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Implications Of Teacher In-Service Training On Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Identification, Glenn Evan Haupt

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study examined the impact of teacher in-service training on the ability of teachers to identify children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in their classrooms. The subjects were 16 teachers from two small rural midwestern schools. All but one of the teachers were females, with a range in years of teaching experience from five through 30 years.

The intent of the study was to investigate if an ADHD in-service training program would have a beneficial effect on the ability of teachers to identify students in their classrooms with behaviors characteristic of ADHD. The subjects were split into two groups, …

The Relationship Between Ethnic Identity And Self-Esteem Among African-American Adolescents, Arthur Hughes Jr.

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study examined the relationship between ethnic identity and self-esteem among African-American adolescents. There has been little or no research documenting the relationship between ethnic identity development and level of self-esteem, especially among minority adolescents; that is, researchers have failed to focus on ethnic identity and self-esteem at the level of individual change--a developmental process. Within the framework of identity theory, ethnic identification is hypothesized to be related to self-esteem.

Using the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI) and the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM), the correlation analysis, Fisher's Z-Transformation, and one-way ANOVAs were performed with a total subject population of 142 …

A Comparison Of Wisc-R And Wj-R Vs. Cogatat And Itbs In Defining Severe Discrepancy In The Diagnosis Of Learning Disabilities, Martin Patrick Mccarthy

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

A costly component of special education deals with the assessment and diagnosis of learning disabled students. This study considers the feasibility of replacing expensive, time consuming individual assessment procedures with group administered assessment procedures. IQ-achievement discrepancy scores generated by the WISC-R and WJ-R for 26 learning disabled students were compared to discrepancy scores generated by the CogAT and ITBS. Test data were retrieved from school records for third grade students identified as learning disabled within the 1991-1992 or 1992-1993 school years. ITBS scores were recorded for areas recognized by the WISC-R/WJ-R discrepancy scores. Discrepancy scores were generated in each of …

An Investigation Of Metaphorical Statements Of Preadolescents And Artists Who Journal, Ellen Barth

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of literal and visual journaling on students' thoughts about artistic production. Participants were 40 sixth grade students enrolled in a private school program in the Midwest and two selected professional artists who used literal journaling to develop visual imagery. The theoretical frame drew upon Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences (Gardner, 1983). The methodology relied on Borg and Gall's ( 1983) discussion of qualitative research design, Bradburn and Sudman's qualitative research methodology (1982), and Oppenheim's (1966) questionnaire design. The analysis of the data followed Kogan, Connor, Gross, and Fava's (1980) method …

The Impact Of Employee Pregnancy On Performance Appraisal Ratings And Salary Recommendations, Debra K. Kettner Damge

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study explored the influence of pregnancy on evaluative ratings and recommendations of salary increase in a paper and pencil performance appraisal exercise. Research relating to the status of women in employment, the performance appraisal process, bias in employment decision making toward women and persons with disabilities, and reactions toward pregnancy was examined. It is suggested that women who experience pregnancy during employment, especially in male sex-typed fields, may be negatively evaluated and compensated, relative to women who experience non-sex-typed medical conditions. Subjects were members of a professional human resource association and undergraduate students majoring in business. Subjects were given …

Ritual As Constructor Of Reality In Mexican Families, Mario Andujo-Licón

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purposes of the present research are: {a) to discover the patterns of communication involved with rituals in the Mexican family, {b) to describe the function of ritual in the construction of reality, (c) to research the functions of ritual in the Mexican family, and (d) to determine the concept of family in the Mexican middle class. The data for this research were obtained using field research methods (interviews and observations), with 10 middle-class Mexican families from Chihuahua, Chihuahua. In this research, it was possible to observe two kinds of rituals: rituals by function and rituals by time. The first …

A Survey Of Opinions And Knowledge Of Parents Of High School Athletes About Athletic Training, Brooke Lynn Bixby

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to describe the opinions and beliefs of parents of high school athletes in Cedar Falls, IA about the need for a certified athletic trainer to be employed by the high school. Subproblems in this study were to determine: (a) the parents' opinions concerning the importance of athletic trainers, (b) their knowledge and awareness of an athletic trainer's duties and responsibilities, and (c) their willingness to participate in a funding program for a certified ~thletic trainer to be employed at the high ichool. An 18-item questionnaire was mailed to 100 parents of athletes attending Cedar …

Fourth Grade Regular Education Teachers' Perceptions Of Iowa's Rsds: A Replication Study, Sharon Kay Petersburg

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to gather descriptive information about fourth grade regular education teachers' current perceptions of Iowa's RSDS, and to compare their perceptions to those reported in Bone's (1991) study. The sample consisted of 51 fourth grade regular education teachers from districts served by four Area Education Agencies. The subjects provided demographic information, completed a 22 item self-report questionnaire, and provided written responses to seven open-ended questions. Responses to the questionnaire were analyzed using frequency distributions for each AEA. The responses to the open-ended questions were analyzed qualitatively. The results of the study indicate that fourth grade …

There's No Place To Call Home: Behaviorally Disordered Students' Perceptions Of Special Education And Reintegration, Patricia Ann Gaines

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In this study, I explored behaviorally disordered students' perceptions of special education and reintegration. I generated data from semi-structured interviews of three behaviorally disordered students and observations of them in their regular classes. The data revealed that these students grappled with the perceived tradeoff between the advantages and disadvantages of their special education versus regular education placement. Once they were perceived by school personnel to possess differences that made a difference, they found "asylum" in special education. The results of the study indicate that the three participants perceived special education placement to be helpful to them; however, each indicated that …

Sex-Role Orientation And Competitiveness In Physically Active Women, Pamela Jean Gibbons

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Sex type and competitiveness were investigated among 50 female racquetball players between 18 and 41 years of age. Using surveys, the subjects were classified as competitive or noncompetitive. The Bern Sex Role Inventory categorized the players as masculine, feminine, androgynous, or undifferentiated. The Sport Orientation Questionnaire measured the subject's level of competitiveness. It was hypothesized that competitive subjects would score in the masculine and androgynous categories, while noncompetitive subjects would score in the feminine and undifferentiated categories. A second hypothesis suggested that competitive subjects would score higher for competitiveness than noncompetitive subjects. Thirdly, it was hypothesized that masculine and androgynous …

Perceptions Of Physical Attractiveness And Attitudes Towards Hiv For Portrayals Of Gay, Straight, Hiv-Positive, And Hiv-Negative Individuals, Matt Hobson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to determine if knowledge of a male or female individual's sexual orientation and HIV status was an indicator of perceived attractiveness and social acceptance by college students. A male and female actor were recruited to film short videos portraying either gay or straight and either HIV-positive or HIV-negative individuals. The eight separate videos were then observed by eight randomly selected groups of college students in human sexuality classes. It was hypothesized that the video subjects perceived to be either gay or HIV-positive would be perceived as being less attractive and that college students who …

A Descriptive Study Identifying Leisure Pursuits And Job Satisfaction Among Human Service Personnel, Terry Hendershott

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

No abstract provided.

Acceptance Of Persons With Mental Illnesses: Labeling Effects And Sex Differences, Laura J. Anderson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a label per se on the acceptance of persons with mental illnesses. The design was a two (Sex of Subject) by two (Sex of Vignette Character) by two (Label of Mental Illness versus Label of No Mental Illness) factorial design. Sixty male and 72 female undergraduates participated. Each subject read one of four vignettes which provided a mildly positive description of an individual who was either male or female and who either had or did not have a label of mental illness. The vignettes were identical except for manipulation …

Self-Concept Of Visually Impaired Adolescents: A Comparative Study Of Educational Placement In Public And Residential Schools, Shiela D. Kielly

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to compare the self-concept of teen-age learners who were visually impaired and enrolled in public day schools with those who attended a residential school. The target population was those individuals with a primary functional visual impairment, in the age range of 12 through 18 years, and who were engaged in an academic instructional curriculum. Seventeen students at the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School (IBSSS) were the residential population, whereas 15 visually impaired students who were receiving support services of the itinerant teacher for the visually impaired participated as the public school population. All …

A Survey Of Elementary Principals, Kindergarten Teachers, And Kindergarten Parents Focusing On Preferences For Academic Or Developmental Programming At The Kindergarten Level, Dudley L. Humphrey

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the preferences regarding instructional practices at the kindergarten level and investigate the relationships of these preferences among elementary principals, kindergarten teachers, and kindergarten parents. A survey of a systematic sample of 217 Iowa public elementary schools provided perceptual data from 148 (68%) of these schools. Elementary principals, kindergarten teachers, and kindergarten parents were asked to complete a questionnaire based on the Hitz 1986 Oregon Department of Education questionnaire which provided insight to their preferences on developmental and academic instructional practices at the kindergarten level. Of the population, 132 principals out of …

The Gifted/Learning Disabled Student: A Contradiction In The Classroom, Caroline M. Bredekamp

Graduate Research Papers

The following study is a review of current literature concerning identification processes, as well as a delineation of appropriate learning strategies for gifted/learning disabled students. The analysis continues with an examination of the needs of a potentially gifted/learning disabled student. Throughout his academic career, the subject of this analysis experienced difficulties in school. Despite his high intelligence, he did not achieve academically according to either grade level testing or batteries measuring personal aptitude. The resulting combination of the review of literature and the student analysis produces, from the viewpoint of best recommended practice, suggested strategies for educators teaching paradoxical learners. …

An Examination Of Within-Class Grouping Arrangements To Replace Traditional Grouping Practices In Elementary Classrooms, Rhonda R. Bonk

Graduate Research Papers

The dilemma of deciding the most effective means of grouping students for learning activities has been a controversial issue in education for many decades (Manning & Lucking, 1990). Traditionally schools have grouped students by achievement levels and/or perceived ability. Recently, however, ability grouping has been questioned in regard to its ability to provide quality and equitable education for all students, especially those placed in Iowa and middle-ability groups (French & Rothman, 1990).

The Effects Of The Premature Infant On The Family, Frances Bollinger

Graduate Research Papers

The birth of a child is a life altering event. Parents are now responsible for a new life. The birth of a child alters the parent's relationship with each other, their own parents, the community and the rest of their family. Many parents adjust to the new infant without complications. Parents of a premature infant will have a different relationship with their family, friends, and community than do parents of full-term infants. "The birth of a sick or premature infant alters the time accepted events that celebrate a new member of the community" (Goldson, p.32, 1992). Parents feel anxiety, fear, …

Flexible Grouping As A Means Of Nurturing Children's Language Abilities, Brenda M. Clark

Graduate Research Papers

This paper will review the professional literature on ability grouping patterns in traditional reading instruction and their effects on learners. Then elements of flexible grouping will be proposed for implementation into a reading program that nurtures children's language abilities.

Grouping For Instruction In Reading, Carolyn Kay Grussing

Graduate Research Papers

In 1992, Fielding stated: "One of the by-products of the movement toward increased instructional use of children's literature is that teachers are reexamining the different grouping patterns that are possible for elementary reading instruction" (p.26). Much discussion in the literature has been based on the pros and cons of placing students into groups and the criteria upon which grouping decisions should be made (Harp, 1989). Consequently, there is substantial literature that describes a variety of grouping arrangements and attempts to examine their effectiveness (Otto, Wolf, & Eldridge, 1984).

Reading Recovery: Hope For Children At-Risk, Julie Jungers

Graduate Research Papers

Teachers who work with children on reading in the early primary years would likely be excited to discover a program that is effective in helping to prevent reading failure (Jones, 1991). Early intervention and reading success have become very important as "expectations have become increasingly high and unrealistic as the curriculum from upper grades has been pushed down to lower levels, thus dooming large numbers of young children to inevitable failure" (Charlesworth, 1989, p. 5). With these increasing demands of the educational system in America, effective intervention for at-risk children is a necessity. For young children to become successful learners, …

Elementary Keyboarding Curriculum In A Small Public School Setting, Sharon Lynn Keehner

Graduate Research Papers

The microcomputer is creating a revolution in the workplace and having a major impact on educational programs in the school. With this emphasis on the use of computers, keyboarding is a skill needed to survive and succeed in both educational and occupational settings. Regardless of the ultimate career objectives of students, the keyboarding skills taught today will help them open the doors of tomorrow. The job of business educators is to help students make keyboarding a life-long tool. Hinson and Dickey (1984) pointed out that whether their students go out and work in a warehouse entering inventory or whether they …

An Overview Of Foreign Language Instruction In The Elementary School, Ann M. Lassen

Graduate Research Papers

This paper is an overview of foreign language instruction in the elementary school. Through a review of the current literature, the rationale for language instruction at the elementary level is explored. Current program models and frequency of such programs in United States' elementary schools today are identified. Characteristics of successful programs in the areas of planning, teaching methods, and evaluation are addressed. Teacher qualifications are examined and steps being taken to rectify a lack of qualified elementary foreign teachers are offered as suggestions for the future.

Grouping In Reading Instruction To Extend The Whole Language Concept, Linda S. Schneider

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of the paper is to examine ability grouping and then to offer flexible grouping as one means of extending the whole language concept into the reading instructional program of the elementary school.

The Development Of A Transformational Curriculum Model For Kindergarten, Kathleen Schmitt

Graduate Research Papers

Curriculum is ever-changing in all content areas and grade levels. These changes are necessary and sometimes painful. The needed curriculum changes in early childhood have been well-documented (Bredekamp, 1987), and adventurous teachers are beginning to transform their structured, 1 teacher-centered classrooms to active, student-centered classrooms.

Values Education: Empowering Teachers, Mary J. Trousdale

Graduate Research Papers

The complexity of American society has left schools reeling from new roles and re-examination of the old ones. Dramatic social changes have burdened the schools with responsibilities traditionally left to the family and its support systems. Among the revisited roles comes the task of determining whether values should be taught in our schools. There appears to be a strong belief that schools and families no longer teach a common set of values or ethical principles that appear necessary for a society to sustain a common universally accepted system of governance. What, then, is the role of schools in preparing individuals …

The Effects Of Phonics In Reading And Writing Programs For Young Children, Marjorie L. Tindall

Graduate Research Papers

Phonics is being taught in many kindergartens and .most first grades in the nation to introduce children to reading and writing. A large number of educators believe that phonics instruction is necessary for children to learn to read and to spell, but many psycholinguists question the value of this instruction (M. Manning, G. Manning, & C. Kamii, 1988). The teaching of phonics has been a source of controversy since Rudolf Flesch's (1955) book, Why Johnny Can't Read. Chall (1967) addressed the debate in her book, Learning to Read: The Great Debate, concluding that a code-emphasis approach produced better reading achievement …

The Gifted Child In Latin America, Dolores M. Shouse Vivas

Graduate Research Papers

The May, 1992, international issue of Roeper Review covered issues in gifted education as evidenced in several areas of the world. China and Korea were represented in Asia. England and the Commonwealth of Independent States were represented in Europe. There were two articles on Australia. Representing the Middle East, there was an article on gifted education in Israel. There were two articles on gifted education in the United States and one related to gifted programs in Canada. On the other hand, there were no articles on gifted education in Latin America.

Picture Storybooks For Speech Communications Curriculum And Extracurricular Activities: An Annotated Bibliography, Del Brink

Graduate Research Papers

High school speech instructors frequently use picture storybooks in their curriculum. Picture storybooks differ from illustrated storybooks and picture books because they are the only type of the three that includes a balanced union between text and illustrations. An observation made at a high school speech contest in Iowa was the impetus for the formation of a bibliography of picture storybooks suitable for speech contest work. The researcher located, read, annotated, and categorized books reviewed in The Horn Book Magazine between 1989 and 1992. Of the 497 books read, 363 formed a bibliography of picture storybooks divided among these categories: …

Model Of A Marketing Plan For Library Media Programs, Ruie Chehak

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to create a model of a marketing plan for library media programs. The plan uses Johnson Elementary School of the Cedar Rapids Community School District as an example for the restructuring idea of interactive learning. The model is organized to compliment the overall strategy of the Cedar Rapids Community School District. The plan is presented in six basic steps: 1) understand the corporate mission and objectives, 2) analyze the situation and environment, 3) determine the goals and objectives, 4) develop the marketing strategies to achieve the desired goals, 5) design an action plan to …