation in the last three decades due to the introduction of the "open door" policy and economic reforms in the late 1970s, which has resulted in great changes in Chinese culture and identity considerations. University students, as one of the most energetic and creative groups of individuals in the society, are playing and will play an important role in leading leisure lifestyles in China in the future. The purpose of this study was to examine the understanding of leisure (xiuxian in Chinese), leisure patterns, and constraints among university students in China.

Undergraduate students (N = …

Meeting Social Emotional Needs In Early Childhood Education, Veronica Armstrong

Graduate Research Papers

Is our nation's educational system heading in the right direction? Tremendous emphasis is being put on academic achievement. With this emphasis comes severe consequences for those schools not meeting standards. This situation is causing many administrators, teachers, and support staff as well as parents, community members, and government officials to have blinders on when it comes to how best to help children succeed. Some believe that the best way to help children learn is to cram it at them quickly and efficiently and hope they retain the information long enough to regurgitate it for the standardized test. Others believe that …

Divorce : Supporting Children And Adolescents, Shannon Griffiths

Graduate Research Papers

Divorce impacts millions of families each year. The experience of a divorce is a process rather than a single event. Children and adolescents experience the divorce process differently. Children often go through five grieving stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Divorce can be devastating to adolescents because they have a broader sense of reality and the world as it applies to their life. Older children are often seen as capable of handing the divorce process and asked to make difficult decisions regarding custody. All children and adolescents who experience their parent's divorce should try counseling. The children and adolescents …

2009-2010 Uni Basketball (Men's), University Of Northern Iowa

Athletics Media Guides

Contents:

--This is UNI Basketball --Inside front cover-1
--Contents --2
--Outstanding Coaching --4
--Panther Success --5
--The UNI Experience --6-7
--First-Class Facilities --8-9
--Missouri Valley Conference --10-11
--The University of Northern Iowa --12-13
--Academic Support --14-15
--Traveling with the Panthers --16-17
--Media Coverage --18-19
--The Cedar Valley --20
--Community Outreach --21
--Strength and Conditioning --22
--Sports Medicine --23
--Alumni/Hall of Fame --24
--UNI Administration --25
--Director of Athletics Troy Dannen --26
--Athletic Staff --27
--Panther Head Coaches --28
--Head Coach Ben Jacobson --30-31
--Assistant Coach Kyle Green --32
--Assistant Coach P.J. Hogan --33
--Assistant Coach Ben Johnson --34
--Dir. of …

Testosterone Fluctuations In Young Men: The Difference Between Interacting With Like And Not-Like Others, M. Catherine Desoto, Robert T. Hitlan, Rory-Sean S. Deol, Derrick Mcadams

Faculty Work

The current study investigated young men's testosterone level changes as a result of interacting with other men. Male participants (n = 84) were led to believe that a group they would be interacting with was either similar to them or not similar. The interaction was then one of two types: the other group members were inclusive, or the others excluded the participant during the group interaction. Participants provided saliva samples before and after the interaction. Results suggest that interacting with highly similar men increases circulating testosterone whereas interacting with highly dissimilar men actually lowers testosterone. The nature of the …

Annual Report Of The Registrar 2009/2010, University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Contents:

--- Definitions
--- Annual Report Data
--- Summary of Attendance
--- Attendance by Session
--- Full-time Equivalency Enrollment
--- Degrees Granted
--- Degree Summary
--- Program Certificates
--- Pupils in Price Laboratory School
--- Miscellaneous Enrollment Information
--- Degrees Granted by College, Degree Objective, and Racial/Ethnic Classification

Design Practices Business Organizations Employ To Deliver Virtual Classroom Training, Rebecca L. Adams

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of the literature review is to investigate what instructional design practices organizations employ to deliver virtual classroom training to their workforces. The review examines why companies are implementing virtual classrooms, positive and negative elements of implementing, instructional design strategies companies use to deliver effective virtual training and how learners perceive virtual classroom training compared to traditional face-to-face settings. Best practice with research shows that the most critical factors in successful virtual classroom training are engaging learners, using the software technology effectively, applying instruction design practices and accurately evaluating learner perception. By understanding the best practices, instructional designers can …

Essential Assessment For Quality Online Learning In Higher Education, Shu-Hsiang Chen

Graduate Research Papers

Linking assessment with learning objectives and outcomes has become significantly important in assessing adult learners in higher education. To better understand how adults learn and their expectations for learning, this paper provides a literature review that examines adult learning theory, learner characteristics, and motivation factors that shape our understanding. Additionally, this paper provides an in-depth review on the definition of assessment, types of assessment, formative versus summative assessment, alternative assessment, self-assessment, and the most appropriate and essential implementing principles and strategies in an online learning environment. The resources were retrieved using the University of Northern Iowa Library's online cataloging system …

Facilitating Maximum Benefit For Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In Distance Education, Rodd Grady

Graduate Research Papers

Traditional distance education environments are not conducive to learners with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The purpose of this literature review is to address how learners with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can better succeed in distance education learning environments. The review defines distance education, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and briefly explains some of the details of each. It then reviews strategies for helping students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Considerations for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in distance education are addressed. It discusses media, interaction, engagement of learners, feedback, motivation, and support systems as possible ways to help learners with …

The Question Is The Answer : Making The Language Arts Classroom Meaningful With Essential Questions And Student-Driven Inquiry, Ashley A. Jorgensen

Graduate Research Papers

Coalition research scholar, Grant Wiggins, firmly believes the idea of a question-driven, inquiry approach to teaching and learning should be at the heart of a school's mission. In examining one of the chief questions of a school's mission, that is, 'What are the aims of a high school curriculum,' Wiggins says it must involve getting students to "use their minds well" (Cushman, 1989). Wiggins says that, "students should emerge from their high school career with an integrated vision of how to think within the culture, which implies a broad understanding, not just narrow or rote expertise" (Cushman, 1989). In order …

What Is Really Happening When I Teach? : A Self-Study In A Secondary English Classroom, Margaret Christensen Mnayer

Graduate Research Papers

As an educator in an urban school, determined to provide my students with the most effective teaching, I engaged in a self-study to examine my practices and evaluate effectiveness based on current research. I used Schulte's (2002) framework to build my self-study. Her indicators of a quality self-study are: 1) thorough descriptions of the context, data collection, and analysis, 2) thoughtful problemization of researcher and her practice, 3) indications for how study changed researcher's practice, and, 4) a description of how the new insights gained might contribute to knowledge base for other teachers.

Constructivism And Distance Education : Meeting The Needs Of Adult Learners In Distance Education, Kimberly D. Nicholson

Graduate Research Papers

This review addresses literature regarding how the implementation of constructivist principles in designing online learning environments can meet adults' needs. This literature review identifies the specific characteristics and concerns associated with distance learning environments. It also explores the usefulness of using constructivism as a means to meet the unique needs of adult learners in distance learning courses. Resources consist primarily of books and articles published from 1995 to the present, dealing with issues of constructivism, andragogy, and distance education.

The topics covered include constructivism, adult learners, and constructivist-based strategies integration with particular attention being paid to the problem-based learning model, …

The Unforgettable June 2008 Cedar River Flood, Keri Annis

Graduate Research Papers

Natural disasters such as flooding cause emotional and financial strains. Among those directly affected are children. Communities are forever changed after suffering loses due to flooding. Informational text provides discussion and comprehension for children. An informational booklet about the devastating June 2008 Cedar River flood and the effects it has had on the Cedar Rapids community would benefit third graders in the Cedar Rapids Community School District. Due to the recency of this flood, no informational books about it have been published for children. The purpose of this research project was to create an informational booklet using a non-fiction expository …

Adventure Education: After-School Program Participation On Academic Performance, Arlene F. Prather-O'Kane

Graduate Research Papers

Adventure Education is an innovative way to build character by enhancing self- discovery, developing personal responsibility, and acquiring coping and communication skills, in a school setting. Adventure Education is established in some elementary, middle, and high school curricula, but it remains unclear of its outcomes on programmatic issues. Research literature in the Adventure Education field focusing on program components has been minimal.

This study investigated math and reading scores, and school attendance of middle after-school students, to see if an Adventure Education program called Seed Planters® influenced students' abilities to perform better in school and to increase their interest in …

The Quiet Eye And The Effects Of Anxiety On Visual Training And Perception In Sport, Shaun Mark Artero Juan

Graduate Research Papers

At an early age most kids involved in competitive sports are aware of the pressures of winning. They feel the pressure to win from their coaches, peers, and, in most cases from their family too. However, in this day in sports, it is difficult to be the BEST athlete on the team, or in the league. Every athlete wants that edge over their opponents, and is willing to do the necessary workouts and training to learn the skills and techniques to excel in their sport. Every disciplined athlete wants to WIN!

The desire to win is so prevalent in sports …

Childhood Obesity And Adolescent Obesity In Taiwan And United States, Eric Yao-Tieng Huang

Graduate Research Papers

The prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents has been increasing over the last two decades. Besides sedentary activity and high-calorie diet, there are numerous obesity-related factors that could be generalized to two categories: (a) intrapersonal factors (e.g., age, gender, socioeconomic status) and (b) interpersonal factors (e.g., friends, family, social support, social climate). The purpose of this literature review was to examine these factors behind the issue of childhood obesity and adolescent obesity in Taiwan and United States. Strong evidence shows a similar trend that both American and Taiwanese adolescents are living sedentary lifestyles, habituated to bad eating habits, and …

Teacher-Initiated Reminders To Increase The Frequency Of Attainment Of Students’ Self-Set Aerobic Fitness Goals, Ross Chakrian

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Comparing Static And Dynamic Stretching Prior To Exercise, Brock Leggins

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Motivational Climate: Coaches Using A Mastery Approach, Tiffany Anne Pins

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Cardiovascular Fitness And Academic Achievement In 8th Grade Students, Lindsey Kingsbury

Graduate Research Papers

Background: Federal mandates add pressure to school administrators to improve academic performance on standardized tests. Physical education, along with other none academic subjects, are being removed to make more academic instructional time.

Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to examine how middle school students' cardiovascular fitness affects academic performance standardized test. A secondary focus was to examine the relationship between a 2.5 and 5 day a week physical education regimen* cardiovascular fitness levels.

Methods: The FitnessGram PACER was used to measure the cardiovascular endurance levels and the Iowa Basic Skills Test was used to measure academic performance in …

Pathological Gambling Among Older Adults, Thomas Joseph Lind

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of The Role Of The Stay-At-Home Dad, Jason E. Heitland

Graduate Research Papers

The intent of this paper is to 1) explore the advantages and disadvantages of becoming a full-time child caregiver, and 2) discover why this new trend is becoming increasingly popular with fathers, not only in the United States, but around the world as well. By doing this, we hope to gain insight into the growing appeal of becoming a SAHD.

A Survey To Determine Attitudes Of Elementary Students And Teachers Toward The Polar Active Activity Monitoring System, Daniel P. Gawrisch

Graduate Research Papers

The CDC and NASPE currently recommend that children get 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day; however, too many children fall short of this goal. Physical education programs need to take an active role in promoting physical activity for children. Physical educators can benefit from a reliable and valid method to monitor the physical activity patterns of students. Polar Electro developed a new accelerometer called the Polar Active designed to help students and teachers track daily activity time. The purpose of this survey was to determine the attitudes of a teacher and his males and females 2nd, …

Factors That Contribute To A Successful Youth Services Director, Ann Elizabeth Scoles

Graduate Research Papers

The youth of today face challenges and opportunities that are very different from earlier generations. When working as a youth services director the emphasis is on supporting the healthy growth and development of youth and providing experiences which enable them to mature and live a meaningful life. Youth services directors are challenged to find and coordinate youth programs that provide a safe and enriching environment for youth.

This paper discusses the important factors that are common characteristics of successful youth services directors. This paper explores the history of youth services and the important role Jane Addams played in developing youth …

An Examination Of The Pertinent Literature Of The Relationship Between Adolescence, Alcohol Use And Leisure, Jennifer Swofford

Graduate Research Papers

Adolescent alcohol use is a significant health and safety concern in the United States (National Institutes of Health, 2006). Alcohol use among adolescents has a number of negative consequences including academic failure, health problems, motor vehicle accidents and personal violence (Bruner and Fishman, 1998). Many researchers contend that the decision to use alcohol is made during childhood and early adolescence (Johnson, O'Malley and Bachman (1984).

This research project examined the relationship between adolescent alcohol use and leisure involvement. Many of the self-reported reasons that adolescents drink alcohol are similar to those benefits they derive from participation in more wholesome leisure …

The Portrayal Of Grandparents As Caregivers In Young Adult Fiction, Susan Christine Bunch

Graduate Research Papers

The number of children and young adults being raised primarily by their grandparents continues to increase (Landry-Meyer & Newman, 2004). If either the grandchild or grandparent is suddenly thrust into a different family structure it can create challenges. Some young adults turn to the characters in literature as models for how to cope with life challenges (Hughes-Hassell & Rodge, 2007). It was the purpose of this quantitative study to explore physical health, mental and emotional health, and lifestyle and social challenges faced by grandparents and grandchildren when the grandparents are the primary caregivers, and how those challenges are portrayed in …

Playing Like A Girl: An Analysis Of The Role Of Gender In Trumpet Performance, Leslie Ellen Aboud

Honors Program Theses

The area of classical trumpet performance has been primarily regarded as a masculine profession and many are surprised to be informed of or stumble upon some of the great female trumpeters of our time. Since the gender of trumpet players is seemingly one-sided, it is important to note to what degree, if any, gender impacts this profession. The goal of this research is to use experiences and opinions of prominent female trumpet players to identify the role of gender in classical trumpet performance from the standpoint of musical expression and approaches to performance. In order to carry out these goals, …

Designing A Library Program To Increase The Number Of Fourth Grade Reading Goals, Jodonna Carlson

Graduate Research Papers

The problem identified by this research was at School C, 37% of the fourth grade students were not meeting their reading goal. The library at School C may not have been designed to meet the needs of these students. Action research using both quantitative and qualitative methods to gather data was used in this study. Parental permission was given for four fourth grade students to participate in this study. Two fourth grade teachers also agreed to participate in this study. Field notes were used to gather data during observations of book checkout for each class. Open-ended questions were asked each …

Impact Of Time Reduction In Physical Education Class, Ada Potratz

Graduate Research Papers

Time is a precious commodity for school personnel, especially teachers. Teachers are talking about needing more time to teach and less time to consume administering standardized tests. The No Child Left Behind legislation has put pressure on teachers, schools, and districts to perform in Math and Reading. As a result, students are tested daily, weekly and monthly so data can be collected. This data is not used to put school and/or districts on the No Child Left Behind list of making progress or in need of assistance. Instead, it is used in districts to plot progress. To comply with the …

A Need For Picture Books Showing Girls Playing Organized Team Sports, Lisa A. Heiden

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this project was to create a children's picture storybook depicting female characters participating in competitive team athletics. The book shows a young girl learning about the game of basketball and sharing the experience with her older sister. The researcher has a long history of athletic participation and a deep passion for sports. These experiences allowed the researcher to capture the essence of the sport of basketball and create a picture book for children that engages the reader and possibly encourages participation in athletics for children of various ages. The book gives young, athletic girls an early experience …