Assessing The Impact Of The Kids Consortium Kids Living Democracy And First Year Kidscan Programs: First Year Findings, Center For Youth And Communities

Project Summaries

KIDS Consortium is a New England based non-profit organization that works with teachers, administrators and students to involve students in addressing real challenges faced by their communities. It provides tools and training around its KIDS As Planners service-learning model for educators and community organizations, and conducts student Apprentice Citizenship leadership programs. Together teachers and students identify, research, and work to address local community needs. KIDS provides funding, guidance and training to teachers who match community projects to school curricula, with the ultimate goal of promoting positive outcomes for students, teachers, schools and communities.

Preparing Community-Oriented Teachers: Reflections From A Multicultural Service-Learning Standpoint, Marilynne Boyle-Baise

Diversity

The Banneker History Project (BHP) reconstructed the history of a local, segregated school. The Benjamin Banneker School served African American youth from 1913 to 1951. Oral histories from surviving alumni as well as primary documents from the times were sought. This article focuses on ways that one group of participants, 24 preservice teachers of color. experienced and interpreted the BHP. Data are reported in response to three questions: (a) Whose community does service learning serve? (b) What meanings do preservice teachers make of culturally responsive teaching? and (c) Does a community orientation count in teacher education? The author reflects on …

Pulpits And Platforms: The Role Of The Church In Determining Protest Among Black Americans, Scott T. Fitzgerald, Ryan E. Spohn

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This article further specifies the relationship between church-based resources, group identification and political activism among black Americans. Previous research indicates that political communication within churches and activism within the church serve to motivate political participation. Our research suggests that, net of relevant controls, activism within the church does not significantly increase protest politics. A key determinant of protest participation is attending a church that exhibits a politicized church culture, and this effect is contingent upon educational attainment and membership in secular organizations.Hence, the church serves as a crucial context for the dissemination of political messages and exposure to opportunities for …

Nemo News, Volume 2, Issue 3, Uno Library Science Education

NEMO Newsletter

This issue of NEMO News features Thanks & Giving, "I wish I would've known/I'd sure like to know...," Get involved with NLA and NMRT, Student Spotlight on Terry Wingate, Alumni Annotations with Karen Frizell, Faculty Focus on Denice Adkins, Important Dates, Commencement information, Practicum Application information, and Scholarships.

Youth Helping America - Building Active Citizens: The Role Of Social Institutions In Teen Volunteering, Corporation For National And Community Service

School K-12

At a time when many are worried that the United States is experiencing a general decline in civic and political engagement, volunteering appears particularly strong among today’s young people. While volunteering is just one form of community involvement, research has shown that it is often connected to other forms of engagement, and, among youth, volunteering plays a valuable role in shaping how youth learn to interact with their community and develop the skills, values, and sense of empowerment necessary to become active citizens.

The Demise Of African American Participation In Baseball: A Cultural Backlash From The Negro Leagues, David C. Ogden

Communication Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Sixty years ago baseball was a major business and cultural force for African Americans. But the end of the Negro Leagues and the desegregation of baseball heralded a new era that marked the beginning of a cultural drift between baseball and African Americans. This paper will explore the social factors embedded in the Negro Leagues that gave baseball cultural relevance for African Americans and what is impeding those factors from operating again.

2005 Revised Omaha Economic Development Plan: Plan For Northeast Omaha, Robert Blair, Jerry Deichert, Heather L. Bloom, Jordan Fuller, Alvin M. Goodwin, Elizabeth Cunard, Michael Maroney

Publications

The 2005 Revised OEDP provides OEDC with current data and analysis to initiate and complete a strategic process to develop an action plan for community and economic development activities and projects.

The 2005 Revised Overall Economic Development Plan (OEDP) prepared by the Center for Public Affairs Research (CPAR) at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) for the Omaha Economic Development Corporation (OEDC) replaces the original OEDP first prepared in 1978. While a variety of revisions and updates over the years helped keep the original OEDP relatively current and helpful in development activities, in 2005 OEDC President Alvin Goodwin commissioned …

Research Note: International Issues In Media And Information Literacy, Jeremy Harris Lipschultz, Michael L. Hilt

Communication Faculty Publications

The emerging field of media and information literacy studies continues to be influenced by a wide range of interdisciplinary research. An inventory of current research on media and information literacy, using Studies in Media & Information Literacy Education (SIMILE) as a database, reveal emphases in studies about schools and education, library usage, mass media, intercultural communication, and global media. As individuals around the globe are empowered by their media and information literacy skills, it is possible that these abilities will be harnessed as cultural tools in the grassroots battles to maintain local and national identities.

Nemo News, Volume 2, Issue 2, Uno Library Science Education

NEMO Newsletter

This issue of NEMO News features Changing Seasons, "I wish I would've known/I'd sure like to know...," Student Spotlight on Patsy Arnold, Alumni Annotations with Jodene Glaesemann, Faculty Focus with Karen Hein, Important Dates/Registration, Commencement information, Practicum Application information, and Scholarships.

Promoting Government Information: Outreach To Non-Depository Libraries, James T. Shaw

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Some of you may recall that at last year's Fall FDLP Conference, Professor Charles Seavey (University of Missouri, School of Information Science and Learning Technologies) participated in a panel presentation about the future of depository libraries, and he remarked that "any library can be a depository." In the August 2005 issue of American Libraries, Professor Seavey elaborated on his idea in an article entitled, "Documents to the People: Musings on the Past and Future of Government Information." At some risk of oversimplification, his primary point is that the era of electronic access presents a new opportunity for any library …

Learning To Give: Final Evaluation Report Overview & Recommendations (2004-2005), Michigan State University

Higher Education

The Learning to Give project has evolved considerably from its inception nearly a decade ago. From an almost exclusive concern with helping children understand philanthropy and their potential role in it, the project has broadened its focus to include helping children learn how to contribute positively across all aspects of civil society. The earlier years were necessarily focused on creating and testing curricular lessons; more recently the emphasis has fallen on disseminating those tested materials and encouraging their adoption in more schools. In the last two years the project has begun to expand beyond Michigan and currently is establishing itself …

Beyond Government Performance: Is Planning And Management Enough?: 17th Annual Conference Of The Association For Budgeting And Financial Management As Section Of The American Society For Public Administration Program Draft, Association For Budgeting And Financial Management

Publications

“Beyond Government Performance: Is Planning and Management Enough?”

17^th Annual Conference of the

Association for Budgeting and Financial Management

a section of the American Society for Public Administration

Co-Sponsors

Section on International and Comparative Administration (SICA)

Section on Transportation Policy and Administration (STPA)

November 10-12, 2005

Washington Marriott Hotel

1221 22nd Street, NW

Washington DC

A Systematic, Reliable Approach To Play Assessment In Preschoolers, Lisa Kelly-Vance, Bridget O. Ryalls

Psychology Faculty Publications

Play assessment is gaining attention as a measure of the developing skills of young children. The procedures and methods of coding child behaviours vary considerably across researchers and practitioners. Because of this, definitive statements about the use of play assessment cannot be made without further research. The present study is an attempt to report a set of standardized procedures for play assessment along with an empirically based coding scheme (PIECES). The reliability of this system of play assessment is also investigated. High inter-observer reliability was found along with moderate test–retest correlations for both the typically developing (r = 0.48) and …

Nemo News, Volume 2, Issue 1, Uno Library Science Education

NEMO Newsletter

This issue of NEMO News features Welcome Back, New Features, NLA/NEMA Conference, Faculty Focus on Rebecca Pasco, Student Spotlight on Ben Brick and Laura England, Important Dates, Commencement Information, Practicum Application information, and Scholarships.

The Influence Of Small Airports And Air Transportation On Local Economic Development: A Study Of Nebraska, Robert Blair

Archived Publications

Transportation networks and facilities play a critical role in the economic development of communities. They serve as important links to new or emerging markets, and sources of materials and services needed for processing for existing and new businesses in a community. Transportation costs affect the location and growth of local businesses and serve historically as a primary industrial location factor.

Service Learning: Strategies For Developing Character, Catherine Berger Kaye

Special Topics, General

Simply put, service learning connects school-based curriculum with the inherent caring and concern young people have for their world-whether on their school campus, at a local food bank, or in a distant rainforest. With the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, young students are especially attuned to how we as a nation, truly rely on the spirit and actions of volunteers to bring both essentials for daily living and to restore hope.

Character, Civic Renewal And Service Learning For Democratic Citizenship In Higher Education, John Annette

Civic Engagement

This article explores the civic republican conception of citizenship underlying the Labour government's programme of civil renewal and the introduction of education for democratic citizenship. It considers the importance of the cultivation of civic virtue through political participation for such developments and it reviews the research into how service teaming linked to character education can lead to the civic virtue of duty or social responsibility.

Correctional Officers’ Perceptions Of Equitable Treatment In The Masculinized Prison Environment, Marie L. Griffin, Gaylene Armstrong, John R. Hepburn

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Research suggests that employee perceptions of an organization’s support for policies that promote an equitable work environment may differ significantly by race and gender groups. This study examines such perceptual differences and their attitudinal effects on employee experiences within the unique context of a prison setting. Significant differences in correctional officer perceptions of policies are found to exist by race and gender groups. Contrary to expectations, all race and gender groups perceive strong organizational support for equal treatment policies. Moreover, the work experiences of White males are not negatively affected by perceptions of organizational support for equal treatment as had …

Nebraska State Data Center: 16th Annual Summer Conference Brochure, Center For Public Affairs Research (Cpar)

Publications

Conference brochure

Examining The Impact Of Parental Involvement In A Dual Language Program: Implications For Children And Schools - Ollas Report No. 2, J. F. Casas

Latino/Latin American Studies Reports

This study focuses on a dual language (Spanish-English) program in the Omaha Public Schools. Dual language programs are programs in which children develop proficiency in two languages simultaneously. These programs are currently seen as the gold standard second language education because of the large amount of empirical support they have received with respect to children’s academic gains. All of the dual language classrooms are comprised of half native English speakers and half Spanish speakers.

Parental involvement has received much empirical attention with respect to traditional school programs; however, little is known about the role of parental involvement in dual language …

Quo Vadis: What Can Students Do For American Cities?, Harris Wofford

Special Topics, General

The experience of service learning can be deeply rewarding, whether the service rendered is voluntary or a required part of the curriculum; whether it is part-time or full-time (as it is in most programs of national service); whether it takes place in the community where the college or university is located, in a student's home community, or in other parts of the country-- or overseas in the peace Corps.

Becoming Culturally Responsive Teachers Through Service-Learning: A Case Study Of Five Novice Classroom Teachers, Elinor L. Brown, Bobby R. Howard

Service Learning, General

In the effort to augment teacher candidate education beyond text-based direct instruction, universities and teacher preparation programs are incorporating more field-based interactions through which teacher candidates can master skills and reinforce pedagogy through experience. The term "service-learning" was first used by the Southern Regional Education Board in 1969 to describe "the accomplishment of tasks that meet genuine human needs in combination with conscious educational growth" (Staton, Giles & Cruz, 1999).

Paying The Bills Is Not Just Theory: Service Learning About A Living Wage, Nina Banks, Geoffrey Schneider, Paul Susman

Higher Education

This article discusses how to combine service learning, and spccifica!Iy a living wage research project, with radical political economy-based undergraduate economics courses to promote critical thinking, civic engagement, and active learning in students. The authors explore how instructors can integrate service learning into the teaching of political economy. In addition, the article describes the authors' experiences with living wage projects that they have implemented. The article makes the argument that the combination of experiential learning and political economics enriches the course experience for students significantly, leaving a much more lasting impression on students than a standard economics class.

The Relationship Between Morality, Popularity And Acceptance Among Children, Jonathan Bruce Santo, W. M. Bukowski

Psychology Faculty Publications

1245 children (mean age = 10.42) participated in the study (681 female). Data collection took place in Montréal, Canada (MO, n = 382) and Barranquilla, Colombia (BA, n = 863), from either high SES (n = 528) or low SES (n = 717). Subjects rated each other for levels of justice, care, popularity and acceptance. Care and justice were found to be strongly related to acceptance (r =0.43 and r = 0.40, respectively) and less strongly related to popularity (r = 0.32 and r = 0.31, respectively). Care and justice were highly positively correlated to each other (r = 0.61) …

Nemo News, Volume 1, Issue 4/5, Uno Library Science Education

NEMO Newsletter

This issue of NEMO News features Congratulations May 2005 Graduates, New Graduate Assistant, Jacobs - Siouxland Women of Excellence Nominee, Important Dates, and Summer Semester Dates.

Play Assessment: The Effects Of Peer Interaction On Children's Cognitive Capabilities., Korrinda Mendez

Student Work

Play Assessment (PA) has recently gained the attention of researchers as a potential valid assessment tool for determining the cognitive capabilities in younger children. O f particular importance is the use o f PA among various contexts. Specifically, PA can provide insight into the types of contextual situations that promote higher levels of cognitive skills in younger children. The present study explored peer interactions as a contextual aspect of PA using the PACSS empirical coding scheme to determine the highest level of play behavior. According to the present study, results did not yield any significant differences in overall cognitive play …

The Relationship Between Rhetorical Sensitivity, Locus Of Control, And Religiosity Among College Students, Paul J. Hartzell

Student Work

This study looked at the relationship between rhetorical sensitivity, locus of control and religiosity amongst college students at three fundamentally different college institutions. Data were collected from 235 students. Results revealed that students belonging to the most religiously fundamental group have significant differences from students outside that same group. A major finding was discovery of a positive relationship between rhetorical reflectomess and fundamental religiosity as well as a negative relationship between rhetorical sensitivity and fundamental religiosity. Also a significant but modest relationship was found between external locus of control and rhetorical sensitivity and between internal locus of control and noble …

The Impact Of Participation In Service-Learning On High School Students' Civic Engagement, Shelley Billig, Susan Root, Dan Jesse

School K-12

Recent evidence suggests that there is a growing problem of civic disengagement among youth in the United States. Young people in high school report having little interest in civic and political affairs and little knowledge of or trust in the political system (Levine & Lopez, 2002; National Commission on Service-Learning, 2001; Rahm & Transue, 1998; Torney-Purta, 2002). Results from a recent poll indicate that many young people do not feel they can make a difference, solve problems in their communities, or have a meaningful impact on politics or government (Lake Snell Perry & Associates and The Tarrance Group, Inc, 2002). …

Student Nurses Participate In Public Health Research And Practice Through A School-Based Screening Program, Christine A. Bronsan, Sandra L. Upchurch, Janet C. Meininger, Lynne E. Hester, Gwen Jonson, Mona A. Eissa

Service Learning, General

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions among children in minority populations, placing them at risk for diabetes and hypertension. The importance of educating a generation of nurses who have the knowledge, skills, and passion to address this public health need is crucial to the profession and to America's health. This article describes the use of a Community Partnership Model to frame baccalaureate nursing students' (B.S.N.) service learning within the context of a research study to screen middle- and high-school students for health risks. The missions of education, research, and practice are linked together in the model by three processes: evidence-based practice, …

Continued Growth In Nebraska, Saeed Ahmad, John Austin, Tom Doering, Ernie Goss, Bruce Johnson, Donis Petersan, Franz Schwarz, Eric Thomson, Keith K. Turner

Economics Faculty Publications

National economic conditions will continue to favor growth over the next three years. Increased business investment will combine with rising industrial production, expanding exports, and moderate increases in consumer spending to grow the economy. The rate of inflation is expected to increase as well. The rate of real (inflation-adjusted) growth will moderate compared to strong economic growth during 2004. Real gross domestic product will grow 3 percent to 3.5 percent over the next three years. High oil prices will remain a drain on the economy, siphoning spending from domestically produced goods and services. Fuel prices are expected to remain at …