Digital Commons Network^™

Master’S Recital In Organ, Mi-Young Jin

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Mi-Young Jin presented a graduate organ recital at 6:00 p.m. on November 30, 2001 in Jebe Hall at the University of Northern Iowa School of Music. The recital was performed in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a Master of Music degree in organ performance. The repertoire included works from the Baroque period to the Twentieth-century: Pierre Du Mage 's Grand Jeu, Johann Sebastian Bach's Trio Sonata No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 526, George Frideric Handel's Organ Concerto No. 13 in F Major (" The Cuckoo and Nightingale "), Anton Heiller's Tanz-Toccata, and Maurice Durufle's Suite, Op. 5.

Graininess Of Spatial Distribution In House Sparrows And House Finches: Implications For Interspecific Competition, Carol A. Heaverlo

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In Iowa, the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) is a non-indigenous avian species commonly found in areas inhabited by humans. During the past 10 years the House Sparrow population numbers have declined 54%. Competition for resources between the House Sparrow and House Finch has been cited as the reason for the decline. It has also been suggested that interspecific competition between the House Sparrow and House Finch is not the primary reason for the decline because the two perceive the environment on different scales: the House Sparrow is a coarse-grained species and the House Finch a fine-grained species. In three urban …

University Of Northern Iowa Strategic Plan: 2001-2006, Performance Indicators [2001-2002], University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

A report detailing the progress on the strategic goals within the University of Northern Iowa's strategic plan.

This individual report was created in 2002.

An Investigation Of The Types Of Support Identified As Necessary By Secondary Classroom Teachers In Iowa School Districts For The Inclusion Of Students Identified As Behaviorally Disabled, Rick Alan Ironside

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study investigated the type of supports secondary general educators in Iowa school districts identified as minimal to include children with behavioral disabilities. It also analyzed the differences in the types of support secondary general educators identified to include children with behavioral disabilities into the general education classroom.

A total of 251 teachers from 147 school districts reacted to an assigned scenario that described a student with a behavioral disability by completing a self-reporting survey on the actual supports they received and minimal support needs preferred to include the student described in the assigned scenario into their classroom. General education …

The Effects Of The Comprehensive School Improvement Process On Gifted And Talented Programming In Iowa As Perceived By Middle Level Principals And Teachers, Jean Suchsland Schneider

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This descriptive study examined the perceived effects of the Iowa state-mandate, the Comprehensive School Improvement (CSI) Process, for Gifted and Talented (GT) Programming in Iowa. The study examined the assumption that mandates lead to internal changes in schools, increased collaboration among various groups, and improved school programs. Based on the mandated provisions of the Iowa Administrative Code, this study compared the perceptions of middle level teachers of gifted and talented students with middle level principals and investigated two areas: (a) the perceived changes in GT Programming in Iowa from the time the CSI Process was implemented to the present time …

A Study Of The Multiple Perspective Approach To Leadership Used By Elementary And Secondary Public School Principals In Urban Iowa, Tracy E. Johns

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Based on the writings and research of Dr. L. G. Bolman and Dr. T. E. Deal, this study sought to assess the leadership practices, preferences, preparedness, and performance of public school principals in urban Iowa. Specifically, were the principals in Iowa's eight largest districts making use of a multiple perspective approach to leadership? In what areas did they appear to feel most competent? And, in what areas did the principals in this study appear to feel most inadequate?

Bolman and Deal's Leadership Orientations ( Self ) Survey (1990) was distributed to 240 elementary and secondary principals working within the Urban …

Integrating New Technologies Into The Methods Of Education (Intime): Its Impact On The Professional Practice Of Participating Teacher Educators, Marius Boboc

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this qualitative study is to determine those factors that influenced the implementation of a technology-based project (Integrating New Technologies Into Methods of Education [INTIME]) as well as its overall impact on the professional practice of participating methods professors who used it in their classroom over a number o f semesters.

Recent research findings reveal the fact that teacher preparation programs lack the proper use of computer technology (CT). In this light, it would be expected that in- service teachers who have recently graduated college do not master the necessary technological skills to educate their own students for …

Perceptions Of High School Principals On Instructional Leadership And Implications For Practice And Professional Development, Dianna K. Engelbrecht

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was: (a) to determine how Iowa high school principals perceive their instructional leadership practice as defined by ISSL/ISLLC Standard 2 and the knowledge, dispositions, and performance descriptors; (b) to determine which Standard 2 indicators are most essential for the high school principal's instructional leadership practice; (c) to determine if the practices of high school principals as instructional leaders align with the identified essential indicators of Standard 2; (d) to define and describe how Iowa high school principals define instructional leadership; (e) to determine if demographics impact the instructional leadership practices of Iowa's high school principals; …

A National Survey Of Elementary Principals' Response To The Events Of September 11, 2001, Diane Mary Mccarty

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The events of September 11, 2001, will be forever etched in the minds of citizens of the United States. Because students enrolled in the nation's elementary schools compose a significant segment of the population affected by these watershed events, this study investigated the responses of elementary school principals to the terrorist events of September 11. Specifically, this study sought to determine the degree to which elementary principals perceived their school's crisis management plan supported their leadership on September 11, 2001, and in the days and weeks that followed, and the degree to which elementary principals perceived these actions were connected …

Parental Perceptions On Maintaining Heritage Languages Of Cld Students, Ruth Lingxin Yan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The rapid growth of the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) students in public schools of the United States has been steady in the past decades. Issues concerning CLD students such as their school failures, high dropout rates, the limited English proficiency, family poverty, and their unequal job opportunities, have caused increasing concerns from policy makers, school administrators and educators at all school levels. Various efforts to modify CLD students' social and academic disadvantages have been attempted through educational approaches, especially in the form of heritage language support in bilingual education programs initiated at the local school levels and funded by …

Migration And Cultural Identity: Performing The Afro-Caribbean Woman's Struggle, Elvinet Samantha Wilson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Current research suggests a relationship between cultural identity negotiation and the phenomenon of border crossing. While a wealth of literature exists on the topic of migration, few studies reflect a scope that includes in-depth analysis of the experiences of Afro-Caribbean women in the United States.Through ethnographic and autoethnographic methodologies, and using a feminist theoretical lens, this study explores issues relating to cultural identity negotiation in the lives of 10 Black women from Jamaica, The Bahamas, and Trinidad, who now reside in the Midwest region of the United States. Analysis based on a grounded theory approach, allowed themes to emerge from …

A Social Studies/Science Technology Project Manual For Upper Elementary Educators In The Dubuque Community School District, Jenny M. Kress

Graduate Research Papers

In the last five years, the Dubuque Community School District's technology infrastructure has grown tenfold. With the implementation of a district-wide networked computer system also came growing expectations for classroom teachers to provide technological opportunities for students (Dubuque Community School District, 2001). With the administration's eagerness to bring Dubuque's students into the information world, teachers have not been provided with any technology curriculum or manuals on how to incorporate computer projects into their lessons. This graduate research project was developed to give the classroom teacher a means to provide these technological opportunities in a very systematic and step-by-step manner. The …

What Parents And Teachers Want To Know About Schools And How Schools Can Advertise This Information Using Technology, Denise H. Krefting

Graduate Research Papers

Finding good teachers is becoming very competitive in our nation as a large number of teachers will be retiring and fewer people are entering the profession. Parents are now shopping for the school that they want their children to attend and then finding the home in that district. The possibility of school vouchers is encouraging this. Schools need to be able to advertise information to potential employees and parents of their school district.

The Waukee School district in Waukee, Iowa works to create an informational CD made available to parents and employees is used as an example of what information …

Using The Instructional Computing Design Process To Introduce And Incorporate The Boys Town Social Skills, Marcus R. Kurtz

Graduate Research Papers

The following paper takes an inside look on how to use the Instructional Computing Design process to create instructional software that focuses on the Boys Town Social Skills. Within the planning, designing, and development of this multimedia project, the paper will also concentrate on the projects standards, management of the project, and an ongoing evaluation of the project. A great amount of discussion in the paper focuses on how to develop software that is used to instruct and guide learners using the Boys Town Social Skills. Each step of the ICD process will be described to reveal how the Boys …

Teaching Literacy In Kindergarten, Dawnette Diane Leslie

Graduate Research Papers

This study examined ways of teaching literacy in the kindergarten. Benefits and problems associated with teaching reading in kindergarten were discussed. Guidelines were presented for teachers implementing literacy instruction in kindergartens. Conclusions were drawn from the literature and recommendations were made for teaching reading to kindergarten students.

Designing A Web Page To Facilitate Communication, Lori B. Lee

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this action research project was to build a teacher-controlled web page that would facilitate communication between home, community, and school. The web site contained information about administration, athletics (including schedules), honor roll and awards, faculty and staff information, advisor/advisee programs, academic information with assignments, special events, and students of the week.

Twenty-three seventh grade parents volunteered to respond to surveys about their communication with the staff at the Nashua-Plainfield Middle School and the implementation of the middle school web site.

The response by the parents indicated that they liked the monthly news, information on assignments, and athletic …

School-Based Prevention Of Adolescent Substance Abuse, Kristina Lorenzen

Graduate Research Papers

Because of the prevalence and serious consequences of adolescent substance abuse, it is necessary to review programming for prevention. Progress has been made in identifying effective prevention methods. However, there is a gap between what research has shown to be effective and the methods commonly used in most schools.

The purpose of this paper is to review existing literature and research on substance abuse prevention for adolescents. The following research questions were addressed: How prevalent is adolescent substance abuse? What specific factors put an adolescent at risk for substance abuse? Why are some programs considered ineffective? What components make an …

The Effects Of A Mother's Incarceration On Her Children, Jane Elizabeth Mayer

Graduate Research Papers

This study examined the effects of a mother's incarceration on her children. Benefits, as well as problems, associated with facilitating a mother-child visitation program were discussed. Guidelines were presented for parents, caregivers, children, and prison staff on a successful mother-child visitation program. Conclusions were drawn from the literature and recommendations were made for the future facilitation of a mother-child visitation program.

A Preferred Vision For Administering High Schools, Corey Tafoya

Graduate Research Papers

Few people believe I grew up in Wyoming. It must seem far away, foreign and different from the Midwestern way of life. The rugged individualism that pervades Wyoming's culture is evident in the character of most Wyoming natives. We are raised to be independent and confident. Wyoming is a place where actions are valued above talking. People show their beliefs through their actions. When a neighbor needs help, help until the work is done, there is no need to form a "neighborhood association." Common social catch phrases and trendy social activities have a very short shelf life in Wyoming. What …

The Effects Of Using Computer-Assisted Learning To Teach Multiplication, Brian Unruh

Graduate Research Papers

This case study investigated the effects of using computer-assisted learning (CAL) while teaching multiplication facts to 32 third-graders. This quasi-experimental study spanned a six-week period and was analyzed using a variety of qualitative and quantitative techniques. Among these qualitative techniques were participant observation and formal and informal interviews. The quantitative component included document analysis of three separate instruments. This study demonstrated a low correlation between the use of CAL and recall skills. However, students felt comfortable and enthusiastic working with the computer. In addition to the excitement, students felt significantly more confident and successful using the computer. There was evidence …

Why A Board? Group Decisionmaking In Corporate Governance, Stephen M. Bainbridge

Vanderbilt Law Review

This Article begins by briefly describing the role of the board both in law and in practice. Part II explores the distinction be- tween consensus and authority as modes of institutional decision- making. As hierarchical institutions, corporations rely far more heavily on authority than on consensus. Yet, at the apex of the hierarchy is a collegial body that functions mainly by consensus.

Part III is the core of the Article. In order to evaluate corporate law's preference for collective decisionmaking, we need to know whether group decisionmaking is superior to that of individuals. A wealth of experimental data suggests that …

Citation And Representation, Alex Glashausser

Vanderbilt Law Review

A war is raging in the legal citation field. Arbitrary changes in the Bluebook from one edition to the next have incited a populist rebellion in the form of the Association of Legal Writing Directors' ALWD Citation Manual. This Article traces the causes of the conflict and assesses its likely outcomes. Professor Glashausser compares the two citation guides to eighteenth- century Great Britain and America: the Bluebook is the elite empire clinging to its position, and the Manual is the challenger hoping to ride a wave of populism to revolution. Overall, Professor Glashausser's Article sides with the Manual as the …

Theology In The Jury Room: Religious Discussion As "Extraneous Material" In The Course Of Capital Punishment Deliberations, Gregory M. Ashley

Vanderbilt Law Review

"Why would a God concerned about justice in a matter of life and death be willing to delegate an absolute power over life and death to such fallible and morally benighted creatures?'"

In the landmark Furman v. Georgia decision, Justice Brennan likened capital punishment to a mere game of chance: "When the punishment of death is inflicted in a trivial number of the cases in which it is legally available, the conclusion is virtually inescapable that it is being inflicted arbitrarily. Indeed, it smacks of little more than a lottery system." Although Brennan's argument in Furman focused primarily on disparities …

A Scalable Architecture For Harvest-Based Digital Libraries, Xiaoming Liu, Tim Brody, Stevan Harnard, Les Carr, Kurt Maly, Mohammad Zubair, Michael L. Nelson

Computer Science Faculty Publications

This article discusses the requirements of current and emerging applications based on the Open Archives Initiative (OAI) and emphasizes the need for a common infrastructure to support them. Inspired by HTTP proxy, cache, gateway and web service concepts, a design for a scalable and reliable infrastructure that aims at satisfying these requirements is presented. Moreover, it is shown how various applications can exploit the services included in the proposed infrastructure. The article concludes by discussing the current status of several prototype implementations.

Improving Student Achievement And Attitude In Middle Grade Social Studies Classes Through Learning Style Instruction And Design, Jennifer D. Vincent

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

This applied dissertation was designed to improve student achievement and attitude in a middle school social studies class. Students were not performing well on tests and exams after experiencing traditional visual and auditory instructional methods. The Jack of diversity and creativity in delivery of instruction resulted in limited academic achievement and poor attitude towards social studies learning. Furthermore, long-term memory was also negatively affected because the traditional teaching approaches did not emphasize higher level thinking that promotes greater retention. The study integrates theoretical research concerning how students learn to the development of a strong historical rationale for implementing learning styles …

Development Of An Orientation Guide For Faculty Teaching Credit Contract Training Courses At Prince George’S Community College, Diana Wilkins

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The problem addressed by this development study was that faculty at Prince George's Community College (PGCC) have difficulty adjusting their instructional procedures to the adult learner in a business and industry enviomment. Therefore, there was a need to develop an orientation guide for faculty teaching credit contract training courses at Prince George's Community College.

The purpose of this study was to develop an orientation guide for faculty teaching credit contract training courses at PGCC. The research question addressed in this study was, "What is the appropriate content for an orientation guide for faculty teaching credit contract training courses at Prince …

An Evaluation Of The Availability Of Courses At Bevill State Community College, Teresa L. Johnson

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The purpose of this study was to determine whether courses are offered at Bevill State Community College (BSCC) to allow a student to complete an associate degree within two years. The problem was that a significant number of students transfer to four-year institutions without completing an associate degree at BSCC.

There was one research question for this study: "Does the schedule of courses at BSCC allow students to complete an associate degree within two years?''

The procedures consisted of a literature review, establishment of criteria, selection and validation of evaluation model, selection and administration of a needs assessment instrument to …

Development Of An Antiviolence Policy For Faculty Of Medcentral Hospital School Of Nursing, Nancy Martin

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The faculty at MedCentral Hospital School of Nursing did not know how to handle incidences of hostility and violent behavior involving students. While some of the faculty ignored or minimized threats, some took them as a danger to their safety. A protocol did not 2 exist that would give direction to the faculty and the director of the school of nursing. The purpose of the study was to develop an antiviolence policy for faculty of MedCentral Hospital School of Nursing. The research question was: "What is the appropriate form and content for an antiviolence policy for faculty of MedCentral Hospital …

Correlation Of Baccalaureate Nursing Students’ Portfolio Evaluation Scores With Other Measures Of Academic Performance, Karen A. Karlowicz

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

A portfolio evaluation tool had been created by undergraduate nursing faculty at Old Dominion University School of Nursing to enable student portfolios to be used as an adjunct method of program evaluation. While the tool was previously judged to have face validity and high inter-rater reliability, the lack of evidence to show that portfolio scores were comparable to other measures of academic performance used to determine the attainment of program outcomes was a problem. Thus, the purpose of this project was to investigate the extent to which portfolio evaluation scores correspond with other measures of academic performance.

There were four …

Development Of A Strategic Plan Based On The Evaluation Of Relevant Quality Measures For Joliet Junior College, Mary Lou D'Allegro

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education ETD Archive

The strategic planning process at Joliet Junior College had been dormant since 2000. The problem, therefore, was that no strategic planning was being conducted that adhered to the institution's accreditation mandates or addressed stakeholder expectations. The purpose of this dissertation was threefold. First, a systematic methodology to develop key performance indicators by soliciting the input of various stakeholder groups was generated. Second, an inventory of those key measures was developed via the input of a formative committee and validation by a summative committee. A pilot study was then conducted to further corroborate lucidity of those quality measures. The final inventory …