Digital Commons Network^™

Optimal Characteristics For Happy And Satisfying Marriages, Britni J. Anderson

Graduate Research Papers

For many people, having a happy satisfying marriage is the ultimate goal in a marital relationship. However, what constitutes a happy marriage is not always clear. Many people go into marriage with high ideals and expectations, but without the reality that marriage is an entity in its own right that needs to be maintained daily. Communication, including conflict resolution, is a large part of a successful marriage. Other characteristics include sharing positive feelings, having more positive than negative interactions, having a solid friendship, maintaining a strong commitment, and staying focused on the positive aspects of the marriage. Marriage is difficult, …

The Factors Preventing The Successful Implementation Of A Middle Level Advisory Program At One Middle School, Gina Grasso Leonard

Graduate Research Papers

This study investigated the feelings and conceptualizations about Advisory Programs of the teachers at one middle school in Southeast Iowa. Interviews were conducted to uncover the teachers' thoughts and perceptions on Advisory Programs at their middle school. The collected data was then evaluated and recommendations were made.

The Effects Of Including Peers In Social Skills Training For Students With Autism, Cortney Boulden

Graduate Research Papers

This literature review examined the effects of including autistic children with typically developing peers in social skills training programs. The benefits and limitations of the study were discussed concerning how peer models affected the performance of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Guidelines were presented to implement a social skills program. Also, conclusions and recommendations were drawn from the literature to improve social skills in autistic children by including them with typically developing children in a learning setting.

What Happened To Dad: A Portrayal Of Teenage Fathers In Young Adult Literature, Becky R. Schafer Andrews

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to see if authors of realistic fiction accurately portray the characteristics of teenage fathers. Abundant fictional novels on the topic of teenage pregnancy are in print; however, most seemed concerned with teen mothers and neglect teen fathers. How teen fathers react to being told about the conception to accepting responsibility for their actions was evaluated through a checklist. This research demonstrated that a realistic portrayal of teen fathers is absent from much young adult fiction. In sharing this research with others it is in hopes that more authors will give teen fathers a more …

Shhhhh! The Negative Effect Of Librarian Stereotypes On Junior High Students, Kerry Lust

Graduate Research Papers

Librarians are often portrayed negatively in media. The stereotypical spinster librarian with her hair in a bun and glasses on a chain around her neck has often been portrayed in books, television, and movies. Junior high students are great consumers of all types of media and have often been exposed to this stereotype. This study investigated four questions. What are the characteristics of the librarian stereotype? What are characteristics of junior high students that make them especially easy targets for media influence? Is there a set of characteristics which junior high students attribute to librarians? Can we say that media …

Augmentation Of Reading Across The Curriculum, Student Exploration Of Literature, And Library Collection Development Through The Compilation Of A Comprehensive Annotated Bibliography Of High School Content Area Literature, Patricia J. Erkenbrack

Graduate Research Papers

The most current National Center for Education Statistics data are that average reading scores of American adolescents have been essentially stagnant since 1971, generating concern about the ability of high school graduates to meet the literacy challenges of the twenty-first century. A 1925 study conducted by the National Committee on Reading formulated the concept of literature-based content area reading instruction, in which the substantive involvement of school librarians was seen as crucial for success. No recent research on the integration ofliterature into content areas at the high school level is available, but the effectiveness of such a strategy is implied …

Managing And Analyzing Data : A Case Study Demonstrating The Use Of Computer Software To Improve A School’S Management And Analysis Of Intervention Data, John R. Bethke

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This thesis describes a case study that demonstrates how to improve data management and data analysis with the use of a computerized software program. In a literature review, information is provided on the subject of data management and data analysis. In addition, information is provided to the reader on using computer software to manage and analyze data. Results provide examples of using case study data to generate tables and graphs using a computer software program. A discussion provides suggestions from a classroom teacher.

Student Attendance And Its Relationship To Student Achievement In An Earth Science Class, Gregory Lee Schafer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This research studied the relationship between the attendance patterns of ninth grade high school students and achievement, in a required ninth grade Earth Science course as defined by course grades, in a medium sized Midwestern school district. Data was collected from a school district computerized system spanning a five year period from August of 2000 to June of 2005 and included 3667 data sets. The data consisted of course grades as indicated by A, B, C, D, and F and the number of days absent for each semester. The research question framing the study was, "Is there a statistically significant …

Perception Of Youth Participation Of Human Service Collaboration Among Youth Workers In Hong Kong, Yuet-Mui Kong

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Human Service organizations face various challenges to providing services for their clients. Several studies pointed out the benefits of inter-organizational collaboration and youth participation. Both concepts share some common beliefs and values. They may have a role in contributing to solutions and improvements. The purpose of this study was to examine if and how youth service organizations in Hong Kong involve young people in inter-organizational collaboration. The study was designed to answer: (a) What are the characteristics of inter-organizational collaborations? (b) Is youth participation being included in inter-organizational collaboration? ( c) In what stage do young people participate in the …

Separation Anxiety Within The School Context: A Qualitative Study Of The Beliefs And Practices Of Parents And Teachers, Lauryn C. Muller

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This paper presents the results of a qualitative study. Data were collected from two sources close to a child/adolescent that was either diagnosed with SAD or was exhibiting the symptoms set forth by the DSM-IV-TR. The sources included the primary caregiver and the primary teacher during symptom presentation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with both sources separately. Interviews focused on the following three research question areas: (a) Parent feelings, (b) parent involvement, and (c) desire for information/supports needed. These areas are described and discussed in detail and data are analyzed while comparing parents that work within the school system to parents …

Children Experiencing Parental Incarceration: An Examination Of Literature And Supportive Programming, Telisa A. Burt

Graduate Research Papers

Parental incarceration is becoming an increasing relevant topic as American society continues in its tendency toward mass incarceration. As mandatory minimums send away criminals for longer periods of time, it also serves as a major cause behind parent-child separation. In the United States, it is estimated that there are over 1.5 million children with at least one incarcerated parent and about 7 million children with a parent under some form of correctional supervision. According to research, these children are more likely to become incarcerated and many are expected to experience either juvenile or adult incarceration in their lifetime. This study …

Buffy Never Goes In Alone: The Rhetorical Construction Of Feminism In Buffy And The Vampire Slayer's Final Season, Susan M. Payne-Mulliken, Valerie R. Renegar

Iowa Journal of Communication

This essay is a rhetorical criticism of the final season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BtVS) and examines how metaphor is used to rhetorically construct feminist concepts. The essay specifically analyzes the metaphoric construction of the patriarchy and the feminist concept of sisterhood in the final season of BtVS. A thorough analysis reveals that the above ideas, represented via metaphor, are frequent and crucial components of the final season's plot. By using metaphor as a way to shape reality, BtVS communicates feminist ideals to its audience, thereby contributing to their overall perception of the movement.

Embracing The Imaginary Good Mother: Narratives Of Love And Violence From Women Who Killed Their Children, Barbara Barnett

Iowa Journal of Communication

Western culture positions motherhood as a divine calling, and this construct makes the notion that women would harm her children seem baffling and unnatural. This qualitative analysis of news articles seeks to understand maternal violence by analyzing narratives told by women who killed their children. Findings reveal that women who harmed their children portrayed themselves as loving and protective and dismissed their violent actions as accidents or missteps. Women understood society's expectation that mothers be all-loving and all-knowing, and internalized the good mother myth, constructing stories of themselves as caring and nurturing even when their actions were hurtful and destructive.

The Social Construction Of Wife Beating In Political Discourse, Gretchen Arnold

Iowa Journal of Communication

The issue of wife beating was a common topic of political discourse in 19th century America. After the turn-of-the-century, however, the issue dropped from public view and resurfaced only when contemporary feminists reframed the problem. My paper explains why this issue disappeared from, and then returned to, the political scene. I use contemporary frame analysis to analyze the specific frames to interpret wife beating that appeared in political discourse and tie them to cultural and institutional developments as well as to the work of specific social movements. in particular, I argue that the moral significance each frame gave -or denied- …

2006 Anatomy Of A Panther, Northern University High School

Malcolm Price Laboratory School Yearbooks

The student yearbook of the Northern University High School, part of the Malcolm Price Laboratory School of the University of Northern Iowa.

Annual Report Of The Registrar 2005/2006, 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

Fostering Teacher Learning Through Dialogue In Training Sessions, Salli Forbes, Connie Briggs

Curriculum & Instruction Faculty Publications

In Reading Recovery, teachers learn through their experiences observing and teaching students and through dialogue with other teachers in their training class in a community of practice (Schwartz, 1998). Teachers, teacher leaders, and trainers have all engaged in this training model and often praise the importance of the training (Jones, 1991; Lyons, Pinnell, & DeFord, 1993). External observers have also acknowledged the excellent professional development that Reading Recovery provides.

The Loathsome And The Virtuous: An Examination Of Sleeping Beauty And Snow White In Literature And Film, Heather Marie Birk

Honors Program Theses

ln this analysis I look at the differences between written text and film fairy tales, and the extent to which they help children overcome moral complexities. There are two important ideas represented in written fairy tales that place fairy tales within a tradition of moral education for children. First, the relationship between prince, princess and the wicked fairy or queen resembles the relationship between Adam, Eve and Satan. This relationship is only visible in the written version of the tales, because it depends on the Princesses playing dominant roles as Eve played in Genesis. Second, the use of the Seven …

An Investigation Of The General Population’S Understanding Of Forgiveness, Wen-Chuan Rita Chang

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate the general population's understanding and views of forgiveness and to examine if gender was a factor related to one's understanding of forgiveness and motivation to forgive. In this study, structured interviews were administered which allowed a focus on the personal views and experiences of forgiveness and descriptive statistics were used to explain the common patterns in responses among the participants. Forty-nine participants, ranging in ages from 15 to 54, were selected to be interviewed on their views and practice of forgiveness. Of the 49 participants, 15 were males and 34 were females. …

Learning To Live And Living To Learn: An Exploration Of Human Relations In The Classroom, Stephanie Lynn Orth

Honors Program Theses

Teaching human relations in schools is the only way to insure egocentrism is left for altruism. That is, to insure that people start to think of others instead of only themselves (Lane, 109). Many people have lost any obligation to serve anyone beyond themselves (Damon, 38). Students feel less responsible for their actions today, than in the past. Teaching students a sense of altruism is the only way to ensure that both new and current world knowledge of facts, concepts, and inventions are used to relieve suffering, as President Truman described, and not to cause it (Lane, 89).

Therefore, human …

Designing Healthy Spaces: Physical And Emotional Response To Color In Built Environments, Megan A. Smith

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to provide evidence that color, as an environmental factor, reaches far beyond mere aesthetics, and has very real effects on human beings. Furthermore, based upon a literature review, I will provide a framework for healthcare designers to aid in their color and finish selection in order to be the most beneficial to the captive and non-ambulatory populations in healthcare settings.

Educational Ideas And The Future Of Our Society, Mallory Sue Smiens

Honors Program Theses

Thus, the study of children and educational theories provided a rationale for the present study. Further discussions led to the belief that the questions raised by the author would best be answered from a sociological perspective. Because sociology is often employed to study people and how they interact with one another, it provides a meaningful discipline to weigh the teacher preparation ideas and practices against in order to determine their wider consequences for individuals. Therefore, a study of basic sociology was undertaken.

Place As Metonym And Metaphore In Joyce Carol Oates's "Shopping", Robert Preissle

Short Story

No abstract provided.

Travel Companion, Tim Davis

Short Story

No abstract provided.

Correlation Between Acculturation And Health Promotion Behavior Among Hispanics/Latinos In Black Hawk County, Iowa, Ki-Hyung Park

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The elimination of the health disparities between different segments of population such as ethnic or racial minority groups in the United States is one of the principal goals of Healthy People 2010. Since 2002, the Hispanic/Latino population has been the largest minority group in the United States, and currently Hispanic/Latinos are the largest minority group in Iowa. The study assesses the relationships among health status, health promoting behavior, and acculturation of Hispanic/Latino immigrants in Black Hawk County, Iowa. A community sample of 54 adults completed a face-to-face structured interview. The instrumentation included the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans-II (ARSMA-II), …

Stages Of Change, Process Of Change, Self-Efficacy, Decisional Balance, And Behavior Intention For Exercise Behavior By Young Adults, Danielle Johnson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to assess stage transitions, processes of change, self-efficacy, decisional balance, and behavioral intention measures of exercise among college students enrolled in a conceptual-based university wellness class. A sub-problem of the study was to utilize the Transtheoretical Model as a basis for comparing two approaches of sequencing course content. Results are based on responses to a questionnaire completed by 164 students enrolled in the Personal Wellness course ( 440:010 sections 02 and 06) and the Human Identity and Relationships course (310:053 sections 02 and 05) during the Spring 2002 semester. The 46-item, self-report questionnaire was …

A Review Of Achievement Goal Theory In Physical Education, Julie A. Jahn

Graduate Research Papers

Terrell H. Bell once said there are three things to remember about education. The first one is motivation. The second one is motivation. The third one is motivation. These simple, yet profound words state the clear truth about the journey through education. To teachers, students, administrators, or parents - these words speak volumes. Motivation can be viewed as students' biggest asset or their biggest problem. All children are motivated to do something; however it may not always be what the teacher desires. Teachers want their students to achieve the product of learning, but they also want them to enjoy and …

Impact Of Music Education In Early Childhood Classrooms, Melissa J. Wolf

Graduate Research Papers

Music is a universal language that connects all students regardless of age, background, or social status. In our school's today, music instruction can offer many academic benefits to our students, especially in the areas of reading and mathematics. However, elementary school music teacher positions are being cut each year because of the lack of funds in the school district's budget. When this happens, classroom teachers are required to teach this subject to their students, according to Iowa Code-Chapter 12. These teachers may not be educated enough to give the students the instruction that is needed. This literature review examined the …

Problem Based Learning, Susan Tebbe

Graduate Research Papers

The No Child Left Behind legislation brought about a flurry of conversations regarding student achievement (McElroy, 2006). Increased use of standardized testing to measure student achievement has resulted in a discussion of teaching models. Is the transmission teaching model with its expository style the only mode to insure student success? Or is the constructivist teaching model with its inquiry style a mode that better leads to student success? This review of literature examines the instructional practices involved in problem based learning, a constructivist approach. The paper focuses on the components of problem-based learning, the benefits and challenges of using this.approach, …

Teacher Autonomy : A Review Of The Research Literature, Jaime A. Usma-Wilches

Graduate Research Papers

This paper reviews conceptual and empirical research on teacher autonomy in the context of school reform across countries. Research shows that teacher autonomy can be conceptualized as a personal sense of freedom from interference or in terms of teachers' exercise of control in four different school domains: Teaching and assessment, curriculum development, school functioning, and professional development. Research also confirms that teachers' autonomy for decision making is shaped by a number of personal and contextual factors, and that teachers' directed professional development experiences may enhance their autonomy. This review clarifies the meaning of teacher autonomy and other related terms, and …