Digital Commons Network^™

A Study Of Published Journal Articles On Brain-Based Learning From 1985 To 2009, Janece Shaffer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Educators are required to implement scientifically-based research interventions in their classrooms, but teachers and administrators may not be aware of the current laws and requirements of NCLB legislation. NCLB (2001) requires that educators implement research-based interventions. Brain-based learning programs have been implemented in classrooms throughout the country, even though the research base for such programs may be inadequate. This study presents the results of educational database searches for empirical studies involving brain-based or brain-compatible learning published in educational journals between 1985 and 2009. A total of 77 articles on brain-based learning were published during this time period but only 5 …

The Impact Drama Has On Enabling International University Students To Assimilate Into The American Culture, Julie Baldwin

Honors Program Theses

We often take for granted how accepted we are by others around us. Without realizing it, we may forget we belong to a larger community connected by the culture of the United States that shapes the way we understand the world. Culture plays an invaluable role in much of how we live. According to Marcelle E. DuPraw and Marya Axne, authors of the article, "Working on Common Cross-Cultural Communication Challenge, "our culture "influences how we approach problems, and how we participate in groups and in communities" by shaping our communication and decision-making styles, attitudes toward conflict and disclosure, and approaches …

Disclosure Of At-Risk Status For Huntington's Disease: Is There A "Right Time?", Krysten Ann Shipley

Honors Program Theses

The disclosure of at-risk status for HD can be a complicated and stress inducing process. The most difficult people to disclose this information to are most often those who are also at-risk, notably the children of individuals who are themselves at-risk for developing the disease or know that they will develop the disease. How and when a child finds out that he or she is at risk for a debilitating disease can have a tremendous impact on the development of the child. The purpose of this thesis is to assess the ideal course of action in dealing with how and …

Physical Therapy Availability In The Rural Counties Of Iowa, Kelsea Elizabeth Leacox

Honors Program Theses

According to the Iowa Physical Therapy Association [IPT A], physical therapy [PT] is a vital part of a healthy society, because it allows people to "achieve and maintain mobility and quality of life without surgery or prescription medication" (IPT A, 2009). There have been no published studies researching the availability of PT in rural areas of Iowa (Wilson, Lewis, & Murray, 2009; Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2005). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether PT availability in rural Iowa counties is an issue of concern. Preliminary and qualitative research was conducted to examine this topic. The importance of …

Seeking Alternatives To Marijuana Prohibition, Rachel Kiesel

Honors Program Theses

Marijuana legality is a highly controversial social issue. Although our society continues to be bombarded by negative images of drugs and crime in the media, cultural perceptions regarding marijuana have been changing over the past few years. Today, many people are more accepting of marijuana use than ever before. As a result of these shifting attitudes, several states have taken the initiative to pass new legislation on regulating marijuana with reduced restrictions.

The Experience Of Upward Mobility, Lacey Jae Ritter

Honors Program Theses

Upward mobility is an interesting and highly valued phenomenon within American society. Due to American beliefs that hard work is the only requirement for success, individuals feel that moving up a social class from that of their class of origin is not impossible. Past research, however, shows that upward mobility is extremely difficult and quite unlikely. When individuals do achieve upward mobility, there are many consequences for doing so, including changes in relationships with family and friends. Most individuals receive emotional support from family and friends in their quest for mobility, yet the path to upward mobility is often begun …

Iowa Academy Of Science 122nd Annual Meeting [2010]: Advance Program, Iowa Academy Of Science

Iowa Academy of Science Documents

Contains information about the schedule and presentations for the 2010 annual meeting of the Iowa Academy of Science.

Csbs Statements, V12, Winter 2010, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Social And Behavioral Sciences.

CSBS Statements

Contents:

-- From the desk of the Dean...
-- Building the Future: Sabin Hall renovation update
-- Being Green
-- Latin America Curricular Development
-- College and Department Briefs
-- Faculty Briefs
-- Student News
-- CSBS Loyalty Roster
-- The Northern Iowa Family Services Organization has formed a new campus group
-- UNI's chapter of Phi Upsilon Omicron recently placed second
-- Greetings from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences!
-- Donor Spotlight: Sue Caley
-- Dean's Fund for Excellence
-- CSBS Alumni Updates
-- Alumni Spotlight: Ellen Habel
-- The College of Social and Behavioral Sciences hosted …

Proceedings Of The 122nd Annual Meeting Of The Iowa Academy Of Science [Program, 2010], Iowa Academy Of Science

Iowa Academy of Science Documents

Contents:

Program Summary --- 2-3
Acknowledgements --- 4
Welcome from our Campus Host --- 5
IAS 2009-2010 Volunteers --- 6
Iowa Junior Academy of Science --- 7
General Session I --- 8
IJAS Award Luncheon --- 9
IAS Annual Business Meeting --- 9
Symposia Presentations --- 10-12
Great Moments in Iowa Science --- 13
Senior Poster Program --- 14-15
President's Banquet --- 16
General Session 11 --- 17
General Session III --- 18
ESTA Award Luncheon --- 19
Saturday Field Trips --- 20
Section Meeting Programs and Oral Presentations (Alphabetical by Section) --- 21-29
Abstracts (by Section) --- 30-59
Author …

Transgressive Tendencies Or The Case For "The Wrong Man": Narrative Strategies And Scenes Of Passing In Nella Larsen's Allen Semi Short Fiction, Yolanda M. Manora

Short Story

No abstract provided.

Psychosocial Correlates Of Physical Activity Among School Aged Children, Elizabeth Nicklay

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to determine psychosocial correlates that best predict physical activity behaviors of Iowa public school children, grades 4-12. Subproblems of the study included determining psychosocial predictors of physical activity specific to gender and grade level differences. The Physical Activity Questionnaire-Children (PAQ-C) and Physical Activity Questionnaire-Adolescents (PAQ-A) were used to measure the physical activity behaviors and The Children's Physical Activity Scale (CPAC) was used to measure the psychological factors of physical activity of the 5,408 participants. Results show that males, at all ages, reported greater levels of physical activity than their female classmates. There was also …

The Effect Of Previous Injury On Rehabilitation Adherence & Behaviors, Sara J. Eggleston

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of previous injury on injury occurrence and rehabilitation adherence and behaviors. A total of 200 college athletes (n = 113 males, n = 86 females) and their athletic trainers participated. Athletes completed an injury history form, and athletic trainers completed measures for rehabilitation behavior and injury occurrence. A positive moderate relationship between past and current injury status emerged. No relationship emerged between past, current, and new injury with rehabilitation attendance or rehabilitation behavior. There was a weak positive relationship between new injury occurrence and rehabilitation behavior. Also, there was a …

Importance Of Reader's Advisory Interview In Graphic Novel Promotion, Lori Petersen

Graduate Research Papers

Web sites, magazine articles, books, and even summer library programs are promoting graphic novels as an almost magic cure for those children who struggle with the written word or who may be simply lack interest in reading. Much of the appeal of the graphic novel for teachers and librarians is based on the pictures, and it is easy to assume this makes reading easier.

This research sought to explore the graphic novel reading experiences for young readers to ascertain (1) the nature of their understanding of the graphic novel; (2) their tendency to draw inference and interpretation from text and …

Environmental Barriers Contributing To Dental Caries Among Diverse And Underserved Children: Meeting The Challenge In The United States And Iowa, Venus Hernandez

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this literature review of secondary data is to 1) Identify environmental factors such as oral health education, water fluoridation and sealant programs, access to dental insurance, and dental health workforce issues, that may contribute to poor oral health, and 2) Provide recommendations to reduce these barriers that are linked with oral health disparities among children in the United States and Iowa. This literature review concludes that there is a need to consider comprehensive, multiple approaches to address family and community determinants of oral health. Some of these strategies include simultaneous efforts, such as increasing the number of …

The Effects Of Verbal Aggression On Self-Efficacy And Self-Talk, Brett Cline

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Race On Eyewitness Identification Lineup Processing Strategies: An Analysis Of Eye Movements, Ryan Betts

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Race plays an extremely important role in people's ability to recognize or identify an individual in an eyewitness identification situation. In particular, other-race faces are more poorly recognized than same-race faces. This phenomenon, known as the cross-race effect, compounded by problematic lineup administration, contribute to the hundreds of falsely convicted people who continue to be exonerated through DNA evidence to this day. The current study focused on the role that race plays in an eyewitness's decision making strategy when viewing simultaneous police lineups. Eye tracking methodology was used to analyze eye movements and fixations while viewing lineups that were of …

Testing The Relationship Between Body Dysmorphic Disorder And Pathological Skin Picking Using A Bidimensional Model Of ‘Fear’ And ‘Anger', Nicole Christine Egan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Body image concerns are pervasive throughout Western culture, but there is a subset of the population who become so preoccupied with specific aspects of their appearance that it leads to clinically significant distress and impairment in their daily lives. This study examined symptoms of two disorders dealing with body concerns: Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and Pathological Skin Picking (PSP). The primary purpose of this study was to use the bidimensional model of 'fear' and 'anger' (Lara et al., 2006) to test the relationship between BOD & PSP. The model suggests that BDD and PSP are both characterized by high 'anger' …

The Impact Of Mathematics Professional Development On Elementary Teachers' Mathematics Content Knowledge For Teaching And Implementation Of Innovative Pedagogical Practices, Vicki Oleson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study sought to understand the process of change elementary teachers experienced as they participated in mathematics professional development. This investigation explored the impact of mathematics professional development on teachers' content knowledge for teaching, their ability to implement innovative pedagogical practices, and the relationship between these two components of teacher change. Data collected from a semester-long professional development course involving 20 teachers from rural southwest Iowa was analyzed for this study.

Data was collected from six teachers involved in the professional development course. Data collected during the professional development course included a pre and post test of teachers' content knowledge, …

Risk-Taking Propensity And Its Relationship To Achievement Motivation Among Selected Municipal Parks And Recreation Directors In The State Of Iowa, Jiangong (Brad) Tan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the study was to examine the risk-taking propensity and achievement motivation among selected park and recreation directors in the state of Iowa. More specifically, the study is designed to determine the relationships between risk-taking propensity and achievement motivation. In addition, the study seeks to explore the relationships between various demographic variables such as age, gender, education level, city size, agency size, organizational budget, and years of professional experience in the park and recreation field and either risk-taking propensity or achievement motivation.

Atkinson's Theory of Achievement Motivation and McClelland's Need for Achievement were employed to better understand the …

Understanding Environmental Health Disparities Of Roma Populations In Romania, Jennifer L. Hall

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The Roma are the largest and most marginalized minority group of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) with the highest number residing in Romania. Their problems and struggles are multi-faceted and deeply rooted in a long history of discrimination and stigmatization. Over the years, many strategies have been developed and implemented across CEE, yet very few studies have addressed their environmental and occupational health issues. Moreover, because the vast majority of these studies have employed quantitative methodology, they have had the unfortunate effect of dehumanizing and devaluing the Roma people through scientific reductionism.

The purpose of this study was to gain …

A Glance Backwards: An Analysis Of Youth Resiliency Through Autoethnographical And Life History Lenses, Toney Bissett Ford

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate youth resiliency employing dual methodologies, auto-ethnography and life history research respectively, to reveal how two middle-aged adults (one African-American, the other Caucasian) achieved resiliency; and most importantly, how their experiences and insights might inform ongoing efforts to promote youth resiliency. This research project was a follow-up to a previous study (involving four African American participants – two males and two females) conducted to determine the roles that schools and communities play in promoting youth resiliency.

Offering insights into the usefulness of extended research, Herr and Anderson (2005) captured the essence of my …

Impact Of The Iowa Smoke-Free Ban Among The College Students Of The University Of Northern Iowa, Jean Marie Vianney Hirwa Kavamahanga

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of the Iowa Smoke-Free Ban impact on: smoking behavior, knowledge of the ban and knowledge of smoking health effect, reported smoking in both indoor and outside venues; support for smoke-free public venues; and self-reported effects of the law on consumption and quitting. A non-random sample of 113 students (49.44% male and 50.44% female) participated in this study.

The 35-item questionnaire was used to evaluate the impact of the Iowa smoke-free ban among college students of the University of Northern Iowa. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the survey responses. The …

Leisure And Aging: A Content Analysis Of Leisure Textbooks And Leisure Academic Journal Articles, Leila Rod-Welch

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study will review literature related to leisure and aging. We live in an aging society. People are expected to live healthier and longer. Therefore, there is a need to analyze how older adults are portrayed in leisure textbooks and academic journal articles which are typically used to educate and train recreation professionals. This study explores whether leisure textbooks published in the United States addressed the topic of aging and, if so, to what extent. In addition, any differences between leisure textbooks and specialty leisure and aging textbooks were analyzed. A content analysis of 54 leisure textbooks from six U.S. …

Language Exclusionary Behavior And Attitudes Toward Immigrants, Christine L. Bennett

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Immigrants often speak languages that natives do not understand, leading to intentional or inadvertent ostracism, which in turn may increase perceptions of threat. For example, English language participants excluded from a conversation in Spanish report more negative reactions than participants excluded in English (Hitlan, Kelly, & Zarate, 2010). Integrated threat theory (ITT) suggests that there are four threats that lead to prejudice toward outgroups such as immigrants: realistic threat, symbolic threat, intergroup anxiety, and negative stereotypes (Stephan, Ybarra, & Bachman, 1999). The current study expanded upon prior research by ostracizing participants in English, Spanish, or Arabic and then measuring participants' …

A Case Study Of The Perceptions Of Stakeholders From A School District In Iowa On The Impact Of No Child Left Behind On The Comprehensive High School, Brian Coppess

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The American comprehensive high school was designed for a diverse society (Wraga, 1998, p. 1 ). The concept originated in the 1920s as a result of a report entitled The Cardinal Principles of Secondary Education (Commission on the Reorganization of Secondary Education [CRSE], 1918). Since the adoption of The Cardinal Principles, the institution of the comprehensive high school has withstood years of continued review and reform efforts. Despite the many attempts to change it, the comprehensive high school has remained a constant of secondary education in America. The nation's most recent educational reform effort-the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, …

Helping Adolescents Forgive: The Use Of Forgiveness Education At An Inpatient Mental Health Facility, Tiffany R. Everding

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Understanding the concept of forgiveness has demonstrated to be a complex process (Walker & Gorsuch, 2004; McCullough & vanOyen Witvliet, 2002). Enright and the Human Development Study Group (1991) developed a process model of forgiveness as a way for people to constructively deal with their anger and improve overall psychological well-being after experiencing a deep hurt. Due to the reported benefits illustrated by forgiveness intervention studies, future research is needed to examine the effectiveness of forgiveness education with adolescents in a clinical setting. The current study implemented a forgiveness education intervention with adolescents at local inpatient mental health facility examining …

Baby Boomer And Genx Elementary Principals : Differing Perspectives On Schooling, Lisa M. Fry

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Studies on generational analysis inform us that each generation is shaped by the influences they share during their formative years. The common experiences and historical circumstances experienced during this time influences their generational identity and results in a world view that is unique to that generation. This world view and generational identity impacts their belief system and practices as they emerge as leaders in mid-life.

While the current structures and policies that guide today's educational system were established by the Baby Boomer generation, we could see significant changes as the Baby Boomer behemoth begins to leave the workforce. Around the …

Educational Applications Of Achievement Goal Theory, Michelle Hinzman

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In the past two decades, achievement goal theory has been found particularly useful in explaining student motivation (Kaplan & Maehr, 2007; Kaplan, Middleton, Urdan, & Midgley, 2002). The purpose of this study was to analyze differences between the achievement goals espoused by middle school and elementary teachers. A mixed-method approach was utilized that required teachers in an urban, eastern Iowa school district to complete a survey regarding their motivational beliefs. Select teachers were then identified based on survey results to be observed and interviewed in an attempt to further analyze instructional practices as they related to student motivation. Results of …

Do Pull-Out Programs Create A Mirage Of Long-Term Results For At-Risk Youth?, Varotta Mi'chele Johnson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Educators and researchers cannot afford to ignore the achievement gap between at-risk students and their counterparts. The review examines educational practices for this targeted population. Historically, educational experts have supported the belief that teaching in isolated settings is one of the most effective practices for improving student achievement. Smaller class sizes are proposed as reform methods to substantially impact student performance (Odden, 1990). However, class size reduction must be coupled with research-based instructional strategies proven to further academic development. Traditionally, at-risk students receive instruction through pull-out interventions. A pull-out program in this study shall be defined as the removal of …

Parental Influences On Children’S Physical Activity, Molly Eshelman

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The general purpose of this study was to investigate the role of parental influence on children's physical activity (PA) behaviors. The specific purposes were to (1) determine the relationship between parental attitudes and their children's PA, (2) determine if parental exercise habits are related to their children's PA participation, (3) determine if parental knowledge of physical activity recommendations is related to their children's PA participation, ( 4) examine the nature of parenting practices on their children's PA participation, and (5) investigate the mediating effect of socio-economic status on the influence parents have on their children's PA participation. Questionnaires were obtained …