Digital Commons Network^™

The Initial Validation Of The Vincent Goaltending Test, Jacob Vincent Gonnering

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study is to measure the initial validation of a test, Vincent Goaltending Test, to assess the skills of hockey goaltenders. The Vincent Goaltending Test can be used to educate goaltender of his/her strengths and weaknesses. It can also be used to rank goaltenders in accordance to their skills associated with reaction time, cognitive skills, and quickness.

Identifying Sport Commitment Among College Football Players, Stephanie Jo Schmidt

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this research proposal is to describe sport commitment among college-aged Division l American football players.

The Use Of Psychological Skills And Benefits For Motivation To Workout, Shelby Kay Minard

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of individuals participating in community-based fitness classes regarding the use of psychological skills. Specifically, this study was designed to examine participants' attitudes toward the importance of mental skills, their present use of psychological skills, and what strategies they feel would be most beneficial in order for them to stay motivated throughout a workout. In general, the motivation to workout and keep consistent with a fitness regimen can be difficult. Therefore, it would seem appropriate to incorporate psychological techniques and strategies during fitness encounters to enhance performance and motivation.

Participants for …

Writing Instruction : A New Approach, Sunni M. Hart

Graduate Research Papers

The teaching and learning of reading and math are high priorities in the Waterloo Community School District. The Waterloo Community School District committed many teacher hours and much money to develop curriculum and revise reading and math, provide professional development in best practice for it, and purchase new reading and math materials. Teachers have learned the new strategies, along with the language, and are teaching it to their students. They have worked their way through the new reading and math curriculum for five years now and are starting to become more effective teachers in the areas of math and reading. …

Mediation As An Effective Method To Transform Relationships And Resolve Conflict, Julie R. Kneip

Graduate Research Papers

Mediation has become a well-respected method of conflict resolution. It is currently utilized in a variety of areas including family situations such as divorce and custody concerns, employer and employee disputes, and individual conflicts. Mediation occurs on a global level as well, including intervention with countries engaged in conflict with one another and countries with governments at odds with their constituents. In the United States, mediation is often seen as a way to lower the burden on the courts by having parties resolve issues with the help of a mediator rather than further clogging the judicial system. While this is …

First-Year College Student Beliefs About Writing Embedded In Online Discourse: An Analysis And Its Implications For Literacy Learning, Gina Burkart

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Online discourse has become a common mode of communication for the Twenty- First Century. Many businesses now use electronic networking sites such as Facebook to communicate with customers through online posts and electronic updates through Twitter. With these recent trends in electronic communication, some educators have begun implementing electronic discourse into the classroom through online discussion boards. Discussion boards available through course technology such as WebCT and eLearning offer educators opportunities to channel this heightened interest in online communication. By building electronic course sites, educators can further classroom discussions on online discussion boards, which allow students to discuss course material …

Applying Cognitively Guided Instruction Through Word Problem Probes, James Jackson Ploen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Professional development programs have the opportunity to engage educators with new knowledge and pedagogical implications. Cognitively Guided Instruction (CGI) is a teacher professional development program focused on elementary mathematics instruction (Carpenter, Fennema, Franke, Levi, & Empson, 1999). The program's foundation is based upon research of how students learn to solve basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division word problems. Using children's common solutions strategies, CGI leads to teaching practices that support children in generating their own meaningful problem-solving skills while naturally learning mathematics. The paper reviews the literature on CGI and examines the initial findings of interrater reliability of CG I-based …

Performance-Based Assessment Of School Psychology Interns : Analysis Of Problem-Solving Skills As Demonstrated In Comprehensive Case Examinations, Kimberly Suzanne Hansen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

School psychologists are integral partners in the facilitation of the problem solving process, especially when the process is embedded within a tiered service delivery system incorporating response to intervention philosophies. Therefore, it is important that new school psychologists entering the field be competent in the skill areas needed to produce positive student outcomes. It is important for school psychology training programs to assess these competencies to improve individual student competencies as well as to improve the training provided by the program in the future. Comprehensive case studies are performance-based assessments that can be utilized to evaluate individuals, as well as …

Sex And Setting: A Look At Operational And Organizational Stress In Policing, Laura Anne Lundell

Honors Program Theses

Several studies have looked at how the sex of an officer may or may not influence stress levels within the setting of municipal departments but very little research regarding gender and stress can be found for officers on university or college campuses (Burke, Richardsen & Martinussen, 2006; He, Zhao & Archbold, 2002; Lilly, Pole, Best, Metzler & Marmar 2009; Morash, Haarr & Kwak, 2006; Norvell, Hills & Murrin 1993). Similarly, when sex is looked at as it relates to stress, research is lacking in whether men and women officers experience or are affected differently from operational and organizational stress.

For …

Creating Units For Second Grade Learners Of English As A Foreign Language, Laura Elizabeth Messerly

Honors Program Theses

Teaching English as a Foreign Language is becoming more popular as English is in high demand in countries throughout the world because of globalization (Niklov, 2006). The chief difference between English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) is that the language is being learned in a non-English speaking community (.EFL) versus an English speaking community (ESL). These non-English speaking communities are being affected by multinational corporations. As businesses grow and globalize, flourishing across continents, factories and branches are sprouting up in places all over the world. Technology, too, has contributed to the spread of …

Burnout In Scholarship And Non-Scholarship Female College Swimmers, Kelly Mateas

Honors Program Theses

An emerging concern in the world of sports is burnout among amateur athletes. It is a major issue that must be addressed because some of the world’s best athletes are becoming victims to it. Not only is burnout affecting athletics, it is effecting the lives of those individuals who burn out and leave sports all together. Athletics help build a foundation of life skills such as communication, teamwork, leadership, and problem solving that athletes rely on daily. Sports provide a safe environment that can help keep the majority of participants out of trouble. It is important to have a better …

The Impact Of Perceived Importance Of An Ethical Situation (Pie) On Ethical Judgment And Intention: Beyond Moral Intensity, Monica Marie Johnston

Honors Program Theses

The importance of ethics to the accounting profession is well established (Turpen and Witmer, 1997; Abdolmohammadi, Read, and Scarbrough, 2003; Guffey and McCartney, 2008). In accounting, a commitment to ethical behavior is regarded as the basis for all other performance standards, (Turpen et al., 1997), and historically most agree that accountants practice honest principles (Leitsch, 2006). However, business headlines such as those related to the collapse of Enron and its auditor, Arthur Andersen, raise concerns about ethical actions of accountants (Abdolmohammadi et al., 2003). Additionally, accountants and auditors have more recently come under fire due to issues related to the …

Paternal Religiosity And Parenting Style: Influence On The Quality Of Daughter's Friendships, Abigail Anne Buenneke

Honors Program Theses

Research shows that parenting styles fall into three basic categories: authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive (Baumrind, 1971). Also, a high amount of parental involvement has been found to exert a positive influence on children’s academic performance and personality development (Heaven & Ciarrochi, 2008). This study examines the hypothesis that a daughter who reports that her father figure only allows her to develop highly regulated friendships will have a more negative perception of her father figure than a girl who is given more freedom in developing friendships. Secondly, the study examines the hypothesis that a daughter who reports highly regulated friendships will …

Post Exercise Massage: Effects On Next Day Performance Following Heavy Lower Body Resistance Training, Kristin Iehl

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine whether post-exercise massage improves next-day performance on an isometric peak force test after heavy lower body resistance training when compared to a placebo control of ultrasound at zero intensity. This was tested using students at the University of Northern Iowa who had been involved in a resistance training program over the past six months. The importance of this study is that if post-exercise massage improves recovery, even after a difficult resistance training day the athlete will still be able to perform at a high level so resistance training bouts can be more …

A Review Of Instructional Strategies For Assisting Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In The Preschool Classroom, Michelle Miller

Graduate Research Papers

There are many people in today's society who are diagnosed with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). More and more children in today's schools are exhibiting the characteristics that coincide with ADHD and the children exhibiting such behaviors appear to be getting younger and younger. The author of this review studied current scales and measurements that are being used to effectively diagnose young children with ADHD. The author described common characteristics found in preschoolers diagnosed with ADHD, as well as teaching strategies that are currently used for assisting these children in preschool classrooms.

Katelyn's Story: Using Fiction To Combat High School Dropout, Cecilia La France

Graduate Research Papers

High school dropout continues to be a problem for schools, communities, and the individuals who leave an academic high school program. High school dropouts suffer in greater health problems, economic struggles, and legal issues than those who complete a high school program. Despite the persistence of the high school problem in American culture, young adult literature doesn't keep pace in representation of the subject. Additionally, among the limited number of books addressing the topic of high school dropout, female protagonists lack representation reflecting their percentage of the dropout rates.

Young adult literature provides readers a learning and reflection opportunity in …

The Impact Of Oral Communication Style Of Patients From Generational-Poverty On Health Care, Peggy Lyon

Graduate Research Papers

Limited health literacy is a significant problem in the United States. It carries with it a high price tag of unnecessary medical expenditures, decreased quantity and quality of life for affected individuals, and frustration for both medical personnel and patients. Although most research has focused on print related health literacy, a significant part of the information exchanged in a medical encounter is verbal. It is well documented that persons in lower socioeconomic groups have poorer health. As some studies have found a link between socioeconomic status (SES), oral communication styles, and health care, the verbal exchange between health provider and …

Designing And Developing Online Instruction For The Adult Learner : Learning Theories, Motivational Models, And E-Tivities, Krystal Grady

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this literature review is to describe how instructors can build interactive online courses that will enhance student learning, enjoyment, motivation, and success in an online distance education course. It is intended to be a resource for instructors to use when planning and preparing to teach an online course. This literature review should help instructors understand who adult learners are and what motivates them to succeed; why using an instructional design model will help save time, money, and increase the success of the course; and how to use the technology available in the online environment to build online …

Cultural Tolerance Of Sierra Leone By United States Expatriates, Sahid Anthony Kamara

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Increasing globalization has resulted in many United States citizens going overseas to work in places like Sierra Leone. Employment of expatriates to fill international position is becoming very common. Employees going overseas face a lot of challenges trying to adapt to conditions such as language, terrain, and political structure in a foreign land. Because of these demands, many expatriates fail to adjust, resulting in substantial cost to organizations. This study addresses this issue by developing a Cultural Tolerance Scale based on realistic hypothetical situations expatriates face in a foreign country. Using Sierra Leone as the country of interest, realistic hypothetical …

Caffeine, Exercise And The Human Body: Men Vs. Women, Allison Marie Miller

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Consequences Of Work-Family Balance And Comparisons With Work-Family And Family-Work Conflict, Sasha Marie Burnett

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The American work environment is quite different than it was just a few decades ago. Researchers, popular media, and employers alike have wondered how the changing labor environment is affecting employees. Participants in this study (N = 171) were 18 years of age or older, employed full-time and had at least one dependent child living at home. Of interest in this study was how well three measures of the work-family interface were able to predict five work-related consequences that would be of interest to employers. Work-family balance predicted both job satisfaction and intentions to quit, work-family conflict predicted job tension/strain …

A Study Of Japanese Women Today: Changing Gender Roles And Attitudes Toward Marriage, Shiho Hosokawa

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Japanese women and men are getting married later in life than before and the number of Japanese choosing to live a single person's lifestyle has increased since the 1980's. In the 1970's, the number of women working outside the home was lower than now and most of those who did work, did so only to supplement their husband's income. Today, many Japanese women obtain college degrees and have a paid job, the same as men do. Yet, based on my personal experience and those of others I know, Japanese women often remain the primary caretakers in the home. They are …

Mental Toughness In High School Wrestlers Before And After A Competitive Wrestling Season, Mandi Jo Drees

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Very little research has examined mental toughness abilities of high school sport participants. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to assess the mental toughness abilities of high school wrestlers as well as determine if an entire competitive season results in a change in mental toughness in wrestlers. A total of 63 high school male wrestlers participated in this study. They were asked to complete the MeBTough Questionnaire and a demographic questionnaire at the beginning of the regular competitive wrestling season and again at the end of the competitive wrestling season. Data was collected over a 3 month period at …

Psychological Predictors Of Athletic Injury, Sarah Marie Ulrich

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

To date, research has yet to explore differences in injury based on Fear of Failure (FOF). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if: (a) athletes of varying fear of failure profiles have different perceptions of stress, (b) athletes of varying types of fear of failure differ in regards to injury onset, frequency and severity, and ( c) fear of failure predicts injury occurrence and severity. A total of 127 male collegiate athletes competing in football, wrestling, basketball, and track and field participated in this study. Participants completed the Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory (PF AI) to assess fear …

The Moderating Effects Of Family Supportive Organizational Perceptions And Family Friendly Benefits On The Work-Family Interface, Kristen Jones

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study uses the demands-resources model as the theoretical framework for investigating the effect of work hours, work at home, and job demands on the work-family interface. Additionally, potential resources provided by the organization were evaluated as moderators. A questionnaire was administered to full-time workers with at least one dependent child at home. The moderators investigated included family supportive organizational perceptions, family friendly benefits, and flexible work arrangements, were evaluated. The criteria were work-family conflict, family-work conflict and work-family balance. Based on the regression analyses, family supportive organizational perceptions moderated the relationship between job demands and work-family conflict, and flexible …

Useful Tips For The First Year Science Teacher, Kate Ellen Harken

Graduate Research Papers

First-year science teachers can face daunting challenges in and out of the classroom. Determining your personal teaching style, establishing a classroom routine and becoming accustomed to your new job and surroundings can take a toll on teachers.

Keeping It Green: Using A Compost To Improve Student Learning, Spencer Mesick, Kayla Hendrix

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

This article discusses ways in which composting might be used to mentally engage students with science content. Incorporating a compost pile in the classroom provides ample connections to future science content (e.g., conditions necessary for the life of organisms in a well running aerobic compost, what decomposition means in a biological sense, aerobic vs. anaerobic decomposition, food webs, respiration, recycling of nutrients, landfill issues, etc.). Also, reflecting the complexities of effective science teaching, the article makes clear the crucial role of the teacher during the activity. The science content and activity addressed in this article are appropriate for 9th - …

Exploring The Depths: Inquiry To Apply And Deepen Students’ Understanding Of Density, James M. Sleep, Lee Johnson

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

This activity is designed to deepen students' understanding of the concept of density through scientific inquiry. Students devise procedures to determine the relative and absolute (qualitative and quantitative) densities of several solutions of salt water, and establish a class consensus on their results. Students then apply their findings to estimate the density of an unknown solution. The targeted grade-level for this activity is 8 grade physical science. However, because we know students at all grade levels struggle to understand density, this activity could also be useful in high school Earth science and chemistry. This activity promotes National Science Education Content …

Creating Family Through Foster-Adoption: Media Portrayal Of The Foster Care System In The U.S., Kimberly A. Powell

Iowa Journal of Communication

As adoption has gained attention in the media, the focus tends to have been on international and private adoptions, and less on adoption from foster care. When the focus is on foster care, the coverage is most often negative, which is perhaps why there are less adoptions from foster care than there are private and international adoptions. This study of mainstream newspaper coverage of United States foster care adoption from 1992-2005 explores how themes in the media have resulted in a narrow view of foster care and adoption.

Perspectives Of Fitness And Health In College Men And Women, Jennifer J. Waldron, Rodney B. Dieser

Faculty Publications

Because many college students engage in low levels of physical activity, the current study used a qualitative framework to interview 11 college students to examine the meaning physically active college students assign to the practice of fitness and health. Students discussed the importance of healthy eating, but that it was difficult to accomplish at college. Additionally, students intertwined health and fitness with physical appearance and attractiveness. In particular, the media shaped many of their perceptions of health and fitness. Implications of these findings to policy making in higher education, in particular wellness programming, are highlighted.