Digital Commons Network^™

Tree Species Identification In An Urban Environment Using A Data Fusion Approach, Matthew A. Voss

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This thesis explores a data fusion approach combining hyperspectral, LiDAR, and multispectral data to classify tree species in an urban environment. The study area is the campus of the University of Northern Iowa.

In order to use the data fusion approach, a wide variety of data was incorporated into the classification. These data include: a four-band Quickbird image from April 2003 with 0.6m spatial resolution, a 24-band AISA hyperspectral image from July 2004 with 2m spatial resolution, a 63-band AISA Eagle hyperspectral image from October 2006 with lm spatial resolution, a high resolution, multiple return LiDAR data set from April …

Effects Of Identity On Public-Organization Relationships: A Case Study Of Student-University Relations, Nadezhda Olegovna Bocharova

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The study tested the applicability of identification theory for diagnosing relationship quality between organizations and their publics in PR. A survey was posted on-line in a mid-Western university; 377 students of all classifications filled out the questionnaire. Factor analysis produced one-dimensional identification scale and three-dimensional relationship scale: reciprocity, commitment, and exchange. There were significant positive correlations between identity, reciprocity, and commitment, whereas exchange part of relationship negatively related to the above dimensions. Discussion of student publics was developed along with analysis of factors related to university life. Analysis of variance revealed that identity, reciprocity, and commitment decline with tenure in …

Approaches To Studying And Study Tactics Of Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Lisa D. Brodersen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This research was designed to describe study approaches and study tactics used by baccalaureate nursing students. Previous inquiry indicates that students will take a Deep, Strategic, or Surface approach to studying and will use specific study tactics to meet the demands of their learning contexts.

The Approaches to Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) was administered to 174 students in Anatomy and Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Nursing Care of the Adult Client. Failing students were less likely to participate. The ASSIST bad acceptable internal consistency reliability and construct validity. A majority (55%) of students took a Strategic approach to studying; smaller …

Motivation For Leisure Reading : A Model Camp Adventure Curriculum, Nicole Beth Geopfert

Graduate Research Papers

Much research has consistently revealed that the percentage of young children choosing to engage in leisure reading is declining. Instead, potential young readers are consumed many other forms of leisure activity such as video games, Internet, computer games, movies, and more. To become lifelong learners, children ought to be motivated to read. The questions explored in this paper are: what are the obstacles to developing avid independent readers and how can we help young children become engaged, recreational readers? This paper presents a review of the literature on reading motivation, reading attitude, and the gender gap in reading.

The information …

Building Relationships To Support Self-Regulation, Sherice Hetrick-Ortman

Graduate Research Papers

Discouraged students come to school unable to learn. Emotional and social factors affect their intrapersonal and interpersonal awareness and place them at high risk for school failure. This paper discusses the application of strategies influenced by; sociomoral atmosphere, trust development, self regulation, emotional intelligence, attachment theory, and cultural awareness.

The research addresses the question: Will emotionally discouraged children be able to regulate their emotions through positive relationship building with the classroom teacher? The results contribute to our knowledge of how to support children's ability to regulate themselves in the absence of external devices.

Tree Identification And Age Project, Mark Jensen

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of the Tree Identification and Age Project is to use authentic learning activities to extend the current curriculum to include learning that takes place at high levels of cognition. The methods employed integrate higher-order thinking into learning through a hands-on, problem-based approach to authentic scientific investigation. Using a problem-based approach, the learners apply knowledge and skills to solve real problems. The process involves focusing on the problem, identifying relative information, categorizing, critically analyzing, synthesizing that information and effectively communicating the results.

The Impact Of Grouping For Reading Instruction On Student Attitude And Self-Concept, Michelle Renee Keegan

Graduate Research Papers

Researchers have found a parallel between types of grouping and attitudes of students regarding reading. The majority of students placed in the "lower" reading group in their classrooms have had negative perceptions and overall attitudes about reading. Research has indicated that the curriculum taught in these lower reading groups has differed from those in medium and higher groups due to different skills and practice that teachers have felt were required for students to succeed. Teachers' overall expectations have been found to be lower for those in lower academic groups in school. Students who have had motivation, self-efficacy, self worth, competence, …

The Environmental Implications Of Aggradation In Major Braided Rivers At Mount Rainier National Park, Washington, Scott Robert Beason

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study is to quantify the historic rate of river bed filling, and to the extent possible, evaluate the factors that control sedimentation in river channels at Mount Rainier National Park. Mount Rainier is the tallest and the most glaciated of the Cascade volcanoes, located in southwestern Washington State. Steep, glacially-fed braided rivers radiate outward from the volcano in all directions and transport materials varying from fine sediment to cobbles and large boulders. As the gradient in the channels decreases downstream, sediment is no longer entrained and accumulates in the river bed. Over time, the river bed …

Quantifying Granivory In A Reconstructed Prairie: Affects Of Season, Species, Seed Predators, Sacrificial Food, And The Chemical Deterrent Capsaicin, Craig M. Hemsath

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Floral diversity of reconstructed prairies is often low compared to remnant prairies. Studies have demonstrated it is feasible to increase forb diversity in these prairies through overseeding and mowing, but overall rates of seedling establishment range from 0.1% to 1% of sown pure live seed. One explanation may be the ubiquitous populations of granivorous animals eating much of the seed . In this thesis I measured the amount of granivory occurring in a reconstructed prairie. I also tested how season, seed species, seed predator, sacrificial food, and chemical deterrents affect granivory in the reconstructed prairie. I hypothesized that granivores remove …

Nbpts Portfolio Option, Cindy L. Borske

Graduate Research Papers

My lesson that I have taught provides evidence of active scientific inquiry. Students are observing phenomena; formulating working hypotheses; gathering, recording and analyzing data; and expressing the significance of their findings. My learning goals for this lesson are for students to:

1. develop an understanding of the interdependence of organisms and population growth, and

2. demonstrate the ability to solve complex problems to enhance students' analytical and problem solving skills.

Nbpts Portfolio Option: Young Adolescence Science, Mary Margaretta Beck

Graduate Research Papers

I completed and submitted all the entries required for the Young Adolescence Science NBPTS portfolio. Entry one involves designing science instruction. In this entry, I followed one theme, matter, through several activities. Entry two was probing student understanding. I completed this entry using a cookie mining activity to understand the effects of mining. Entry three was inquiry through investigation. My students investigated making observations using black boxes. Entry four consists of my personal documented accomplishments and how they relate to student learning. These accomplishments include learning center, special projects, and co-teaching.

Incorporating Readings Outside Of The Textbook Into A High School Science Curriculum, Melissa Hesner

Graduate Research Papers

The use of trade books, such as nonfiction and storybooks, is often used in elementary classrooms as instructional tools for learning content. For many reasons. this strategy is neglected at the secondary level where textbooks remain the dominant, if only reading resource for students. The need to incorporate into instruction meaningful reading experiences beyond the textbook is important for developing students' scientific literacy and reading skills. This project explains the introduction of reading resources outside of the textbook, perceived results of the implementation, and selections for future reading in a high school physical science curriculum.

National Board Of Teaching Standards Portfolio Option, Nathan Oswald

Graduate Research Papers

Next March, I am planning to send in a completed portfolio to demonstrate that I am a Nationally Board Certified teacher. So far, I have completed three of the four entries that are required to become certified. This process has been challenging and taken a considerable amount of time, but it has given me the opportunity to reflect on my teaching practice. And therefore it has helped to make me a better teacher, whom is looked up to by students and colleagues.

Discovering Dna, Melisa Reilly

Graduate Research Papers

Three years ago I was approached by a member of the Upward Bound Staff informing me that they needed a Biology teacher for there summer program. At that time I was a substitute teacher and needed a pay check for the summer. Since I had wonderful prior experience tutoring and mentoring for the program I applied and got the job. The problem I faced was that there was no set curriculum. Although it allows for a lot of freedom, it was overwhelming to me as a new teacher.

National Board Of Professional Teaching Standards (Nbpts) Portfolio Option, Dawn Marie Posekany

Graduate Research Papers

Our school is a small community that lies between two major cities in a Midwest state. Many of the parents of our students work in the science, math, technology, health, or medical fields in these larger cities. Our location often results in students "open enrolling" into our district. One of the challenges for our school is cultural diversity. Our population includes only three non-Caucasian students. My colleagues and I must work hard at extending our classrooms outside the walls to explore diversity. Of our 375 students in the high school, sixteen receive free or reduced cost lunch.

What Happens When Veteran And Beginner Teachers' Life Histories Intersect With High-Stakes Testing And What Does It Mean For Learners And Teaching Practice: The Making Of A Culture Of Fear, Shelly L. Counsell

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This qualitative study explored the phenomenon of what happened as Florida's high-stakes accountability system intersected with a beginning and veteran teachers' life histories and different stocks of lifeworldly knowledge at demographically different lifeworld communities. Habermas' (1987) theory of communicative action was used as the theoretical framework to explore what the teachers' responses meant for learners and teaching practice. The research purpose of this study (emphasizing an interpretive approach) sought to gain insights and understandings regarding the phenomenon specifically. The practical purpose (according to critical theory) was to then use the insights gained (enlightenment) in order to contemplate the kinds of …

Identity Exploration In The Secondary Esl Setting, Sarah Wait

Graduate Research Papers

The investigation of the process of identity development is very complex, as a multitude of background information and influencing factors must be considered before suggestions can be made for incorporating identity exploration into a secondary school setting. Chapter One sets the groundwork for this investigation by first describing the nature of the issue and generally introducing topics which will be explored in later chapters. The research question is stated, then expanded upon to include the factors one must consider when attempting to answer the research question. The chapter continues by explaining the significance of the problem, as established in both …

Using Distance Education To Deliver English Instruction In Indonesia, Muhammad Yaumi

Graduate Research Papers

This paper highlights using distance education to support students in learning English in· Indonesia. The purpose is to discuss using distance education for English instruction in Indonesia, the cultural uniqueness of Indonesian students' learning styles, and a model of distance education to deliver English instruction in Indonesia. Library research involved resources relating to distance education and teaching English in the Indonesian culture. This research involved a variety of print references, electronic databases and a variety of Web resources. Research indicated that distance educat10n in Indonesia has been implemented since the 1950s. The developmental history of distance education in Indonesia was …

(Un)Gendered Sentiments: The Relationship Between Modernism And Gender In The Works Of Barnfield And Woolf, Brittany Kay Jungck

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

By examining the history of literature through the lens of a gender critic, a person is able to discern how society and history frame our understanding of certain concepts. In this study, I have examined the lives and works of Richard Barnfield, a famed poet from the English Renaissance, and Virginia Woolf, a noted twentieth-century British novelist. The analysis of various aspects of Barnfield's and Woolf's creations reveals a connection between gendered language and modernity.

The Female Adolescent Experience: Barriers To Physical Activity, Roberta Katherine Parsons

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Self-Esteem & Developmental Assets: An Examination Of The Pertinent Literature Off The Relationship Between Self-Esteem And Developmental Assets In Adolescents, Angela Gorsuch

Graduate Research Papers

Adolescent development has been studied heavily as scholars have sought to understand the process of biological, emotional, and cognitive development during the transition from childhood and adulthood. Research has often focused on one indicator, self-esteem, on how well young people navigate this transitional period in their lives. Scholars have agreed that self-esteem is a reflection of a young person's psychological well-being during adolescence. High self-esteem generally indicates an adolescent is successfully handling these critical years of development and is exhibiting positive qualities and behaviors. On the reverse, low self-esteem is often an indication an adolescent may not be negotiating this …

Exploring Influential Pioneers Of Youth Related Delinquency Theories, Latika Monique Speller

Graduate Research Papers

The purposes of this study are to explore who the pioneers of youth related delinquency theories are and to examine these theories in depth to identify their importance to society as a whole and to discuss the contributions these theories have made as well as future directions of these theories pertaining to criminology and sociology. Also explored in this study are the many factors that contribute to youth becoming delinquent and characteristics of delinquent behavior.

This study was a literature review of theorists that explored and researched theories pertaining to delinquency. After researching the work of these theorists, their findings …

Acupuncture For Labor Pain Management A Review Of The Literature, Saraj Brainard

Graduate Research Papers

The process of giving birth is one of the most natural and instinctual processes in the animal world. Although natural, it is often a painful experience that the explanation for differs from culture to culture. Women have been giving birth naturally all over the world since the beginning of time even though there have been methods of pain management for many years. In Western society, we have used biomedical methods such as anesthesia and epidurals to relieve this pain since at least the 1960s (Rooks, 2000). Although the most generally accepted method of pain management, epidurals may not be the …

Hegemonic Masculinity Within Television Commercials, Jonathan A. Hutchins

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study examines the portrayal of masculinity and the socialization patterns that can be found within television commercials. Television commercials' depiction of social members and their roles act as guides for social members in which they desire to portray during day to day social interactions and situations. Social members are generally unaware of this social phenomenon because they take for granted their social world and the logistics within it. While television commercials aim to create and encourage consumption, the purchasing of a product, service or event, television commercials also create and encourage social members to believe that these advertised items …

Succession Of An Iowa Sand Prairie Into An Adjoining Old-Field, Susan Jill Kirt

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Native plant succession studies were conducted in 2000 and 2001 at the Cedar Hills Sand Prairie northwest of Cedar Falls, IA. The study site consisted of a remnant sand prairie with an adjoining old-field that had been undergoing secondary succession since the mid-1970s. Vegetation was sampled over a 100 m transect of the remnant prairie and a 200 m transect of the old-field. The transect was sub-divided into 50 m subsites to examine progression of native species into the old-field. To analyze changes in vegetation, the similarity of the sub-sites were compared for percent canopy cover and number of species …

Assessment Of The Source And Transformation Of Nitrate In The Cedar River Watershed By Using Stable Isotopes Of Nitrogen, Sushil Gautam

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Stable isotopes of nitrogen were used to assess the source and fate of nitrate in the Cedar River Watershed, Iowa. Ground water samples from 20 private wells and surface water samples from 10 sites in the Cedar River and its tributaries were collected. A total of 90 samples were collected during the growing season from May through September 2006. In 35% of the wells, nitrate concentration exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's recommended maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 45 mg/1 (as NO3-) for drinking purposes. Eight (8) out of 10 samples exceeded MCL for nitrate in the first set of …

An Analysis Of Intuitive Eating Among College Students, Danielle Marie Vsetecka

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In response to the world's increasing obesity rates, the use of traditional dieting and weight loss techniques is at an all time high. Although dieting rates have rapidly increased, the world's rising obesity rates show no sign of slowing and the effectiveness and effects of dieting have long been questioned. As an alternative to dieting and exercise, a non-dieting approach to weight regulation has emerged. Intuitive eating is one of its main tenants and is defined by allowing individuals to listen to internal body cues to determine hunger and fullness levels to meet nutritional and physical needs. However, few studies …

Cell Cycle Analysis Of Atrazine-Treated Human Fibroblast Cells Using Flow Cytometry, Andrea L. Austin

Honors Program Theses

Atrazine is the most frequently used triazine herbicide in the United States. Studies have shown an association between herbicide exposure and increased levels of DNA damage, reproductive and endocrine problems, and an increased risk for certain cancers. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEP A) has set a maximum allowable limit at 3 parts per billion (ppb ). Previous work from our lab has shown decreased cell proliferation of normal human fibroblasts after low-level atrazine exposure for 72 hours at 0.8-100 ppb without a corresponding increase in apoptosis or necrosis.

The objective of the current study is to determine a …

Assessment Of Key Parameters To Achieve Bacteria Transformability In E. Coli And A. Tumefaciens, Zach Regelin

Honors Program Theses

ln this project, growth and transformability of E. coli and A. tumefaciens were investigated. The growth of the bacterial species was monitored under different key parameters including: the strain of the bacteria, the inoculum source (a fresh plate or frozen glycerol stock), and the media type. Growth was monitored by measuring the optical density (OD). Using E. coli strains Dh5a and CdB\ it was determined that the strain, the media type, and the amount of inoculum had a great effect on the growth but the source of the inoculum had little effect. For A. tumefaciens, the strain and the media …

An Analysis Of The Triple Goddess: Images Of Persephone, Kali, And Nephthys, Kimberly Elaine Holladay

Honors Program Theses

How are the women of ancient religions portrayed? Are the women of religion typical, everyday women or celebrated queens wrapped in gold? The truth is that no single image exists that can be pointed to as the iconic goddess. The idea of a female deity can be startling to those who practice in Abrahamic religions but the appearance of such a character has a role, if not a lead, in many world religions and myths. These goddesses act as role models and guides for many people, especially female worshippers. After the female deity is acknowledged and accepted as a integral …