Educational Psychology Commons^™

An Investigation Of The General Population’S Understanding Of Forgiveness, Wen-Chuan Rita Chang

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to investigate the general population's understanding and views of forgiveness and to examine if gender was a factor related to one's understanding of forgiveness and motivation to forgive. In this study, structured interviews were administered which allowed a focus on the personal views and experiences of forgiveness and descriptive statistics were used to explain the common patterns in responses among the participants. Forty-nine participants, ranging in ages from 15 to 54, were selected to be interviewed on their views and practice of forgiveness. Of the 49 participants, 15 were males and 34 were females. …

Learning To Live And Living To Learn: An Exploration Of Human Relations In The Classroom, Stephanie Lynn Orth

Honors Program Theses

Teaching human relations in schools is the only way to insure egocentrism is left for altruism. That is, to insure that people start to think of others instead of only themselves (Lane, 109). Many people have lost any obligation to serve anyone beyond themselves (Damon, 38). Students feel less responsible for their actions today, than in the past. Teaching students a sense of altruism is the only way to ensure that both new and current world knowledge of facts, concepts, and inventions are used to relieve suffering, as President Truman described, and not to cause it (Lane, 89).

Therefore, human …

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.

A Qualitative Study: Does Anger Elicit Gender Normative Aggressive Reactions?, Austin Beer

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Previous research indicates that males primarily use physical aggression and females use relational aggression when angered. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether males are really primarily physically aggressive and if females are primarily relationally aggressive when angered, through qualitative methodology. One group of males and one group of females participated in an online chat room discussion. Groups and individuals discussed situations that angered them and how they responded to being angered. Dialogue was evaluated to answer the question: Do males and females tend to aggress in gender normative manners? Four themes emerged from discussion indicating that these …

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.

English Language Learner Program At Irving Elementary : Finding A Life Preserver For Sink Or Swim Education, Pamela Argotsinger

Graduate Research Papers

Each year the United States becomes more ethnically and linguistically diverse and as a result, so do our schools. Students from non-English speaking backgrounds represent the fastest growing subset of the K-12 student population. In the 2003-2004 school year, 5.5 million school-age children were English language learners (Leos, 2004). As school districts across the country are faced with initiating and implementing programs for these learners, they must factor in the high stakes of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act and the possible impact of a new group of test scores on their adequate yearly progress.

The purpose of this …

How Can Teachers Motivate Secondary Language Arts Students? : 5 Prototypes, Kylee Schmitt Pusteoska

Graduate Research Papers

This research project began as a stream of unmotivated students walked through the door of a classroom. The author began to understand that while the current focus in American education is on standards and curriculum issues, the motivation of secondary students is often a lost and unrepresented topic in today's rhetoric. After being in the classroom for over seven years, the author was able to discern five prototypes of students. All five had different motivational styles and worked for different reasons. Using firsthand observations and scouring the current literature, the author was able to come up with some specific and …

Implementation Of Reciprocal Teaching Strategies, Michael Sauer

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study is to address the following research question: How effective are the Reciprocal Teaching Strategies in increasing reading comprehension? Peer observation and coaching were done to observe each other using the Reciprocal Teaching Strategies in the classroom. Two different observations were done, each time by a different peer coach. After each observation, the lesson which had been observed was briefly discussed. From this interaction, further suggestions for implementation could be made from our peers.

Cognitive, Emotive, And Behavioral Techniques For Depressed Children And Adolescents, Brianna G. Wilcox

Graduate Research Papers

Cognitive, emotive, and behavioral techniques for treating depression in children and adolescents are outlined. The importance of prevention and early intervention is stressed, with an emphasis on application to the school setting. Cognitive contributors to depression, disputation strategies, and behavioral interventions are explicated within the framework of Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT). The efficacy of REBT is cited in reference to numerous research studies.

The Success Of Early Reading Interventions, Tammy A. Theroith

Graduate Research Papers

Learning to read means developing decoding skills in order to make meaning out of printed words. To make meaning, the reader uses a number of sources of information that are sometimes called cues. These cues include phonics, syntax (how language is put together), semantics (meaning), schema (background), sight words and others. In order for these words or information to be processed two events must occur. First, the learner must use learned reading strategies, and second he/she has to self-monitor.

Why People Self-Injure And What School Counselors Can Do To Help, Emily M. Thole

Graduate Research Papers

Today school counselors are working more with students who choose self-injury. In order to do so effectively, it is important that counselors understand the nature of self-injury and effective ways to treat it. This paper looks at reasons behind self-injuring and explores the difference between self-injury and suicide attempts as well as the different classifications of self-injury. Knowing the risk factors such as loss, childhood illness, physical and sexual abuse, familial violence, familial self-injury, peer conflict, and impulse control problems will aid counselors in targeting at-risk students. Once risk factors were targeted, it was found that behavioral treatments that address …

Bullying In Elementary Schools, Jessica J. Wass

Graduate Research Papers

Bullying is a serious problem in today's schools. The history of bullying goes back as far as humans have been living and will continue if schools do not take action. Parents, teachers, administrators, counselors, and school staff are all involved in preventing bullying and intervening when necessary. This paper will define bullying, risk factors, and the effects of bullying on the bully, the victim, and the bystander. Interventions as well as how to prevent bullying will be addressed with emphasis on a whole school approach.

Inside The Stress Of A Police Officer's Job : What Mental Health Counselors Should Know, Molly J. Wertz

Graduate Research Papers

Police officers have a unique responsibility within the job. They must learn to cope with stress, adrenaline, and fear during working hours while protecting themselves as they are protecting society. Becoming burdened and overwhelmed by the stress of the job can have many consequences, including suicide attempts and the development of post-traumatic stress disorder. This paper will examine primary stressors a police officer encounters on and off the job, suicide, posttraumatic stress disorder, peer support, as well as implications for counselors.

Using Office Referral Data To Help Understand School-Wide Discipline, Sarah Remakel-Henkels

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Some schools looking to create and maintain a safe and supportive learning environment implement Positive Behavior Supports (PBS). Maintaining a safe and supportive school requires a solid sense of the current school climate and a continuous improvement process for measuring progress and making appropriate corrections. Schools need to be keeping track of whether a safe, supportive learning community is being provided to all students all of the time through key indicator data.

Due to the increased amount of accountability being placed upon schools and states through NCLB, there is also an increased amount of academic data collection required. One school …

A Case Study Of Senior Students' Perceptions Of Factors That Shape Aspirations In One Low-Income Rural Iowa High School, Louise Elizabeth Esveld

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Rural Iowa high school graduates from districts enrolling fewer than 600 students are more likely than their more urban peers to be economically disadvantaged as measured by eligibility for free and reduced cost meals. They are also less likely to aspire to high levels of educational attainment. Over the last decade, the percentage of graduates from small, rural schools intending to pursue any postsecondary education or training has approached or exceeded the percentage in more urban districts. However, among rural graduates with postsecondary intentions, the ranks of those students planning to pursue a four-year degree or higher remain disproportionately thin. …

Multiple Intelligences Of Young Adolescents, Kelly A. Schloss

Graduate Research Papers

This study investigated how multiple intelligences related specifically to young adolescents. Self-perceptions of seventh and eighth graders, attending a large middle school and a moderately sized junior high in Iowa, were compared. Intelligence categories rated by students included intrapersonal, interpersonal, body/kinesthetic, mathematical/logical, verbal/linguistic, visual/spatial, and music/rhythmic.

Implications for this research include utilizing activity based instruction, promoting risk free learning opportunities for girls, implementing developmentally responsive practices at the middle level, providing educational support for low socio-economic students who may lack other resources often needed for success, and using visual, kinesthetic and musical approaches to learning for learning disabled students.

Considerations In Counseling International Students, Michael L. Williams

Graduate Research Papers

Much has been written about the culture shock that international students experience while studying at a United States college or university. Sometimes adjustments to new living conditions, language, food and culture have exacerbated latent emotional issues in some international students or contributed to the development of emotional disturbances in others. While living in their home countries, many students from other cultures rely on sources such as older family members or spiritual, religious, or medical experts to discuss emotional conflicts. This population often views counseling as performing two primary services: one, to meet education or career goals; or, two, to deal …

Identifying School-Aged Children At-Risk To Develop An Eating Disorder, Natalie Jean Muth

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Current research supports that school-based eating disorder prevention programs have yielded unsuccessful results. Hypotheses presented in chapter one suggest failure to implement effective prevention programs are related to problematic screening attempts and a lack of focus on targeting prevention at the primary level. Chapter two outlines a review of literature analyzing eating disorder identification, history, prevalence, assessment and existing prevention programs. Chapter three describes the present study, which uses an eating disorder assessment instrument to screen a consenting sample of forth through twelfth graders. Results, presented in chapter four, suggest (a) that a significant number of students could benefit for …

Counseling Couples In Domestic Violence, Krista L. Strauser

Graduate Research Papers

Domestic violence is a widespread problem that is being passed down from generation to generation. Counselors have been debating for years as to how to effectively treat couples with domestic violence issues. The nature of couples counseling is debated against the ethical issues, safety issues, and appropriateness of counseling domestically violent couples. Challenges for counselors are discussed along with rules of how and when to conduct couples counseling with domestically violent couples.

School Climate, Culture, And Educators’ Beliefs And Practices In Motivation: An Exploratory Study, Sarah Galloway

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study seeks to examine one aspect of school climate, school culture, through the lens of achievement goal theory in order to link the broad construct of climate and educational practices. Achievement goal theory is a motivational theory that provides a framework for organizing and construing cognitive and affective responses to achievement related situations. An underlying assumption of the current study is that goal structures can positively influence school climate and lead to positive outcomes for students. Goal structures were investigated through educator perceptions of goal structures and educators self-reports of their educational practices. Overall, the 124 educators who responded …

Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches To Anger Management For Children And Adolescents, Amy L. Zirkelbach

Graduate Research Papers

This paper examines the need to address anger problems among children and adolescents given the implications of uncontrolled anger on relationships, education, possible involvement with the law, and physical and mental well-being. Aggression and its relationship to anger will also be discussed as well as the need to develop early intervention practices aimed at anger-related problems. A cognitive-behavioral approach will be presented as an alternative to many of the prevailing psychological approaches dominating individual and group interventions targeting angry and aggressive youth. A description of the key components of cognitive-behavioral anger management programs will be described, including arousal management, cognitive …

Effective Models As Instructional Designs To Build Student Motivation In Learning, Karla S. Lammers

Graduate Research Papers

Effective Models As Instructional Designs to Build Student Motivation in Learning: A Review of Literature examines some of the research and academic literature related to successful designs/models that educators can use to build motivation in learners. Views of different motivations, extrinsic and intrinsic, as a learner are also discussed. Examples of designs/models are examined that integrate technology. The author concludes by presenting a technology-assisted, literature-based curriculum product that integrates these models to enhance learners' motivation.

Enhancing Student Learning Styles Through The Use Of Technology, Mark A. Dugger

Graduate Research Papers

The multiple learning styles of students have in the last few years become a major topic of concern for all educators. Experience and time are valuable learning tools assisting teachers in developing an understanding of these learning styles. This review pursues the importance of considering student learning styles when incorporating technology within an existing curriculum. Research studies provide supporting evidence that a technology-rich environment promotes collaborative, project-based learning, which in tum has a positive effect on learning styles.

Motivating Students With Digital Portfolios, Rochelle Christine Duwa

Graduate Research Papers

As the drop out rates of high schools across the country reach 30 percent, the need for teachers to be able to motivate students becomes increasingly important. Alternative assessments (especially performance based) have become a popular trend in schools and have proven to give a more accurate display of students' skills and knowledge than standardized tests. This paper investigates the different kinds of digital or electronic portfolios, and the process of creating and implementing digital portfolios in order to help determine the role they could play as a method of alternative assessment as well as motivating students.

The Motivating Aspects Of Technology, Mary Ascher

Graduate Research Papers

Motivation is the most challenging and complex issue facing educators today. There are two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. To foster life-long learning educators need to stimulate intrinsic motivation in their students. Three factors that stimulate and sustain intrinsic motivation include personal relationships, shared responsibility, and safety. The expectancy theory also identifies elements affecting motivation. Technology is a tool that fits into all of these factors to capture the students' motivation.

Promoting Learning Goals In The Classroom : A Preventative Approach To Motivational Problems, Marc Groen

Graduate Research Papers

This paper explores the implications of achievement goal theory for addressing motivational problems in the classroom. First, the basic elements of achievement goal theory are described and relevant empirical research that follows from this framework is reviewed. Next, the implications of achievement goal theory for designing motivationally healthy classroom environments as well as the potential obstacles to successful implementation of these design principles are examined.

A major conclusion of this review is that achievement goal theory provides an important preventative approach to addressing motivational problems in the classroom. Implications of this preventative approach to addressing motivational problems for the school …

The Importance Of Behavioral Interventions And Stimulant Medication Effects On Reducing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Elizabeth Alvarez

Graduate Research Papers

Overall, various avenues of research state that ADHD is a complex disorder that requires treatment by multiple modalities. Most research states that a combination of medication and behavior therapy is necessary to resolve the symptoms. It should be noted that the dose of stimulant medication prescribed to a child with ADHD should be adjusted based on the child's response to a behavioral intervention, as well as the combination of the behavioral and pharmacological treatments. Rapport et al. (1982), as well as others, have found that medication alone will not "cure" ADHD. But with multiple methods of treatment the symptoms will …

Home-School Collaboration : An Effective Intervention For Facilitating Homework Completion?, John D. Warrington

Graduate Research Papers

This paper contains a review of literature on the utilization of home school collaboration as an intervention tool to improve the existing low homework completion rates of many students in our school systems. Due to the fact that homework is one of the most longstanding educational traditions, provides a natural link between the home and the school, and has been implicated as a tool for increasing overall rates of academic achievement, it is important to investigate past and present instruments and modes of assistance that involve both the home and school contexts in a shared partnership. There are a large …

School Climate : A Review Of Literature, Sarah Galloway

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this paper is to review the current literature and research on school climate to determine how school climate affects achievement, social, emotional and behavioral development, school safety, and school attendance and completion. Reviewing these outcomes for students leads the author to address principles for school climate measurement and improvement, as presented in the school climate literature. The measurement and improvement programs are reviewed in the context of school psychologists contributing to climate interventions.