Digital Commons Network^™

The Technical Fix Or The Systemic Solution For Urban Water Quality? A Case Study Of Grassroots Activism On Behalf Of New York City's Drinking Water, Mirele B. Goldsmith

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This case study examines the activities of the Croton Watershed Clean Water Coalition from 1996 until 2004. The Coalition opposed construction of a filtration plant for the Croton water supply. The study traces the Coalition’s campaign against filtration, which took place in the context of the widely heralded New York City Watershed Memorandum of Agreement (1997). Although the Agreement permitted New York City to avoid filtration for its Catskill and Delaware water supplies, plans were laid for filtration of the Croton supply.

My study is informed by political ecology which provides a framework for understanding politics, practices and contradictions involved …

Job Satisfaction Of Iowa Public School Principals, Boris Sodoma

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In recent decades, job satisfaction has been the theme of numerous studies in both public and private organizations. As some researchers report, the examinations into the job satisfaction of school administrators have been frequently overlooked. Little attention has been given to job satisfaction among public school principals serving at elementary and secondary levels.

On a daily basis a wide variety of demands are being placed on principals. The legislature and taxpayers demand more services, industry expects competent workers, parents insist that social issues ought to be addressed, and the public wants achievement scores to improve. As a result, principals are …

Trends In Family-Centered Early Intervention, Jody Lee Albertson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Family-centered early intervention services have been evolving for quite some time, and the role of the family in intervention for children with disabilities has changed drastically. Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) mandated the family-centeredness of early intervention services, which is evident in the services and supports a family receives, the Individualized Family Services Plan document, and service coordination activities. The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) then conducts compliance monitoring to gauge whether states are in compliance with IDEA. State monitoring reports are available to the public online.

The purpose of this study was to …

Conflict At End Of Life: A Growing Need For Dispute Resolution Practices, Debra Gerardi, Jacquelin N. Font-Guzman

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

An Opera In Aid Of The Reading Of History, B. Mcevoy Campbell

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This thesis consists of six chapters and a frontispiece/CD recording of a song cycle, Blue Orpheus: Hymns and Lullabies, written and performed by the author. This arrangement responds to currents within queer theory, which view questions concerning its historical and philosophical origins as diversions from its ability to determine present conditions, by reframing these "presentist" (and its close relative, "performative") orientations in terms of "place" and the corresponding laws and freedoms that originate from its cultivation—in politics, the art of memory, and systems theory and design. Generally speaking, to each concept of place I devote two chapters.

Chapter one …

Linking Interventions To Functional Behavior Assessment Results, Andrea Jo Duncan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

A comprehensive review of the instructional, social, and physical dimensions and consequences of behavior that complete functional behavior assessments. Substantial explanation of each is accompanied with examples of research based interventions linking to each dimension. A new model of functional behavior assessment is described and piloted in a single subject case study design. Also included are the results of the case study.

Twins In The Kindergarten Classroom : What Factors Do Parents Consider When Deciding Whether To Place Their Same-Gendered Twins In Separate Or Joint Classrooms?, Tammy Marie Gehling

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In this qualitative research project, the topic of kindergarten placement of same-gendered twins is investigated through interviews with three mothers of young twins in a medium-sized Midwestern city. Specifically, the issue of what parents believe is the "best" placement for same-gendered twins is discussed, along with factors that shaped this decision. Advantages of both separate and joint kindergarten placement are discussed, along with such issues as patterns of twinship, mandatory placement policies, and early-onset separation anxiety. Recommendations are provided for both parents and educators regarding this issue.

Self-Perceptions And Peer Influence On Bullying Behavior, Jaime Strickler

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this paper is to determine the self-perceptions of bullies and peer influence on bullying behavior. These variables were chosen in an attempt to understand some of the potential causes of bullying behavior and to examine their effects during bullying episodes.

While the self-perceptions of bullies may be positive or negative, it is unclear as to the direction of influence between self-perceptions and bullying. Peer influence on bullying can vary from situation to situation, but it is clear that peers do have an influence in bullying situations.

The Relationship Between Sexual Behavior And Relational Aggression In College Students, Hiliary Baethke

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Although the study of relational aggression has been the subject of more research since Crick and Grotpeter (1995) first defined the term, the impact of this form of aggression on college students is still an area that requires more study. Relational aggression is defined as "harming others through purposeful manipulation and damage of their peer relationships" (Crick & Grotpeter, 1995). Current research on relational aggression has established that women are more likely to engage in relational aggression then men (Crick, Bigbee, & Howes, 1996). While research has typically focused on the impact of relational aggression on friendship groups, the impact …

Correlates Of Physical Activity Among Adolescent Males And Females, Rhonda Baumann

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between physical fitness measures, selected psychosocial correlates of physical activity, and self-reported physical activity among seventh and eighth-grade students in rural Iowa. Computerized physical fitness measures were obtained by the HealthFirst Trifit™ computer system, attitudes about physical activity were measured by the Correlates of Physical Activity in Children (CP AC) questionnaire, and physical activity levels were measured by the Physical Activity Questionnaire-Adolescents (PAQ-A). All subjects were enrolled at Tilford Middle School in Vinton, Iowa. Data were collected on 253 seventh and eighth grade students enrolled at Tilford Middle School …

Iowa’S Special Education Mediators: Potted Plants Negotiating For A Place In The Sunlight, A Qualitative Examination Of Personal Philosophy And Perceived Power, Amber Elizabeth Benedict

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

On November 19, 2004 the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was reauthorized by the American government. Within the reauthorization, IDEA now includes provisions [20 USC§ 1415 (d-e)] requiring mediation as an alternative to due process litigation. Prior to filing for a due process hearing, parents of children with specific disabilities must consider mediation as an option for resolving disputes concerning a child's special education program. Although mediation has been heralded as a successful dispute resolution tool, little is known about the process preferences or role of the mediator. An understanding of the philosophies and approaches of mediators may assist …

Autonomy And Subjugation: The Dynamics Of Emancipation And Race In The Writings Of Precolonial German Women Authors, Traci S. O'Brien

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation is a study of certain contradictions in texts written by three authors of the nineteenth century, Ida von Hahn-Hahn (1805-1880), Fanny Lewald (1811-1889) and Ottilie Assing (1819-1884). The seeming discrepancy between the general enlightenment principles of their work and their position vis-a-vis the racial Other is at the center of my exploration. My position in this dissertation is that it is not possible to discuss their emancipatory ideas separate from their racializing metaphors. In fact, such metaphors are vital to their articulation of progress and emancipation. The discursive context of precolonial Germany can in part explain the relationship …

Ocular Morbidity Among Children Studying In Private Schools Of Kathmandu Valley: A Prospective Cross Sectional Study., Rk Shrestha, Mr Joshi, R Ghising, P Pradhan, S Shakya, A Rizyal

School of Health Professions

A prospective cross sectional study of students of two private schools was done and students were screened in detail. A total of 1816 students aged 5 to 16 years were evaluated, out of which 52.8% were males and 47.2 % were females. Among the total, 65.8% had no ocular abnormalities and 34.2% had some form of ocular disorders. Refractive error was the commonest problem seen accounting for 21.9% out of total, followed by infective disorders, which accounted for 7.2%, 3.5% of them were noted to have Orthoptic problem including various types of strabismus, 2.2% were color blind, 2.6% were found …

Information Commons At Brigham Young University: Past, Present, And Future, Michael J. Whitchurch, Jeffrey C. Belliston, William Baer

Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to show that the idea and implementation of information commons is becoming more prevalent in the academic library community. Many of these have been implemented in what were once General Reference areas of libraries. This paper discusses the process and experience of the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University, including concept development, acceptance and implementation. In addition, the first 18 months of operation and our visions for the future of our implementation are contained herein. One of the major themes of the paper is that change in an information commons is …