Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Vibrotactile Display Position And Shape On Extrapersonal Localization, Adam D. Sitz

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Vibrotactile displays are capable of conveying extrapersonal spatial information to users navigating or operating within a three-dimensional environment (e.g., aircraft pilots). Although vibrotactile displays can be applied to many parts of the body, recent applications have focused on torso-based displays that egocentrically reference distal targets. However, these displays may be poorly suited to convey elevation because of the generally cylindrical shape of the human torso. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the relative effectiveness of handheld vibrotactile displays configured either in a cylindrical or spherical-shape as compared to a torso-based display. Due to its shape, the spherical …

Naval Aviation Squadron Risk Analysis Predictive Bayesian Network Modeling Using Maintenance Climate Assessment Survey Results, Harry Michael Robinson

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Associated risks in flying have resulted in injury or death to aircrew and passengers, and damage or destruction of the aircraft and its surroundings. Although the Naval Aviation's flight mishap rate declined over the past 60 years, the proportion of human error causal factors has stayed relatively constant at about 80%. Efforts to reduce human errors have focused attention on understanding the aircrew and maintenance actions occurring in complex systems.

One such tool has been the Naval Aviation squadrons' regular participation in survey questionnaires deigned to measure respondent ratings related to personal judgments or perceptions of organizational climate for meeting …

Using Interactive Reading Techniques With Word World To Enhance Emergent Literacy, James B. Godfrey

Theses and Dissertations in Early Childhood Education

Facets of emergent literacy such as phonological awareness (PA) and alphabet knowledge (AK) are precursors to later conventional literacy (Dockrell, Stuart & King, 2010; Neuman & Dwyer, 2009; NELP, 2008). Interactive reading techniques such as dialogic reading (Whitehurst et al., 1988) and explicit print referencing (Piasta et al., 2012; Justice et al., 2010) have been used effectively with printed text to enhance emergent literacy. This quasi-experimental study was designed to determine the extent to which interactive reading techniques combined with the viewing of educational television may enhance facets of emergent literacy such as PA and AK. A convenience sample of …

Gpu Accelerated Long-Term Simulations Of Beam-Beam Effects In Colliders, B. Terzić, V. Morozov, Y. Roblin, F. Lin, H. Zhang, M. Aturban, D. Ranjan, M. Zubair

Computer Science Faculty Publications

We present an update on the development of the new code for long-term simulation of beam-beam effects in particle colliders. The underlying physical model relies on a matrix-based arbitrary-order particle tracking (including a symplectic option) for beam transport and the generalized Bassetti-Erskine approximation for beam-beam interaction. The computations are accelerated through a parallel implementation on a hybrid GPU/CPU platform. With the new code, previously computationally prohibitive long-term simulations become tractable. The new code will be used to model the proposed Medium-energy Electron-Ion Collider (MEIC) at Jefferson Lab.

Front Matter - Table Of Contents - Preface

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Long-Distance Versus Geographically Close Romantic Relationships: Relational Maintenance, Satisfaction, And Affectionate Communication On Facebook, Christina J. Gentile, Autumn Edwards

Iowa Journal of Communication

In this study, individuals in long-distance and geographically close romantic relationships were surveyed to determine whether there were differences in regards to relationship maintenance, relationship satisfaction, and affectionate communication via Facebook. Further, this study explored whether individuals differed on the aforementioned dependent variables by attachment style. The results of this study suggest that there are few differences in relationship-oriented Facebook use for individuals with varying attachment styles and relationship types, and that Facebook likely is not a primary medium individuals use to communicate with a romantic partner. However, utilizing Facebook was found to be beneficial for relationship satisfaction.

Relational Communication: Introduction To The Special Issue, David T. Mcmahan

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Connecting Visual Communicators With An Auditory World: Exploring Communication Accomodation Processes In D/Deaf-Hearing Interactions, Genelle Timperlake Sanders, Stephanie Rollie Rodriguez

Iowa Journal of Communication

d/Deaf individuals' use of a visual-based language, American Sign Language (ASL), can lead to challenges in communicating and developing relationships with the larger hearing majority. This study uses Communication Accommodation Theory as a framework for exploring d/Deaf individuals' perspectives on communication with hearing individuals and the strategies they use to converge or diverge from hearing individuals during interactions. Through in-depth interviews conducted in ASL, participants were asked to recount experiences of communication interactions with members of the hearing majority and preferred strategies and motivations for convergence or divergence. Results identified convergence as a strategy to indicate interest in communicating with …

Iowa Journal Of Communication, Volume 46, Number 1, Fall 2014 [Download Entire Issue]

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Co-Rumination With A Friend About A Romantic Relationship: Perception Of Satisfaction And Inequity, Ashley A. Hanna Edwards, Krystyna S. Aune

Iowa Journal of Communication

This study investigates the relationship between co-ruminating about one's romantic relationship with a close friend and friendship satisfaction, romantic relationship satisfaction, and inequity in the romantic relationship. Reasons for co-ruminating with a friend about issues in romantic relationships were reported. Results indicate that co-ruminating about one's romantic relationship with a friend had no significant association with friendship satisfaction. Additionally, this study found that co-ruminating with a friend about a romantic relationship is correlated with higher perceptions of inequity within a romantic relationship and with romantic relationship dissatisfaction. A discussion of implications, limitations, and future directions is offered.

Sibling Secrets, Conspiracies, And Collaborations: Dialectical Tensions And The Relationship Effects Of Sibling Alliances In Families, John H. Nicholson

Iowa Journal of Communication

Accounts when siblings worked together (sibling alliances) were examined to determine the impact of sibling alliance attempts on family relationships. Two hundred alliance attempts comprised the data, including one hundred successful and one hundred unsuccessful alliance attempts. Respondents indicated that engaging in the reported alliances was approximately as likely to have a positive effect on the relationship among siblings as to have no effect at all. Negative effects of sibling alliances were found in under 5% of cases. Most of the reported alliances had no effect on the relationships between targets of the alliance and the sibling allies. In those …

Barriers Impeding Social Support: The Experiences Of Young Adults With Bipolar Disorder, Eileen F. Doherty, Erina J. Macgeorge

Iowa Journal of Communication

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness with a significant negative impact on quality of life. People with bipolar disorder benefit when family and friends provide social support, but quantity and quality of support are often lacking. The purpose of this study is to provide a focused analysis of barriers to support-seeking and provision as identified by young adults (ages 18-30) who have bipolar disorder. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with young adults with bipolar disorder (N = 29) and analyzed using qualitative coding methods. Communication barriers experienced by participants included the characteristics of bipolar disorder, stigma associated with mental illness, desire …

Front Matter - Table Of Contents

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Psychological Reactance And Verbal Defensiveness In The Workplace: The Effects Of Perceived Face Threat And Interactional Justice In Supervisor Requests, Qin Zhang, Donald E. Gibson

Iowa Journal of Communication

This study investigated the moderating effects of perceived face threat and interactional justice in supervisor requests on employee psychological reactance and examined the mediating effects of reactance in the relationships of perceived freedom threat, face threat, and interactional justice with verbal defensiveness. Results showed that perceived face threat had significant main effects and moderating effects on reactance, but interactional justice, in spite of its significant main effects, did not have moderating effects on reactance. Results also showed that reactance did not mediate the effects of perceived freedom threat, face threat, and interactional justice on verbal defensiveness in real organizational setting.

Crisis Narratives And The Role Of Government: Comparing Ronald Reagan's And Barack Obama's National Convention Addresses, James T. Petre

Iowa Journal of Communication

The U.S. American elections of 1980 and 2008 both occurred during times of crisis and often drew comparisons to one another during the 2008 campaign. As candidates delivering their respective National Convention Nomination Acceptance Addresses, Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama constructed crisis narratives that blamed the ongoing crisis on the opposing party, and presented a vision of how, as president, each would lead the nation out of the crisis. Explored here is how both candidates' construction of crisis narratives worked to situate campaign issues in favorable terms and invited a reconsideration of the relationship between citizens and their government.

Iowa Journal Of Communication, Volume 46, Number 2, Spring 2014 [Download Entire Issue]

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Feminist Students' Perceived Barriers To Feminist Activism In The Heartland, Amy Aldridge Sanford

Iowa Journal of Communication

Scholars of communication studies, out of departmental necessity or personal consciousness, are often called to teach courses with social justice at the center. Courses like intercultural communication and gender communication are popular cross-listed courses for interdisciplinary programs, including the most popular interdisciplinary program in the country--women's and gender studies. The Feminist Identification Model recognizes activism as the 5th and final stage of feminist development. Seventeen students at a regional Midwestern university share their thoughts about feminist activism and the barriers to activism they perceive after completing courses in women's and gender studies. Barriers included: (a) financial and family responsibilities, (b) …

A Façade Of Normalcy: An Exploration Into The Serial Murderer's Duplicitous Lifestyle, Maryann Stone White

Sociology & Criminal Justice Theses & Dissertations

The crime of serial murder both fascinates and repulses a myriad of academic disciplines, law enforcement agencies, news media, and popular culture. Despite the vast attention the phenomenon of serial murder has received, serial murderers are poorly understood. The current study used an interdisciplinary approach, combining insights from criminology and psychology to explore what mechanism(s) allow serial murderers to maintain a seemingly normal existence, frequently maintaining personal relationships, steady employment, and reputable social networks.

The data were analyzed using a deductive approach guided by a set of research questions as well as an inductive approach, which allowed emergent themes and …

The Development Of Curriculum For Monticello High School’S General Biology Class, Nicole A. Chambers

Graduate Research Papers

This curriculum development project focused on Monticello High School's recently-offered General Biology course. The General Biology course was developed to be taught in addition to the traditional college-preparatory biology course and was first offered in the 2012-2013 academic year. The Monticello High School Building Leadership Team made the decision to offer another science credit option for students who needed a life science credit but were not planning to attend a four-year college after graduation. The goals of the course, as outlined by the Building Leadership Team, were for the course to focus on practical life science material that would be …

Enhancing Understanding Of Discrete Event Simulation Models Through Analysis, Kara Ann Olson

Computer Science Theses & Dissertations

Simulation is used increasingly throughout research, development, and planning for many purposes. While model output is often the primary interest, insights gained through the simulation process can also be valuable. Insights can come from building and validating the model as well as analyzing its behaviors and output; however, much that could be informative may not be easily discernible through these existing traditional approaches, particularly as models continue to increase in complexity.

This research extends current work in model analysis and program understanding to assist modelers in obtaining more insight into their models and the systems they represent. A primary technique …

The Effect Of Mentoring On The Academic Success Of College Sophomores, John C. Lee

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

A review of the higher education literature indicates that the majority of retention research has focused on first-year students and that additional research is needed for other class levels – particularly sophomores (Graunke & Woosley, 2005). However, the reality is that sophomores benefit from a minimal number of special programs, minimal contact with faculty and others in leadership positions, and minimal attention from student affairs personnel (Anderson & Schreiner, 2000). An unintended consequence of this reduced attention is higher than expected rates of sophomore attrition.

This exploratory research study employs a quasi-experimental quantitative research design to evaluate the results of …

At The College Gates: A Phenomenological Study Of Stem Identity Formation At A Stem Program At A Historical Black University, Maria O'Hearn

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

Melguizo and Wolniak (2011) contend that increasing the success of underrepresented minority students in STEM fields is a significant national and state policy issue given the data showing gaps in gender and racial/ethnic bachelors degree completion rates in these fields (Rask, 2010). Recommendations made by the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE, 2013) highlight the importance of school structures as being fundamental for improving the STEM pipeline from high school to college for underrepresented minority students. Thus, the purposes of this study were to describe the lived experiences of African American students attending a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and …

The Effect Of Self-Regulated Learning Strategy Training And Question Generation On Metacognitive Awareness And Achievement Among College Students Enrolled In Science Courses, Derrick L. Wilkins

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Transitioning from high school students to college students can be a difficult task for students who do not know how to regulate their own study processes. Literature in the areas of metacognition, self-regulated learning (SRL), and question generation suggest a correlation between metacognitive awareness, SRL, and achievement. The present study was guided by efforts to improve college students' achievement by promoting generative learning strategies and metacognitive awareness. Fifty-one undergraduate students enrolled in a general education biology course at a southeastern university participated in this three-week experimental study. The researcher used the Metacognitive Self-Regulation Scale of the Motivated Strategies for Learning …

A Qualitative Exploration Of First-Generation Student Experiences At A Large Diverse Research Institution, Donald Michael Stansberry

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

College enrollment among first-generation students is on the rise (Choy, 2001) at both two-year and four-year institutions (Engle & Tinto, 2008; McCarron & Inkelas, 2006; Stayhorn, 2006). As this student population continues to grow, it is important to learn more about them and the factors that contribute to their success or failure. Through the use of focus groups, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of first-generation college students that impact their academic and nonacademic success. The research questions that guided this study were: What experiences do first-generation college students perceive impact their academic success? What …

Mouse Oocyte Maturation And Embryo Development After Exposure To Vemurafenib (Plx4032), An Anti-Melanoma B-Raf V600e Inhibitor, Bo Liu

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Vemurafenib is a selective B-Raf^V600E inhibitor in melanoma targeted therapy which also inhibits the wild type B- and C-Raf. In oocyte maturation, the C-Raf/MAPK pathway acts as an important self-enhancing and promoting system, w hereas in embryo development, the C-Raf/M APK pathway participates in pre- and post- implantation embryo proliferation and differentiation.

The hypothesis: Vemurafenib has detrimental effects on oocyte maturation and/or embryo development. Mouse oocytes and one cell (1C) mouse embryos were tested by ex vivo culturing with Vemurafenib in serial dilution. Oocytes were evaluated by cell cycle morphology, spindle formation and chromosomal alignment by im munofluorescence (IF) …

Stuck In The Last Ice Age: Tracing The Role Of Document Design In The Teaching Materials Of Writing Courses, Erin Duffy Pastore

English Theses & Dissertations

Teaching materials play vital roles in writing classrooms, yet they are understudied genres in English Studies. Teaching materials are inherently visual genres; the document design choices made by teachers illuminate values held about writing and writing classrooms. They are understudied genres, in part, because of the feminized position of composition. A professional writing investigation of the document design of teaching materials offers opportunities to rectify this. I developed a technofeminine genre tracing methodology focused on exploring the visual convention choices made by teachers and how these visual conventions are interpreted by students across the three levels of activity: the activity-driven …

From Viva La Revolutión-Ish To The Free Space: Toward A Theory Of Guerrilla Rhetoric, Cheri Lemieux Spiegel

English Theses & Dissertations

This project addresses the need for a rhetorical theory that is appropriate to the unique needs of certain groups who "write" (in a broad sense of the word) from a position of desperation that results from some kind of tension between their needs or values and the dominant culture. These rhetors demonstrate a suspicion toward mainstream channels through which they might have their voices heard, are often subversive, and tend to be community-oriented.

To develop an appropriate rhetorical lens for studying these groups, I bring notions of guerrilla warfare from a precise point in the historical narrative of the guerrilla …

Human Capital Management Within The Federal Government Utilizing Generational Stratification With A Focus On Generation Y, Ian Nathaniel Barford

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

With many individuals in the Baby Boomer generation eligible to retire, many open positions will need to be filled by other Baby Boomers, or those from Generation X or Generation Y. Private industry has taken note of this and has been exploring workplace differences between Generation Y, Generation X, and Baby Boomers. Unfortunately for the federal government, data shows Generation Y is also separating; specifically quitting for unknown reasons. Understanding this apparent dichotomy between Generation Y and Generation X and Baby Boomer federal government employees is a current knowledge gap within the federal government's strategic human capital management focus.

From …

Rational Choice And Moral Decision-Making In Research, Anita M. Gordon

Faculty Work

University psychology and sociology researchers rated the likelihood they would engage in misconduct as described in 9 research scenarios, while also making moral judgments and rating the likelihood of discovery and sanctions. Multiple regression revealed significant effects across various scenarios for moral judgment as well as shame and embarrassment on reducing misconduct. The effects on misconduct of the perceived probability of sanctions were conditioned on moral judgments in some scenarios. The results have implications for how universities address the prevention, detection, and sanctioning of research misconduct.

Annual Report Of The Registrar 2013/2014, University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Contents:

--- Definitions
--- Some Comparisons
--- Annual Report Data
--- Summary of Attendance
--- Attendance by Session 2013/14
--- Full-Time Equivalency Enrollment
--- Degrees Granted 2013/14
--- Degree Summary 2013/14
--- Program Certificates 2013/14
--- Miscellaneous Enrollment Information
--- Degrees Granted by College Degree and Racial/Ethnic Classification