Education Commons^™

Learning Under Pressure: Teaching Boyle’S Law Through Inquiry, Meagan Woestman, Adam Kent

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

Boyle’s law is commonly addressed in chemistry and physical science textbooks, but rarely in a manner consistent with what we know best promotes learning (Bransford, Brown & Cocking, 2000). We present the standard syringe activity as an exploratory inquiry experience followed by a more formal development of the relationship. The activity starts and concludes by having students examine how the volume of a crushed pop bottle changes in a vacuum. Through iterative concrete experiences and guided discussions, students construct Boyle’s law to account for the class data. This article address National Science Education Standards A, B, E, G, and Iowa …

What’S My Motivation? Ideas For Rethinking Student Assessment, Jerrid Kruse

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

Three of the articles in this issue of the Iowa Science Teachers Journal address assessment in the science classroom. Jesse Wilcox and Frank Noschese each discuss standards-based grading (SBG). Frank provides examples of his approach to SBG in his physics classes and makes a strong case for SBG while Jesse adds detail by sharing the frameworks he uses to inform and implement his SBG practices. Joe Bower goes a bit further by encouraging readers to consider why we assign grades at all. Each of the articles raises important, and related, points about the connection between assessment and motivation.

A Better Road: Improve Teaching And Student Morale Through Standards-Based Grading, Frank Noschese

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

This article explores the benefits of using a standards-based grading system. Examples of how such a system is used in a high school physics course are also provided.

Holding Ourselves To A Higher Standard: Using Standards-Based Grading In Science As A Means To Improve Teaching And Learning, Jesse Wilcox

Iowa Science Teachers Journal

Standards-based grading (SBG) has grown in popularity over the past few years. However, many teachers wonder why they should switch from a traditional grading system. This article explores how standards-based grading can more accurately reflect what students learn and encourage changes in students’ attitude toward learning in the process. This article promotes Iowa Teaching Standards 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.

The Impact Of Computer-Assisted Sight Word Instruction On The Reading Skills Of Students With Significant Intellectual Disabilities, Colleen Frances Wood-Fields

Communication Disorders & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

There is a paucity of research identifying instructional methods that promote the reading development of students with significant intellectual disabilities (ID). This research study employed a single subject, multiple baseline design to evaluate the effects of computer-assisted sight word instruction employing constant time delay (CTD) procedures with incidental phonics and comprehension stimuli on the reading skill development of six elementary students with moderate ID and expressive language impairments. Study results suggest that the seven week PowerPoint slide show sight word intervention had very small to moderate intervention effects on receptive sight word identification. However, students learned some incidental letter-sound correspondences …

Annual Report Of The Registrar 2010/2011, University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Contents:

--- Definitions
--- Annual Report Data
--- Summary of Attendance
--- Attendance by Session
--- Full-time Equivalency Enrollment
--- Degrees Granted
--- Degree Summary
--- Program Certificates
--- Pupils in Price Laboratory School
--- Miscellaneous Enrollment Information
--- Degrees Granted by College, Degree Objective, and Racial/Ethnic Classification

Providing Preservice Teachers With Worthwhile Field-Based Experiences In Mathematics, Glenn Nelson

Faculty Work

Providing preservice teachers with worthwhile field-based experiences is recognized as an important component in their development as good teachers. Because mathematics instruction in general has moved from a teacher-directed, procedurally-focused process to a more student-centered, conceptually-oriented approach, preservice mathematics education classes – especially methods courses - should reflect this shift as well. Field-based opportunities can be instances for preservice teachers to personally experience such a shift to real-world relevance.

Uni Graduating Senior Survey 2010-2011, University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Contents:

Survey Administration --- 2

Distribution of Graduates by College --- 3

Plans Following Graduation --- 3

Characteristics of Respondents --- 5

Survey Highlights --- 7

Institutional Summary of Results --- 9

Summary of Responses by College --- 11

Multiple Year Comparison --- 60

Appendix A --- 69

2011 Annual Governance Report On Faculty Activities, University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Report of faculty activity broken down by rank

Pre-Service General Education Teachers' Attitudes On The Education Of English Language Learners, Rachel Margaret Zidon

Honors Program Theses

Although increasing numbers of English Language Learners (ELLs) are joining native English speaking peers in general education classrooms, little research has been conducted to investigate general education teachers' preparation to work with ELLs in a classroom setting or their attitudes toward teaching ELLs. This research surveyed 260 pre-service general education teachers at a mid-sized university in the Midwest to explore their perceptions in the following areas: (1) their level of training and perceived preparedness to work with ELLs, (2) accommodations they would make for ELLs, (3) their expectations for ELLs, and (4) their attitudes toward including ELLs in general education …

Affirmative Action Plan 2011, Office Of Equal Opportunity, Ethics, & Access

Affirmative Action Plans

Illinois State University Affirmative Action Plan

Disney And The Classroom: How Children's Perceptions Can Help Inform Teacher Practice, Kimberly Lynn Burken

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this research was threefold: to examine how race was represented in cartoon Disney movies, to determine if cartoon Disney movies influence racial perceptions in children, and to determine how to effectively address racial perceptions in the classroom.

Exploring Literacy Across The Curriculum: Writing In The Mathematics Classroom, Sarah E. Heddinger

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of my Honors thesis is to find evidence that writing in mathematics benefits both students and teachers. To research this claim, I viewed how writing takes place in mathematics within a specific elementary classroom. I hoped to view mathematics lessons in which literacy, specifically writing, was involved as an integral part of every lesson.

Traditional Vs. Alternative Assessment Methodology In Iowa's Secondary Social Science Classroom, Jake Edward Hoversten

Honors Program Theses

This thesis is a product of an interest I had in classroom assessment as a future educator of Iowa. I wanted to know which types of assessments were being used in order to direct my own teaching practices. The purpose of this project is to determine the extent that alternative assessment is used compared to traditional assessment in Iowa's secondary social science classrooms. This project draws information from current educators and an array of other resources in order to determine the frequency of each method of assessment and the reasons behind any potential trends in methodology. This project reveals current …

The Update, January/February 2011, University Of Northern Iowa. College Of Humanities, Arts And Sciences.

Update

Inside this issue:

-- Popular NPR Show, From the Top, to tape a broadcast at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center
-- Department News
-- 2010-11 CHFA Major Grants Announced
-- Anderson Summer Geology Field Camp Fund
-- Marks of Process, a UNI Department of Art Alumni Exhibition
-- UNI Interpreters Theatre
-- University of Northern Iowa School of Music Concert Chorale
-- Center of Advanced Bio-Based Binders
-- Student Spotlight: Art: Alex Petersen
-- Student Spotlight: Biology: Benjamin Wohlers
-- WCF Symphony & School of Music Events
-- First Lego League
-- Sigma Gamma Epsilon
-- Forum: a Student Organization …

Establishing Open-Ended Assessments: Investigating The Validity Of Creative Exercises, Scott E. Lewis, Janet L. Shaw, Kathryn A. Freeman

Faculty Articles

Open-ended assessments, defined as assessments with a large set of possible correct answers, by nature lend themselves to concerns regarding accurate and consistent grading. This article describes one particular open-ended assessment, named Creative Exercises (CE), designed for promoting students' interconnection of concepts in a college general chemistry setting. The article presents evidence concerning several aspects of validity, including the extent scores represent chemistry knowledge and the extent scoring is consistent across three graders. The evidence is also presented in the context of what is known about concept maps, a commonly employed open-ended assessment in chemistry. Implications for the administration of …

Impulse-Momentum Diagrams, David Rosengrant

Faculty Articles

Multiple representations are a valuable tool to help students learn and understand physics concepts. Furthermore, representations help students learn how to think and act like real scientists. These representations include: pictures, free‐body diagrams, energy bar charts, electrical circuits, and, more recently, computer simulations and animations. However, instructors have limited choices when they want to help their students understand impulse and momentum. One of the only available options is the impulse‐momentum bar chart. The bar charts can effectively show the magnitude of the momentum as well as help students understand conservation of momentum, but they do not easily show the actual …

Needed Supports Of Middle Grade Teachers In Georgia During Times Of Stress And Burnout, Kania Greer

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Understanding what teachers need to help them relieve occupational stress can help administrators effectively combat teacher burnout. With the multiple roles teachers play, it is easy to see how role conflict, role ambiguity, and role overload increase the chances that a teacher will suffer from occupational related stress and subsequent burnout. If left unalleviated, teachers may begin to feel emotionally exhausted, detached from their colleagues, and lack feelings of personal accomplishment which can lead to burnout. The purpose of this study was to ascertain what teachers would like to see administrators do to help them combat the day-to-day stresses of …

Supporting Academic Writing Through The Lens Of Critical Thinking, Roisin Donnelly, Marian Fitzmaurice

Other resources

Academic writing in the context of producing quality research articles is something which all academics engage in and there is evidence of increased attention to supporting the development of the writing and subsequent output of academics and research students. However, while scholarly writing is learnt in complex ways, critical thinking is an intrinsic part of such writing. In practice the teaching of critical thinking is difficult and there is a lack of discussion about what it means within the context of the writing process. This study describes a pedagogic intervention with a group of academic staff to support he participants …

Crucial Connections: An Exploration Of Critical Thinking And Scholarly Writing, Roisin Donnelly, Marian Fitzmaurice

Other resources

Academic writing in the context of producing quality research articles is something which all academics engage in and there is evidence of increased attention to supporting the development of the writing and subsequent outputs of academics and research students. However, while scholarly writing is learnt in complex ways, critical thinking is an intrinsic part of such writing. In practice the teaching of critical thinking is difficult and there is a lack of discussion about what it means within the context of the writing process. Critical thinking can only be acquired with practice and this study describes a pedagogic intervention with …

Exploring Critical Incidents In Assessment, Jen Harvey, Marion Palmer

Other resources

No abstract provided.

Social Networking Texts Among College Students : Identity And Imagination Online, Paul J. Raccanello

Doctoral Dissertations

unavailable

The Impact Of Emergent Technologies On Interpersonal And Community Interaction Of The Future : A Thematic Analysis Of Selected Novels Of William Gibson And Vernor Vinge, Lyn Motai

Doctoral Dissertations

unavailable

The Efficacy Of An Intuitive Eating Education Program In A School Nutrition Education Curriculum, Nicole Healy

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Childhood and adolescent obesity and eating disorders are increasing at an alarming rate in the United States and they occur at younger ages than previously observed. To combat childhood and adolescent obesity, many school nutrition education programs offer obesity prevention programs. Some of these programs consist of restrictive eating plans for obesity prevention, yet their efficacy has been questioned because an unintended consequence is that they may actually increase eating disorder behaviors. An alternative to programs that focus on restrictive eating is the Intuitive eating approach, which is based on the premise that an adherence to physiological cues in determining …

A Descriptive Study Of The Leadership Behaviors Of Ncaa Division I And Ii Head Basketball Coaches As They Pertain To The Path-Goal Theory, Troy Curtis Muilenburg

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to examine perceived leadership behaviors of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I and II men's basketball head coaches. Specifically, this study examined the training and instruction, social support, and positive feedback behaviors as assessed using the Leadership Scale for Sport (LSS) (Chelladurai & Saleh, 1980). A secondary purpose was to examine potential relationships between these behaviors, win/loss percentages, and head coaching experience. Based on path-goal theory, it was hypothesized that the scores for the training and instruction, social support, and positive feedback behaviors would be high, and there would be a positive relationship …

Engaging In An Action Research Cycle On The Irish Standards Based Apprenticeship To Provide Time For Learners’ Engagement., Eric Bates

Conference papers

Lecturing on the Irish Standards Based Apprenticeship Programme which is a prescribed vocational course with a set time limit brought various concerns regarding the course. These concerns included the restrictive time limit, the delivery modes and the level of student learning. Having to present course theory notes in a very limited time period left little exam preparation time with the possibility of the students engaging in a surface approach to learning. Being cognizant of these issues an action research cycle was commenced in an effort to improve the situation and provide time for the learners’ engagement with the material. This …

The Dissertation As An Effective Learning Experience For Undergraduate Students And Faculty In A Construction Management Program; A Reflection, Sonya Meekel, Lloyd Scott

Conference papers

The dissertation has been regarded as an important feature of undergraduate education. This paper reports on findings from a research project that reflected upon the effectiveness of the undergraduate dissertation process of final-year Construction Management undergraduates, enrolled in the academic year 2009-2010 in the Technological University of Dublin (DIT) Construction Management Program. The project was undertaken to reflect upon the dissertation process from inception to completion in order to determine the effectiveness following the first year of implementation. The Kolb Learning Styles Model was applied to capture the student experiences and to provide a basis for observation and reflection. The …

Communication Support For People With Als, David R. Beukelman, Susan Fager, Amy Nordness

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Almost all people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) experience a motor speech disorder, such as dysarthria, as the disease progresses. At some point, 80 to 95% of people with ALS are unable tomeet their daily communication needs using natural speech. Unfortunately, once intelligibility begins to decrease, speech performance often deteriorates so rapidly that there is little time to implement an appropriate augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) intervention; therefore, appropriate timing of referral for AAC assessment and intervention continues to be a most important clinical decision-making issue. AAC acceptance and use have increased considerably during the past decade. Many people use …

Current And Future Aac Research Considerations For Adults With Acquired Cognitive And Communication Impairments, Melanie Fried-Oken, David R. Beukelman, Karen Hux

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Adults with acquired language impairments secondary to stroke, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegenerative diseases are candidates for communication supports outside of the traditional restoration-based approaches to intervention. Recent research proves repeatedly that augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) provides a means for participation, engagement, conversation, and message transfer when individuals can no longer expect full return of premorbid communication skills and that inclusion of communication supports should begin early. We discuss current research and future directions for integrated systems of technical supports that include low-technology, high tech, and partner-dependent strategies for adults with severe and chronic aphasia, cognitive-communication problems resulting from …

Feasibility Of Group Voice Therapy For Individuals With Parkinson’S Disease, Jeff Searl, Kristel Wilson, Karen Haring, Angela M. Dietsch, Kelly E. Lyons, Rajesh Pahwa

Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders: Faculty Publications

Purpose: The primary purpose was to demonstrate the feasibility of executing treatment tasks focused on increasing loudness in a group format for individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD). A second purpose was to report preliminary pre-to-post treatment outcomes for individuals with PD immediately after they complete the group program.

Methods: The group intervention is described. Fifteen adults with PD who participated in the group and three clinicians leading the group provided feedback about the execution of the intervention. The participants also provided voice samples and self-ratings of voice handicap once before completing the 8-week voice group and once immediately …