Education Commons^™

Mastery Learning: The Principal's Role, David Scot Hoffman

Graduate Research Papers

According to Bloom (1968), mastery learning is a flexible, adaptive approach to instruction in which individual learning styles and abilities are considered in the design or the instructional units. Mastery learning capitalizes on the notion that almost all children can learn under prescribed conditions. Mastery learning approaches assume that virtually all students can master a great deal or what they are taught in school if the "instruction is approached systematically, if students are helped when and where they have learning difficulties, if they are given sufficient time to achieve mastery, and if there is some clear criterion of what constitutes …

The Use Of Writing As A Tool For Teaching And Learning In Mathematics Classes, Walter C. Block

Graduate Research Papers

Increasingly the belief that there is a close connection between thinking and writing grows. This connection, it is alleged, makes writing a very useful device for learning the subject matter of all disciplines, in addition to being particularly useful in the teaching of thinking skills. If one believes that mathematics should be based on sound thinking, mathematics teachers, such as this author, may well feel prompted to search for ways in which writing may be used as a learning and thinking tool in mathematics classes. This search is the topic of this paper. This paper attempts three major tasks: The …

Unique Career Development Problems Of Gifted High School Students, John Gallagher

Graduate Research Papers

One of the most important tasks of counselors is to assist in the career development of students (Fredrickson, 1979; Herr & Wantabee, 1979). Career planning and the choices that come from that planning will have more impact on an individual's life than almost any other decisions that a person makes (Fredrickson, 1979).

A Review Of Canters' Assertive Discipline, Vincent J. Bonnema

Graduate Research Papers

Discipline procedures in our schools today vary not only from building to building but from classroom to classroom. Teachers are expected to maintain "good discipline, but are often left to interpret a few general rules in the student handbook as they see fit. Rules in the individual classrooms are often left to the teacher. While many administrators see value in allowing teachers to maintain this type of control, others are implementing school-wide programs of discipline. Assertive Discipline, developed by Lee and Marion Canter in the mid 1970's, is just one of many discipline packages available for implementation.

The Academic Achievement Of Student-Athletes In The Football, Wrestling And Basketball Programs At The University Of Northern Iowa 1976-1984, Charisse L. Brown

Graduate Research Papers

In recent years, the problems of intercollegiate athletic programs have received increasing attention. Some of these problems are essentially non-academic in nature, e.g., the use and abuse of recreational drugs and steroids by student-athletes, point-fixing by college basketball players who were involved with professional gamblers, and seemingly endless violations of National Collegiate Athletic Association regulations governing the recruitment of student-athletes.

Children Of Divorce: The Emotional Effects Of Divorce On Adolescents, Roger L. Christensen

Graduate Research Papers

Hetherington (1979) predicted that as many as one-half of all children born in the United States during the 1970's would spend some time in a single parent home. These children faced unique circumstances as they continued to grow and develop (Desimone-Luis, O'Mahoney, and Hunt, 1979; Kurdek and Siesky, 1980b; Levitin, 1979; Luepnitz, 1979; Wallerstein, 1984a,b; and Wallerstein and Kelly, 1980). When parents separated, these youth felt an insecurity about their situation (Andrew, 1978; Farber, Primavera, and Felner, 1983; Hetherington, 1979; Nelly, 1984; Wallerstein, 1984a,b; and Wallerstein and Kelly, 1980). At times this uncertainty hindered their ability to function, hurt their …

Changing Nursing Students' Attitudes Toward The Elderly, Kay C. Froehner

Graduate Research Papers

The age distribution of the United States' population has changed dramatically in the twentieth century. Decreased birth rates and increased longevity have produced a sevenfold increase since 1900 in the number of persons over the age of 65. In 1980, 11. 3% of the population was over 65 as compared to 4.1% in 1900. This trend is expected to continue as demonstrated by the 1980 census figures. The 1970 census reported 20,065,502 persons in this age group. By 1980, this figure had risen to 25,544,133, a 28% increase in ten years. It is further estimated that by the year 2000, …

Differences Between Genders In The Expression Of Emotional Intimacy In Same-Sex Friendships, Rickie Allen Miller

Graduate Research Papers

Sex differences in the amount of emotional intimacy allowed appears to be a topic of frequent comparison (Allen & Haccoun, 1976; Balswick & Avertt, 1977; Fuller, 1963; Highlen & Johnston, 1979; Janofsky, 1971; Jourard & Lasakow, 1958; Levinger & Senn, 1967; Morgan, 1976; O'Neill, Fein, Velit & Frank, 1976). Balswick and Avertt (1977) stated that "expressiveness of certain emotions is often mentioned, as a characteristic which distinguishes males from females" (p. 121). Rubin (1985) reported that, from an early age, boys are socialized differently from girls. Boys are raised to be tough, active, independent, and emotionally controlled, while girls are …

Issues Of Intervention In Child Sexual Abuse, Mark Cecil Kalvik

Graduate Research Papers

Counselors working in the mental health profession are more frequently dealing with the issue of child sexual abuse than ever before. This is true despite the specialized populations with which counselors are working. For example, counselors and other professionals working with adult alcoholics or mental patients are becoming more aware that some of their clients have been sexually abused as children or are the perpetrators of child sexual abuse, or both. This is true at my work setting, the Mental Health Institute, Independence, Iowa, due to both a significant increase in the literature available on child sexual abuse and because …

A Classroom Management Technique: Preparing The Classroom As An Effective Learning Environment -- One Means Of Preventive Disciplines, Kay Lents

Graduate Research Papers

A smooth-running classroom, free from disruption and chronic misbehavior but full of students involved in learning activities, does not just happen. Such classrooms exist because the teachers work at making it happen. These teachers give careful consideration to preparation of the classroom before the first day of the school year. Classroom management is one area the Educational Testing Service is working on to place in the teacher competency examinations they are preparing (Weber, et al., 1983). Because of this emphasis, classroom management may soon be a required class for graduation in the field of education.

School/Business Partnerships, Terry J. Meier

Graduate Research Papers

Education is faced with problems of declining achievement, high dropout and truancy rates, and low morale among educators (Woodside, 1984). Many school budgets are facing drastic cuts. Yet, business and industry continue to depend on schools to produce graduates with the skills and attitudes to fill specific positions (Shive and Ragus, 1979). While schools look for ways to solve their crisis in education, business and industry try to meet the challenges of technological advances, which depend on skilled personnel coming from the schools (Gilman, 1984). A partnership between education and business appears imminent and sensible as a way of confronting …

Adjustment Problems Of Foreign Students Attending Colleges And Universities In The United States And Recommended Actions For Student Services Professionals, Margaret Koczan Washut

Graduate Research Papers

The United States is the leading host nation for foreign students in the world, with more than 325,000 students from other nations enrolled in our schools (Altbach, 1986). The largest and fastest growing group by region of origin is the group of Asian students in the U.S. (Agarwal & Winkler, 1985). Over half of the foreign students in the U.S. today can be included in this group. For the purposes of this paper, a foreign student is defined as 11 a citizen of another country pursuing education in a U.S. school requiring a high-school diploma or its equivalent" (Agarwal & …

The Effective Principal's Role In Improving The Academic Achievement Of The School, Connie Ann Aalderks

Graduate Research Papers

The effectiveness of the schools in helping students achieve has been of interest to educators and parents throughout history. Although the debate as to whether home or school has had the greater effect on student achievement remains, the school's importance in improving student achievement has been shown (Rutter, Ouston, Maughan, Mortimore, & Smith, 1979; Venezky & Winfield, 1979).

Documentation And Teacher Dismissal, Thomas J. Quinn

Graduate Research Papers

No one really knows how many incompetent or marginal teachers there are in the profession. Part of the problem lies in developing a universally accepted definition of incompetence. Polls do, however, indicate that the number is probably somewhere around five to fifteen percent (Ellis, 1984; Finlayson, 1979). Regardless of the number of incompetent teachers, firing them for incompetence is not a common occurrence (Finlayson, 1979). The problem is not in the identification of the incompetent or marginal teacher (Ruud & Woodford, 1981). Most observant people in a school, including the supervisor, students, and fellow employees can easily point to the …

Effective Teaching Practices In Middle School Mathematics, Judith Anne Lindholm

Graduate Research Papers

In recent years, mathematics teaching has become a profession in crisis. The Second International Mathematics Study shows achievement scores in the United States well below the international median in mathematics. Particularly disturbing information from the eighth grade study is the apparent lack of learning that goes on in the eighth grade. Students scored 38 percent on the pretest and 46 percent on the posttest at the end of the academic year (Willoughby, 1987). Since children usually forget a fair amount over the summer, they must have known more than 38 percent at the end of seventh grade.

Library Media Services For Educable Mentally Handicapped Students, Lauri Netz

Graduate Research Papers

After the adoption of Public Law 94-142 the public schools are required to provide an education for handicapped students. These students should then be participating in the library media program in the public schools. The purpose of this study was to find out what library media programs are being provided at the elementary level for educable mentally handicapped (EMH) students.

Iowa elementary media specialists were surveyed to determine if elementary EMH students used the library media cente.r and how they spent their time when they were in the center~ In the schools surveyed EMH students participated in the library media …

American Experiences In Organizational Change, Tao Jiang

Graduate Research Papers

Though change has been with us since the beginning of humanity, consciously seeking changes has been a major organizational process in America for only about five decades (Benne, Bennis, & Chin, 1976). What is unique about change as an organizational process in America is its level of self-consciousness and the serious efforts undertaken to study change process on the part of the organization and academe. The purpose of this paper is to examine some of the notable American efforts in the study and practice of change.

A Profile Of Female Graduate Students At The University Of Northern Iowa In The Fall Of 1986, Jacquelyn Yvonne Moore

Graduate Research Papers

Colleges and universities across the country are experiencing a high influx of returning women. These women return to school for many reasons, among them upward mobility in the position they currently hold, a desire for self-improvement, and a desire to enter into a new field. The re-entry female, unlike the typical 18-22 year old college student, confronts unique and special problems which may hinder the successful completion of her graduate program. The re-entry woman experiences the unique position of having to balance ongoing careers, family and primary relationships, all while pursuing a graduate degree. In addition, the re-entry female student …

Handicapped Student Services At The University Of Northern Iowa, Robert C. Rush

Graduate Research Papers

Though the handicapped are a minority of the population, they deserve an equal opportunity to pursue a college career. Since some of them will require special assistance, colleges and universities must provide services to meet their needs. The programs and services offered for handicapped students at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) in Cedar Falls, Iowa will be presented. Assistance for handicapped students in vocational evaluation, vocational adjustment, and job placement will be illustrated. Similar programs and services may vary among other colleges and universities.

Families Of Alzheimer Victims: A Counseling Overview, Marcia Ann Oltrogge

Graduate Research Papers

Alzheimer's Disease is a disorder of the brain causing memory loss or serious mental deterioration that is progressive in nature. Eventually the individual is incapable of functioning independently in society. It is an impairment of orientation, memory, intellectual functioning, judgement and concentration. The disease affects an estimated 1.5 million Americans, with the number expected to increase as the elderly population grows (National Institute on Aging ( NIA) 1985) .

Minimizing Employee Resistance To Computerized Technological Change, David L. Kuehl

Graduate Research Papers

Productive change in America's schools is due to the efforts of individual teachers. Recent research on effective and ineffective schools identifies the individual teacher as the key to quality learning. If one assumes that the individual teacher is the catalyst for the creation of an effective learning environment, a support system should be built to encourage teachers in their efforts, Sybouts and Stevens (1986).

Problems Of Student-Athletes: Academic Advising Approaches, Donald Darland

Graduate Research Papers

Intercollegiate athletics at the Division I level is big business for several colleges and universities and their athletic departments. The intercollegiate athletic programs are highly visible at these institutions, are sources of substantial amounts of revenue, and are regarded as an indicator of institutional prestige (Renick, 1974).

Standards Of Satisfactory Academic Progress For Student Financial Aid Eligibility At The Iowa Regents Universities, Brent C. Stearns

Graduate Research Papers

The beginning of a substantial federal government commitment to institution-based student financial aid as a matter of national policy dates from the National Defense Education Act (NDEA) of 1958. Growing out of the post-Sputnick concern that the United States was lagging behind the Soviet Union in technology, the NDEA established a number of federal programs designed to increase the number of college trained specialists, primarily in mathematics and science (Carnegie Council, 1975). The College Work Study Program, which originated with the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, served to promote part-time employment for students with financial need. The enactment of the …

Interactive Video A New Tool For Teaching, Belisario Laguado Bueno

Graduate Research Papers

Finding new and functional methods for instruction has been one of the most important factors in education. Human beings have learned new technologies by using different techniques for teaching. Starting with direct experiences with nature, body- language, hieroglyphics, graphic symbols, codes and creatin1 different ways for displaying those characters, scientists have used them in the diffusion of science.

Providing For Exceptionally Able Mathematics Students At The Local School Level, Linda M. Dober

Graduate Research Papers

With the renewed Interest ln gifted education, more and more students are being Identified In special talent areas. Our use of current technology Increases the need for leadership in mathematics and science. Unfortunately, economic constraints are reducing the size of teaching staffs while increasing class size. Elementary classroom teachers realize that mathematics and science are extremely important in contemporary society and that the development of talent in these areas ls often unintentionally slighted. Wheatley (1979) reports a decline in favorable attitudes towards mathematics from Grade 4 to Grade 6 which ls perhaps more apparent among gifted students.

The Effect Of All Day, Every Day Kindergarten On The Traditional Half Day, Every Day Program, Rebecca Church

Graduate Research Papers

As a result of an array of social and financial factors, changes in kindergarten programs over the last ten years have brought about a variety of attendance patterns. Beginning July 1, 1992 all kindergartens ln Iowa, both public and private, will operate a minimum of 180 days a year for at least 5 1/2 hours a day. These standards tentatively proposed by the Department of Education, as reported in the Des Moines Register (Lantor, 1987), will achieve statewide uniformity of attendance patterns.

Recognizing Characteristics Of Mathematics Anxiety: Origins, Symptoms, And Teaching Methodologies, Ruth Chittenden

Graduate Research Papers

Mathematics competence ls becoming Increasingly important in a technological world. Decisions concerning how many and which courses to take after elementary school can be influenced by affective characteristics over a period of many years

Potential For Using Environmental Education And Practices Of K-5 Teachers In Marshalltown, Iowa, Dennis John Eige

Graduate Research Papers

In today's world it's easy to feel like a god. We live in an age of world-wide information gathering and speed-of-light computer processing that gives us the sense of omniscience. Our eye-in-the-sky satellite surveillance systems give us the feeling of omnipresence. The harnessing and development of nuclear power contributes to an all-powerful state of mind which seduces us into believing we are also wise enough to make the best decisions possible concerning our world. However, such does not appear to be the case, if environmental quality, use of world resources, and health of living populations are used as indicators.

A Content Analysis Of Realistic Fiction For Bibliotherapy With Gifted Children, Myra Kay Hopper Lafrentz

Graduate Research Papers

Children who are gifted experience the same problems as other children of lesser ability; but they also have unique problems that are a direct result of their giftedness. In a synthesis of her research of gifted children, Galbraith (1983> identified some of these problems, including among others, boredom in school , not being understood and accepted by peers , perfectionism

Supportive Literature-Based Oral Language Experiences For Young Children In A Chapter I Program, Beverly L. Mccartney

Graduate Research Papers

Reading begins in the home. Parents who involve children in meaningful oral and written language experiences build a foundation for literacy. 11Early development of reading comes from experience talking and learning about the world and talking and learning about written language 11 (Anderson, Hiebert, Scott, Wilkinson, 1985, p. 21- 22). Parents model a commitment to education and learning by making reading and language an important part of their life and their children 1 s lives.