Digital Commons Network^™

Perceived Effects Of Family Status Changes On Male Collegiate Outdoor Recreation Coordinators, Andrew K. Martin

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

A career as a collegiate outdoor recreation professional is both a challenging and rewarding occupation. It is a position that consists of inconsistent hours as well as extended periods away from home. This qualitative study identified how changes in family status affect an individual’s perception of the position as a collegiate outdoor recreation coordinator. More specifically, the perceived benefits or challenges that occur throughout the family status changes, and what effect, if any, these perceptions had on the individual’s work performance, job satisfaction and career longevity.

Using a phenomenological approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight individuals who were employed …

Sustainable Microfinancing: Improving Microenterprise's Traditional Measures Of Success, Stephen R. Watson

Graduate Research Papers

Microfinance has over three decades of experience serving the needs of the poor on earth. Unfortunately, academia and the secular world are divided on its effectiveness to lift the impoverished from the bottom of the economic pyramid. India is the focus of this paper, but measures of microfinace success are essentially universal. This paper examines the metrics used to evaluate programs and their benefit to India's poor. Current estimates find 2.8 billion people survive on less than $2 per day. Subsistence living impacts nutrition, shelter, sanitation, transportation and access to healthcare and education. India's caste system creates discrimination and overpopulation …

The 1930s: The Great Depression And Beyond ; An Annotated Bibliography, Tydra Corbin

Graduate Research Papers

The amount of material a social studies teacher is expected to cover in a year can be overwhelming. Yet, when a search for picture books to support a unit on the 1930s in America was conducted, no comprehensive list was found. Therefore, the purpose of this research project was to create an annotated bibliography of high quality picture books aligned to the National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies that would improve the teaching of a unit on the decade. After examining the picture books, gaps in the topics covered were identified, and vetted websites were selected to supplement coverage of …

Examining Variations In Technology Use For K-12 Students Of Different Gender And Socioeconomic Status, Nikki Lyons

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to review the literature currently published on how members of different genders and socioeconomic classes use technology to suit their needs in and out of the classroom learning environment. It will focus on the use of digital technologies by students in elementary, middle, and high schools. This was done by examining 30 research-based, peer-reviewed journal articles, books, published papers, documents, and observational analyses. The research indicates there are clear differences in how members of different subpopulations such as gender and socioeconomic groups choose to use technology to suit their communication, collaboration, instructional, and entertainment …

On The Prediction Of The Peak Demand Of Electrical Energy Use, Mahmoud Elbokl

Graduate Research Papers

Prediction of electricity peak demand is an integral part in any electrical utility. Many models were previously proposed for prediction, ranging from short-term, intermediate to long-term prediction. Prediction of electricity peak demand is crucial in avoiding unneeded expenses to upgrade the electrical power supply. It is a continuous process that is still in need of study and improvement. University of Northern Iowa is an educational institution with 10,380 undergraduate students, 66% of whom reside in university housing and 59% of the total electricity demand is purchased from Cedar Falls utilities. The university utilizes a model based on computerized live reading …

The Impact Of Student Organizations On The Development Of Core Competencies, Stanley Somtochukwu Ebede

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Higher education has a significant impact on the development of critical skills that improve students’ academic outcomes. However, academic institutions have not adequately focused more on the role of student organizations in supporting and improving student outcomes. The primary purpose of this study is to investigate students’ perception of the development of core competencies during their experiences at a comprehensive Midwestern university, specifically examining the differences of those involved in student organizations to those not involved.

The impact of student organizations on the development of core competencies was assessed using a survey that was designed around the core competencies outlined …

Pedagogical Reasoning Of Pre-Service Teachers: Juggling Priorities And Managing Resources, Jennifer Lynn Rasmussen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to examine the cognitive and motivational factors related to the development of self-regulated teaching. These factors were defined by Shulman (1986; 2006) as theoretical, practical and moral knowledge for pedagogical reasoning. This study occurred in a clinical, instructional setting specifically designed to provide pre-service teachers with the environmental factors necessary to support the development of self-regulated instructional decision making. These factors included specific modeling of teacher thinking, regular formative feedback, instructional autonomy and strategic reflection. An instructional sequence based on Schunk and Zimmerman’s (1998; 2007) Model of the Development of Self-Regulatory Skill was applied …

Suggestions For Transgender Inclusion In Classical Music: A Mini-Cycle, Xavia A. Publius

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This interdisciplinary text examines the lack of transgender inclusion in Western classical music, especially through the lens of opera. By looking at the dearth of transgender characters, singers, and composers, as well as the author’s personal experiences as a transgender singer in classical spaces, this project develops a strong position on ways that Western classical music should work to incorporate transgender voices, both literally and figuratively.

Some of these methods are modeled in this thesis, such as consultations with other transgender artists, transgeneric devising, and trans-centric composing. The author worked with local transgender singers to understand their views on opera, …

Non-Destructive Dna Extraction Methods That Yield Dna Barcodes In Spiders, Reva Ann Bork

Honors Program Theses

DNA barcodes are short sequences of nucleotides that differ from species to species (Hebert et al., 2003; Hebert & Gregory, 2005). DNA barcoding is very important in helping to reconstruct phylogenetic trees and to confirm the identity of threatened or endangered species in the wild. Additionally, it has become increasingly popular in the food industry to test the accuracy of the food being sold in fast food chains (Wong and Hanner, 2008). For scientific purposes, nondestructive DNA extraction techniques need to be explored because they allow for preservation of the voucher specimen, which is particularly important for rare or extinct …

Exploring The Meaning Of Cohabitation: A Relationship Dialectics Perspective, Lindsey J. Thomas, Kristina M. Scharp

Iowa Journal of Communication

This study employed relational dialectics theory to investigate what cohabitation means to cohabiters. Cohabitation is an ambiguous relationship state (e.g., perceived as "more than dating" but "less than marriage") associated with negative outcomes. Scholars have empirically investigated cohabitation; however, little research explores what cohabitation means using a qualitative approach. Exploring the meaning of cohabitation can illuminate perceptions that might coincide with negative outcomes. Framed by Relational Dialectics Theory, a contrapuntal analysis of cohabiters' online stories (n=27) revealed three counter-discourses: Narratives of Cohabitation as a Normal Relationship, Cohabitation as an Easy Relationship, and Cohabitation as a Worthwhile Struggle. Each counter-discourse resisted …

Does Religion Affect Economic Growth?, Parash Upreti

Honors Program Theses

A majority of the people in the world are affiliated with a religion. A study about world’s major religious groups found out that there are about 5.8 billion religiously affiliated people, which is about 85% of the world’s population (Pew Research Center 2012). It is important for people to understand how religion affects people’s daily lives, especially how religions affect spending and income. In this study, we are interested in finding whether or not religion has an impact on the economic growth of a country. Past studies have suggested that religion, in specific forms and activities, affects the people’s income …

Communicating To Change Communication: Alcoholics' Romantic Partners' Mutual-Aid Group Attendance In Relation To Communication With Their Alcoholic Partners, Venla Kuuluvainen, Pekka Isotalus

Iowa Journal of Communication

Although the strain that a romantic partner's alcoholism puts on a relationship is well documented, less is known about the ways in which individuals deal with a malfunctioning relationship of this kind. This qualitative study explores one way of coping with a partner's alcoholism: attending Al-Anon, a world-wide network of mutual-aid groups for alcoholics' friends and families. This paper will look at Al-Anon members' perceptions of their communication experiences at Al-Anon in relation to their communication with their alcoholic partners. The research material is composed of interviews with Finnish Al-Anon members (n=19), as well as their writings (n=128), which have …

Annual Report Of The Registrar 2014/2015, University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Contents:

--- Definitions
--- Some Comparisons
--- Summary of Attendance
--- Attendance by Session
--- Full-Time Equivalency Enrollment
--- Degrees Granted
--- Degree Summary
--- Program Certificates
--- Miscellaneous Enrollment Information
--- Degrees Granted by College, Degree and Racial/Ethnic Classification

Csbs Statements, V17, 2015, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Social And Behavioral Sciences.

CSBS Statements

Contents:

--- From the Desk of the Dean
--- Sabin Hall Renamed
--- A Game-Changing Gift for the Social & Behavioral Sciences
--- Podolefsky Conference Room Named
--- Where in the Worlid is CSBS?
--- Polar Opposites: CSBS is involved in places very different from ours-and each other
--- College of Social & Behavioral Sciences Loyal Roster
--- Dean's Fund Inner Circle
--- Faculty Retirements
--- Award-Winning Faculty
--- New Faculty
--- Iowa Photo Archive @ UNI
--- 2015 CSBS Distinguished Alumni Named
--- TEDxUNI
--- In Memoriam: John Baskerville
--- Student Highlights
--- Alumni Updates

Spaces Of Disadvantage, Places Of Hope : Women Empowerment, Economic Emancipation And Ngos In Bogotá Slums, Ekaterina Korzh

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This research is devoted to the gender issue in Colombian Slums with the specific focus on the social and economic place of women, challenges that women are facing within this extremely impoverished and criminalized areas and avenues to improve women empowerment and emancipation in the slums of Bogotá.

The goal of this research is to improve understanding of social and economic roles of women in the slums and identify NGO-supported coping strategies that allow improving women empowerment and emancipation in the slums of Bogotá. The first objective is to define “slums” and determine their extent, morphology and population characteristics using …

“God Will Deliver Us” : Human Rights Abuses From Guatemala To Iowa And Back, 1980-2014, Raeann Lillian Swanson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Guatemala’s long internal conflict, the lack of justice, the general poverty, and continued violence since the signing of the 1996 Peace Accords prompt many people to migrate to the United States in search of jobs and opportunities for their family. Since the 1980s, Guatemalans have settled in Postville, Iowa, a small town that is nationally recognized for the ethnically diverse populations that live and work there. In 2008, it was also the site of the largest Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) worksite raid to date and the following criminal trials were unprecedented. Because of the tragedy in Postville, sources that detail …

Caged Manhood : Office Culture And How Walter Camp's Daily Dozen Revitalized The Workforce, 1903-1940, Nick Sly

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This thesis is examines how culture became a means to deal with the problems of over-civilization in the early twentieth century. The realities of a salaried position and corporate work spaces had dramatically changed how the middle class felt about work. Looking at the writings of Walter Camp, the human relations movement, and the exercise culture of the period one can see how the office space was not simply a place of work but a new context for constructing masculinity and a sense of worth.

An American's Paris: Tourism And The American Consumer, 1947-1961, Margaret Nervig

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In 1947, a group of twenty-two Iowa farmers traveled to Europe for a month-long trip around the continent’s top destinations. Their primary mission, as outlined in Life Magazine, was to investigate European farming practices, particularly agricultural methods and food needs in the postwar period. The article included photos of the Iowans visiting French farms and speaking with farmers, but it also included a full-page photo of the group at a Parisian nightclub, complete with scantily clad women. Despite their agriculturally-based intentions, these Midwestern farmers could not resist a taste of Parisian culture.

This type of imagery is only one example …

Fall Commencement [Program], December 20, 2014, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Commencement Programs

The program of the commencement ceremonies, including a list of institutional leadership, a list of the departments by college, awards given at the ceremonies, and a list of undergraduate and graduate degree candidates.

Csbs Kudos, December 2014, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Social And Behavioral Sciences.

CSBS Kudos

Contents:

-- 2014 CSBS Fall Faculty Meeting
-- 4th Annual Scholarship Event Held
-- Anniversary Honored
-- LIfelong Learning
-- The Next Phase
-- "Big Cats Initiative"
-- Faculty & Staff Kudos
-- Special Guests
-- Student Kudos
-- Alumni Kudos
-- The Semester in Pictures

Making Dioramas Of Women Scientists Help Elementary Students Recognize Their Contributions, Jolene K. Teske, Phyllis Gray, Julie L. Klein, Audrey C. Rule

Curriculum & Instruction Faculty Publications

The STEM movement encourages girls to consider careers in science; however, for success, common misconceptions and biases need to be dispelled, while females’ spatial thinking skills are developed. All students, both girls and boys, need exposure to the accomplishments of women scientists to appreciate their contributions and to envision females as successful scientists. This one-week study conducted during a summer day camp examined upper elementary student (n = 15; 7 females, 8 males) attitudes toward science, women in science, and the possibility of a science career before and after participation in learning about diverse accomplished women scientists and making a …

The Update, December 2014, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Humanities, Arts And Sciences.

Update

Inside this issue:

-- Harlem Hellfighters: UNI Alumnus Publishes Award Winning Book
-- Department News
-- School of Music Events
-- Science Students Travel to Minneapolis: 50th Anniversary of the Nobel Conference
-- Faculty Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Awards
-- Graphic Design Students Create Work for the Community: Students Created Work for the Hearst Center for the Arts and Cedar Rock State Park
-- Alumni Spotlight: Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry: Dane Jacobson
-- Alumni Spotlight: Department of Physics: Jack Dostal
-- Alumni Spotlight: Department of Earth Science: Cara Wright
-- Student Spotlight: Department of Philosophy & World Religions: …

University Of Northern Iowa Graduate Council Minutes, November 13, 2014, University Of Northern Iowa. Graduate Council.

Documents - Graduate Council

Meeting minutes from the Graduate Council of the University of Northern Iowa.

University Of Northern Iowa Graduate Council Minutes, October 24, 2013, University Of Northern Iowa. Graduate Council.

Documents - Graduate Council

Meeting minutes from the Graduate Council of the University of Northern Iowa.

University Of Northern Iowa Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes, October 13, 2014, University Of Northern Iowa. Faculty Senate.

Documents - Faculty Senate

Meeting minutes from the Faculty Senate of the University of Northern Iowa.

Uni Women's & Gender Studies Presents: Crow Forum: Current Research On Women & Gender, 2014-2015 Schedule [Poster], University Of Northern Iowa. Women's And Gender Studies Program.

Women’s and Gender Studies Program Documents

No abstract provided.

Coe Acclaim, Fall 2014, Issue 9, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Education.

COE Acclaim

Inside This Issue:
--Shining Stars Girls and Young Male Leaders Help Area Youth
--Meskwaki Youth Spend Week at UNI
--Youth STEM Camp
--Cedar Valley to Host Leader in Me Symposium April 23-24
--UNI's Jacobson Center Earns Prestigious Philanthropy Award
--Technology Methods Lab Receives Makeover
--Estes Shares Message
--HPELS Grad Gives Back to Program
--Construction Begins on School Funded by COE Student Group
--International Dance Theatre Spreads German Culture
--Awards/Service
--Presentations
--Publications
--Grants/Contracts Completed
--College of Education Homecoming Brunch

Csbs Kudos, October 2014, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Social And Behavioral Sciences.

CSBS Kudos

Contents:

-- CSBS Welcomes New Faculty
-- Staffing changes
-- CSBS alumnus & benefactor passes away

Faculty Tenure Report, Fall 2014, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of Institutional Research.

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Statistical report showing the number of faculty that are tenured, on the tenure track, or not on the tenure track, broken down by college, department, gender, minority status, and if full or part time.

Student Disability Services Campus Newsletter, Fall 2014, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of Student Disability Services.

Student Disability Services Newsletter

Inside this issue:

-- Letter from the Coordinator...
-- Construction Update:
-- The Hot Seat! with SDS Staff
-- Celebrating Disability Awareness Month—October
-- We’re Now On Facebook!
-- About a Disability: Schizophrenia
-- Planning an Event on Campus?
-- FREE Apps for College Students
-- Academic Learning Center : Examination Services