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General And Specific Job Satisfaction, Work Content, And Work Group Size, Heidi Hamilton

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Five hundred and ninety-six participants working in lower level clerical positions in 21 work groups from five insurance organizations in the U.S. were administered the Job Diagnostic Survey (JDS). It was hypothesized that work group size would have an effect on four dependent measures provided by the JDS, which were: general job satisfaction, social satisfaction, growth satisfaction, and Motivating Potential Score (MPS). Two separate sets of statistical tests (Pearson r correlations and one-way ANOVAs) indicated no support for the hypotheses tested. However, one separate correlation (growth satisfaction x MPS) which examined a psychometric dimension of the JDS was significant.

Abbe Center For Community Mental Health Adult Day Treatment Program Evaluation, Kathryn Ann Johnson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the present study was to determine if psychiatric clients admitted to the Adult Day Treatment Program at the Abbe Center for Community Mental Health made progress on individualized treatment goals developed using a GAS (Goal Attainment Scaling) system . Research subjects were 41 clients admitted to either the Intensive or Supportive Programs at the Abbe Center during a 1 year time period. Individualized treatment goals were developed for each client and measures of these goals took place upon admission to the program, at monthly intervals, at discharge from the program, and at 3 months post-discharge. Statistical analyses …

Personality Type And Classroom Dynamics: Resources For Designing And Responding To Speaking And Writing Assignments, Carol Severino

Iowa Journal of Communication

Observation and common sense tell us that all classes and students are different from one another; some students are outgoing and like groups, and others are shy and don't; in other words personality differences affect students' interactions and their reactions to us as teachers and the activities and assignments we design. Familiarity with personality types and how they might affect communication styles and ease of adjustment to various classroom practices can help prevent frustration and disappointment on the part of both teacher and student. A deeper knowledge of personality differences will also prevent teachers from inadvertently privileging some personality types, …

Skepticism And Science In A Creation Science Textbook, James B. Mcomber

Iowa Journal of Communication

At one time, the logical positivists sought to erect firm boundaries between verifiable and unverifiable statements. The former were the proper concern of the sciences and, indeed, of any endeavor claiming the status of truth or knowledge. Unverifiable or untestable statements, including those about values, had no place in science and were deemed, as Ayer once put it, "literally senseless.” In spite of its prohibition against meaningful statements of value, the verificationist principle obviously harbors its own values, namely that the verifiable is good and the unverifiable bad. Implicit in positivist reasoning is the promotion of a scientific ethos that …

Iowa Journal Of Speech Communication, Volume 24, Number 2, Fall 1992 [Download Entire Issue]

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

"Talk To The Class About The Class": Response To "Personality Type And Classroom Dynamics", Nancy Barry

Iowa Journal of Communication

I once attended a writing group in which one participant announced on the first day: "I'm an 'INFJ,' and there are very few of us." I was surprised by two things in this pronouncement: her assumption that other people would find this information about her useful (or interesting), and the seriousness with which she took the categories as a judgment. No matter how much we tell people that a test like this is simply a "measuring instrument," with no attendant hierarchies or evaluation attached to a specific label or category, few people (especially those who are still forming their identities) …

Editorial Board & Iowa Academy Of Science Officers And Directors

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

A Chaotic Approach To Free Will And Determinism, Gregory J. Till

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

This paper approaches this ancient problem by incorporating the new science of chaos. Chaos is the name given to the discovery that even "simple deterministic systems with only a few elements can generate random behavior" {Crutchfield et al., 46). Chaos shows that deterministic systems can act in ways which are not predictable while at the same time showing that many seemingly random phenomena are more explainable than once thought. By doing so, chaos alters the laws of causation upon which much of this debate rests and indicates that perhaps not all theory is against freedom of the will, despite Dr. …

Dance As A Cultural Element In Spain And Spanish America, Amy Lynn Wall

Presidential Scholars Theses (1990 – 2006)

Two years ago I had the opportunity to live and travel in Spain. Because I participate in and enjoy international dance, I sought to identify the Spanish culture through dance. Throughout my literature review I continued this identification process by looking at the history of Spain, the functions of dance in the society, the regional variations in dance and traditional costume, the dance of the Roman Catholic Church of Spain, and finally the influence Spain has had on dance in Spanish America.

The Effects Of Spacing A Science Unit On Sound On The Conceptual Understanding Of Eighth Grade Students As Evaluated Through Concept Maps, Lyn Le Countryman

Faculty Book Gallery

In 1989, the National Science Teachers Association proposed a new "Scope, Sequence, and Coordination (SS & C)" for grade 7-12 science. Instead of studying science in one-year packages of physics, chemistry, biology, and earth/space science, proponents of SS & C proposed that students study each of these disciplines every year. The idea that students can learn and retain new material better if they study it in spaced intervals rather than all at once provided the focus for this study.

There is a base of psychological research demonstrating the positive effects of "spaced" practice on recall and recognition, but few of …

Editorial Board & Iowa Academy Of Science Officers And Directors

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

No abstract provided.

Annual Report Of The Iowa Academy Of Science, 1991-92, Paul E. Rider

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Starting in 1976, annual reports have served as a continuing record of the activities of the Iowa Academy of Science. These augment a 100 year history of the Academy which was written in the centennial year of 1975.

This report covers the period from July 1, 1991 to June 30, 1992. It is based on the official records of the Academy (committee reports, Board minutes, correspondence) as well as the recollections, impressions and thoughts of the author.

Charles Rueben Keyes And The History Of Iowa Archaeology, William Green

Journal of the Iowa Academy of Science: JIAS

Charles Reuben Keyes (1871-1951) achieved recognition during his lifetime as the "founding father" of Iowa archaeology, and later assessments confirmed and reemphasized Keyes' stature as Iowa's pioneer archaeologist. The collections and documents Keyes compiled, his interpretive publications, and the records of field work he coordinated have proven more valuable to Midwest and Plains archaeology every year. This article emphasizes Keyes' involvement in the development of professionalism in American archaeology and Iowa’s position in the growth of the discipline from 1920 to 1950. Keyes' contacts with the principal archaeologists of his era ensured Iowa’s involvement in the development of survey methods …

1992 Expressions & Impressions, 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.

The Effects Of Two Teaching Methods On Students’ Aids-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs, And Behaviors, Connie M. Ryan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two different teaching methodologies on acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of a selected group of undergraduate students at the University of Northern Iowa. The two methods used were a lecture on AIDS for one group of students and the same lecture followed by a panel discussion with individuals upon whom AIDS has had a direct effect on their lives for a second group of students.

Subjects consisted of three sections of students enrolled in an undergraduate personal wellness course at the university. One section of …

The Effects Of Ingested Carbonation On Oxygen Transport And Ventilation In Trained Distance Runners, Stacy Jean Ingraham

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of consumption of carbonated beverages on maximal aerobic capacity, as measured by maximal oxygen consumption (VO2MAX), and respiratory physiology, as measured by ventilation frequency (f), ventilatory equivalent for oxygen and carbon dioxide (O2VE, co2VE), expired minute ventilation (VE), carbon dioxide output (VCO2), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and tidal volume (VT).

Thirteen male high school, collegiate and post collegiate distance runners from the local community performed two maximal treadmill tests exactly one week apart, following two different fluid ingestion treatments. The subjects were randomly assigned to a carbonated beverage or noncarbonated …

Relationship Termination And The Fisher Divorce Adjustment Scale: A Comparative Study, Robert Bruce Hensley

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the present study was to examine the differences and similarities in relationship-termination adjustment between divorced and non-marital populations. The two populations have been assumed to be similar, but this assumption has not been investigated formally. The present sample consisted of 90 subjects, 34 of whom were volunteers from a local divorce support group, and 56 were volunteers from the student population at the University of Northern Iowa. The criterion for inclusion in the nonmarital group was having experienced the break up of a romantic relationship that had lasted at least one year (during one's adulthood). Subjects completed …

Factors Affecting The Development Of Unassigned Patents In Iowa, Diane Darlene Wheeler Schou

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Inventors granted patents from 1975 to 1990 in Iowa identified, via a questionnaire, where they perceived their invention on Bright's scale of eight stages of development. Stages were: idea, rationalization (has merit), experimentation, demonstration of prototypes, working model, commercial (market entry), commercial acceptance (sales), and commercial proliferation (other markets). The questions identified factors affecting development. The factors included: resources assisting development, events influencing start-up, sources of money for development, method of manufacturing, experiences with manufacturers, marketing techniques, sales, profit/loss, concerns, patent renewals, and age of patents. Open-ended questions allowed for additional comments.

Commercial acceptance or commercial proliferation was achieved by …

Teacher Classroom Strategies For Working With Attention Deficit Students, Susan Lee Schulz

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to gather data to describe (a) teacher ability to recognize the characteristics used to identify students with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), (b) teacher familiarity with intervention strategies effective for ADD students, and (c) teacher perceptions of their own knowledge and capability to work with ADD students. The subjects were 277 teachers from Keystone Area Education Agency that completed a 42 item self-report questionnaire. Results of the questionnaire were analyzed using frequency distributions by composite population, by school (four districts participated), setting (regular education or special education), and by sex (males and females). Data was …

The Teaching Of Higher Order Thinking Skills To Middle Level Students, Jo Ann Young

Graduate Research Papers

One of the major challenges that faces teachers is to unlock the intellectual potential of each and every student. In the world today, people more and more need to be able to think critically. The purpose of this paper is to analyze and synthesize current literature relative to the teaching of higher order thinking skills as a process to be taught to middle level children. Also included in this paper are the results of a study conducted to test how often teachers of a middle school use higher level thinking questions during their class discussions. The six teachers selected for …

The Portrayal Of Characters With Behavior Disorders In Fiction Books For Upper Elementary Children, Sue Pedersen

Graduate Research Papers

Our society perceives childhood as a time when children are happy and carefree, learning and growing. For many children, however, childhood is not carefree. In the national school population, 1.2 to 2.0 percent of the students are behavior disordered (Haring, 1987). "Behavior disorders" is used as a term rather than "emotional disabilities" because the State of Iowa has mandated the use of the former term.

This research focuses on the ways in which children's literature portrays the behavior-disordered child. Books with accurate descriptions of the behavior-disordered condition in children help adults and other children understand the disorders.

The Effect Of Cooperative Learning On Student Social Attitudes, Mary Hampton

Graduate Research Papers

The effects of cooperative learning on student social attitudes was investigated in two parts. The first part presented a literature review which focused on the effect cooperative learning has had on social acceptance among various ethnic groups in culturally diverse classrooms and on mainstreamed mentally handicapped students. The results showed that, in general, cooperative learning as an instructional strategy does have positive effects on the formation of cross-racial friendships, increases the acceptance of differences among ethnically diverse students, and promotes positive attitudes among normal-progress students and those who have been mainstreamed due to handicaps. The second part was an investigation …

Influences Of The Home Environment Upon Intellectual Giftedness In Young Children, M. Lynn Keller

Graduate Research Papers

Several factors contribute to the development of intelligence in an individual. Historically, theories concerning the source of human intelligence have ranged from the notion that heredity is the only determinant of intelligence to the concept that positive environmental influences play a major role in the development of the human mind (Clark, 1988; Feldhusen, 1989a; Grinder, 1990; Sternberg & Davidson, 1986).

Variability Of Practice: Effects Of Varying Distance On Basketball Shooting Performance, Carol Lynne Martens

Graduate Research Papers

The game of basketball is an intricate combination of numerous skills and strategies. One of the most consistent parts of the game is a free throw. The free throw is a closed, complex, discrete skill which is performed under stable conditions. The line is 15 feet from the basket, the player is stationary, there is little time constraint, and the shooting method can be selected by the player. Experts in the field have stressed repetition in their practice, leaving shooting style as an area for debate (Wooden, 1980).

Psychological Factors Related To The Rehabilitation Of Athletic Injuries: A Literature Review, University Of Northern Iowa

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of the study was to review the literature on the subject of psychological factors related to the rehabilitation of injured athletes. The study attempted to answer questions concerning athletes' perceptions of injuries, experiences with grief response to injury, self-blame, irrational thinking, and alienation. The issues of stress and levels of self-esteem were also discussed in the review.

Research into the literature revealed that athletes may experience many psychological problems and barriers during recovery from sports injuries. Grief was found to be a very natural and healthy aspect of injury rehabilitation. Feelings of guilt, fear, lowered self-esteem, and alienation …

An Approach To The Evaluation Of Elt Preparation Programs, Stephen J. Gaies

Faculty Publications

Discussion of the evaluation of training programs for teachers of English as a Second Language consists of: (1) characterization of general approaches; (2) review of reasons for interest in program evaluation; and (3) description of a University of Northern Iowa (UNI) evaluation project that uses a portfolio approach extending 3 years beyond program completion. At UNI; assessment of teacher trainees occurs at four points in the trainee's career: at declaration of undergraduate ESL major; at approximately the second semester of the junior year; during the last undergraduate semester; and 1-3 years after graduation. The principal method used is evaluation of …

Math Student Teachers: How Well Prepared Are They?, Richard G. Stahlhut

Faculty Publications

This study was conducted to find out how well mathematics majors at the University of Northern Iowa were prepared in the foundations of effective teaching practices and how well they performed during the student teaching experience. Data were gathered from mathematics student teachers (N=22) who were observed; interviewed; and asked to keep daily journals. Results suggest that mathematics teacher education students: (1) be required to create practical problems for pupils for every mathematics course in grades 7-12; (2) be required to take a course that deals with writing across the curriculum so they can better incorporate English into their classroom …

A Comparison Of Cognitive Abilities Test Scores Of Second Graders From Four Different Preschool Backgrounds, Judy A. Conner

Graduate Research Papers

This study focused around a research question involving middle and upper socioeconomic status children: Do public school second graders who previously attended Montessori preschools demonstrate higher cognitive abilities (as measured by the Cognitive Abilities Test) than second graders who attended traditional preschools or did not attend preschool? Although there was a wide variability of scores within each group, t-tests analyses revealed significant differences favoring preschool attenders when compared to those who did not attend preschool, and for Montessori preschoolers when compared to the other groups.

Fostering Spelling Ability, Beth Dykstra-Van Meeteren

Graduate Research Papers

Many teachers of primary-age children are seeking to implement the whole language concept into instructional programs by focusing on children's involvement in the language processes (comprehension and composition). Smith and Goodman (1971) explain that the whole language concept is based on the nature of language and how children learn language. As children engage in the language processes, language abilities emerge. Children generate their own hypotheses about the regularity underlying language, test them, and revise these hypotheses based on the feedback they receive.

Learning Disabilities: Educational Considerations, Juana F. Domínguez

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on learning disabilities so a more appropriate approach to the education of children with learning disabilities can be utilized in Ecuador. The term learning disabilities may be applied to any learner who fails to benefit from the curriculum in which he/she has been placed. Moreover, this paper presents many of the important facts for understanding children with leaning disabilities and dealing with these children in school. However, the information found in this paper represents just a portion of the knowledge base about learning disabilities.