Digital Commons Network^™

School Library Circulation Records: What Do They Reveal About Boys' Reading Preferences?, Chelsea Sims

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to examine what if any patterns emerge in the library checkout habits of elementary school age boys in consecutive grades and to compare them to common assumptions of which books boys prefer to read. A quantitative bibliometric method was used to analyze and count the circulation records of forty-four students over a three year period. The circulations to the boys in the study were compared to the circulations to the girls. Records revealed that on average, boys in third grade borrowed more books than the girls in the study, but girls selected more books …

Vocabulary Acquisition In Preschool English Language Learners, Leann Perkins

Graduate Research Papers

English-language learners are filling preschool classrooms across the country in classrooms where teachers are ill-prepared to teach them the English language. Teachers need support in knowing and understanding what current approaches are being used and what strategies are most effective to develop English vocabulary acquisition and help these learners succeed. Research articles are discussed and summarized, resulting in an analysis of how well preschool ELLs may or may not learn English vocabulary. A conclusion discusses the results and suggestions are given for classroom teachers.

Lac 1a Instructor Resource Guide: Uni I Am Writing, David Grant, Debra Dimond Young

Faculty Work

Writing is an important aspect of any college experience. It goes beyond mere examinations of knowledge and is part of the very learning process itself. We are proud to have so much collective experience and so many talents across our campus that can help students in all years tackle a ubiquitous task that is at once complex, daunting, and seemingly self-­‐evident. This guide is meant to supplement, support, and enhance the talents and experience of our staff. We recognize that teaching writing is a collaborative endeavor. You may be teaching writing for the first semester as a Graduate Assistant, as …

Mining Functional Subgraphs From Cancer Protein-Protein Interaction Networks, Ru Shen, Nalin Goonesekere, Chittibabu Guda

Faculty Work

Background: Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks carry vital information about proteins’ functions. Analysis of PPI networks associated with specific disease systems including cancer helps us in the understanding of the complex biology of diseases. Specifically, identification of similar and frequently occurring patterns (network motifs) across PPI networks will provide useful clues to better understand the biology of the diseases.

Results: In this study, we developed a novel pattern-mining algorithm that detects cancer associated functional subgraphs occurring in multiple cancer PPI networks. We constructed nine cancer PPI networks using differentially expressed genes from the Oncomine dataset. From these networks we …

Communiqué: College Of Humanities, Arts & Sciences Alumni Magazine, Volume 1, Winter 2012, Science Edition, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Humanities, Arts, And Sciences.

Communiqué: College of Humanities, Arts & Sciences Alumni Magazine

Contents:

-- Dean's Message
-- Solar Splash: UNI Hosts Solar Boat Competition
-- Classroom Italaino: Southern Italy Becomes UNI Classroom
-- CHAS Applause
-- Transitions
-- Elevate & Inspire: The Youds Challenge
-- A Special Budget Message From the Dean
-- News in Short
-- Students in the News
-- To Turn Around Now or Later?
-- Getting to the Root of the Matter
-- Faculty Research
-- Conversation with a UNI Grad
-- UNI Reaccredited by Higher Learning Commission
-- State Farm Foundation Grant keeps Computer Science Students in the Know
-- Alumni News
-- Commitment Comes in All …

Communiqué: College Of Humanities, Arts & Sciences Alumni Magazine,Volume 1 Winter 2012, Humanities And Arts Edition, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Humanities, Arts, And Sciences.

Communiqué: College of Humanities, Arts & Sciences Alumni Magazine

Contents:

-- Dean's Message
-- Voices Come Alive
-- Public Art Incubator
-- CHAS Applause
-- Transitions
-- UNI Reaccredited by Higher Learning commission
-- News in Short
-- Students in the News
-- Death holds the key to how we live
-- A Special Budget Message From the Dean
-- Elevate and Inspire: The Youds Challenge
-- Panther Marching Band: The Real Deal
-- Wise Broadway Tour Earns Rave Reviews
-- Conversations with two UNI Grads
-- Faculty Outside the Classroom
-- Theatre Program Opens Possibilities for Youth on the Autism Spectrum
-- Alumni News
-- UNI Alumni Pay …

The Update, January/February 2012, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Humanities, Arts And Sciences.

Update

Inside this issue:

-- CHAS to Send Three Students to the NCUR
-- Department News
-- Student Teaching Overseas: Science Education Students Complete Student Teaching in Brazil and China
-- Culture and History in Berlin
-- Student Spotlight: Department of Philosophy and World Religions: John Anderson
-- Mathematics Alum Receives Achievement Award
-- School of Music Events
-- Alumni Spotlight: Earth Science: Brian Hynek
-- National Communication Association (NCA) Meeting
-- Student Spotlight: Department of Theatre:Jenna Graupmann
-- Bridging the Humanities and Sciences
-- UNI Forensics
-- Dean's Triangle Gallery

The Wright Message, 2012-2013, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Mathematics.

The Wright Message

Inside this issue:

-- Dear Department Alumni and Friends
-- Department Head
-- Around Wright Hall
-- 2012 - 2013 Tenure-Stream Faculty
-- New Faculty
-- Retiring Faculty: Larry Leutzinger
-- In Memory of Bonnie Litwiller
-- John & Marla Peterson: Making an Impact
-- The 2012 Hari Shankar Lecture
-- Internal UNI Awards
-- Projects and Grants
-- Student Spotlight: Melinda McDowell & Duncan Wright
-- Recent winners of the Purple and Old Gold Award
-- Alumni Spotlight: Karla Digmann, Kamilla Svajgl, & Suzanne Shontz
-- Math Day 2012
-- Squigonometry
-- Student Organizations
-- News from KME
-- …

Biology News, Winter 2012, University Of Northern Iowa. Department Of Biology.

Biology News

Contents:

-- Greetings from the Biology Department
-- Focus on UNI Biology Alumni
-- Let us hear from you...
-- Science Teacher Pays it Forward
-- Reconnect with the Department of Biology
-- Taiwan exchange program - year one a success!
-- Dr. Steve O'Kane and Dr. John Ophus receive Dean's Awards
-- Field Research in the Northern Gulf of Mexico
-- Biology receives grant from Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust
-- Dr. Peter Berendzen receives State Wildlife Grant
-- Seed Grants from the UNI-Office of Sponsored Research
-- Focus on UNI Biology Students
-- Pre-Med Club
-- Student Nature …

Unibusiness: The Alumni Magazine Of The College Of Business Administration University Of Northern Iowa, 2011-2012, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Business Administration.

UNIBiz

Inside This Issue:
-- Message from the Dean ••• 2
-- Five Stars from the Ground Up ••• 4
-- MBA: It Makes a Difference in Hong Kong ••• 6
-- Faculty Perspectives in Hong Kong ••• 8
-- The Youth Vote ••• 10
-- UNIBusiness in Action ••• 12
-- UNIBusiness International ••• 14
-- UNIBusiness Faculty ••• 16
-- Annual Report on Giving ••• 18
-- Donor Spotlight ••• 22
-- Focus on Alumni ••• 23
-- Named Professorships & Fellowships ••• 24
-- Business Partner Spotlight ••• 25
-- Professional Readiness Program ••• 26
-- Class Notes …

Factors That Influence Wellness Program Participation Among Male Blue-Collar Workers, Lindsay M. Wolff

Graduate Research Papers

Regardless of the various pre-program assessments, health-risk data analyses, and attempts to plan and implement population appropriate interventions, male, blue-collar workers do not attend wellness programs offered at the worksite at the same levels as other populations. Because different individual, social, and organizational characteristics define and influence every work-setting (Linnan et al., 2001) and different variables likely motivate different groups of employees (i.e., male compared to female and blue-collar compared to white-collar, etc.), the focus of this study is to identify and examine the factors that best predict male participation in worksite wellness programs offered in blue-collar work-settings. Participation in …

The Influence Of Digital Communication On Young Adult Contemporary Fiction, Melissa J. Dagel

Graduate Research Papers

Digital communications are profoundly influencing young adult communications; yet little is known about how novels that use digital communications such as text messages, e-mails, or blogs as the voice and point of view. The purpose of this qualitative content analysis was to analyze how select young adult novels portray digital communications themes using the following research questions: What digital communication themes are portrayed in young adult literature that use digital communication as the voice and point of view? In what ways are the digital communication themes developed in these young adult novels? In what ways might these themes inspire young …

The Relationship Between Down’S Syndrome And Dementia, Allison Brooke Cutsforth

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Teens Read Book Trailers, Jill Besler

Graduate Research Papers

The Teens Read website was developed as a tool for middle and high school students to use when making book selections. The website features award books from YALSA’s Best Fiction for Young Adults, YALSA Teen’s Top Ten, Iowa Teen Award, and Iowa High School book lists. Book trailers are embedded on each page to promote the books as well as an embedded preview for students to get a sneak-peak of the book before selection.

Lecture Capture Technology : Does It Make A Difference On College Student Achievement?, Debra S. Bruxvoort

Graduate Research Papers

Lecture capture technology allows professors to record live lectures for students to view after class. That same technology can be used to pre-record lectures for student viewing before class so that the class session can be used for other learning activities. This is referred to as the flipped classroom model. Most previous studies on the effect of lecture capture technology have focused on student perceptions and self-reported data and took place at large universities. This quantitative study collected multiple measures in an experimental design to compare the academic performance of 54 undergraduate students in three sections of the same course …

The Inverted Classroom : A Literature Review, Jennie Kies

Graduate Research Papers

Teachers struggle to thoroughly educate students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) related fields. This literature review examines the current research on STEM education, learning theories, and the effects of an inverted classroom on student learning in STEM classes in order to determine the possible benefits of implementation at pre-collegiate levels. Lacking research at the high school level, this paper focuses on articles describing inverted, college level STEM classes. This study indicates that further research is needed at both the high school and college level to prove that inverted classes result in improved learning and student retention; it also …

Comparing Fossil Instruction With And Without Analogy Use For Gifted Middle-School Students, Tabatha J. Klopp

Graduate Research Papers

Twenty-eight identified gifted elementary to middle school students (n=28) (16 female, 12 male; 26 Caucasian, 1 Hispanic, and 1 Native American), participated in the study of Iowa fossils through form and function analogy compared to self-research of information on the Internet, and practiced new concepts through technology-rich or hands-on craft projects. This study compared using analogical thinking skills along with technology skills to determine the effects on science learning in the elementary gifted classroom. Analogical thinking or teaching is a method recognized as a valuable source of new ideas, a way to transfer previous knowledge to solve new problems. Content …

The Effects New Literacy And Digital Learning Have On Our Youth, Joshua L. Mitchell Sr.

Graduate Research Papers

This review explores the effects new literacy and digital learning has on our youth. It is empowering to students to be able to create while learning in the 21st century. One of the purposes of this review was to discover the greatest minds trying to understand the changing role of new media in education. A major resource used for this review was the Digital Media and Learning Research Hub supported by the MacArthur Foundation. This resource contained many articles that pertained to new literacy and digital learning. The articles led the reviewer to believe that a growing field of academics …

Observation As A Formal Assessment Tool In Early Childhood Classrooms: A Professional Development Module, Kathleen M. Thornton-Lang

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this professional development module to is to explore various purposes and methods of implementing observational techniques in assessment tools in early childhood classrooms. The research reviewed focused on early childhood assessment types, including a brief review of six specific instruments, and implementation methods available to infant and toddler through preschool-aged teachers. This professional development module's base is a resource support system to help advance the observational skills of current and future teachers in the early childhood field.

Teaching Perfectionism Through Cartoons Compared To Bibliotherapy For Primary Grade Students, Miranda L. Zousel

Graduate Research Papers

Many students, especially high achievers, develop perfectionist tendencies during early childhood. It is important to teach students early to manage their perfectionism to avoid many negative consequences of neurotic perfectionism such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, procrastination , or underachievement, and to avoid entrenchment of behaviors. Traditionally, bibliotherapy and role-play have been used to help students recognize perfectionistic traits and learn strategies for ameliorating negative effects. But cartoon analysis is another potentially useful approach.

This pretest-posttest control group - experimental group design study of first, second and third graders (n = 46) compared concept acquisition and enjoyment of learning about …

The Impact Of Pretend Play On Cognitive And Academic Development Of Kindergarten Students, April Marie Thelen

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this literature review is to identify the cognitive and academic benefits of pretend play for kindergarten-aged children. The review will also identify ways that kindergarten teachers can integrate pretend play within their curriculum. The research reviewed enabled mathematics and literacy to be identified as related outcomes associated with pretend play. It also identified several teacher roles necessary for productive pretend play within kindergarten curriculum. The conclusion of this literature review includes recommendations for future action and education policies based on the research reviewed.

Understanding And Meeting The Needs Of The Millennials In The Classroom: A Literature Review, Amanda Alexander

Graduate Research Papers

Due to unique pressure to improve student engagement and academic achievement, integrating technology has become the focus of much analysis. This paper reviews thirty peer-reviewed journal articles, which discuss the effects of integrating technology into K- 12 classrooms. This review examines the traits of Millennial students, which social media technology have an impact on student achievement and engagement, and what problems might occur with this integration of the technologies. Final discussions indicate that various technology initiatives have great potential to engage students. However, further research is needed to determine if using certain social media technology will improve student academic achievement.

Teacher Education Protocol : How Social Media Improves Connections Between Teachers And Students, Darcel Pledge

Graduate Research Papers

This review examines the importance of incorporating social media into teacher education programs to strengthen the partnership between teachers and their students in the classroom. Social media plays a big part in individuals' everyday lives. The purpose of this review is to display the benefits of social media tools in education. Peer reviewed journals were used for research. The studies examined found that social media tools can have a benefit in the classroom and strengthen the learning partnership between teachers, students, and parents. The sources reviewed also found that proper incorporation of these tools aids in a better learning partnership …

Beyond The Dictionary : What Teachers Can Do To Help Build Struggling Readers' Vocabularies, Stefanie Van Heukelom

Graduate Research Papers

Vocabulary is well documented as a predictor of reading comprehension and school success (Cunningham & Stanovich, 1997; Davis, 1944 & 1968; Singer, 1965; Spearitt, 1972; Thurstone, 1946; Anderson & Nagy, 1991; Baker, Simmons, & Kame'enui, 1998; Becker, 1977; Cunningham & Stanovich, 1998). Through the research of the National Reading Panel (2000), vocabulary was identified as one of the five facets for improving students' reading along with phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and comprehension. Research has estimated that for every word known by a student who is able to use morphology and context, an additional one to three words should then be …

Examining The Differences In The Function Of Imagery Used Between Starters And Non-Starters On A Collegiate Football Team, Reid Christopher Evans

Graduate Research Papers

The current study adds to the research examining the use of imagery in relation to Paivio's (1985) four functions of imagery. The purpose of this study was to examine the practices of starting and non-starting collegiate football players at an NCAA Division III college in regards to the function of their imagery use. Imagery was assessed using the Sport Imagery Questionnaire (SIQ; Hall, Stevens, & Paivio, 2005). It was hypothesized that starters would have higher CG, MS, MG-M, and MG-A scores than non-starters. It was also hypothesized that non-starters would have higher CS scores than starters. The participants in the …

Spanish Through Music: A Model For The Content-Based Classroom, Anna Gansen

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to identify reasons for Spanish teachers to implement content-based instruction and provide resources that support appropriate integration of musical content into foreign language classrooms while simultaneously upholding the priorities of the national standards for foreign language learning. I have combined research on content-based instructional methods with research on the relationship between language and music to determine common strategies foreign language teachers should remember when implementing music-based instruction. In addition, descriptions are included of a variety of music-centered activities that address national foreign language standards for learning and enhance both normal and content-based classrooms. Finally, …

Making A Way: Music In An African American Congregation, Emily Miller-Todd

Honors Program Theses

When I began brainstorming ideas for my research, I was initially drawn towards a general study of music's role in church settings. As a music major and religion minor, this topic appeared to be the most obvious way I could combine my interests and apply them to a research project. Broadly speaking, I was interested in describing the role of music in a worship setting and the meaning members of the congregation found in music. In addition, I wanted to develop a research project that allowed me a more thoroughly experiential understanding of music in a congregation through personal participation …

Cognitive Maps And The Confidence-Accuracy Relation In Eyewitness Identification, Hannah Mazoe Paul

Honors Program Theses

Cognitive maps are map-like representations of a spatial environment. Eyewitnesses are often asked to create a cognitive map of a crime scene so that it can be submitted as evidence in a criminal trial. Another key piece of evidence provided by an eyewitness is a description of the perpetrator which is used to acquire eyewitness identification. To the best of our knowledge, the correlation between cognitive maps and eyewitness identification has never been empirically investigated. The present study asserts the hypothesis that complex cognitive maps are positively correlated with correct eyewitness identifications. This hypothesis has been formulated off previous research …

Effect Of Birth Order Placement On Tendency Toward General Deviance, Nichole Rae Reese

Honors Program Theses

Most of the research conducted on birth order placement has dealt with characteristics such as ambition, responsibility, leadership, athleticism, and so on. I focused my research on the effect of birth order placement on a tendency toward committing general deviant acts. I reviewed and analyzed previous research regarding this topic conducted by researchers and social scientists. I then conducted my own research study by administering a general deviance questionnaire to forty University of Northern Iowa students. After analyzing the survey results using the data analysis program, SPSS, I found that my hypothesis of firstborn individuals committing less general deviant acts …

An Environmental Systems Analysis Of Hydropower And Its Effects Upon Indigenous Settlements In Karnataka, India, Amy Joens

Honors Program Theses

Hydroelectricity is a very common method of energy production. Large dams are constantly being introduced to the river landscape in areas all over the world. There are definite benefits to hydropower, but the drawbacks may be even more evident. As modernization and development expand across developing nations like India, indigenous populations are often subject to the highest ration of negative impacts and consequences. This research explores both the costs and benefits of hydroelectricity, while using specific examples of dam construction projects to analyze aspects of the cumulative effects of a hydropower project. The Kabini Dam in southern Karnataka, India is …