Digital Commons Network^™

An Expression Profile Of Cadherin-11 In Developing Chicken Embryos, Kacie Flaherty

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The properties of cadherin-11 adhesiveness allow it to play a dynamic role in development. Known primarily as a mesenchymal cadherin, cadherin-11 expression may be correlated with morphogenetic events in developing embryos. Although cadherin-11 expression has been studied in the mouse and Xenopus, its expression pattern in the important avian model has not been described. We investigated cadherin-11 's expression profile using a monoclonal antibody in fluorescence immunolocalization, assisted by microwave antigen retrieval; in Hamburger-Hamilton stages 13-22 chicken embryos (approx. 46-96 hrs). Cadherin-11 was expressed in mesenchymal tissue surrounding the eye, pharynx and aortic arches, auditory vesicles, lung buds and stomach, …

Adam Smith And Consumerism's Role In Happiness: Modern Society Reexamined, Michael Busch

Honors Program Theses

In modern America, consumerism has encouraged people to seek happiness through constantly expansion of their material standard of living. Consumerism has led to a growth of status consumption and .want-creation, both of which increase consumption without contributing to happiness. Adam Smith observed that lasting happiness is found in tranquility as opposed to consumption. In their quest for more consumption, people have forgotten about the three virtues Smith observed that best provide for a tranquil lifestyle and overall social well-being. Applying the virtues to modern society may decrease overall consumption but will lead to a more satisfied life.

Respiratory Kinematics Of Adult Males During Graded Listening Tasks, Laura Lerette Gingrich

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Covert speech movements have been observed to increase with linguistic complexity during listening tasks. This study investigated the presence of covert respiratory movements during listening tasks of increasing complexity to answer the following research questions: 1. Do normal adult male listeners aged fifty and above without central nervous system injury change from rest breathing patterns to speech breathing patterns while listening to passages of increasing complexity; 2. Is there a greater shift towards speech breathing while listening to passages of greater complexity? Chest wall kinematics often male participants were obtained and analyzed for significant changes from rest breathing during four …

Evaluating Earth Science Misconceptions In One School Districts: A Case Study, Katherine Marie Schafer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This research was a case study in common Earth science misconceptions revealed among students in one rural Iowa school district known as "Ruraltown." Students in grades 5, 8 and 10 participated in this study. Evaluation of misconceptions was done through the administration of the Misconceptions-Oriented Standards-Based Assessment Resources For Teachers (MOSART). MOSART is designed to test for students' understanding of content contained within the K-12 Earth science National Science Education Standards and also to reveal misunderstandings held by students. Three questions guided this research study. One, how do students in this school district compare with students who participated in the …

Mother-Daughter Communication And Media Influence On Self-Esteem And Body Image, Tori Austin

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Societal norms based on media venues influence the perception young females have of themselves; however, some literature indicates the mother daughter relationship can help minimize the possible negative effects. Young women are more susceptible to desire distorted media images of glamorous and thin women. As they make social comparisons with mediated images of womanhood, they may become disappointed in their own body image and possess lower self-esteem. The previous research has gaps when discussing mother daughter relationships, media's influence, and the impact on adolescent girls' self-esteem and body image. To determine predictors to young women's self-esteem and body image, 119 …

Thriving, Coping, Surviving, Hoping: Negotiating The First Year Of Teaching, Debrah Jean Fordice

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In this qualitative study, I examined how four teachers negotiated their first year of teaching. All four teachers graduated from the same teacher preparation program, and secured general elementary positions in the same school district where they conducted some or all of their clinical coursework. I explored the factors that shaped the practice of these first-year teachers.

Annie, a 23-year-old, single, female marathon runner, with a vision to work with children in an inner-city setting, secured a position as a first grade teacher at a school where 85% of the children lived in poverty. Rachel, 24 years old, newly-married, and …

Women Chief Information Officers In Higher Education: Voices From The Field, Marilyn J. Ziesman Drury

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The lived experiences of women higher education Chief Information Officers (CIOs) were investigated and documented in this qualitative study. Three women higher education CIOs provided their perspectives on the opportunities and obstacles encountered as they pursued and achieved their current positions. These women's stories were gathered under a conceptual framework focusing on the intersection of applicable elements from gendered organizational theory, feminist standpoint theory, and occupational jurisdiction. Methods of overcoming obstacles and facilitating opportunities were discussed in relation to their lived lives and experiences. Examining institutional gendered norms accentuated the thoughts, values, practices, and processes that lead to muted women's …

Allergies In University Of Northern Iowa College Students, Lisa Krausman

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Allergies diseases, comprising of asthma and allergies, in some direct or indirect way affect most American families as more than 40 to 60 million or one in four Americans suffer from allergic diseases. Allergic diseases are a widespread problem that has a great monetary cost to society and a negative impact on the quality of life for those afflicted. This research was based on an analytical cross-sectional study design with a convenience sample of young adults in a college population. The paper based survey consisted of 55 questions asking various questions throughout various periods of life including the topics of …

A Study Of The Level Of Interest Among Adolescents In Physical Education, Brooke N. Davitt

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

There has been an incredible amount attention given to the issue of childhood obesity in America today because the prevalence and incidence rates have grown at alarming rates. When addressing this problem, there are multiple things to consider, (a) diet, (b) exercise, (c) support systems, (d) healthy behavior modification, and ( e) interest toward physical activity. This last item mentioned is of significance for the current study. In this study, adolescent children, ages 11 to 18, were asked to evaluate their interest in physical activity, specifically badminton, volleyball, and HALS Pals, during their physical education class. These children were also …

Comparing The Effects Of Sung Versus Spoken Lyrics On Speech And Language Acquisition In Late-Talking Toddlers, Chelsea Ki Sook Clock Bell

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to explore the use of two intervention approaches with children who are delayed in their development of expressive language (i.e. "late talkers"). Identification and intervention for late talkers is often controversial. This study examined whether music therapy has an equal or greater effect on speech and language acquisition in two toddlers with late-developing speech and expressive language when compared to a literacy-based intervention involving storybook reading. The use of storybook reading in speech and language therapy has been examined and found successful when used with children with communication disorders. However additional research is needed …

The Reflective Science Educator, Caroline Anne Scheidel

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Reflection is synonymous with quality teaching. Though teachers reflect, the domains of reflections vary from teachers in different curriculum areas. Teachers of science have their own interesting characteristics to reflection. The art of reflection contains several unique aspects such as the logistics of reflections, the influence of the reflection, the content, and the perception one has on reflection. These aspects are described through the eyes of a science teacher to better understand their relationship to reflection. Though the research within reflections of teachers is plentiful, there is little on science teacher's reflections. The focus of this study is to determine …

The Role Of Writing: Increasing Higher Level Thinking For All Students, Caroline Elser

Graduate Research Papers

Teachers can use writing in three important ways to increase higher level thinking skills for all students. First, they must increase writing proficiency for struggling writers; second, writing can increase higher-level thinking, and third, writing can be used across content areas to increase writing fluency while fostering higher-level thinking.

Low Power Energy Harvesting And Storage Techniques From Ambient Human Powered Energy Sources, Faruk Yildiz

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Conventional electrochemical batteries power most of the portable and wireless electronic devices that are operated by electric power. In the past few years, electrochemical batteries and energy storage devices have improved significantly. However, this progress has not been able to keep up with the development of microprocessors, memory storage, and sensors of electronic applications. Battery weight, lifespan and reliability often limit the abilities and the range of such applications of battery powered devices. These conventional devices were designed to be powered with batteries as required, but did not allow scavenging of ambient energy as a power source. In contrast, development …

Give ‘Em Hill: The Fighter Persona In Hillary Clinton’S 2008 Presidential Campaign, Rebecca Diane Buel

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Hillary Clinton announced her intentions to form a presidential exploratory committee on January 20, 2007. The campaign that followed this announcement was complicated by the many existing images created by Hillary Clinton's many years in the public eye. Throughout these many years, Hillary Clinton struggled to establish voter identification, and was frequently the subject of public criticism, rendering many existing images negative. Furthermore, she served in a variety of roles: governor's wife, first lady, senator, and most recently presidential candidate. Because of the conflicting data resulting from Hillary Clinton's negative publicity and her many roles, her presidential campaign faced a …

Now Have We Gotten It Right?: Exploring The Special Education Referral Process, Janine Sue Wahl

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This qualitative inquiry explored the special education referral process as understood and implemented by two first grade teachers in a rural school. Both were interviewed and their classes observed; team meetings about their referrals were attended and recorded. The results of these observations were examined through the beliefs and assumptions about teaching and learning by the two teachers.

Each teacher referred two students into the process during this study, but none of the four students was found eligible for special education services during first grade. Through a cross-case analysis of the teachers and these students, distinct differences and commonalities were …

Using Web 2.0 Technology To Support Collaborative Learning In Distance Education, Sarah E. Ling

Graduate Research Papers

Distance education continues to grow in popularity with higher education institutions across the country. A shift in pedagogy towards collaborative learning activities within the online learning environments is designed to bring students together as a group. This review of research investigates how Web 2.0 technology has proven to be useful in these collaborative activities. Various issues and obstacles are addressed which may arise in the use of this social software for collaborative learning within a distance education setting. The introduction of Web 2.0 software to distance education may hold the key to creating powerful collaborative learning experience for students who …

Music And The Brain, Kimberly D. Madison

Graduate Research Papers

A great deal of literature focuses on the subject of music and the brain and how music can affect learning. Music stimulates brain patterns, and therefore should be considered essential in an academic setting. This review was written to provide an analysis of the published literature and studies in the area of music and cognitive development, to examine how the brain is wired for music, and to determine whether music is an effective tool in enhancing environmental and cognitive learning conditions in classrooms.

Motivating Middle Level Students : Strategies To Help Reach And Teach Middle Level Students, Lisa L. Munsey

Graduate Research Papers

This review of literature focused on the strategies educators use for motivating the young adolescent in the middle level classroom.

Anderman and Maehr (1994) found motivation could be improved through a variety of methods by focusing on specific areas: developmental changes, intrinsic versus extrinsic, middle level transformation and classroom practice. Along these same lines, Curwin (2006) found motivation can be enhanced with practices in the middle level classroom through four main areas: (1) welcoming students to school and class, (2) stressing the effort students put forth, (3) increasing homework completion, and (4) turbo charging classroom lessons.

This paper focused on …

Corpulent Counter-Publics: Radical Cheerleading And Resignification Of The Fat Body, Emily Dianne Cram

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This thesis investigates the power of language, discourse, and symbols in the dominant construction of corpulence, and how it simultaneously constricts subjectivity and offers avenues of resistance and revolt. I focus my analysis on the public protest actions of San Francisco's radical cheerleading troupe The Bod Squad. I argue that The Bod Squad's protest constitutes a counter-public sphere in its rhetorical functions of positive self-representation and public confrontation. Through their protest actions, The Bod Squad stretches dominant ideologies of corpulence to create discursive space for alternative articulations of identities, interests, and needs. This thesis challenges traditional counter-public sphere theory and …

Standardized Testing And Alternative Assessment As A Means Of Measuring The Science Student, Johnpaul L. Collins

Graduate Research Papers

Should standardized tests be used as a means to effectively measure the work that is being done in today's science classroom. Accountability is a major issue in the subject of standardized testing, and constitutes the importance of this study. A review of literature has indicated that standardized testing has not necessarily improved education; and that alternative assessments are a more accurate measure of a student's knowledge. However cost, distribution, speed /accuracy of correction and distribution of data are on the side of the standardized format. There is a move by some states to alter the format of standardized tests, so …

Insects: A Sixth Grade Curriculum Unit, Katherine Schultz

Graduate Research Papers

This unit is designed to teach sixth grade students the importance of insects to our world. Insects appear everywhere on Earth in an amazing number and with great diversity. There are over a million species (York, 2002) identified and more are being discovered. Insects have adapted and multiplied to the point where they represent over eighty percent of the animal species that are found on Earth (Walters& Johnson, 1999)

National Board Of Professional Standards Portfolio Option, Rochelle Rene Wilkins

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Going Beyond Cookbook Labs : Computer-Based Laboratory Tools In The High School Physics Classroom, Jennifer A. Strohbehn

Graduate Research Papers

Physics education is currently undergoing a face lift. The lecture should no longer be the primary mode of instruction because students are not actively participating. For effective learning to occur, the students need to be engaged, not passive listeners (Knight, 2005). Student-centered classrooms are becoming more common, but there is still work to be done. For a student-centered classroom to be effective, the students must construct their own understanding with the teacher acting as a 'guide. Physics instructors are responsible .for .making the classroom a user friendly environment for students to explore the basic concepts of physics and to develop …

Home-School Collaboration : Strategies For Improvement, Kelly O'Bryan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Home-school collaboration, the manner in which overt partnerships among schools, families, and the community are established, has been shown to be beneficial to all parties involved. Although the benefits of collaboration are known, empirical strategies to accomplish these benefits remain lacking in the literature. The current study examines the specific types of school practices occurring at the secondary level, as gathered through the 2003 Parent and Family Involvement in Education Survey, and whether those practices predict involvement. Although parent education, parental work - . hours, personal notes from school, and memos from school were significant predictors of parent attendance at …

Physical Activity Among Women 50 Years And Older, Nikke Carrion

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

The Comparison Of The National Park Service Between Korea And The Us, Beom Park

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this research was to demonstrate to the comparison of the National Park Service between Korea and the US. I hope that this research is helpful to those who wish to understand the difference between the two countries and their land and natural resources. Also, I would like to share how to preserve natural and cultural resources between the two countries.

The research analyzed the properties, mission, strategy & goal, history, the number of visitors in National Park, budget, employees, the largest/smallest National Park, wildlife (biology), organization, special policy for nature restoration, and restoration project about National Park …

Analysis Of Leaf Development In Ampelopsis Cordata And Ampelopsis Arborea (Vitaceae), Benjamin Grant Doughan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The genus Ampelopsis is a member of the Vitaceae. Ampelopsis cordata Michx. and Ampelopsis arborea (L.) Koehne are the only two North American species of Ampelopsis. A recent molecular phylogenetic hypothesis placed them into two different clades (Soejima and Wen, 2006). This is correlated with mature leaf morphology, i.e. A. cordata has simple leaves, and A. arborea has compound leaves. My objective was to compare the two species leaf development from initiation to mature form to determine how and at what point their developmental trajectory differentiates and to establish a method to sufficiently track leaf development. Bpi-illumination light microscopy was …

Cell Cycle Analysis Of Atrazine-Treated Human Cells, Daniel Pelzer

Honors Program Theses

Atrazine is the second most-commonly applied herbicide in the United States. Studies have correlated herbicide exposure with a variety of health risks in non-target organisms, including humans and amphibians. Previous work from our laboratory has shown that low-level atrazine exposure inhibits cell growth and may delay progression through the cell cycle.

The purpose of the current study is to determine the effect of environmentally-relevant levels of atrazine on the expression of cyclin D 1, a protein that regulates the G 1 phase of the cell cycle. HepG2 human liver cells were exposed to increasing levels of atrazine (0, 50, 100, …

Debian Clusters For Education And Research: The Missing Manual, Kristina Wanous

Honors Program Theses

Debian Clusters for Education and Research: The Missing Manual [4], or just "Debian Clusters" for short, meets the needs of this growing group of people. The Debian Clusters project is an online resource for anyone wishing to set up a cluster, particularly for those using Debian as the operating system. It features detailed step-by-step tutorials for every part of cluster setup and administration. In order to be accessible to people new to clusters, the walkthroughs assume no previous knowledge of clustering or networking and explain the principles and vocabulary behind the steps, yet are complex and detailed enough to be …

Research Mentors' Perspectives On Scientist-Teacher Partnerships, Andrea Van Waardhuizen

Honors Program Theses

Research A venues for Iowa's Science Educators [ RAISE] is a six week summer research program at the University of Northern Iowa for middle and high school science teachers. The teachers conduct scientific research under the supervision of a faculty mentor who regularly conducts his/her own research. In the past, only outcomes for the teacher fellows were evaluated. This study begins to examine the outcomes for faculty mentors.