Digital Commons Network^™

Remarks Of Class President, Alessandra Bollero '10

2010 Highlights

No abstract provided.

Threshold Lives: Exploring The Liminal Consumption Of Tweens, Kevina Cody, Katrina Lawlor, Pauline Maclaren

Articles

The intervening spaces of socio-cultural organisation have proved sources of fascination and powerful theory development in the fields of sociology, psychology and anthropology (e.g. Douglas, 1966; Van Gennep, 1961; Freud, 1950, Foucault, 1977). Consumer culture research has hitherto acknowledged the potency of studying transitional phenomena, spaces and places and the interactions of varied ontologies with the consumption experiences of the individuals or group in flux and evolution (e.g. Davies and Fitchett, 2004; Maldonado and Tansuhaj, 1999; Gentry, 1997; Schouten, 1991). But what of those whose reality is the threshold between two ordered and defined worlds, the centre of nowhere? This …

A Comparison Of Forgiveness Across Two Cultures: Lebanon And The United States, Zeina Yousof

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Research suggests that the propensity to forgive expressed by societies is often influenced by the cultural orientation of the society. Collectivistic societies tend to express a higher level of willingness to forgive than individualistic societies. This study examined how two samples of different cultural orientations, Lebanese and American, define forgiveness and express their feelings, thoughts and behavior towards a specific offender who has hurt them in the past. In addition to that, the willingness to forgive of the two samples was measured. Measurement instruments for this study consisted of the Enright Forgiveness Inventory and the Willingness to Forgive scale. These …

Middle School Teachers' Implementation Of Differentiated Instruction : The Complexity, Tonya Rae Vitense Keefer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The needs of students in American schools are increasingly more varied as the school population becomes more diverse. Ensuring that all students receive access to an appropriate education becomes vital to our future. Differentiated instruction has been suggested as one way to provide that access. Differentiated instruction does this by using planning that explicitly addresses students' diverse interests, learning preferences, and abilities. There is plentiful information on what differentiated instruction is and what it looks like in the classroom, but there is little research on the process of teachers implementing differentiated instruction.

Over a seven-month period, this research sought to …

Creating Salsa, Claiming Salsa: Identity, Location, And Authenticity In Global Popular Music, William Guthrie Legrand

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Although Latin American ethnomusicological scholarship in the last twenty years has addressed much of the Caribbean, particularly Cuba, the popular genre salsa has often been treated as a side project of scholars with other specialties. Much of previous Latin American scholarship has favored nation-based, particularly folkloric, genres, while current trends have largely moved toward either re-engaging nation-based scholarship within postmodern critical contexts or addressing reggaeton as part of the scholarly fascination with global hip-hop culture. Salsa, which has always been created, contested, and claimed. through transnational/global routes, has therefore often been marginalized through its continued association with Latin American musical …

Status Is Fine For The In-Group But Out-Group Members Watch Out: Examining An Optimal Model Of Face Processing Using Eye-Tracking, J. Daniel Mccarthy

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Face recognition is an important factor in everyday social interaction. Bruce and Young's (1986) model of face processing has been largely accepted as a model for face processing, however, it fails to account for differential processing based on race. MacLin and MacLin (in press) propose the presence of a cognitive gating mechanism (CGM) that suggests different processing strategies are used for in-group and out-group members. To date, the model has only been examined using novel stimuli. The present research examined the model using famous and nonfamous African-American and Caucasian faces to determine if the CGM adequately explains the recognition of …

The Impact Of Mathematics Professional Development On Elementary Teachers' Mathematics Content Knowledge For Teaching And Implementation Of Innovative Pedagogical Practices, Vicki Oleson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study sought to understand the process of change elementary teachers experienced as they participated in mathematics professional development. This investigation explored the impact of mathematics professional development on teachers' content knowledge for teaching, their ability to implement innovative pedagogical practices, and the relationship between these two components of teacher change. Data collected from a semester-long professional development course involving 20 teachers from rural southwest Iowa was analyzed for this study.

Data was collected from six teachers involved in the professional development course. Data collected during the professional development course included a pre and post test of teachers' content knowledge, …

First-Year College Student Beliefs About Writing Embedded In Online Discourse: An Analysis And Its Implications For Literacy Learning, Gina Burkart

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Online discourse has become a common mode of communication for the Twenty- First Century. Many businesses now use electronic networking sites such as Facebook to communicate with customers through online posts and electronic updates through Twitter. With these recent trends in electronic communication, some educators have begun implementing electronic discourse into the classroom through online discussion boards. Discussion boards available through course technology such as WebCT and eLearning offer educators opportunities to channel this heightened interest in online communication. By building electronic course sites, educators can further classroom discussions on online discussion boards, which allow students to discuss course material …

Understanding Environmental Health Disparities Of Roma Populations In Romania, Jennifer L. Hall

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The Roma are the largest and most marginalized minority group of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) with the highest number residing in Romania. Their problems and struggles are multi-faceted and deeply rooted in a long history of discrimination and stigmatization. Over the years, many strategies have been developed and implemented across CEE, yet very few studies have addressed their environmental and occupational health issues. Moreover, because the vast majority of these studies have employed quantitative methodology, they have had the unfortunate effect of dehumanizing and devaluing the Roma people through scientific reductionism.

The purpose of this study was to gain …

A Glance Backwards: An Analysis Of Youth Resiliency Through Autoethnographical And Life History Lenses, Toney Bissett Ford

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate youth resiliency employing dual methodologies, auto-ethnography and life history research respectively, to reveal how two middle-aged adults (one African-American, the other Caucasian) achieved resiliency; and most importantly, how their experiences and insights might inform ongoing efforts to promote youth resiliency. This research project was a follow-up to a previous study (involving four African American participants – two males and two females) conducted to determine the roles that schools and communities play in promoting youth resiliency.

Offering insights into the usefulness of extended research, Herr and Anderson (2005) captured the essence of my …

Motivation Factors As Indicators Of Academic Achievement: A Comparative Study Of Student-Athletes And Non-Athletes Academic And Social Motivation, Jonell Pedescleaux

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate non-cognitive motivational factors as indicators of academic achievement of male athletes and male non-athletes as measured by a secondary data analysis of the College Student Inventory (CSI) from Fall 2003 to Fall 2005. Deci and Ryan's (2000) self-determination theory provided the conceptual framework for this study.

The CSI was administered through a survey technique. Participants in the survey sample were selected from 142 first semester freshman male athletes and male non-athletes enrolled at a Midwestern University.

The data gathered from the CSI provided information on non-cognitive variables of academic and social motivation …

Impact Of The Iowa Smoke-Free Ban Among The College Students Of The University Of Northern Iowa, Jean Marie Vianney Hirwa Kavamahanga

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of the Iowa Smoke-Free Ban impact on: smoking behavior, knowledge of the ban and knowledge of smoking health effect, reported smoking in both indoor and outside venues; support for smoke-free public venues; and self-reported effects of the law on consumption and quitting. A non-random sample of 113 students (49.44% male and 50.44% female) participated in this study.

The 35-item questionnaire was used to evaluate the impact of the Iowa smoke-free ban among college students of the University of Northern Iowa. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the survey responses. The …

Leisure And Aging: A Content Analysis Of Leisure Textbooks And Leisure Academic Journal Articles, Leila Rod-Welch

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study will review literature related to leisure and aging. We live in an aging society. People are expected to live healthier and longer. Therefore, there is a need to analyze how older adults are portrayed in leisure textbooks and academic journal articles which are typically used to educate and train recreation professionals. This study explores whether leisure textbooks published in the United States addressed the topic of aging and, if so, to what extent. In addition, any differences between leisure textbooks and specialty leisure and aging textbooks were analyzed. A content analysis of 54 leisure textbooks from six U.S. …

Admissions Viewbook, 2010-2011, Illinois State University, Office Of Admissions

Admissions Viewbook

Recruitment booklet created by Illinois State University's Office of Admissions

Useful Tips For The First Year Science Teacher, Kate Ellen Harken

Graduate Research Papers

First-year science teachers can face daunting challenges in and out of the classroom. Determining your personal teaching style, establishing a classroom routine and becoming accustomed to your new job and surroundings can take a toll on teachers.

Laboratory Schools Annual Report, 2009-2010, Laboratory Schools, Illinois State University

Annual Reports – Laboratory Schools

Illinois State University Laboratory Schools annual report

Effect Of Apology Focus On Perceptions Of Sincerity, Apology Acceptance And Forgiveness, Sophie M. Beesley

Theses : Honours

The restorative justice process involves bringing the offender, their families, the victim and other stakeholders together, to discuss a particular offence and the impact on all those involved (Braithwaite, 2002). The intention of the restorative justice approach is to repair harm and restore relationships through forgiveness and reconciliation (Braithwaite, 2002). One way of achieving forgiveness is through an apology, and it is asserted by researchers that forgiving is significantly increased by an apology if the victim perceives that the apology is sincere, however, the indicators victims used to perceive the wrongdoer as truly sorry were unclear (Allan, Allan, Kaminer, & …

Pubertal Trajectory And The Management Of Menstruation In Females With Rett Syndrome And Down Syndrome, Olivia Annelies Knight

Theses : Honours

Background: Puberty is a challenging transition for all young women and particularly so for those with an intellectual disability. Individuals with an intellectual disability often experience both cognitive and physical impairment and a wide range of comorbidities. This review explores research into the pubertal trajectory and the management of menstruation in two syndromes within intellectual disability. Rett syndrome which is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder and Down syndrome which is a chromosomal birth disorder. Aim: The purpose of this review was to identify research exploring pube1ial trajectory and menstrual management in females with Rett syndrome and Down syndrome and …

Anatomy/ Physiology Lab, B Mcconchie

Syllabus Repository

No abstract provided.

Trends In Body Fat, Body Mass Index And Physical Fitness Among Male And Female College Students, Peter Pribis, Carol A. Burtnack, Sonya O. Mckenzie, Jerome Thayer

Faculty Publications

There have been many publications in recent years reporting on the quantity of physical activity among college students using indirect indicators such as steps walked per day or time spent on physical activities. The purpose of this study was to describe the trends of physical fitness related to BMI and body fat among university students between 1996 and 2008. The results showed a significant decline in the average fitness levels measured as an estimation of VO2max for male and female students (p < 0.001 for both sexes). The linear trend for BMI by years was not significant for both sexes (p for males = 0.772, p for females = 0.253). On average, in the last 13 years, % body fat was increasing 0.513%/year for males and 0.654%/year for females. There is a significant indirect correlation between the student's VO2max levels and % body fat, r = -0.489; p < 0.001 for males; and r = -0.416, p < 0.001 for females. Approximately 23.9% of the variance in the VO2max levels in males and 17.3% in females can be explained by the variance in % body fat. The results support recent findings that physical fitness among college students is declining and body fatness is increasing. © 2010 by the authors.

Beliefs And Attitudes Toward Vegetarian Lifestyle Across Generations, Peter Pribis, Rose C. Pencak, Tevni Grajales

Faculty Publications

The objective of the study was to examine whether reasons to adopt vegetarian lifestyle differ significantly among generations. Using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), we identified that 4% of the participants were vegans, 25% lacto-ovo-vegetarians, 4% pesco-vegetarians and 67% non-vegetarian. Younger people significantly agreed more with the moral reason and with the environmental reason. People ages 41-60 significantly agreed more with the health reason. There are significant differences across generations as to why people choose to live a vegetarian lifestyle. © 2010 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Predictors Of Family-Supportive Supervisor Behaviors: Supervisor Job Stress And Work-Family Climate, Brittany E. Sale

Dissertations and Theses

Research indicates that supportive supervision, particularly work-family specific supervision, is key to reducing employees' work-family conflict (Allen, 2001; Eby et al., 2005; Thomas & Ganster, 1995). However, little research has examined the factors that contribute to supervisors' willingness or ability to provide this support. This study examined how supervisor job stress and perceptions of work-family climate influenced employee ratings of Family-Supportive Supervisor Behaviors (FSSB) using previously-collected data from a mid-western grocery chain. It was hypothesized that supervisor job stressors would impact FSSB, supervisor perception of work-family climate would impact FSSB, and the interaction of stressors and climate would impact FSSB. …

The Creative Use Of Dance/Movement Therapy Processes To Transform Intrapersonal Conflicts Associated With Sexual Trauma In Women, Emily Fern Dayton

Dissertations and Theses

Abstract This qualitative research explores creative movement processes such as dance/movement therapy (DMT), authentic movement (AM), and creative dance (CD) as possible tools for transforming sexual trauma for women. Eleven movement professionals were interviewed in a semi-structured research format. My direct experience and knowledge of sexual abuse, sexual trauma, and creative movement processes are interwoven with the research question: do creative dance/movement therapy processes contribute to the dynamic of healing for women transforming sexual trauma? These findings are inconclusive for the greater population of survivors of sexual abuse and sexual trauma. However, there are indications that DMT, AM, and CD …

Anatomy Of Mishima's Most Successful Play Rokumeikan, Mami Harano

Dissertations and Theses

Mishima Yukio premiered the play Rokumeikan in 1956 and published it in 1957. For more than half a century, this play has been praised as one of the finest Japanese plays in the Post-War period. Rokumeikan is a multi-act tragic melodrama, set in 1886 (Meiji Period) in the Rokumeikan building. The play intertwines complex political cabals, intense loves and hatreds, and multiple deceptions embodying the conflict between political power and love. This essay explores the reasons why Rokumeikan has maintained its popularity over its fifty year long performance history and examines the critical reception of the play. My analysis of …

Transformative Teacher Evaluation: Self Evaluation For High Performing Teachers, Carla Ann Sosanya-Tellez

Dissertations and Theses

Public schools are in crisis, as educators and legislators seek to provide high quality education to diverse students in a measurement-driven environment. The public educator's moral imperative is to assure that all children are literate when they leave school so they can thrive in our democracy (Dewey, 1944; Freire, 1998a; Giroux & Giroux, 2004). Yet, the achievement gap persists, as poor African-American and Latino students under-perform as compared to white middle-class students (Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1995). Additionally, public school teachers are predominately middle-class and White, while they teach increasingly diverse children of poverty. In legislation, student assessment, teacher licensure, and …

War, Peace, And Principled Action: A Study Of Veterans And The Peace Movement, Laura Kay Wegener

Dissertations and Theses

Throughout the history of the United States (U.S.), there have been service members who, upon leaving the service, have spoken out against U.S. involvement in wars. The current conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, and their increasing unpopularity, have contributed to this trend. Recently veterans have begun to come forward in larger numbers to speak out against the current wars and have self-identified as members of peace movements. The purpose of this research project was to explore veterans' understandings of the peace movement and their involvement in veterans' peace movement organizations. This study hoped to answer the following questions: 1) How …

Globalization; But Under What Conditions? -- The Case Of The E.U., Michaelangelo Anastasiou

Dissertations and Theses

The present study explores the relationship between trust placed in national institutions and opinion of globalization. A secondary data analysis is conducted using data collected by the European Commission in a 2004 Eurobarometer survey of European Union (EU) citizens on various issues regarding the EU, globalization and national challenges. A prominent theme in the literature is that, in recent times, globalization has had the effect of compromising the sovereignty of nation-states. This has generated a backlash of nationalistic attitudes wherein globalization is posited in opposition to the nation-state. This surge in nationalism has reinforced a culture wherein any external force …

Teacher Evaluation Of Item Formats For An English Language Proficiency Assessment, Jose Luis Perea-Hernandez

Dissertations and Theses

An abstract of the thesis of José Luis Perea-Hernández for the Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages presented February 11, 2010. Title: Teacher Evaluation of Item Formats for an English Language Proficiency Assessment. Language testing plays a significant role in the collection of systematic information about English Language Learners' ability and progress in K-12 public schools in Oregon. Therefore, the following thesis reports on a process of the development of this assessment as I was at some point one of the members in the test development team and then drew upon teachers' opinions and judgments …

Music And Conflict Resolution: Exploring The Utilization Of Music In Community Engagement, Mindy Kay Johnston

Dissertations and Theses

This study is based on interviews conducted with twenty-two musician-activists in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States in 2009 to explore perspectives about the role of music in community engagement with the aim of considering how music might be used in the field of conflict resolution. The study followed the qualitative approach of constructivist grounded theory as designed by Charmaz (2000, 2002). Two themes, "Music for Self," and "Music for Society" emerged from interviews and comprise the internal and external meanings of music to the research informants. The results of the study indicate that the relationships people have …

Exploring School Engagement As A Protective Factor For Youth At Risk Of Joining Gangs, Lorraine M. Escribano

Dissertations and Theses

Research on gangs has traditionally focused on identifying the risk factors associated with youth gang membership in multiple developmental domains with limited attention on examining the protective factors that may buffer youth from joining gangs (Howell & Egley, 2005). Educational and psychological research have found robust evidence that school engagement protects youth from a host of risky activities and negative outcomes (e.g., substance use, dropping out of school) and may hold promise in also protecting youth from gang involvement. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is three-fold: (1) to identify students who are at risk for gangs; (2) to …