Digital Commons Network^™

Writing Supports For Older Students With Significant Disabilities: Examining Two Students' Journeys Towards Becoming Writers, Emily Helen Freeman

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study describes the changes in linguistic and social communicative competencies that occurred when two older students with significant disabilities where provided with writing opportunities, instruction, and supports over a semester of the academic year. The goals of the study were to identify themes and patterns in the skills associated with linguistic and social communicative competence as evidenced in writing over time. A second aim of this study was to identify instruction methods and assistive technology supports being used in the classroom and describes the themes and patterns that emerged in the students’ writing given the presence of these curriculum …

The Unveiling Of W.E.B. Dubois : A Qualitative Content Analysis Of Diverse Interpretations Of The Works And Life Of W.E.B. Dubois, Sonja Lee Bock

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

W. E. B. Du Bois is one of the founding fathers of sociology. Despite his many contributions, he was not included in the sociological canon and given the recognition he deserves. Du Bois was an African-American scholar whose contributions lead to the development of the first school of sociology in the United States, although he has generally not been recognized for it. My research explores how the effects of the veil contribute to the interpretations of Du Bois. To investigate this question, I will perform a qualitative content analysis of selected publications by Dubosian experts who have written extensively about …

Understanding The Critical Role Of A Wetland In Maintaining The Ecosystem: A Case Study, Sushil Tuladhar

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Beaver Valley Wetland in north-east Iowa was studied to determine its functionality in filtering incoming contaminants from the surrounding agricultural fields. The study was conducted from May through November of 2011. Altogether 78 water samples (from 13 sites), 84 soil samples (from 14 sites), and some sediment samples were collected for chemical analysis. Heavy metals in three different soil categories, such as surface, 6” deep, and sediments were found to be at or below the acceptable concentrations, indicating no immediate concern for metal toxicity in the wetland environment. The chemical tracers that were used to study the sub-surface flow regime …

Temporal Dynamics Of Nutrient Flux Across Hydrologic Unit Boundaries, Md. Aminul Haque

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The study was done in Dry Run Creek watershed, a small sub-urban watershed in the northwestern part of Black Hawk County, Iowa. Different hydrologic units like, wetland, agricultural area, urban area, and stream channels were compared in terms of nutrient transport. Soil, surface water, and groundwater samples were collected from May, 2012 to October, 2012. Among the hydrologic units, agricultural land has the highest organic matter percentages, infiltration rate, soil nitrate, and total phosphorus. High infiltration rate and amount of nutrients in agricultural soil made those areas more vulnerable to vertical infiltration of pollutants. Agricultural and urban soils had similar …

Postmodern Humanism And The "Exhaustion Of Easy Life", Mason Beets

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The twenty-first century appears to herald a new epoch, one in which religion and other similar belief systems appear to have run their course. However, this should not necessarily mean that other forms of spirituality and interconnectedness must fade away. Within America, there is a humanistic undercurrent that is gaining strength within our postmodern condition, even as we begin to challenge several of the tenets of postmodernity itself. The groundswell of American humanism has a notable and wholly unintended effect: it ideologically rehabilitates modes or vehicles of thought that might otherwise be labeled as defunct, or inapplicable to the changing …

Playing By New Rules: Board Games And America's Cold War Culture, 1945-1965, Matthew John Sprengeler

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This thesis examines the domestic culture of the United States during the first two decades of the Cold War, using popular games as an interpretive tool to expand our understanding of the changes that took place. Four board games which were popular during the 1950s – Scrabble, chess, Clue, and Risk – explain some of the anxieties and evolutions in mass culture. Scrabble illustrated the nation's growing respect for expertise and, along with game theory, the hope for intellectual solutions to the country's problems. Chess, often seen as a symbol of the Cold War, served as a proxy battlefield for …

Recalcitrant Arguments, Kiranjeet Kaur Dhillon

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

On January 26, 2011, Reuters photojournalist Amr Abdallah Dalsh took an image of a unknown veiled woman gesturing at Dalsh and his camera. Using TinEye, a reverse image search engine, I found that 86 circulations and 22 recirculations of the photo were primarily in the United States. US graphic artist Nick Bygon created one of the recirculations, which primarily appeared on US blogs. The photo achieved this level of circulation in the US because it is consistent with, and therefore legible within the symbolic language, of the liberal democratic order. Similar to “Migrant Mother” and “Tank Man”, the photo is …

Population Genetics Of Thomomydoecus Minor: Ectoparasitic Chewing Lice On Thomomys Bottae Pocket Gophers Of The Rio Grande Valley In New Mexico, Sheree Elizabeth Harper

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Thomomydoecus minor is an ectoparasitic chewing louse that lives in intimate association with the pocket gopher Thomomys bottae. Chewing lice are wingless, obligate, host specific parasites that spend their entire life cycle on the fur of their host. Pocket gophers are fossorial and asocial, cut off for most of their lives even from members of their own species. Thus, the life histories of both chewing lice and pocket gophers have been predicted to limit transmission of lice from host to host, thus limiting gene flow among louse infrapopulations found on different hosts and increasing the effect of louse population …

Mental Illness And Schools: An Examination Of How Schools Are Providing Supports And Services To Students With Mental Health Concerns, Nikki Leigh King

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This purpose of this study was to explore the educational experiences of an individual entitled to services through the labels of an intellectual disability and a mental health concern. The study employed qualitative methodologies and methods, through the use of a life/oral history, which allowed the researcher to interview the participant to gain a deeper understanding of the school experiences pertaining to a student with a mental health concern. The study concluded that authentic and individualized supports and services are needed as well as promoting meaningful relationships. Study considerations and future studies are discussed at the end.

Longitudinal Analysis Of Perceived Body Image, Sport Commitment, Burnout, And Athletic Injury, Erik Chaouch

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Injury is a risk that all athletes face while participating in sport. How injuries affect athletes perceived body image, sport commitment levels, and burnout levels are not yet fully understood. Athletes are aware of what the media portrays an athlete as, aware of what peers think an athlete should look like, and even have their own pre-conceived notions as to what an athlete’s body should look like. Many athletes perceive their bodies to be appropriate for their sport, yet there is dissatisfaction with their own bodies in the context of what is socially considered to be attractive. A distorted body …

Liquid Sorption Properties And Structural Changes Of Metal-Organic Frameworks Of Cobalt Nitrate And 4,4'-Bipyridine, Kathryn Mauger-Sonnek

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Metal-organic frameworks consist of metal ions connected by organic ligands. When the metal ions and organic ligands link together in the right geometry, polymeric and infinite 1D chains or 2D and 3D networks are formed. Porous metal-organic frameworks were synthesized from the organic ligand 4,4′-bipyridine (bpy) and cobalt(II) nitrate. The metal-organic frameworks synthesized in this study grew into both a previously known 2D bilayer structure, [Co2(bpy)3(NO3)4]n, and a new, orange 1D chain structure, [Co(bpy)NO3)2(H2O)2]n, within ethanol. It was found that the presence of water was the main factor of causing formation of the orange 1D chain crystals. Drying the orange …

Long-Term, Low-Dose Exposure Of People Residing In Arsenic Affected Areas Of Iowa: A Cross-Sectional Analytical Study, Junu Shrestha

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Arsenic contamination in the ground water source is a major problem throughout the world. Epidemiological studies show that long-term arsenic exposure in drinking water, even at low concentrations, can lead to chronic toxicity problems and negative health outcomes. In the United States, private wells are not mandated to comply with the drinking water standards that piped water is, putting many people at risk. This study focused on monitoring of arsenic contamination of private well water, hair samples, and questionnaire based surveys. Of the 260 private well owners selected from 13 counties in Iowa who were invited to participate in the …

Language As A Social Reality: The Effects Of The Infantilization Of Women, Chelsae R. Huot

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The current study examined how people’s perceptions can be affected by various terms used to describe women. Participants from a Midwestern university read a script describing 26-year-old Erin either as a “woman,” a “girl,” or “person.” Participants then rated Erin on eighteen different traits (e.g., mature, forceful). They also completed an ambivalent sexism scale and answered three questions about their use and interpretations of the terms “girl” and “woman.” It was predicted that the participants in the “woman” condition would rate Erin as more mature, responsible, warm, understanding, and successful than the participants in the “girl” condition. Also, it was …

Investigating Blended Learning In The High School Science Classroom, Holly Cassandra Hinkhouse

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Blended learning combines the best practices of online learning with face-to-face learning and some research has shown it to have positive benefits for students at the postsecondary level. However, few studies have reported the use of blended learning in the high school setting. This study used quantitative methods to measure student attitudes and learning of science content in both a treatment and control group consisting of 9th grade Physical Science classes. Students in the treatment group experienced one semester of blended learning by using online science modules to supplement their in-class learning while the control group continued to have only …

From Saeter To Sod: Single Women Homesteaders Of Norwegian Descent Farming Their Land In Dakota Territory, 1862-1929, Sara Marie Skindelien

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

On May 20, 1862 Congress signed into effect the Homestead Act which provided 160 acres of surveyed government land to any citizen over the age of twenty-one and who was a head of household. One of the most historical aspects of this act was that it allowed single women the opportunity to own land. Not only were native-born women taking advantage of such a lucrative offer, but the women of Norway saw just the opening they needed to venture out on their own. They joined thousands of their countrymen across the Atlantic to find a bit of land where they …

Einstein Metrics On Piecewise-Linear Three-Spheres, Kyle Pitzen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Einstein metrics on manifolds are in some ways the "best" or most symmetric metrics those manifolds will allow. There has been much work on these metrics in the realm of smooth manifolds, and many results have been published. These results are very difficult to compute directly, however, and so it is helpful to consider piecewise-linear approximations to those manifolds in order to more quickly compute and describe what these metrics actually look like. We will use discrete analogues to powerful preexisting tools to do analysis on two particular triangulations of the three dimensional sphere with the intent of finding Einstein …

Effect Of Limb Circumference On Intramuscular Cooling During And Following An Ice Bag Application After Exercise, Marcus A. Sojka

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Context: Ice bags are commonly applied following exercise, but the effect of limb size on cooling duration and rewarming has not been documented. Objective: Investigate the effect of limb circumference on cooling duration to 10°C below resting baseline and examine the subsequent rewarming trends. Design: Two separate designs were used: a 1 X 2 cross-over design on limb circumference (large circumference [LC: 58-63.5cm] and small circumference [SC: 50-54cm]) and duration of treatment (time to 10°C below baseline) and a 2 X 7 cross-over design on the two limb circumference groups (LC and SC) and the rewarming trend at time Imd, …

A Master's Recital In Piano, Brittany K. Lensing

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Brittany Lensing, pianist, presented her graduate recital at 6:00 in the evening on Friday, September 20, 2013, in Davis Hall of the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center at the University of Northern Iowa. This recital was given in partial fulfillment of the Master of Music degree in piano pedagogy and performance. The program included works by Johann Sebastien Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, and Sergei Prokofiev. The following abstract will consist of historical and musical commentary on the programmed pieces.

Bird Use Of Heterogeneous Native Prairie Biofuel Production Plots, Jarrett D. Pfrimmer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Changing land use practices and agricultural intensification have driven the loss of >90% of native grassland habitats in the Midwestern U.S.A. Consequently, grassland birds have declined more drastically than any other North American guild. Current biofuel production systems in the Midwest rely on high input monoculture crops that provide little habitat value to most grassland birds. The Tallgrass Prairie Center at the University of Northern Iowa is exploring the feasibility of growing and harvesting diverse mixes of native prairie vegetation for use as a sustainable biofuel in a manner that also provides high quality bird habitat. In 2009, 48 research …

A Master's Recital In Piano, Katrina Ann Benjegerdes

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Katrina Benjegerdes presented a full graduate piano recital on Monday, October 28, 2013. The recital was performed at 6 p.m. in Davis Hall in the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center at the University of Northern Iowa. This recital was given in partial fulfillment of the Master of Music degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy. The program consisted of works by Scarlatti, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff, and Mozart. This abstract contains further discussion of the performed works.

A Survey Of Literacy Instruction In Public Preschool Programs In Iowa, Anne Marie Berthelsen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This paper focuses on the importance of emergent literacy instruction with preschool populations. Emergent literacy refers to the early developmental stages of reading in preschool children and focuses on strengthening pre-reading skills. This paper describes best practice for survey development as well as recommended changes to the methodology of a previous study. The paper also describes changes made to improve the previous emergent literacy survey and concludes with a discussion of how the results of the survey could be used to improve emergent literacy instruction for preschool children.

School Wide Positive Behavioral And Intervention Supports : The Effectiveness Of Tier 1 Strategies, Gregory James Halsor

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This literature review critically examines the effectiveness of Tier 1 Positive Behavioral and Intervention Supports (SWPBIS). Managing problem behavior in the school setting has been a major focus of educators, with the goal of lowering classroom disruptions and increasing the effectiveness of learning.

Over the years, school wide behavior management programs have not been consistent or widespread leading educators to identify disruptive behavior as a primary concern in their classrooms. SWPBIS emphasizes the integration of measurable outcomes, data-based decision making, and evidence based interventions. Research on the implementation of SWPBIS in schools has displayed positive effects related to decreasing the …

An Investigation On How Operational Wind Turbines Are Used In Secondary Classrooms, James Smith

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Through a review of literature, it was found that many schools in the United States are installing operational wind turbines, but it was unclear how teachers were using them in their science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) classrooms. In order to identify how these operational wind turbines were being used and to create a list of expectations for schools with operational wind turbines, this exploratory study surveyed STEM teachers from all across the United States. A stratified random sample was created using a U.S. Department of Energy database of schools with operational wind turbines. Administrators from the selected schools identified …

Mean Girls And Troublemaking Boys : A Qualitative Study About Interpretive Reproduction And Peer Culture In A Preschool Classroom, Heidi Marie Gansen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Within preschool classrooms children soon realize that they are under the enforcement and direction of their teachers, which in turn limits their control over their classroom experience. To compensate for this, children develop a peer culture that is based on their interpretations of what they have observed in the adult world (Corsaro and Fingerson 2003). This occurs through a process called interpretive reproduction in which children creatively appropriate information from adult culture in order to produce a peer culture that is unique and different from adult culture (Corsaro 1997; Corsaro and Eder 1990; Corsaro and Fingerson 2003). Through almost 70 …

Phylogeography Of Notropis Nubilus (Ozark Minnow), Jason F. Dugan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Periodic glacial cycles beginning 2.6 million years ago to 10,000 years ago forced the repeated contraction, fragmentation, and expansion of the North American biota. In the upper Mississippi River basin three very different areas characterize the topography left by glaciations and still and influence the flora and fauna: Driftless Area, Paleozoic Plateau, and Iowan Surface. The Paleozoic Plateau is located in the northern part of the upper Mississippi River basin, and it is a unique geographical region situated in an area that straddles northeast Iowa, southeastern Minnesota, southwest Wisconsin, and northwest Illinois. This region was bypassed by the last glacial …

Desulfotomaculum Dissimilatory Reduction Of Iron (Iii), Jim Elric

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Excess plant nutrient, often from agricultural runoff, can cause uncontrolled algal growth that leads to eutrophic conditions in a water body. Desulfotomaculum sp. reduction of ferric ions to ferrous ions can aid in reduction of excess phosphate in a water body. This bacterium may use iron mine tailings as an inexpensive source of iron ions that can aid in elimination of excess nutrient load such as phosphates. As part of a remediation plan Desulfotomaculum sp. reduction of ferric ions can help restore and maintain a healthy aquatic ecosystem. The biochemical pathway of iron reduction by Desulfotomaculum sp. is unclear and …

Aquatic Strategies And Techniques And Their Benefit On Children With Autism, James G. Hall

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Swimming lessons are recommended as a useful health promotion intervention and life-saving skills for individuals with ASD. This qualitative study examined the perceived benefits of swimming lessons for children with ASD, with particular focus on aspects that can potentially help maximize the instruction of lessons for this population. This study utilized multiple methods to gain an in-depth perspective on the implementation of strategies and techniques for learn-to-swim programs for the six subjects with ASD. Semi-structured personal interviews were conducted with two instructors, the parents of the six children along with observational data collected from the researcher. Thematic analysis of the …

Evaluating The Effects Of Increasing Mathematics Graduation Requirements: A Survey Of The Effects Of State Policy Change In Illinois, Corey Tafoya

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In the summer of 2005, Illinois lawmakers made the decision to elevate the graduation standards for students, joining an increasing number of states who decided current requirements in their state were insufficient. This legislation affected aspects of English, science, and mathematics. The most significant change resulted in the increase of mathematics study from two years of mandatory study to three years in order to graduate. Any district that did not already require students to take three years had to decide how to react to this new requirement. This quantitative research study was designed to examine what effects this change had …

A Review Of A School Psychologist's Roles In The Implementation Of An Rti System, Leigh Ann Thul

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

As schools continue to move into this era of accountability, they must consider system level changes that will address the needs of students as a whole. Using the problem solving model through a system of Response to Intervention (Rtl), schools can use data to monitor discrepancies between expectations of learning and actual student outcomes. Not only can individual student data be used to problem solve about students but also, aggregated data as a whole can help inform system level decision making to reach accountability goals.

Moving to a system of Rtl takes many system level changes that can be daunting …

Comparing Second Grade Students' Creative And Content Knowledge Performance On Figural Transformation Activities Introduced In A Standard Or Enhanced Manner With Nutrition Content Knowledge Taught Through Factual Or Fantasy Reading, Angela Naomi Webb

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Creativity and problem solving are skills students need for success in the 21st century. With the increasing pressures of achieving higher student scores in emphasized content areas, teachers' instruction in science, social studies, music and art has been reduced to provide additional time for teaching reading and mathematics.These lost instructional areas often allowed students to express themselves creatively. Therefore, educators need to find a way to incorporate creativity into content areas like reading and mathematics.

This 16 week repeated measures study examined second grade students' academic and creative performance on figural transformation drawings during an extended reading-science-creativity integrated unit. A …