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Parent Participation And Partnership With Professional Educators, Beth Ann Thompson

Graduate Research Papers

American families today have life-styles that are different from the life-styles lived by the parents when they were children. Although children are spending more time away from parents due to parental work demands, the parents are still the most important people in their children's lives (Gestwicki, 1987). It is universally accepted that the family, not the school, is the most vital single contextual influence on the development of the child (Carlson, 1986).

Childhood Obesity, Denise Kay Volker

Graduate Research Papers

In recent years the problem of child and adolescent obesity in the United States has received much attention. This growing concern is not only attributed to an increased prevalence and persistence of obesity in recent years but also to the probable side effects often attributed to obesity, including physical health and psychosocial difficulties.

A Comparison And Analysis Of The Academic Profiles Of Only Children In The Peoples' Republic Of China And The United States, Jiyu Yang

Graduate Research Papers

The present study focuses on published materials of the last 15 years, concerning academic achievement of American and Chinese only children. Academic profiles of the only children of the two countries are compared and major causal factors of their academic outcomes are discussed. The topics examine a) family configuration, b) parent-child relationship, c) parent SES, and d) school quality. Results of this investigation indicate that only children in China and the United States enjoy advantages in academic development compared with non-only children, but that various factors impact on academic outcomes in diverse ways. As predicted, some factors such as family …

A Preferred Vision For Administering Elementary Schools: A Reflective Essay, Shalley K. Kappenman

Graduate Research Papers

How it all began ...

July 31, 1991 (8:30 PM) 1 After a long and busy day, the phone rings. It is Kathi, a friend of mine, calling to see if I had a teaching job for the upcoming school year. Kathi had recently visited with a former colleague who was concerned that her school would not have a principal for the new school year. The principal of this small parochial school 25 miles from Storm Lake had just resigned to take another principalship in Eastern Iowa. Kathi had talked to the priest/superintendent and had mentioned my name. He requested …

Effectiveness Of The University Of Northern Iowa’S Periodized Resistance Training Program On Ncaa I-Aa Intercollegiate Football Athletes, Mark Farley

Graduate Research Papers

The premise that weight training is a significant factor contributing to improved levels of performance for most athletes goes virtually unchallenged today. This is evidenced by the rapid increase of mandatory attendance weight programs for intercollegiate athletes as well as the views of leading exercise physiologists who have stated that strength is an underlying principle which enhances an athlete's ability to improve effectiveness of body movements related to their sport (Burke, 1967; Wescott, 1987).

Human Relations Training For Student Teachers, Richard Stahlhut, Richard Hawkes

Faculty Publications

Human relations training is a requirement for all teacher education majors graduating from Iowa colleges and universities. At the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) this course is delivered to preservice teacher education students in conjunction with their full semester student teaching experience. Major goals of the training program are: (1) to confront individuals with experiences designed to create an awareness of biases; attitudes; and beliefs and to create awareness of the degree of congruency between stated beliefs and actual behavior; and (2) to internalize and translate such awareness into actions which result in more positive relationships within the teaching/learning environment. …

A Constructivist Instructional Project On Developing Geometric Problem Solving Abilities Using Pattern Blocks And Tangrams With Young Children, Christie E. Sales

Graduate Research Papers

This instructional project planned and implemented mathematical instruction for young children based upon recommendations by both the National Association for the Education for Young Children and the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics. Specifically, the project presented children with a variety of geometric problem solving tasks that involved spatial reasoning. Two kinds of geometric materials, pattern blocks and tangrams, were used together with a set of frames designed to provide problem solving tasks. Examples of children's work and insights into the knowledge they constructed are presented. The tasks appeared to be interesting and appropriate. The children engaged in the tasks …

Balanced Reading Instruction: Birth Of A New Movement, Eljean B. Bartelt

Graduate Research Papers

The question of how best to teach children to read and write has been debated for years. Cunningham ( 1991) suggests that reading instruction began in the United States with a alphabetic approach. Children learned the letters, and then spelled and sounded out the letters of words. This approach was known later as the phonics approach. Some educators still insist that it is the only sensible approach to begin reading instruction (Adams, 1991; Stahl, 1992; Stahl & Miller, 1989; Teale, 1991). The most commonly used reading material in reading instruction has been the basal reader (Chall, 1983; May, 1994). Basals …

Evaluation Of Library Media Specialists In Iowa Schools, Bonnie Rawding

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine the criteria and procedures used in the evaluation of library media specialists in Iowa. Of particular concern was the inclusion of the roles and responsibilities of library media specialists as established in "Information Power" in evaluation instruments. The sample of 100 library media specialists was asked to fill in a questionnaire and return a blank copy of their evaluation instrument. The return rate was 70%.

Seventy-seven percent of library media specialists in the sample are evaluated as teachers. Sixty-nine percent of the 13 library media specialist evaluation instruments contained 50% or more …

An Examination Of The Relationships Among Learning Style, Attitudes, And Outcomes Of Computer-Assisted Instruction, Daniel Glen Wilson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This research was based upon a hypothesized AptitudeTreatment Interaction (ATI). More specifically, the research investigated the relationships between student learning style (aptitude) and student outcomes with computer-assisted instruction (treatment). These outcomes included student achievement with computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and student attitude toward CAI.

To examine these relationships, a researcher-developed CAI program on light and color theory was validated and administered to 144 students in an educational media course at the University of Northern Iowa. Participants in the study were first asked to complete the Grasha-Riechmann Student Learning Style Scales (GRSLSS) inventory along with a demographic survey. Next, each participant completed …

A Study Of The Relationship Between The Waetjen Self-Concept As A Learner Scale, The Iowa Tests Of Educational Development, And Cumulative Grade Point Average, Heather Williams Kaufman

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Numerous studies have been conducted with respect to self-concept (Marsh & Shavelson, 1985; Shavelson & Bolus, 1982). Learner self-concept is considered to be a specific dimension of general self-concept (Brookover & Gottlieb, 1964). Due to increased interest in learner self-concept, more academically focused self-concept measures, such as the Self-Concept As a Learner Scale (SCAL) (Waetjen, 1967), were developed. Previous studies conducted by Randall (1989), Schmidt (1990), and Wood (1991) established that learner self-concept and locus of control have construct independence (are uncorrelated). All three researchers used the Self-Concept As a Learner Scale (Waetjen, 1967) and the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control …

Aids Education: The Effect Of Three Instructional Methods On Retention Of Changes In Knowledge, Attitudes, And Intention To Act, Denise Kerns Schares

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of three instructional methods (unit only, unit plus infusion, and infusion only) for teaching high school students about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Education, offered consistently and over time, can assist individuals in developing positive health behaviors associated with the prevention of AIDS. Successful implementation of community and school-based education programs can save lives in the years ahead (Taff,1987).

Four sections (N = 80) of a health education course were randomly assigned to one of four treatment conditions. The unit only treatment consisted of the presentation of the 4-session, Red …

"Home Style" Campaigning: Bill Clinton In The 1992 General Election, Mary Stuckey

Iowa Journal of Communication

In 1972, James David Barber's controversial book, The Presidential Character: Predicting Performance in the White House performed the valuable function of focusing scholarly attention on the relationship between the character and the behavior of political actors. Barber's work is premised on the belief that evidence concerning one's character prior to election has predictive value concerning performance once in office. While the utility of the scholarly and journalistic emphasis on the private personality traits of our presidents remains unclear (George, 1974; Tulis, 1981; Nelson, 1988), it is profitable to study the question of character as a public construction rather than a …

Iowa Journal Of Communication, Volume 26, Number 1, Spring 1994 [Download Entire Issue]

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Reinvesting A Nation: The Rhetoric Of Political Transformation In Poland, Cezar M. Omatowski

Iowa Journal of Communication

In The Book of Laughter and Forgetting, Milan Kundera suggests that the first step in liquidating a people ... is to erase its memory. Destroy its books, its culture, its history. Then have somebody write new books, manufacture a new culture, invent a new history. Before long the nation will begin to forget what it is and what it was. (159) In the last five years, in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of its satellite regimes, the nations of Central and Eastern Europe have been engaged in the process of massive national reconstruction, …

Iowa Academy Of Science Directory, 1994-95, Iowa Academy Of Science

Iowa Academy of Science Documents

Contents:

Board of Directors ... 3
Program Directors ... 4
Editors ... 6
Committees ... 8
Sections ... 21
ISTS Regional Directors ... 36
Awards of Merit ... 28
Excellence in Science Teaching Awards ... 29
Past Presidents ... 30
Membership Roster ... 31

Reforms In Legislation Governing Judicial Organization In The Soviet Union And In Present-Day Russia: The New Law “On The Status Of Judges In The Russian Federation”, Jason Jeremy Kilborn

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

Much scholarly work has been done in the area of Soviet-era law and legal procedure, and this paper attempts to make a continuing contribution to that effort in the new era of the Russian Federation. Drawing upon first-hand experience in the Kuibyshevskii court, this paper will attempt to shed some light on the recent reorganization of the judiciary in Russia by revealing and analyzing very recent changes in the new law concerning the status of judges in Russia. Along the way some speculations on the initial and continuing impact of these reforms on Russian criminal justice will be offered as …

Examining The Existence Of Burnout In Municipal Leisure Service Organizations In The State Of Iowa, Ronald D. Ramsing

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The term burnout was developed to describe a phenomenon modern work forces were experiencing. Organizations were facing high rates of absenteeism, low productivity, low quality, and reduced economic gains because of this phenomenon. In the later stages of burnout, employees were facing increased levels of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and a sense of diminished accomplishment in their jobs. Although large amounts of research have been conducted in professions such as nursing, teaching, and social work, very little exploration of burnout has occured [sic] in municipal leisure service organizations. The purpose of this study was to explore the existence of burnout within …

Editorial Board & Iowa Academy Of Science Officers And Directors

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Historical Interpretation Views Separation Clause More Narrowly, Gareth R. Volz

Institute for Educational Leadership Monograph Series

Many times school districts and other government agencies attempt to justify acts of censorship targeted directly at religious people on the basis of what has been commonly referred to as the "separation of Church and State." Although the phrase "separation of Church and State" never appears in our Constitution, Bill of Rights, or other founding documents, groups opposed to religion in general, and Christianity in particular, argue that the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment (which prohibits states from interfering with churches) somehow requires that there be a wall of separation between religious people and governmental affairs.

Consensus Building: The Dimension That Makes Everything Work, Robert Decker

Institute for Educational Leadership Monograph Series

Consensus building has to do with developing relationships between people in all walks of life. Many people believe that human relationships rely heavily on a great deal of talking and little listening. For some of us we have forgotten the concept of diplomacy. To be an effective member of a team whose main objective is to build consensus with a feeling of trust and respect, one needs to develop a variety of techniques.

Relationships are built upon a complex and comprehensive set of conditions and understandings. Some of the ingredients in the recipe for good working relationships are: predictability, no …

Participation Motivation: Stable Vs. Transient Youth Populations, Christopher Berne Denison

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in participation motivation factors influencing transient youth populations and stable youth populations in baseball programs. It was also the intent of the study to investigate the difference in participation motivational factors between ages 10, 11, and 12. A participation motivation questionnaire consisting of 31 questions was distributed to children living in a transient youth population (n = 32) located in Tokyo, Japan and a stable youth population (n = 64) located in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Mean scores were calculated for the 31 participation motivation factors by type of environment and age …

A Descriptive Study Identifying Job Satisfaction, Tenure, And Professional Identification Among Nonschool Youth Professionals, Susan L. Hanzelka

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

A movement to professionalize the field of non-school youth development is stymied by low salaries and even lower educational standards (Howard, 1993b). This movement is suffering due to a lack of professional preparation of its employees, and to the temporary nature of the work. These conditions have a direct effect on job satisfaction and employee tenure. The purpose of this study was to describe selected elements which positively and negatively impact job satisfaction, length of tenure, and professional identification of professionals working with and for youth in selected non-school community-based programs. Those surveyed in this non-experimental descriptive study were college-degreed …

Benefits Of Formal Mentoring, Kimberly Hein Hutzell

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The development of capable and result-oriented employees is of critical necessity in the business world. During a period of cutbacks and mergers, as well as demanding work schedules and skill qualifications, corporations must identify methods of support and training which not only maintain, but increase and maximize production levels of employees. One method to address these conditions is formal mentoring. Formal mentoring is a deliberate job training partnership which seeks to increase employee performance as well as improve an organization's competitiveness. While this form of experiential learning has a history in the education sector, it has been introduced and implemented …

The Judicial Consequences Of Using Drugs: A Substance Abuse Education Program, Kimberly D. Merritts

Graduate Research Papers

Recent surveys indicate that there is good reason to be concerned about drug abuse in the nation's school-age population (Bangert-Drowns, 1988). Twenty-seven percent of high school seniors surveyed in 1986 said they were using drugs other than alcohol and seventeen percent reported already trying cocaine (Johnston, Bachman, and O'Malley 1987). With substance abuse being a serious problem among students, concerned adults have looked to the schools for help, and many schools have responded by creating substance abuse education programs (Bangert-Drowns, 1988).

Personal Space And Territoriality Of Users In An Academic And Public Library, Ruth A. Hamilton

Graduate Research Papers

An observation checklist was used to investigate responses of patrons to intrusion in their personal space. The study was done in a small academic library and a small public library. After the subject was seated an intruder would come in and sit as close to the subject as possible. The responding time was limited to five minutes. The response of the subject was recorded on a detailed checklist. Findings indicated that female subjects make more adjustments than male subjects. In general, adjustments made by subjects were minimal in number and minor in nature.

How Students Perceive The Influence They Have Over Energy Efficiency In Their Homes, Catherine M. Oates

Graduate Research Papers

This study investigated one aspect of the efficacy of an energy-efficiency education learning module. The investigation centered l>n studying the effects of this learning module on the perceived influence which early adolescent students have on their parents about making energy-efficient lifestyle choices. Measures of this perceived influence were obtained, through a survey, both before and after completion of a learning module. This learning module was taught by 25 field test teachers. Students {N=494) and their parents {N=449) represented five different middle schools across northeast Iowa. Four hundred ninety-four students, and their parents, participated in the field test and were …

A Study Of The Students' Attitudes Toward The Use Of Peer Teaching In The Educational Media Course At The University Of Northern Iowa, Irene Leong Yoke Chu

Graduate Research Papers

Traditionally, learning and teaching situations from elementary school through higher education do not provide opportunities for students to use each other as resources. In fact, more often than not the teacher is their main source of information and help. Such traditional modes of teaching has placed emphasis on individualizing instruction, i.e., self-paced instruction and competition. According to Johnson (cited in Waggoner,1971), in such teaching situations which are outcome-based, very little attention has been given to how students should relate to each other while working on instructional tasks. Collaborative learning modes, on the other hand, focus on learning as a cooperative …

Questions, Question Asking, And The Questioning Environment For A Novice Teacher's Classroom Use, Timothy Burrell

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to provide a novice teacher with important, valuable and easily usable information regarding effective questioning, and the provision of an environment in which students feel comfortable asking questions. Two primary models of questioning are presented and the questioning environment has been discussed. Question interactions initiated by the teacher and those initiated by the students have then been considered. In the final chapter of this paper I discuss the information I believe will be most useful specifically to me in my first few years of teaching. The application of this information in my teaching will …

Conceptual Representation Of The Newtonian Model Of Motion In University Physics Students, Yannis Hadzigeorgiou

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate how undergraduate students at the University of Northern Iowa who had taken prior coursework on non-calculus general physics with a unit on mechanics understand the Newtonian model of motion. In general, the study was concerned with reasoning strategies, the preconceptions that give rise to these strategies, and the schema that might be inferred from the preconceptions. In particular, the study focused on the three fundamental notions of the Newtonian model of motion: {a) that uniform straight line motion is equivalent to rest, {b) that motion is relative to an inertial frame of …