Digital Commons Network^™

Upper Elementary Teachers' Perception Of The Pre-Referral Process, Lyndi Meyer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Teacher acceptance of the pre-referral process can have a significant effect on students in the classroom. This study examined upper elementary teachers perceptions of the pre-referral process. The pre-referral process was observed and upper elementary teachers were interviewed. Four themes related to upper elementary teachers' perception of the pre-referral process were identified: (a) decisions about referral, (b) impact of referral, (c), frustrations, and (d) suggestions for improvement. The limitations of the study and recommendations for future research and practice are discussed.

Home-School Collaboration : Strategies For Improvement, Kelly O'Bryan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Home-school collaboration, the manner in which overt partnerships among schools, families, and the community are established, has been shown to be beneficial to all parties involved. Although the benefits of collaboration are known, empirical strategies to accomplish these benefits remain lacking in the literature. The current study examines the specific types of school practices occurring at the secondary level, as gathered through the 2003 Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey, and whether those practices predict involvement. Although parent education, parental work - . hours, personal notes from school, and memos from school were significant predictors of parent attendance at …

Women Chief Information Officers In Higher Education: Voices From The Field, Marilyn J. Ziesman Drury

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The lived experiences of women higher education Chief Information Officers (CIOs) were investigated and documented in this qualitative study. Three women higher education CIOs provided their perspectives on the opportunities and obstacles encountered as they pursued and achieved their current positions. These women's stories were gathered under a conceptual framework focusing on the intersection of applicable elements from gendered organizational theory, feminist standpoint theory, and occupational jurisdiction. Methods of overcoming obstacles and facilitating opportunities were discussed in relation to their lived lives and experiences. Examining institutional gendered norms accentuated the thoughts, values, practices, and processes that lead to muted women's …

Exploring The Relationship Between Parent Beliefs And Athletes' Perceptions: A Sport Commitment Approach, Heather M. Dewaard

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between parents' and gymnasts' perceptions on sport commitment constructs. The sport commitment model developed by Scanlan et al. (1993) provides a theoretical framework in which to explain why athletes participate. Two constructs in the sport commitment model, social constraints and support, represent the social influence factors which can be perceived as supportive or pressuring and may come from a variety of sources such as: parents, coaches, teachers, and peers. Parents tend to play an important role in their child's sport experiences (M.R. Weiss & Ferrer-Caja, 2002), and may influence an …

The Role Of Writing: Increasing Higher Level Thinking For All Students, Caroline Elser

Graduate Research Papers

Teachers can use writing in three important ways to increase higher level thinking skills for all students. First, they must increase writing proficiency for struggling writers; second, writing can increase higher-level thinking, and third, writing can be used across content areas to increase writing fluency while fostering higher-level thinking.

Rapid Elearning : Its Impact On Instructional Design In The Corporate World, Stephen W. Acheson

Graduate Research Papers

Rapid eLearning is a present and growing phenomenon in the world of corporate training that is challenging traditional instructional design ideas. The concept of Rapid eLearning represents a class of easy-to-use eLearning development tools, methods designed to shorten course development timelines, and techniques intended to enhance learner understanding and retention. Companies are adopting Rapid eLearning as a way to reduce costs and shorten the time it takes to disseminate new information and concepts to employees in geographically diverse locations. New software tools and instructional design methods are being developed to address the goals of Rapid eLearning.

To gain a broad …

Motivation Success And Failure, Dawn D. Buol

Graduate Research Papers

My research question for this paper is: how can teachers identify the different types of unmotivated students as well as motivated students in the classroom? Moreover, what strategies could be used to motivate those unmotivated students in order to make them become successful life long learners?

Music And The Brain, Kimberly D. Madison

Graduate Research Papers

A great deal of literature focuses on the subject of music and the brain and how music can affect learning. Music stimulates brain patterns, and therefore should be considered essential in an academic setting. This review was written to provide an analysis of the published literature and studies in the area of music and cognitive development, to examine how the brain is wired for music, and to determine whether music is an effective tool in enhancing environmental and cognitive learning conditions in classrooms.

Motivating Middle Level Students : Strategies To Help Reach And Teach Middle Level Students, Lisa L. Munsey

Graduate Research Papers

This review of literature focused on the strategies educators use for motivating the young adolescent in the middle level classroom.

Anderman and Maehr (1994) found motivation could be improved through a variety of methods by focusing on specific areas: developmental changes, intrinsic versus extrinsic, middle level transformation and classroom practice. Along these same lines, Curwin (2006) found motivation can be enhanced with practices in the middle level classroom through four main areas: (1) welcoming students to school and class, (2) stressing the effort students put forth, (3) increasing homework completion, and (4) turbo charging classroom lessons.

This paper focused on …

Identity In Second Language Learning: Access To The Target Language Group, Stephanie J. Marra

Graduate Research Papers

In recent years the role of identity in SLA has emerged in the literature as the linguistic community develops an understanding of the significance of identity in language learning (McKay & Wong, 1996). Norton (2000) refers to identity as “how a person understands his or her relationship to the world, how that relationship is constructed across time and space, and how the person understands possibilities for the future” (p. 5). An understanding of identity in language learning and the relationship of the language learner to the learning environment helps to illuminate what previous theories about the role of affective variables …

Standardized Testing And Alternative Assessment As A Means Of Measuring The Science Student, Johnpaul L. Collins

Graduate Research Papers

Should standardized tests be used as a means to effectively measure the work that is being done in today's science classroom. Accountability is a major issue in the subject of standardized testing, and constitutes the importance of this study. A review of literature has indicated that standardized testing has not necessarily improved education; and that alternative assessments are a more accurate measure of a student's knowledge. However cost, distribution, speed /accuracy of correction and distribution of data are on the side of the standardized format. There is a move by some states to alter the format of standardized tests, so …

No One Will Love You If You Are Fat, Mary Lynn Gerzema

Graduate Research Papers

Research shows that media plays a dominant role in influencing teenage females' perception of the world around them, as well as helping them to define their sense of self. This paper examines the influence that media has on the adolescent females' feelings towards their sexuality and self-esteem with their perception of a thin body image as emphasized in six of the most popular magazines that teenage girls read: CosmoGirl, Elle, Glamour, Seventeen, Teen People, and Teen Vogue. The study examined magazine advertisements, feature articles, and photographs of other teens in influencing what body types are acceptable, attractive, and popular. Advertisements, …

Effective Homework In The Middle School, Kelly J. Simon

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review examines the studies and research of the best practices and most effective implementation of homework in the middle school classrooms. It is found that parental involvement, teacher design and proper implementation of the homework are the most important factors for homework to have the desired effect on an adolescent's success in a subject. There are significant differences of opinion on many homework related issues, especially with regard to the overall contribution of homework academic success. However, one aspect that is universally agreed upon is that students, teachers, and parents are all important in determining the degree to …

Body Image Disturbance : Cultural Differences, How It Develops, Its Impact, And Clinical Implications, Priscilla Villarreal

Graduate Research Papers

This paper is a review of literature written about women and body image. Body image is influenced by family, peers, media, and culture. Through these influences, women have learned thinness is the ideal body size. If a woman believes she does not fit a desired body shape, she can develop a negative body image. Body image disturbance can impact a woman's social life, romantic relationships, and her sexual functioning. This paper also describes interventions which could be utilized by counselors when working with clients who have a negative body image.

Application Of A Fifth Grade Group With Behavioral Adjustment Difficulties, Lindsey B. Wahl Vandrovec

Graduate Research Papers

There is a population of students that a school counselor works with based on behavioral issues in the classroom setting. Most often, these students come with labels such as Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), Emotional Disturbance Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, etc. Also, some students may exhibit self-injurious behavior, aggression, withdrawal or avoidance of social situations and not carry a label. Ultimately, the following group is aimed at helping students that struggle with disruptive behavior in the school setting whether or not he or she carries a label.

Hearing Loss And The Role Of Physical Education For Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing Children, Anastassia Alexandrovna Grineva

Graduate Research Papers

There is interest in the role of physical education for deaf or hard of hearing children. Knowledge about hearing disorders is important because it can help educators to understand how deafness can influence human physical, psychological, and emotional characteristics. Moreover, deafness is related to nervous system and motor apparatus development. Hearing loss is a problem around the world. Hearing loss combines the effects of noise, aging, disease, and heredity. Hearing is a complex sense of the ear and involves the ability to understand speech. To understand hearing loss in an individual it is important to find out the degree of …

Physical Activity Among Women 50 Years And Older, Nikke Carrion

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

History Of Inclusive Recreation, Renee Raap

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this research paper is to look at the history of the treatment of individuals with disabilities and how that has influenced the development of inclusive recreation. This paper will review the types of community recreation, definition of inclusion, benefits of inclusion, barriers to inclusion, inclusive recreation, and attitudes toward inclusion.

This research paper reviews the history of individuals with disabilities, including how individuals with disabilities were viewed in Ancient Greece, during Aristotle's time, during the Industrial Revolution, and during World War I and World War II. The paper also reviews federal legislation beginning with the Civil Rights …

Disordered Eating In The Athletic Population: A Review Of Literature, Randi Lyn Mehmen

Graduate Research Papers

Sports medicine professionals have been taught that the athletic population is at a heightened risk of developing eating disorders (Prentice, 2003). However, the key components of eating disorder pathology are not thoroughly covered in the education of an athletic trainer. Vaughn (2004) found that 93% of athletic trainers felt that increased attention needs to be placed on the prevention of eating disorders in female collegiate athletes. Currently, no document exists that provides a comprehensive evaluation of eating disorders as they relate to athletics. A document such as this would be able to provide sports medicine professionals, or those dealing with …

Comparison Of Effort Measured By Heart Rate Of 5th Grade Boys And Girls, Laura Jennelle

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Children’S Web Site: History Of Elkader, Iowa… For Kids, Nancy Healy

Graduate Research Papers

Elkader, located in the hills of Northeast Iowa, along the banks of the Turkey River, is a community rich with history. There are no resources designed for children about the history of Elkader. The purpose of this project was to create an engaging informational web site for children that shares information about the history of Elkader, from its beginning years to present day. Research provided throughout this project makes it evident that not only is history education important and that young people are capable of understanding and appreciating the past; it also demonstrates how to best present the information online-with …

Technology Integration Within The Elementary Classroom Setting, Krista K. Krebsbach

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to examine technology integration in the elementary classroom setting. Technology is now considered to be an important part of a child's educational experience. Research has determined that students do not learn the same way they did years ago, thus schools are changing their methodologies on how to best serve the 21st century student. However, technology integration can not happen all at once; there are many barriers to technology integration. Some examples would be environmental barriers, curriculum issues, and the personal beliefs of the teachers.

School districts are addressing these problems to ensure that their …

Things Fall Apart, Katie White

Student Writing Awards

Upon reading Philip Roth’s American Pastoral, another great piece of literature comes to mind. To me there seems to be a large connection between American Pastoral and several lines in the first stanza of William Butler Yeats’ “The Second Coming”.

Cns Connections, Winter 2008-09, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Natural Sciences.

CNS Connections

Inside this issue:

-- Message from the Dean
-- UNI Botanical Center celebrates birthday, new name and addition
-- Hydrology lab opens in fall 2008
-- Fahmy's final year as head of IT exceptional
-- CNS News in short
-- CNS students in the news
-- Applause
-- Transitions
-- Duncan and Litwiller break 1,000!
-- PSM prograns in CNS off to promising start
-- Project SOAR under way at UNI
-- IMSEP up and running
-- Faculty research
-- Imagine your impact
-- Petersons give back to UNI
-- Alumni News
-- CNS Advisory Board

Supporting School Persistence : An Examination Of Student Experiences In An Alternative High School, Molly O'Connor

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Many researchers have investigated the problem of high school dropouts and the role of traditional schools in supporting· students' academic persistence. Despite traditional schools' efforts to support academic persistence, they are not meeting the needs of many students. Alternative schools have become increasingly available to support the needs of at-risk students. This is a qualitative case study, which examines how the experiences of students have been supported at a Midwestern alternative high school. Four themes emerged as being important to supporting student's academic . persistence: (a) positive relationships with teachers, (b) classes structured to meet needs, (c) student empowerment, and …

Thriving, Coping, Surviving, Hoping: Negotiating The First Year Of Teaching, Debrah Jean Fordice

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In this qualitative study, I examined how four teachers negotiated their first year of teaching. All four teachers graduated from the same teacher preparation program, and secured general elementary positions in the same school district where they conducted some or all of their clinical coursework. I explored the factors that shaped the practice of these first-year teachers.

Annie, a 23-year-old, single, female marathon runner, with a vision to work with children in an inner-city setting, secured a position as a first grade teacher at a school where 85% of the children lived in poverty. Rachel, 24 years old, newly-married, and …

The Mental, Emotional, And Bodily Toughness Inventory (Mebtough) [Survey Instrument], Mick G. Mack, Brian G. Ragan

Faculty Publications

The MeBTough is a 43-item, self-report measure of mental toughness. This one-dimensional scale assesses the mental, emotional, and physical (bodily) dimensions of toughness based on the writings of Loehr (1994). Respondents are asked to indicate how often they experience each item on a 4-point Likert-type scale, ranging from 1 (Almost Never) to 4 (Almost Always). Nine of the items are designed to be reverse-scored. Responses to the 43 items are then summed to obtain a total score that can range from 43 to 172. Higher MeBTough scores indicate higher levels of mental toughness.

Carpe Noctum, Mark Andrew Turnage

Honors Program Theses

In movies, there are certain conventions that identify a film with a particular genre: a typical western has cowboys; a superhero movie may star a gifted protagonist; or an adventure film could feature exotic locations. Such is also the case with film noir, a movement characterized by storylines featuring criminal elements and their tensions with the police, stylized black-and-white cinematography, and a seedy, nightmarish cityscape. But just as an audience can easily identify genres like these, an author can also demythologize a genre by providing original themes within a familiar setting or inverting those themes that currently exist within the …

Female Hysteria Across Cultures And Periods In American Literature, Jessica Daine Droogsma

Honors Program Theses

Modernity would like us to believe we are in control: you can be whatever you want if you work hard enough; you are in charge of your own destiny; practice makes perfect; if you don’t like something, change it; you are what you eat. These popular aphorisms reflect our society’s addiction to self-determinism. We are completely set on the idea that we create and direct our own lives. However, there are larger influences in the world which are sometimes out of our control. The government, the media, society as a collective, and other such establishments have power over the individual. …

An American's Guide To Cultural Brokering, Jessica Anna Sauer

Honors Program Theses

The United States is the world's largest refugee host, welcoming almost 3 million people in the last 30 years, according to the January 16th, 2007 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle. In addition to refugees, the United States accepted 1,266,264 immigrants in 2006, as stated in the Office of Immigration Statistics 2006 Yearbook of Statistics. Furthermore, the Kids Count Data Center reports that one out of every five children lives in an immigrant family. Clearly, these numbers show that immigrants compose a significant part of our communities.

While the US strives to welcome newcomers, many immigrants are left in the …