Digital Commons Network^™

Midwest Memoir: Cole Carolan, Cole James Carolan

Honors Program Theses

A memoir

Promoting A Culture Of Student Self-Advocacy Within Secondary Science Classrooms, Elizabeth Anne Wessels

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine the greatest source of self-efficacy that exists among 5-12 students in science through a meta-analysis of three previous studies. After analyzing the collected data, teaching strategies that aim to boost the most influential source of self-efficacy for students are recommended and briefly discussed. Gaining a better understanding of the sources self-efficacy, along with how to support these sources will help science educators understand how to support student self-advocacy.

A Critical Examination Of Corporate Ideology In Educational Policy And Practice: The Real Cost, Grace Brady

Honors Program Theses

In this thesis, I provide a historical background and conceptual analysis of how we arrived at our current educational policy landscape. By tracing educational policy and practice through the 20th century, I offer a critical perspective on contemporary educational policy and practice. Specifically, I assess how corporate culture and corporate ideology influenced contemporary educational policy. Additionally, I explore alternatives and possible recommendations for reforming education in both policy and practice through preservice teacher education and funding for public schools.

Rising Above The Stigma: Developing Young Leaders Through Peer Mentoring, Shawn Miller

Graduate Research Papers

Permanence is ideally the ultimate goal of the child welfare system, however it is unrealistic to believe that every young adult transitioning out of care will not only find a permanent home, but have had the opportunity to build the social capital needed for a successful transition in today’s society (Scannapieco, Smith, Blakeney-Strong, 2015).

Analysis Of Assessments On Secondary Students' Development And Interpretation Of Models, Alaina L. Appley

Graduate Research Papers

As districts are making the shift to three-dimensional learning the development of a coherent set of high-quality task-based assessments has been a challenge. For this research I collected and analyzed twelve of my district's assessments over the scientific skill of modeling from grades seven through 12. The analysis involved two tools developed by NGSS and Achieve.org to determine the extent to which the assessments ask students to perform tasks that are driven by phenomena and use the three-dimensional in service of sense-making, the Task Screener and the Framework to Evaluate Cognitive Complexity in Science Assessments. The findings support what …

Effects Of Exercise On Tests Measuring Attention And Executive Function In Younger And Older Adults, Angela N. Burda, Jennifer Baldwin, Johanna Cravatta, Jody Heetland, Kayla Jacobs, Hannah Merfeld, Jaden Rausch, Mallory Rinnels, Regan Zollman

Faculty Publications

Purpose: This study investigated whether or not performance differed between Young and Older Exercisers and between Young and Older Non-exercisers on the Attention Processing Training-Test (APT-Test), Behavioral Assessment of Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS), and Functional Assessment of Verbal Reasoning and Executive Strategies (FAVRES). Methods: A total of 119 participants were divided into the following groups: 46 Young Exercisers: (aged 18-40 years), 45 Older Exercisers (aged 60 and older), fourteen Young Non-exercisers, and fourteen Older Non-exercisers. Participants completed the APT-Test, BADS, and FAVRES in a counterbalanced manner. Independent sample t-tests were used to calculate outcomes. Results: Young Exercisers had significantly higher scores …

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Asian American Transracial Adoptees In College, Frances Elizabeth Mcdermott

Honors Program Theses

Asian American transracial adoptees are an underserved and underrepresented population in America, specifically on college campuses. The purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of experiences lived by individuals in this group, focusing on their time in college. Through qualitative interviews, this research captured the feelings, opinions, and experiences of select individuals within this group. Two semi-structured interviews were conducted with six separate participants via video chat. All participants attend(ed) the University of Northern Iowa, were 18 years of age or older, and were adopted from an Asian country into a White, American family. Results showed that …

Assessing The Implicit Curriculum In Social Work Education: An Examination Of The University Of Northern Iowa Students' Experiences, Madison Motz

Honors Program Theses

As part of a social work program’s accreditation process, social work programs across the United States are now being asked to assess their implicit curriculum, defined as the educational environment in which the explicit curriculum is presented, as new evidence has shown that implicit curriculum plays an important role in the learning, development, and professional outcome of social work students. Following the wake of a series of student diversity-related injustices across the state of Iowa, our team set out to create an implicit curriculum survey tool shaped by the experiences, concerns, and feedback presented by students within the social work …

Using Sentiment Analysis To Find The Public's Opinion On Iowa's Three State Schools, Alexa Ryan Bullock

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this project was to create my own sentiment analysis that would allow me to analyze reviews of the three Iowa state schools: University of Iowa, Iowa State, and University of Northern Iowa, and organize them in a way that showed the strong and weak points of each university. I accomplished this by researching how sentiment analysis works, applying that to the construction of my own sentiment analysis, and then using it on reviews about these three schools. The goal of this project was to give my audience a greater understanding of how sentiment analysis works by creating …

Methods And Evaluation Outcomes In Speech, Language, And Hearing Camps, Lindsey Paige Carter

Honors Program Theses

This investigation explores survey information on speech, language, and hearing camps throughout the United States. Thirty-seven speech-language pathologists from the United States agreed to complete the survey about their camp and thirteen completed the entire survey. These camps are growing in popularity and express benefits of attendance. There is currently limited research on assessment measures taken pre- and post- camp to determine the effectiveness of these camps. The purpose of this study was to investigate the structure of these camps, pre- and post- camp evaluation methods, how success is defined, and the impact these camps have. Results from the survey …

What Man Artow?: An Exploration Of The Narrator Of The Canterbury Tales, Kimberly Cavalier

Honors Program Theses

“Also I prey yow to foryeve it me, / Al have I nat set folk in hir degree / Here in this tale, as that they sholde stonde; / My wit is short, ye may wel understonde” (Chaucer 35). These are the words written by Geoffrey Chaucer, who is considered the father of English literature, in the prologue to The Canterbury Tales, a work that has survived and remained relevant for over six hundred years. The juxtaposition of a man whose writing turned him into a household name begging his audience to forgive his short wit and lack of …

Bacillus Bacteriophage Q11 May Have A 5' Covalently Attached Protein, Emily Cornelius

Honors Program Theses

Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that specifically parasitize on bacteria and are found almost everywhere. Phages Phi 29 and Q11 are both small phages found in soil that attack Bacillus hosts. Previous Phi 29 studies verified a covalently bonded protein at the 5’ end of its double-stranded linear DNA. Q11 may have a similar 5’ terminal protein, which blocks complete sequencing of that DNA region. Because Q11 and phi29 are both small short-tailed phages that infect similar hosts, it could be possible the proteins are structurally similar. In previous work, I have attempted to use restriction endonuclease and exonuclease enzyme digests …

Creating Synthetic Analogs Of Fluorescent Speleothems In Wind Cave As An Astrobiological Model Cave, Teresa Feldman

Honors Program Theses

The wind cave system represents a unique environment on Earth where the direct interplay of organic chemistry on the surface can possibly be traced to extremophiles living hundreds of meters below the surface. In many cases, minerals and organics from the surface become trapped in calcite formations creating fluorescent minerals. To understand the environment giving rise to the fluorescent minerals in Wind Cave, laboratory analogs of the calcite crystals found within the Wind Cave National Park cavern were synthesized and analyzed using SEM and fluorescence spectroscopy. This data was compared to the fluorescence and XRF data collected from speleothems in …

Pre-Service Students Understanding Of Professional Roles, Anne Whalen Gradoville

Honors Program Theses

This study aims to begin understanding how well pre-service speech-language pathologists and teachers understand their roles in collaboration in the schools. Data were collected from a survey completed by undergraduate and graduate students in the Communication Sciences and Disorders and Education departments at one middle-sized university in the Midwest. Results indicated a wide range of understanding and preparedness. Several themes emerged as to what students feel confident about in terms of collaboration, as well as what they believe they still need to learn before they can be confident in collaborating in the schools. The data provides insight into what pre-service …

A Student Tubist's Guide To Doubling On Bass Trombone, Donovan Klutho

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this project is to provide high school-aged tuba students a brief resource for learning to double on the bass trombone. As will be discussed in the guidebook, there are a number of reasons that students could want to double: jazz band, pit orchestra, show choir band, classical concert ensemble, etc. No matter the reason a student may want to learn to double, I wanted to provide a guide that would hopefully make it more accessible for them to learn. To accomplish this, I have made the language digestible for high schoolers without too many technical terms.

The Idolization Of Ada Lovelace And Its Necessity, Autumn Lauen

Honors Program Theses

Ada Lovelace is a recognizable name in the field of computer science, but few people know and truly understand why. It is common knowledge that Ada Lovelace is known as the world’s first computer programmer. A simple Google search would also show that her contributions occurred in the mid-1800s. This is where any logical person may become confused and rightfully inquire how a person in the Victorian era has become so closely associated with modern computer science. The answer to that question is exactly as complicated and disputed as expected.

Ada Lovelace’s fame stems from her work with Charles Babbage …

Examining The Effects Of Netropsin On The Mobility Of Dna A-Tracts Using Capillary Electrophoresis, Jillian Miller

Honors Program Theses

A-tracts are sequences of repeated adenine bases that cause a natural curvature of DNA. The biological function of A-tracts is not fully understood. Research into how A-tract sequences affect mobility in an electric field contributes more knowledge in this area. For this research project, the electrophoretic mobility of multiple double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) fragments of the same length, with varying shapes due to the amount and orientation of A-tracts along the helix axis, was studied using capillary electrophoresis under varying conditions with the small molecule netropsin. Previous semesters of research showed a change in mobility due to shape of three fragments …

Artistic Expression, Permanence And Change In A F*Cked Up World: Coping With The "Sounds Of Silence", Brianna L. Pruitt

Honors Program Theses

I believe my role as an artist is to process the world around me and articulate my analysis in visual forms that are aesthetically interesting. My proposed project will manifest as sculptures, painting, performance, sound, video and installation art combined to create a visual representation of my mind and emotions in the present. The central element of this work, which happens to be my car “Kevin,” will set the stage for three humanoid sculptures to be displayed. Each figurative sculpture represents a different type of motion: permanence, change, and coping. I will be creating performances with the sculptures separately where …

Exploring Eating Disorders In Athletes: A Literature Review And Analysis Of Prevention Strategies, Emily Schotzko

Honors Program Theses

Both clinical and subclinical eating disorders (ED) are marked by body image disturbance and preoccupation with food, weight, and body shape, and lead to harmful weight management behaviors if not prevented or treated (Bratland-Sanda & Sundgot-Borgen, 2013). While there is a multitude of risk factors that influence the likelihood of developing an ED, one particular factor that has garnered significant attention recently is participation in athletics. Studies show that while athletics can build self-esteem and promote overall well-being,there is evidence that athletes are at an elevated risk for ED development (Hinton & Kubas, 2005). Researchers suggest this risk can be …

Converging Artificial Intelligence And Blockchain Technologies For Security And Risk Management In Banking, Van Binh Hai Tran

Honors Program Theses

The focus of this thesis is on understanding the potential applications of blockchain and AI technologies in the banking and finance sector for better risk management and cybersecurity. In this thesis, I will do an extensive literature review of research on AI and Blockchain in the top eight information systems journals and some top-rated computer science journals. The intention is to examine the use of blockchain and AI to enhance remote work security and fraud detection in the Banking and Finance sector.

Exploring Voting Habits And Attitudes Of Lgbtq+ College Students In The United States, Jordan Weber

Honors Program Theses

Citizens of the United States are regularly reminded of the importance of voting in elections. However, data shows the youngest voters turnout at the polls in far fewer numbers than older generations. The same cannot be said for marginalized and minority groups, such as members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) community. Past studies have shown that these individuals are more likely to vote than their peers who are not members of this community. While there is information about voting habits of both the youngest voters and LGBTQ citizens, there has been little research done about the …

Griffiths-Like Phase In Manganese Intercalated Tantalum Disulfide And The 3-Dimensional Ising Model, Paul White

Honors Program Theses

Transition metal dichalcogenides have gained increasing interest due to properties that make them highly attractive for fundamental studies of novel physical phenomena and for applications ranging from nanoelectronics and nanophotonics to sensing and actuation at the nanoscale.^[1] The material described in this work is composed of layers of tantalum sulfide between which manganese was deposited. The number of manganese atoms per tantalum atom is called the concentration, x. In the research that was conducted for this thesis, the Griffiths Phase of crystalline bulk Mn_0.23TaS₂ and the 3-dimensional Ising model was investigated.

Impacts Of Theatre On The Mental Health Of High School Students, Madeline Ludwig

Honors Program Theses

This thesis explores the effects of participation in theatre on mental health in high school students. Though there has been more research since 2008 on mental health and its relation to the arts, there have been very few focused on mental health and theatre. However, the majority of these studies are centered around adults or young children. There is a lack of research centered around the impacts that theatre and drama have on the mental health of high school students. This study specifically focused on college students at the University of Northern Iowa and their reflection on their time in …

Maternal Mortality In The United States: Focusing On Societal Impacts And Potential Solutions, Grace Petrzelka

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this research thesis in the format of a literature review is to explore in a multifaceted approach the material that is available on the main causes of maternal mortality in the United States; the social, environmental, and cultural determinants that play a role in past and present mortality rates; and finally, how the possible implementation of solutions to the maternal death rate in America could occur.

Landscape Genetics Of Iowa's Threatened Black Redhorse, Morganne C. Borsh

Honors Program Theses

The objectives of this study are to:

a. Characterize the genetic diversity of populations of Black Redhorse in Iowa

b. Determine the level of connectivity between populations in Iowa

Overall, this project aims to determine the degree of fragmentation of Black Redhorse populations to better direct conservation strategies. This study utilizes genome-wide Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) to assess the population genetic structure of the Black Redhorse across its range in northeast Iowa.

On Beauty: Ancient Perceptions Of Beauty From Classical Greece To Imperial Rome, Maya Jess

Honors Program Theses

When trying to describe something that is beautiful to someone, a common first step is to find an image of the beauty one is trying to describe. In the Greco-Roman world, these images were found in the artworks, texts, and other forms of expression from the time, and images of human beauty were found in paintings, frescos, and statuary. Unfortunately, due to the Ravages of Time, statuary is the most common surviving medium and therefore our biggest asset in knowing what the Greeks and Romans saw as beautiful. Much like how society today uses models to represent beauty standards and …

The Search For Life In Extreme Environments: Measuring Diversity And Quantity Of Archaea In Wind Cave National Park, Nicole Geerdes

Honors Program Theses

Archaea have the potential to play an essential role in their environment at the base of the food chain. In particular, most of the known species in the phylum Thaumarchaea are autotrophs that can fix their own carbon using energy from ammonia oxidation, that is, they produce their own organic molecules from carbon dioxide by burning nitrogen-based fertilizer. Since their discovery, it has been difficult to learn more about these microbes because they do not grow well in pure laboratory culture. Therefore, much of what is known about them comes from analyzing environmental DNA samples. This allowed researchers to discover …

A Descriptive Analysis Of Intuitive Eating On The Uni Campus, Natalee Jeanne Lyons

Honors Program Theses

Over the course of this project, we will send out a cross-sectional survey to undergraduate students living on UNI’s campus. Included in the survey are questions regarding nutritional campus climate, student’s food preferences and eating habits, as well as the complete second edition of the Intuitive Eating Scale (Tylka & Kroon Van Diest, 2013).

This survey will then be analyzed utilizing SPSS software to draw conclusions regarding this target population (IBM Corp, 2016). Upon completion of this data analysis, our research 2 team hopes to address the following questions: What factors influence the eating behaviors of college students living on …

My Year With Digital Supremacists, Nick Baur

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Annual Report Of The Registrar 2020/2021, University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Contents:

--- Definitions
--- Some Comparisons
--- Annual Report Data
--- Summary of Attendance
--- Attendance by Session
--- Degrees Granted 2020/21
--- Degree Summary 2020/21
--- Program Certificates 2020/21
--- Miscellaneous Enrollment Information
--- Degrees Granted by College, Degree and Racial/Ethnic Classification