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Analog Or Digital, A Comparison Of Two Clock Faces Used For Teaching Students To Tell Time, Scott William Van Houten

Graduate Research Papers

Several years in the classroom as a fifth grade math instructor has left this instructor with many questions and concerns. One of the most intriguing is: does tlra type of clock face used during instruction have any effect on a student's ability to understand the concept of time·and the ability to tell time? With modern technology, digital time devices are becoming more and more common in our society. Many students can successfully read these digital clocks, but still have a difficult time actually understanding the meaning of what they have read. Two completely and distinctly different mental tasks were involved. …

An Exploration Of The Home Schooling Alternative To Public Education, Brenda J. Anderson

Graduate Research Papers

Throughout history homeschoo11ng has been an alternative to the public education provided by the state. Recently states have been called upon to modify their requirements for alternative forms of education. Proponents of homeschooling are resistant to compulsory education and teacher certification laws imposed by some states. They also cite rights guaranteed by the Constitution as support for U-1e desire to educate their children at home. Critics, however, are concerned about a lack of socialization and the possibility of narrow-minded learning taking place with home educated students. School officials are burdened with the loss of financial support due to the decrease …

Implications For The Design Of A 2-Way Video Distance Learning Facility, Daniel C. Moore

Graduate Research Papers

The decade of the 80's has witnessed the virtual birth and proliferation of interactive distance learning systems. The rapid multiplication of these inqtructional delivery systems has not been preceded nor followed by appropriate research. Distance learning applications pose entirely new questions for the educational researcher. Among the many questions raised, are those which specifically address the layout of a distance learning terminal facility. In the effort to achieve maximum educational efficiency and effectiveness in a 2-way video system, this paper examines some specific questions regarding distance learning classroom design. Until more focused research is forthcoming, this study proposes to investigate …

Elements Of Effective Instruction: An Analysis Of Five Models, Susan Wulf Osvald

Graduate Research Papers

Concern about effective instruction is nothing new. Confucius (c. 550-478 B.C.) said: 3 . When a superior man knows the causes which make instruction successful, and those which make it of no effect, he can become a teacher of others. Thus in his teaching, he leads and does not drag; he strengthens and does not discourage; he opens the way but does not conduct to the end without the learner's own efforts. Leading and not dragging produces harmony. Strengthening and not discouraging makes attainment easy. Opening the way and not conducting to the end makes the learner thoughtful. He who …

Elder Abuse, Mary Frances Osborne

Graduate Research Papers

A distinct characteristic of this century has been the increase in population of individuals 60 years of age and older (Galbraith, 1986). Recent medical advances have enabled more people to live longer, healthier lives (Galbraith, 1986). Most affected by these advances have been individuals 75 years and older. The United States Bureau of Census (1973) reported that between 1960 and 1970 the number of persons in the 75 years and older category increased at nearly three times the rate of those in the 65-75 age group. Between 1970 and 1980, the 75 years and over population increased an additional 2.4 …

The Effects Of Clinical Experience At A Rehabilitation Unit On Student Nurses' Attitudes Toward The Disabled, Marianne Brooks Reynolds

Graduate Research Papers

We know that daily, children are being born with lifelong limitations and adults are experiencing catastrophic illness or trauma. These health-care problems touch the rich and the poor, the young and the old. No one is immune to these medical dilemmas. Though they may not be aware of it at the time, the infant born with a birth defect and the child or adult who is afflicted later in life will be limited not so much by the actual disability as by society I s attitude toward that disability. It is society that will define the disability as a handicap, …

The Effect Of Exercise On Late-Life Populations, Valerie G. Huffman Shaw

Graduate Research Papers

The extent to which aging can be a gradual and healthful process depends quite often on the type of exercises, both physical and mental, in which the late-life population engages. Major problems that the late-life population face are chronic degenerative diseases brought on quite often by unhealthy life-style. Traditional medical reactions to physical ailments in late-life seemed to depend largely on medications, bed rest, hospitalization, or institutionalization. Because of the inability of these treatments and processes to effectively combat and rehabilitate some conditions affecting this population, health restoring alternatives are being researched. Until now the range of treatments has been …

Learned Helplessness And Reading: A Review Of The Literature, Doug Murphy

Graduate Research Papers

Teachers have long seen apathy and disinterest in some of their students. Poor students with little apparent ability also seem to be the ones who try the least. Teachers have usually accepted this as the status quo and have put forth little effort to change lethargic students. Often, if efforts have been made to motivate the student, the efforts have been misguided, albeit, genuine. Very little has been generally understood about the passive students and how they think, are motivated, and perceive themselves. Such students are present in nearly every classroom, yet most commonly they are given less attention. It …

The Effect Of Teaching Method On Spatial Visualization, Diane Kimm Mitchell

Graduate Research Papers

In a world that is becoming increasingly complex, there can be no question about the importance of mathematics for entrance into, and success at, the vast majority of careers, both for men and for women. However, cries of "Back to the basics", and "Excellence in education", indicate a growing dissatisfaction with the level of mathematics achievement in the United States. Brown et al. (1988) reported on the seventh-grade and eleventh-grade results of the fourth mathematics assessment of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and indicated that performance of the students was not very good. Specifically, poor performance in the …

The Middle School: A Review Of Current Literature, Lindy K. Daters

Graduate Research Papers

Education in the United States has presented many patterns of school organization. Separate junior and senior high schools were suggested in the early 1900 1 s, but the grade levels and ages for distinguishing these divisions were unclear (Wiles & Bondi, 1981). The junior high was designed to bridge the gap between elementary and high school. It usually included grades 7-8-9. An alternative to the junior high school, the middle school, began to emerge in the late 1950 1 s. The middle school was designed to facilitate grades 6-7-8. Its development was primarily to relieve overcrowding and to provide an …

Adolescent Stress And Its Implications For Middle School Educators, Nancy L. George

Graduate Research Papers

The German expression "Sturm und Orang" has been used to denote the adolescent years. Literally translated, "Sturm und Orang" becomes "Storm and stress," suggesting the turbulent nature of the transition years between childhood and adulthood (Jensen, 1985; Grinder, 1973). Although there is some disagreement regarding the extent and causes of teenage discontent, it cannot be disputed that adolescence is a period of marked change, turbulent or otherwise.

Listening Games Versus Listening Worksheets In The Kindergarten Classroom, Alice A. Hager

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Teaching Strategies For Developing A Positive Self-Concept In Elementary School Children, Judith Hostetter

Graduate Research Papers

This is a fast paced, continuously changing, technological world. The daily papers are filled with crises and social problems. Will the children, who are being educated today, be prepared for the future? Will the skills and knowledge be outdated and of little or no use in the future? Are they being prepared to be happy, productive adults?

Improving Reading Comprehension Through Text Structure Instruction, Betty J. Santema

Graduate Research Papers

Educators in secondary schools have become increasingly concerned about the levels of reading comprehension of their students. This concern has stemmed in part from growing public awareness of the levels of illiteracy in the United States and the belief that future society will require an increasingly literate people. Educators at all levels who seek ways to help their students learn from the printed materials available in their curricula have been hindered in the past in two main areas (Devine, 1986).

Cognitive Ability And Mathematics Instruction As Factors In Mathematical Problem-Solving Achievement Of Fifth Graders, Harriet Sharp

Graduate Research Papers

Problem solving has been an area of educational concern for many years. Research completed as far back as 1926 and 1932 centered on comparing methods of solving problems or identifying types of errors students made when solving verbal problems. Research has focused on characteristics of the problems, characteristics of those who are successful or unsuccessful at solving problems, and teaching strategies that may improve students' abilities in problem solving.

The Teaching Of Elementary Social Studies: A Classroom Teacher's Perspective, Kristi A. Wernimont

Graduate Research Papers

Elementary teachers have long sought answers to ease the frustration of teaching elementary social studies. It is a subject with great potential for integration with other subject areas, yet is restricted by textbook and classroom management problems, with ambiguous local, state, and national goals. The result is that programs range from a few individually developed, enlightening models to the notion that social studies is an insignificant subject in the elementary curriculum and thus needs little attention. The problem and confusion still exist--how should the subject of social studies be taught in the elementary classroom? Is the current practice of one …

Underachievement: Some Possible Explanations And Potential Solutions, Clen A. Lincoln

Graduate Research Papers

Underachievement is a major threat to the excellence movement in American education. Underachievers are students who demonstrate good verbal skills in class discussions and may score well on standardized IQ tests, but do poorly on written assignments and teacher-made tests. They are identified as underachievers by splits of more than 20 points between verbal and nonverbal scores. Underachievement is due to a variety of factors: low self-esteem, poor expectations from teachers and parents, peer pressure, and learning disabilities. These factors prevent students from learning the skills they need to succeed in school. Skills that are important for them to learn …

Does Sentence Diagraming Help Seventh Grade Language Art Students Understand Sentence Structure?, Bradeen Y. Short

Graduate Research Papers

Sentence diagraming could be an appropriate strategy used in teaching and reinforcing the concept of sentence structure to seventh grade language arts students. The goal of using appropriate teaching-learning strategies has been important to educators for many years (Levin, 1986). In pursuing this goal, there needs to be "matching" between the strategy selected and the characteristics of the learner at a given developmental stage; the match must be appropriate if the learner is to receive benefit from the teaching technique (Levin, 1986). According to Levin's study, both the specific skills and the competencies of the learner should be the central …

The Effects Of Motor Activity Programs On The Self-Concept And Movement Confidence Of Schoolage Students, Linda K. Squires

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose 0£ this paper is to review the relevant literature on the effects of motor activity programs on the development of the self-concept. The literature suggests that the pre-school and schoolage years are a critical period for the development of a positive self-concept. How a child feels about him or herself physically, is also a critical factor in the development of a positive self-concept. Research has demonstrated that the self-concept of individuals can be significantly effected through participation in motor activity programs which provide success experiences for the participants. The motor activity programs can be implemented, through modified skill …

Resource/Team Teacher: Service Delivery Option Designed To Help More Effectively Meet The Needs Of Mildly Handicapped Students In The Least Restrictive Environment, Carol M. Straka

Graduate Research Papers

The initiative and premise of this paper stems from an interpretation of the least restrictive environment aspect of PL 94-142, that an increase in appropriate effort should be made to meet the academic and affective needs of mildly handicapped students within the regular classroom. A review of literature foundational to this interpretation is presented, as well as some of the cautions regarding this movement. The option illustrated by the project described herein is that of a resource teacher team teaching with a regular classroom teacher within the regular classroom. Indications are that student academic and affective achievement improved under these …

Stressors Identified By Rn/Bsn Adult Learners Returning To College To Obtain A Baccalaureate Degree In Nursing, Dorothy Nahnsen

Graduate Research Papers

The current controversy over the type of formal education needed by registered nurses has resulted in an influx of associate-degree and diploma-prepared nurses into baccalaureate nursing programs. This study presented the results of a survey used to identify stressors that RN/BSN adult learners encountered when returning to school to earn a baccalaureate degree. The respondents included 60 registered nurses from both associate degree and diploma programs who had either graduated or were currently enrolled in a BSN completion program at a small private mid-western college. The results of the survey substantiated the presence of stressors during the educational experience but …

The Role Of The Elementary School Counselor In Dealing With Children Of Divorced Parents, Julie Ann Riggert

Graduate Research Papers

Divorce continues to rip at the ties that bind the traditional American family. The idealized "Norman Rockwell" portrait of the forever-married couple in which the father is assigned the full economic responsibilities and the mother as the homemaker, has rapidly diminished. In fact, the families that now conform to this description are in the minority. Recently, it was noted that divorce statistics have risen 127% since 1962 (Bundy & Gumaer, 1979; Kelly & Wallerstein, 1976; Hetherington, 1979). It is indicated that one million children experience the divorce of their parents annually (Luepritz, 1979). Despite the growing number of students entering …

Meeting The Needs Of The Foreign Matesl Student, Cheryl A. Roberts, Carolyn L. Shields

Faculty Publications

In response to the increasing proportion of foreign graduate students in master's programs for teachers of English as a second language (MATESL); students in the University of Northern Iowa's program were surveyed concerning the appropriateness of the programs' design. In in-depth interviews and on questionnaires; foreign graduate students were asked which courses are most applicable to their home teaching situation; what courses should be added; whether the program fulfills original expectations; how the differences in the educational system make the program easier or more difficult; and what changes might make the program more relevant to student needs. Overall; little need …

The Maturation Of Public Relations Degree Programs--Ten Years In Retrospect: Struggles; Experiences And Analyses Of A Communication-Based Pr Program., Jon Hall, Pamela Edwards

Faculty Publications

This paper reviews the historical experience of a new public relations program housed in a speech communication department (rather than in a journalism department; which is traditional); discusses some of the internal and external struggles experienced in the implementation and administration of the program; and reports on the placement of its graduates. The program; at the University of Northern Iowa's (UNI) department of Communication and Theatre Arts; was implemented in 1978 after five years of planning. The program received support from the administration but faced problems because of its phenomenal growth. The paper describes this support and a number of …

Administrator's Role In Helping School Personnel Handle Problems Of Children Associated With Divorce, Kathy Lynn Konigsmark

Graduate Research Papers

School administrators make effective decisions that can have important consequences. Many of these decisions involve children of divorce, who make up approximately twenty percent of the school enrollment (Drake, 1981 ). Traditionally, school administrators have responded to the growing number of personal, social, and behavioral problems in schools. According to Delaney, Richards, and Strathe ( 1984) by the year 1990, one-third of all students in our schools will be children of divorced parents. As more support services are needed. there is pressure to provide counseling to meet the needs of school children. The school is the place that can focus …

Use Of A Dr. Madeline Hunter Based Evaluation Instrument To Assess And Improve A Teacher's Ability To Motivate Students, Gordon L. Nordgren

Graduate Research Papers

A simplified application of motivation and learning theory was developed by Dr. Madeline Hunter at the experimental school at U.C.L.A. in the 1970's. She converted theory into practice by demonstrating ways to manipulate classroom variables to improve student performance. Within this structure, teachers learn to create appropriate levels of concern or tension within the learner, set a feeling tone or climate in the classroom, create interest through lesson design, provide opportunities for success, give immediate feedback or knowledge of results, and relate activities to rewards in order to motivate students. Hunter draws upon the work of a wide variety of …

An Investigation Of The Influence Of Early School Intervention On Later School Experiences, Terri Lynn Muehlenthaler-Holmes

Graduate Research Papers

Early childhood education has been poorly understood by the general public for many years. Parents expect their children to be successful in formal schooling as a result of enrollment in preschool programs, but early childhood education has not been able to guarantee this success. Prior to the advent of early education programs in the 1870's, children between birth and six were seen as miniature adults.

Attitudinal Changes In Teachers Regarding Hearing-Impaired Students In The Regular Classroom, Diana Schuler

Graduate Research Papers

Educational programs have changed immensely since the passage of Public Law 94-142. It was passed in 1975 and is referred to as The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Johnson & Cartwright, 1979). This law requires that all handicapped children be educated to the maximum extent appropriate in the least restrictive environment. Handicapped students shall go to special classes or separate schools only when the nature or severity of the handicap is such that education in the regular class, with the use of supplementary aids and services, cannot be achieved satisfactorily (Paramount Communications, 1978).

The Portrayal Of The European Immigrant In The Historical Fiction For Children And Young Adults, Gayle T. Wood

Graduate Research Papers

This research study used a content analysis technique to assess the portrayal of the European who emigrated to the United States from Europe between the years of 1832 and 1932. Portrayals were found in 15 works of historical fiction written for children or young adults and published after 1950 in the United States.

Descriptive occurrences in each book were examined for the realistic portrayal of the immigrant experience in six general areas: (1) the Americanization process, (2) the educational experience of the immigrant, (3) employment opportunities, (4) family relations, (5) conditions encountered during the emigration process, and (6) reasons for …

Cooperative Learning: An Alternative Instructional System, Colleen V. Goodenbour

Graduate Research Papers

During the last two decades, educators have searched for more productive and efficient ways to organize classrooms. Learning can be implemented under three possible structures: competitive, cooperative, and individualistic (Johnson & Johnson, 1974). Traditionally, American schools have relied heavily on competition as a goal structure. Students routinely are placed in settings wherein they compete for grades, teacher attention, approval, and a place in the social order of the classroom. Yet, the major problems facing our society today call for cooperation, understanding, problem solving, and altruism