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Parallel Form Test-Retest Reliability And Concurrent Validity Of An Instrument Designed To Measure Parental Love Deprivation, Margaret Josephine Zander

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to examine the parallel form test-retest reliability and concurrent validity of an instrument designed to measure parental love deprivation. This instrt1Dent, the Parental Love Deprivation Scale (PLDS), was designed by Dr. Radhi Al-Mabuk. The subjects in the study were 77 college students enrolled in three undergraduate classes in the College of Education at the University of Northern Iowa during the spring semester, 1992. Parallel for of the test were administered at a one month interval, with resulting reliability coefficients ranging from .93 for the PLDS/Father and .82 for the PLDS/Mother. In addition, Chronbach's Alpha …

Parallel Form Test-Retest Reliability And Predictive Validity Of A Curriculum-Based Measurement Academic Readiness Test, Stanley F. Hanus

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to help a local school district in rural Iowa determine the reliability and predictive validity of a Curriculum-Based Measurement Academic Readiness Test (CBM-ART). The subjects were 85 kindergarten students and 77 first grade students enrolled in regular education. The total sample of 162 students was approximately 88% Caucasian, 8% Native American, 2% Hispanic, and 2% Asian. Parallel forms of the test were administered at a 14-day interval, with resulting reliability coefficients ranging from .76 to .94 with a median coefficient of .88. Validity coefficients computed between CBM measures administered in kindergarten and Iowa Tests …

An Analysis Of The Basic Assumptions About Psychology Of Teachers And School Psychologists, Timothy James Harmon

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The introduction of the Regular Education Initiative into the schools has caused a shift in roles for many school personnel. Perhaps most impacted are the regular classroom teachers who must begin to serve the needs of all children, including those traditionally served by special education. The resulting concerns these teachers voice center on psychoeducational issues such as assessment or developmentally appropriate instructional objectives. Increasingly, teachers have begun to turn toward school psychologists for support and guidance in the form of a consultative relationship. current consultation theory and research suggests that one of the ingredients of more effective consultation is the …

Use Of Time Varying Dynamics In Neural Network To Solve Multi-Target Classification, S. N. Balakrishnan, J. Rainwater

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Several types of solutions exist for multiple target tracking. These techniques are computation-intensive and in some cases very difficult to operate online. The authors report on a backpropagation neural network which has been successfully used to identify multiple moving targets using kinematic data (time, range, range-rate and azimuth angle) from sensors to train the network. Preliminary results from simulated scenarios show that neural networks are capable of learning target identification for three targets during the time period used during training and a time period shortly after. This effective classification period can be extended by the use of networks in coordination …

Attitudes Of Sophomore/Junior High School African American Males Toward Career-Related Organizations, Phyllis Gail Harris

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Young Leaders in Action, a career-related organization for high school sophomore and junior high school students, has had little success attracting African American males as participants.

The purpose of the study was to describe the attitudes of African American sophomore and junior high school males regarding participation in career-related organizations such as Young Leaders in Action. The study was to help identify barriers to participation as perceived by waterloo East and West Public High School sophomore and junior African America males. The study investigated student attitude of participation and leadership.

Based on the proposition that the recruiting process of career-related …

Health Interests Of Ninth Grade Students In Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia, Jamel F. Al-Rashad

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to describe the health interests and preferred health education teaching methodologies of selected ninth grade male students in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia.

The review of the literature indicated the importance of taking students' interests into consideration in designing effective and meaningful health education programs. It is hoped that the results of this study will help Saudi authorities develop a health education program that effectively responds to the students' health interests and one that is delivered in the most meaningful fashion to them.

The sample for this study consisted of 250 ninth grade male students …

The Effects Of Sport Participation On Self-Concept Among Mentally Retarded Adolescent Athletes, Jennifer Denise Brookins

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sport participation on self-concept among mentally retarded adolescent athletes. It was also the intent of this investigation to contribute to an understanding of the relationship between self-concept and sport participation. It was hypothesized that sport participation improves self-concept among mentally retarded adolescent athletes.

Rosenberg's (1962) Self-Esteem Scale (RSE) (cited in Corcoran & Fisher, 1987) was administered to 12 mentally retarded adolescent athletes, aged 13-21. A pretest and posttest was given to the participants. Only 10 of the original 12 participants completed the posttest. The study was completed with 5 …

The Effects Of Two Teaching Methods On Students’ Aids-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs, And Behaviors, Connie M. Ryan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two different teaching methodologies on acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of a selected group of undergraduate students at the University of Northern Iowa. The two methods used were a lecture on AIDS for one group of students and the same lecture followed by a panel discussion with individuals upon whom AIDS has had a direct effect on their lives for a second group of students.

Subjects consisted of three sections of students enrolled in an undergraduate personal wellness course at the university. One section of …

Anaerobic Power Gains Through Plyometrics: Comparison Of College Basketball Players Performing Drills At The Beginning Versus The End Of Practice, Benton Adam Miller

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of plyometric training performed either before or after practice on selected power measurements for NCAA Division I male basketball players.

Sixteen subjects were split into two groups of eight players each. The groups were split up by a matched pairs method, based on preseason estimates of playing time for each player by the coaching staff. All subjects were pretested (Week 0) on four selected measures of power. Each subject was measured on vertical jump, with a no-step and a two-step approach, standing long jump, and the 30-yard (27.3 m) dash. …

Practices Of Waste Management In Iowa Public Schools, Catherine Mary Patzner

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to describe the waste management practices utilized in randomly selected Iowa public schools overall and stratified by student enrollment. The sample consisted of 100 public schools in Iowa. All public schools with enrollments of 900 or more were chosen. The remaining schools in this sample were selected based on stratified random sampling techniques. A questionnaire was constructed to ascertain the presence and extent of waste management in Iowa public schools. This questionnaire was used as the tool for collecting data. Of the 100 questionnaires mailed in this study, 76 were returned. The questionnaire was …

A Study Of Effective Practice In Primary Science Teachers, Leslie Jane Wilkinson-Brandt

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to determine if the science teaching practices identified by Tobin and Fraser (1988) are indeed used more often by science teachers who have been judged more effective by supervisors. Through a review of the articles on the project, Exemplary Practice in Science and Mathematics Education (EPSME) an observation model of effective teaching was created. The observation model listed practices determined to be effective through the qualitative observations of teachers identified as exemplary by their supervisors. This observation model was then tested in a mathematics and science institute for the at-risk student. The research consisted …

Effect Of Temperature On The Ultimate Strength And Modulus Of Whisker‐Reinforced Ceramics, Douglas R. Carroll, Lokeswarappa R. Dharani

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Whiskers are a very attractive means of reinforcing a ceramic material. It has been shown that the whiskers dramatically improve the ultimate strength and modulus of the materials at room temperature. However, recent studies indicate that at high temperatures the improvement is less pronounced, or there is no improvement at all. In this paper a model is developed to explain why the properties are degraded at high temperature. The parameters which seem most important for high‐temperature performance are the coefficients of thermal expansion and Poisson's ratios for the constituents, the heat treatment temperature, and the coefficient of friction between the …

Kevin Hart Graduate Recital, Kevin Michael Hart

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Inspirations Diabolique ( 1965), a multiple percussion solo m five movements by Rick Tagawa, was chosen for the opening piece in the recital. This piece is composed for four suspended cymbals, bongo drums, tambourine, two snare drums, field drum, and bass drum. Sticks, wire brushes, triangle beaters, and four soft mallets are indicated and provide the opportunity for a variety of sounds.

Falling In Love, Lisa Diane Houha

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The series of paintings and drawings I have completed for my thesis exhibition, "Falling in Love," is the visual culmination of my personal approach to the creation of art: allowing a work to develop without the imposition of formal concerns. It is an autobiographical series, a visual journal, and approached with the belief that art comes from life and that my art comes specifically from my life. The subject and title of my research has to do with understanding feelings for myself, others, and my art through the process of making art. It is my observation that love is the …

Electrical Conductivity And Seebeck Coefficient Of (La, Ca) (Cr, Co)O3, R. Koc, Harlan U. Anderson

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficients of (La, Ca) (Cr, Co)O₃ were measured as a function of temperature. The electrical conductivity as measured in air from 100 to 1100 °C increased with increasing Co and Ca content. The Seebeck coefficients were positive, indicating p-type conductivity. The substitution of Co for Cr significantly decreased the Seebeck coefficients, indicating that the substitution resulted in an increase in site occupancy, associated with the Co. The additional Ca substitution for La resulted in further decrease in the Seebeck coefficients, then exhibited a temperature-independent behaviour, indicating that the carrier mobility, rather than carrier concentration, was …

Factors Affecting The Development Of Unassigned Patents In Iowa, Diane Darlene Wheeler Schou

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Inventors granted patents from 1975 to 1990 in Iowa identified, via a questionnaire, where they perceived their invention on Bright's scale of eight stages of development. Stages were: idea, rationalization (has merit), experimentation, demonstration of prototypes, working model, commercial (market entry), commercial acceptance (sales), and commercial proliferation (other markets). The questions identified factors affecting development. The factors included: resources assisting development, events influencing start-up, sources of money for development, method of manufacturing, experiences with manufacturers, marketing techniques, sales, profit/loss, concerns, patent renewals, and age of patents. Open-ended questions allowed for additional comments.

Commercial acceptance or commercial proliferation was achieved by …

Abbe Center For Community Mental Health Adult Day Treatment Program Evaluation, Kathryn Ann Johnson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the present study was to determine if psychiatric clients admitted to the Adult Day Treatment Program at the Abbe Center for Community Mental Health made progress on individualized treatment goals developed using a GAS (Goal Attainment Scaling) system . Research subjects were 41 clients admitted to either the Intensive or Supportive Programs at the Abbe Center during a 1 year time period. Individualized treatment goals were developed for each client and measures of these goals took place upon admission to the program, at monthly intervals, at discharge from the program, and at 3 months post-discharge. Statistical analyses …

North American Social Values In Costa Rican Corporate Advertising, Nuria Estrada

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The objective of this study was to explore the possibility of using global advertising in the United States and Costa Rica. The researcher used content analysis to study words and images related to social values presented in 375 North American and 125 Costa Rican corporate advertisements during the decade 1980-1990. The social values found in these samples were classified according to the categories of the Rokeach Value Survey (RVS). Specifically, the researcher used what Rokeach called terminal values which are more socially oriented than personal values. A Chi-square statistical test was used to determine if differences between North American and …

A Comparative Analysis Of Family-Oriented Personnel Policy And Programs In Non Profit Human Service Organizations, Staci E. Fry

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This researcher predicted that there was a lack of knowledge and attention given to family needs of employees and family-oriented personnel policy and programs among non profit human service organizations. The survey research looks at the differences in need and opinion among (a) Dual-Career families, (b) Single-Career families (c) Single-Parent families, (d) Working persons without children under age 12, and (e) by Gender.

A Survey Of Consumer Satisfaction In Residential Treatment Centers In Iowa, David Allen Gates

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The expressed satisfaction of youth in placement in residential treatment centers (RTCs) has not been utilized for maximum benefit. A survey of the consumer's satisfaction with the programs in which they were placed was conducted. Eight of 18 treatment centers participated with a total of 65 surveys completed. Youth ages 12 to 17 in placement in RTCs in Iowa, were randomly selected to respond to 10 questions regarding their level of satisfaction with the program at the center in which they were placed. In general the youth were satisfied with the programs and the staff with whom they worked. They …

Hierarchical Neurocontroller Architecture For Robotic Manipulation, Xavier J. R. Avula, Luis C. Rabelo

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A hierarchical neurocontroller architecture consisting of two artificial neural network systems for the manipulation of a robotic arm is presented. The higher-level network system participates in the delineation of the robot arm workspace and coordinates transformation and the motion decision-making process. The lower-level network provides the correct sequence of control actions. A straightforward example illustrates the architecture''s capabilities, including speed, adaptability, and computational efficiency

Planning And Control Of A Robotic Manipulator Using Neural Networks, Xavier J. R. Avula, Heng Ma, Anil Malkani, Jay-Shinn Tsai, Luis C. Rabelo

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An architecture which utilizes two artificial neural systems for planning and control of a robotic arm is presented. The first neural network system participates in the trajectory planning and the motion decision-making process. The second neural network system provides the correct sequence of control actions with a high accuracy due to the utilization of an unsupervised/supervised neural network scheme. The utilization of a hybrid hierarchical/distributed organization, supervised/unsupervised learning models, and forward modeling yielded an architecture with capabilities of high level functionality.

Proving Functionally Difficult Problems Through Model Generation, Richard Rankin, Ralph W. Wilkerson

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Satchmo [MA88] is a Theorem Prover Implemented in Prolog Which Attempts to Provide Satisfiability Checking through Model Generation. This Paper Gives a Brief Introduction to SATCHMO and Reports Extensions to the Original Work Which Allow SATCHMO to Solve Problems Previously Considered to Be Finitely Unprovable within the SATCHMO System. the Specific Problems Are from [PE86, MO85, LU85] and Were Designed to Convert Simple Propositional Logic Problems into Functionally Difficult First Order Problems. Although the Benefits of using the SATCHMO System Are Many, the Fact that It Could Not Offer Proofs for a Set of Problems Provable in Other Systems is …

Experimentation With Proof Methods For Non-Horn Sets, Christopher J. Merz, Ralph W. Wilkerson

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Two Resolution Proof Strategies Developed by Peterson Are Implemented by Modifying Otter, an Existing Automated Theorem Prover. the Methods, Lock-T Refutation and LNL-T Refutation, Are Generalizations of Unit Refutation and Input Resolution, Respectively, to Non-Horn Sets and Represent Independent, Equivalent but Opposite Ways of Searching. the Algorithms Used Are based on a Corrected Version of the Foundational Work. the Strategies Have Been Tested on Various Non-Horn Challenge Problems from the Tarskian Geometry and the Non-Obvious Problem, with the Results Being in Some Cases Quite Favorable When Compared to Other Resolution Techniques.

Composite Stock Cutting Through Simulated Annealing, Hanan Lutfiyya, Bruce M. Mcmillin, Pipatpong Poshyanonda, Cihan H. Dagli

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper explores the use of Simulated Annealing as an optimization technique for the problem of Composite Material Stock Cutting. The shapes are not constrained to be convex polygons or even regular shapes. However, due to the composite nature of the material, the orientation of the shapes on the stock is restricted. For placements of various shapes, we show how to determine a cost function, annealing parameters and performance. © 1992.

Formation Of Clusters And Resolution Of Ordinal Attributes In Id3 Classification Trees, Chaman Sabharwal, Keith R. Hacke, Daniel C. St. Clair

Computer Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

Many learning systems have been designed to construct classification trees from a set of training examples. One of the most widely used approaches for constructing decision trees is the ID3 algorithm [Quinlan 1986]. Decision trees are ill-suited to handle attributes with ordinal values. Problems arise when a node representing an ordinal attribute has a branch for each value of the ordinal attribute in the training set. This is generally infeasible when the set of ordinal values is very large. Past approaches have sought to cluster large sets of ordinal values before the classification tree is constructed [Quinlan 1986; Lebowitz 1985; …

An Optical Adaptive Resonance Neural Network Utilizing Phase Conjugation, Donald C. Wunsch, D. J. Morris, T. P. Caudell, R. A. Falk

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An adaptive resonance (ART) device has been conceived that is fully optical in the input-output processing path. It is based on holographic information processing in a phase-conjugating crystal. This sets up an associative pattern retrieval in a resonating loop utilizing angle-multiplexed reference beams for pattern classification. A reset mechanism is used to reject any given beam, allowing an ART search strategy. The design is similar to an existing nonlearning optical associative memory, but it does allow learning and makes use of information the other device discards. This device is expected to offer higher information storage density than alternative ART implementations.

Applying Metrics To Rule-Based Systems, Paul Doyle, Renaat Verbruggen

Other

Since the introduction of software measurement theory in the early seventies it has been accepted that in order to control software it must first be measured. Unambiguous and reproducible measurements are considered to be the most useful in controlling software productivity, costs and quality, and diverse sets of measurements are required to cover all aspects of software. This paper focuses on measures for rule-based language systems and also describes a process for developing measures for other non-standard 3GL development tools. This paper uses KEL as an example and the method allows the re-use of existing measures and indicates if and …

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Building Services Engineering

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The Development Of The Palmar Sweat Index As An Applied Measure In Clinical Psychology, Keith John Clements

School of Psychology Theses

Five studies are described, examining the validity of the Palmar Sweat Index (PSI) as an alternative to traditional measures of electrodermal activity (EDA). A review of research using the PSI identified tour topics which needed to be addressed, before the PSI could be accepted as an alternative to measures of EDA. The first of these topics concerns the reliability of the PSI. A preliminary analysis confirmed that the PSI could be scored reliably. The second topic to be examined, was the relationship between the PSI and measures of EDA. The PSI was found to correlate significantly with several parameters of …