Digital Commons Network^™

Front Matter

Journal of Air Law and Commerce

No abstract provided.

Recent Developments In Aviation Law, David N. Zeehandelaar

Journal of Air Law and Commerce

No abstract provided.

Flying Underground: The Trade In Bootleg Aircraft Parts, Robert W. Luedeman

Journal of Air Law and Commerce

No abstract provided.

The Heavy Issue: Weight-Based Discrimination In The Airline Industry, Dennis M. Lynch

Journal of Air Law and Commerce

No abstract provided.

The Oklahoma Estate Tax: Modest Proposals For Change, Mark R. Gillett

Faculty Articles

No abstract provided.

Literature Base Unit On Ants, Bees And Crickets, Lisa S. Foley

Graduate Research Papers

The process of instructional development was engaged in to extend the literature base of the unit on insects, specifically ants, bees, and crickets, for grade two. Quality literature works were gathered to enrich the unit. The result of this project was the development of a rich environment in which the processes of the language arts and science areas were integrated to foster students' in-depth study of the concepts of the unit and thinking-language abilities. The unit was presented through teacher-directed activities and learning centers--sustaining and specific to the unit. Sustaining centers maintained a secure, predictable learning environment as well as …

Extending The Multi-Cultural Literature Base Of A Reading Program Through Experience With Folk Tales, Karen J. Ginn

Graduate Research Papers

Our school district supports the use of the basal approach for reading instruction. This project is intended to extend the literature base of the folk tale unit that is included in the basal reader for grade five. The unit on folk tales in the reader consists of only three stories, one story from each of these cultures--Chinese, African and American Indian. This project extends the offerings of the unit with many works of quality literature to provide a print rich environment. Such an approach gives students a chance to explore the genre in-depth and to interact with the other children …

Characteristics Of Batterers Convicted Of Domestic Abuse In The Batterers’ Education Reform, Jacquelyn E. Powell

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The information obtained from this study will give an indication as to whether the abusers in this area share common characteristics of the abuser. By identifying these characteristics, it may be possible to target individuals prone to practice abusive behavior, and possibly interrupt the cycle by intervening with education and prevention strategies to combat the problem.

The purpose of this study was to ascertain selected characteristics of males convicted of domestic abuse in the Black Hawk County's Batterers' Education Program. The study was to identify selected characteristics of participants court-ordered to attend the Batterers' Education Program. The study investigated demographical …

Use Of The Iowa Locator In School Library Media Classes, Debra A. Peterson

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the Iowa Locator was being used by students and teachers to identify materials which are then requested through interlibrary loan in the ninety-three school library media centers that had the Locator available from August through December of 1995.

This was a descriptive study using a questionnaire survey methodology. The population for this study was identified as the ninety-three school library media centers that have the Iowa Locator.

The findings indicated that only 75% of the school library media centers that had the Iowa Locator had patrons request materials through interlibrary loan. …

The Effects Of Flexible Versus Fixed Schedules On Circulation And Attendance In An Elementary School Library Media Program, Sandy Weldon

Graduate Research Papers

Statistical analysis was used to document and observe the effects of fixed and flexible schedules on circulation and attendance at Howe Elementary School in Des Moines, Iowa. This study compared circulation and attendance records of third through fifth graders from the school years 1992-93 and 1993-94 using fixed schedules to those from 1994-95 and 1995-96 using flexible schedules. Decreased circulation and attendance followed a shift in schedules, with the conclusion that both circulation and attendance were higher when following a more traditional, fixed schedule.

Teacher Efficacy: A Construct Validation With Alternative High School Teachers: A Replication, Lisa Marie Bries

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to replicate phase one of Gibson and Dembo's (1984) construct validation study of the Teacher Efficacy Scale with alternative high school instructors. Replication of Gibson and Dembo's factor analytic structure of this instrument with alternative educators would provide a basis upon which to make comparisons between regular and alternative educators' self efficacy.

Subjects for the study were 77 alternative educators in a rural midwestern state. Each alternative teacher taught in the continuation school model of alternative education which addressed the needs of dropout youth and students identified as being in danger of dropping out. …

Librarians In Quandary Over Web Access, Pat Newcombe

Faculty Scholarship

The Author discusses the public pressure on libraries to find acceptable solutions that balance intellectual freedom with the community support that all public libraries need. With the Communication Decency Act's constitutionality brought before the Supreme Court, the censorship controversy continues, placing libraries in a very difficult situation. Strategies used by Libraries to protect patrons include blocking software, offering classes to adults and children on searching the internet, and providing useful listings for searching specific types of information.

Racist Health Care?, Barbara A. Noah

Faculty Scholarship

During the past few years, rationing has become an explicit feature in decisions concerning optimal delivery of health care services, and it poses difficult choices for health care providers and policymakers. Insurers and patients increasingly must balance the desire for access to every possible treatment against concerns about affordability. Costdriven treatment decisions are becoming an unavoidable reality for most patients. Apparently, however, another more pernicious type of rationing occurs in this country. It does not depend on factors such as the likelihood of an optimal outcome, the comparative efficacy of different available treatment modalities, or even the ability to pay …

Writing Portfolios In A Third Grade Classroom -- A Collaborative Learning Environment, Marilynn R. Lampe

Graduate Research Papers

Many teachers through the years have requested that students keep folders of writing samples. More recently, teachers have come to understand that a folder of selected samples, or a portfolio, has much potential for qualitative assessment. Keeping writing portfolios allows children and teachers to view their writing continually and to describe strengths and weaknesses. As children reflect on their writing exhibits, their literacy is extended. Instruction becomes a natural extension of assessment as students and teachers build portfolios. This paper describes how a teacher collaborated with students in grade three as they engaged in the writing process and exhibited their …

Peer Groups In The Writing Process, Jayne E. Lyons

Graduate Research Papers

Recent research on children's writing suggests that there are positive benefits from peers learning from each other as well as from teachers. This paper presents ways that teachers can provide a supportive environment in which peer groups can facilitate the writing process. Through interacting in large or small peer groups, children can assist each other in progressing through the recursive components of the writing process and in generating knowledge about the composition process.

Nicotine Withdrawal: Assessing The Fda's Effort To Regulate Tobacco Products, Lars Noah, Barbara A. Noah

Faculty Scholarship

At a press conference held on August 23, 1996, just one year after initially revealing his plans, President Clinton announced sweeping federal regulations to combat the underage use of tobacco products. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) subsequently published a lengthy preamble to accompany the final regulations, detailing the Agency's assessment of the problem and responding to numerous public comments to its notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). Characterizing the growing use of tobacco products as a "pediatric disease," FDA Commissioner David Kessler previously had vowed to alter the smoking habits of the newest generation of tobacco users in order to …

Perceptions Of Changes In Gifted Education By Educators Of The Talented And Gifted In Iowa, Jean Suchsland Schneider

Graduate Research Papers

The changes in gifted education by a representative sample of Iowa educators of the talented and gifted were investigated. Underwritten by Iowa Talented and Gifted Association (IT AG), the writer surveyed the members of IT AG who are teachers or coordinators of the talented and gifted. The collected demographic data provided a profile of educators of the talented and gifted. The results of the survey indicated the following changes during the last four or more years: the adoption of more criteria in identification procedures; more collaboration with classroom teachers; growth in advocacy, support, and understanding among various educational groups; and …

Exercise And Immune Function In Athletes Over Age 50, Lynda L. Graham

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to search for relationships between lifestyle factors and the number of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) suffered per year in older runners. A cover letter and questionnaire were mailed to 1400 members of the Combelt Running Club. It questioned subjects about life-style factors like: (a) education, (b) occupation, (c) race, (d) activity, (e) cold episodes, (f) vitamin/mineral supplements, (g) stress, (h) diet, (i) smoking, (j) alcohol, (k) weight, (1) height, (m) caffeine, and (n) self-remedy for a cold. One hundred and thirty subjects aged 50 years of age and older participated in this study. …

The Presence Of Developmental Role Models In Iowa Teen Award Fiction, Ann Jenette Dea

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine if the choice of winning fiction titles by Iowa teens in the Iowa Teen Award Competition reflect developmental role models. This study was a content analysis using the Havighurst Tasks of Adolescence as categories to record the frequency of the occurrence of developmental tasks by main characters of the Iowa Teen Award Winners and Runnersup, 1984-1994. The research findings of this study showed that today's Iowa Teen Award winners and contenders reflected all of Havighurst' s Developmental Tasks. It fmther showed that the developmental tasks attempted or accomplished by the main characters …

Integrated Science Unit: Rain And Water, Susan M. Van Woert

Graduate Research Papers

The process of instructional development was engaged in to extend the literature base, representative of different genres, and to integrate the language arts with the established science curriculum. The unit on rain and water for grades one and two was the focus of the project. Learning centers were developed to enrich the learning environment. They will provide experiences with quality literature works and many options for expressive activity which will allow children to be more in control of their learning. The major goal was to capitalize on the commonness of the processes in the language arts and science areas to …

An Annotated Bibliography Of Selected Historical Fiction About The American Frontier From 1840-1899 For Children And Young Adults, Karen Keller

Graduate Research Papers

This project was to produce a bibliography of historical fiction requested by teachers in Johnston Middle School, Johnston, Iowa, that can be used by the eighth-grade classes so that students may choose from a selected list of historical fiction books about the American West that will encompass both their literature theme of the will to survive and the historical setting of the American frontier as it moves West between 1840 and 1899. The fifty books annotated were chosen through criteria selected so as to produce a list of books that would meet the needs of the teachers of this unit. …

The Necessity For An Increased Understanding Of Quality In Early Childhood Practices By School Psychologists, Tina L. Geiken

Graduate Research Papers

Due to the increased recognition of the importance of quality early childhood education for young children from economically disadvantaged homes and young children with disabilities, public schools are beginning to provide early childhood programs. Implementing such programs into the public schools will require school psychologists to be knowledgeable in the premise of developmentally appropriate practices and its crucial role in quality early childhood education. This paper presents a framework of developmentally appropriate practice and what constitutes quality early childhood education programs. The benefits of quality early childhood education programs are assessed through the examination of longitudinal research of early education …

Rn And Lpn Perceptions Of Front-Line Delegation, Martha E. Colwell

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Healthcare organizations face increasing demands to provide the most efficient and economical care possible. Emerging patient care delivery systems require that front-line RNs take on a broader scope of responsibility for patient care, particularly in the area of delegation. Research identifies that staff RNs experience much difficulty in delegating patient care (Conger, 1993; Hansten & Washburn, 1994). The purpose of this study was to explore RN and LPN perceptions of front-line delegation in their working relationships. In particular, the study sought to: (a) determine how changing roles of RNs and LPNs influenced front-line delegation; (b) answer how RNs viewed front-line …

Occupational Stress And Absenteeism Among Promise Jobs Specialists, Kristine Owens

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between selected occupational stressors and absenteeism among PROMISE JOBS specialists across the State of Iowa. The Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI) (Osipow & Spokane, 1987) supplemented with demographic and absentee measures was administered to the entire population of205 specialists in 16 service delivery areas. The service delivery area directors distributed the surveys in their local agencies. The specialists were asked to return the survey questionnaire in the self-addressed pre-paid envelopes. The overall return rate was 104 questionnaires (50. 7%) of the original population. The findings of this study were based upon 90 usable …

Professional Development: The Literacy Portfolio, Becky Woldan

Graduate Research Papers

The focus of this staff development project is on the development and implementation of Literacy Portfolios in the elementary classroom. The participants in the project devise purposes for their portfolios, experience Writer's Workshop and participate in a number of other literacy activities while creating their own portfolios. The theory of portfolio development is explained in great detail for the participants through the readings they complete during the course of the project. The active participation in the creation of a portfolio and the background knowledge in portfolio theory, will enable the participant to begin developing portfolios in their own classrooms.

Acceptability Across Disciplines Of Attribution Retraining Alone And Combined With Learning Strategy Instruction, Melody A. Reeder

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Attribution theory has been reformulated repeatedly over the past 40 years. Seven of the major theories of attribution are discussed in this paper, as well as five attribution assessment instruments. A brief overview of learning strategy instruction is provided also. Based on a review of eleven major school psychology training textbooks and the past five and one half years of major school psychology journals, it was hypothesized that educational professionals have little knowledge, experience, and skills in attribution assessment and intervention. The purpose of the current study was to investigate educational professionals' (i.e., regular education teachers, educational consultants, school psychologists) …

Parents' Role In Emergent Literacy, Deborah K. Greenwood

Graduate Research Papers

This article reviews literature showing the influence of parents on their children's emergent literacy. Children who come from home environments in which they have received frequent and varied experiences with print material have a greater chance of success in school literacy programs. Educators have an obligation to recognize the influence of the home environment when planning and implementing school language arts programs. Classroom teachers can support parents by helping them recognize and use many home literacy opportunities. Ideas are offered for establishing effective teacher/parent partnerships to support children in their emergent literacy.

Publishing: A Component In The Writing Process, Monique M. Lillie

Graduate Research Papers

In a writing program, children need time to write daily to experience the recursive nature of the writing process, to use writing as a vehicle for learning, and to learn how to support themselves and others in the process. Keeping these aspects of a writing program in mind, a project for grade two was initiated to promote the publishing component of the writing process. Publication is often the forgotten component of the writing process. The goal was to improve the quality of second graders' writing. This goal was supported by a secure, predictable atmosphere in which to write; freedom to …

Awareness And Response: Schools' First Steps Toward Reform Through Technology, Lynee' Klaus

Graduate Research Papers

This review of literature includes sources published from 1990-95. The critical role of reform in education is examined. It identifies connections between technology and reform, and recognizes that technology can be a catalyst for reform. The literature states that computer based instruction enhances the goals of reform. It suggests studying the nature of reform before and during the process of technology implementation. A systems is model is analyzed, to understand the impact of change in most school systems. This review identifies the component of leadership in educational technology as an effective response to reform. Planning, initiatives, and teacher roles are …

Building A Collaborative Family-School Literacy Partnership, Janet K. Mack

Graduate Research Papers

Families have a strong and lasting influence on their children's emerging literacy and success in school. Families can provide print-rich environments for their children by acting as role models of readers, reading aloud to their children while interacting with the print and illustrations, providing expressive activities and taking them to the library. By collaborating with the school, the family can offer much support to their children as they strive to learn to read. A home-school partnership project for first grade was developed to extend opportunities for children to engage in reading activity at home and to engage their parents' support …