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"Human sex differentiation: From transcription factors to gender"
Get PDFAmy B. Wiesniewski is an Assistant Professor of Biology at Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa. She can be contacted at [email protected] the past decade, knowledge of the genetic control of human sex differentiation has greately expanded our understanding of the developmental processes needed to form a male or female. The purpose of this review is to discuss how transcription factors are relevant to such processes. Additionally, an attempt is made to relate current knowledge of these factors with gender development of subjects with intersex conditions. Finally, we discuss how information about the genetic control of sex differentiation may contribute to decisions about medical treatment of individuals with conditions of abnormal sex differentiation. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.This work was supported by a grant from The Genentech Foundation for Growth and Development 98-33C to C.J.M., an NIH NRSA grant F32HD08544 to A.B.W. and an NIH, NCRR, GCRC grant RR00052. This work was originally presented as the 1999
Robert L. Ney Memorial Lecture at Johns Hopkins University by
C.J.M
The Effective Teaching, Learning, and Leadership Master's Degree Program and Preparation of Teachers for National Board Certification
Get PDFPhysical description: (iv), 65, (9) leaves. Advisor: Eunice M. Merideth. Peggy Steinbronn is currently Instructional Technology Specialist for Microcomputer Services at Drake University. For questions or comments, she can be contacted by email at [email protected] purpose of this study is twofold: (a) to explore the theoretical and
practical implications for professionalizing teaching through National Board
Certification (NBG); (b) to examine the connections between the Effective
Teaching, Learning, and Leadership (ETLL) Program at Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, and NB core propositions. The ETLL survey portion of this study was conducted in the spring of 1999 with participants who were currently enrolled, or had graduated from the program. The subjects were
asked to rate the ETLL Program based upon core course objectives, its
effectiveness and applicability to their classroom situation, their perceptions
about the NBC movement and their suggestions for ways to improve or refine
the ETLL degree program. The survey results were tested using an analysis
of variance (ANOVA) using SPSS 6.1. Results indicated few statistically
significant differences among survey items. Participants perceptions of the
ETLL Program indicated that the cohorts were positive in their overall ratings
of the program. Recommendations for revising and refining the ETLL Program to support NBC core propositions are included
A Descriptive Study of Middle School Alliterates
Get PDF161 leaves. Advisor: Pamela K. Curtiss.The Problem: The problem of this study is to identify why, according to the perspective of middle school alliterates, students who are capable of reading choose not to read.
Procedures: The research was conducted using qualitative methodology. Subjects of this study were seventh and eighth grade students at a central Iowa middle school. The Motivation to Read Profile was used to identify capable readers who chose not to read. Data were collected through student reading logs, semi-structured interviews, open-ended questionnaires, follow-up interviews, and field notes. The data were analyzed using constant comparative methodology.
Findings: Five themes evolved from analysis of the subjects' responses concerning why they choose not to read. These five themes included freedom of
selection, time allocation, peer relationships, reading attitudes, and reading habits.
Conclusions: This study yielded four conclusions. (a) Students do not necessarily read outside of school. (b) Middle school students say they need
more freedom of selection in what they read, what format they use to read, and in how they spend their time. (c) Middle school students opt to spend time with their peers in organized or informal activities. (d) Middle school students'
reading attitudes are reflected in their reading habits.
Recommendations: The following implications emerged from a review of the literature and findings from this study. (a) Educators may consider providing students with freedom to select reading content and formats, in how they spend
their time, and with whom they work. (b) Students need time to get into the "flow" of academic engagement. Educators may wish to reorganize how
students spend time in school. (c) Students appear to learn more when they work collegially. Educators may want to explore options for multi-generational pairings. (d) Educators may benefit from professional development opportunities focused on philosophical innovations
"Current practices and anticipated changes in academic and nonacademic admission sources for entry-level PharmD programs"
Get PDFRenae J. Chesnut is Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Drake University. She can be contacted at [email protected]
Charles R. Phillips is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Administration/Department Chair of Pharmacy Practice in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Drake University. He can be contacted at [email protected] purpose of this study was to describe and compare current admission practices with anticipated changes in academic and nonacademic admission information sources for entry-level PharmD programs. An author-constructed survey collected data from pharmacy programs on current and anticipated admission processes. After follow-up efforts, a 92 percent response rate was achieved. Results suggest that a lack of significant changes can be expected between admission practices used for the Fall 1997 entering class and those anticipated for Fall 2000. Likewise, applicant qualities sought and information sources used to measure these qualities are not expected to change significantly prior to the Fall 2000 entering class. This study indicated that most pharmacy programs utilize academic and nonacademic admission information sources and that they feel they are meeting the adopted ACPE Standard and Guideline 16.3 which requires that pharmacy programs use information sources in the admission process other than academic information
The Impact of Cognitive Coaching on the Participants and the District - - A Study Conducted in the Johnston School District
Get PDFv, 79 leaves. Advisor: Thomas S. Westbrook.The Problem: This research addressed the need to determine the impact of participation in the Cognitive Coaching training on the individual participants and the district in the Johnston Community School District to support future training efforts. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact by collecting data about coaching skills used, implementation including use with students, concerns, and recommendations.
Procedures: A case study approach was employed and interviews were conducted in a reflective conference format to gather data about the effects on individual participants following training. In addition, the impact on the Johnston Community School District as a result of training staff in the cognitive coaching skills was studied. The interviews/conferences were reviewed for recurring trends in the area of skills mentioned, implementation, recommendations, and concerns.
Findings: Most of the participants interviewed found the Cognitive Coaching training to be beneficial in helping them to improve their listening skills, problem solving, and questioning skills. The training has had a positive impact on the mentor/mentee program, the evaluation model and on communication in the district between colleagues and with parents and students.
Conclusion: The district and participants are benefiting from the Cognitive Coaching efforts.
Recommendations: Further impact might be possible with additional staff training and opportunities for structured practice during the workday. Structured practice opportunities are needed to encourage skill implementations. Future research needs to compare the perceptions about the impact of Cognitive Coaching between participants and non-participants and the impact on students working with trained and untrained staff
A Study of Academic Service Quality and Instructional Quality in a Midwestern Higher Education Environment
Get PDF112 leaves. Advisor: Thomas Westbrook. Notice: This pdf document was created from an original electronic word-processing file. The text is the same as the original paper-bound copy that is located at the Drake University Cowles Library. The signature page is a scanned copy of an
original. The document was converted to pdf format using a word processing program released after the paper document was created. Because of the change in word-processing programs, the pagination of this document is different from the original. The Table of Contents entries have been updated to show pages for this pdf document.The problem: The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between perceptions of academic service quality and instructional quality in a higher education environment. Academic service was defined as service that is not directly related to the classroom activity. This included adaptations of Parasuraman et al. (1988) constructs of tangibles (i.e. classroom facility) and relationships between student and faculty including reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. Instructional quality was defined along Marsh’s (1982) nine dimensions: learning, enthusiasm,
organization, group interaction, individual rapport, breadth, examinations, assignments,
and workload/difficulty. Quality was measured along three dimensions suggested by Parasuraman et al. (1985): expected, observed and quality gap between expected and observed.
Procedures: The study employed pre and post surveys of a cohort of 360 students during the fall semester of their higher education experience. The expectation segment was completed at the beginning of the semester and the observed segment was completed after three months. Various statistical analyses were performed including
correlations, factor analysis and t-tests.
Findings: The findings included a high correlation between service and instructional quality. Instructional quality formed a separate construct from academic service quality while academic service quality overlapped with instructional quality in three subscales: enthusiasm, organization, and rapport. Workload was not found to be a construct of either instructional or service quality while tangibles were found to be a
construct of observed quality, but were not a construct of the gap between expected and
observed quality. Expected academic service and instructional quality significantly exceeded observed academic and instructional quality for first year students.
Conclusions: The findings supported conclusions that academic service quality is related to instructional quality. While the relationships exist at overall and subscale levels and across a variety of demographic variables, the factor constructs of instructional quality are clearly distinguished from academic service quality with
academic service quality constructs including instructional subscales for interpersonal
relationships.
Recommendations: Recommendations for future research included expansion of the study to distance environments, studies of persistence, and participant mood states
The Behaviors and Attitudes of Financial Aid and Admission Directors Regarding the Growing Use of Financial Aid Funds for Marketing Purposes
Get PDFvii, 77 leaves. Advisor: John ParkerProblem. In order to meet enrollment goals, college and university personnel are increasingly utilizing financial aid in their marketing strategies. As pressure to efficiently allocate limited financial aid funds at colleges and universities has grown, increased use of financial aid in enrollment management strategies has followed. Allocating an institution's limited resources in order to meet enrollment goals is at times in conflict with equal access philosophies. As a result, college and university financial aid
professionals are often confronted with the dilemma of using equity based models or efficiency based models for the allocation of limited student aid funds.
Procedure. As assessment tool was developed that gathered behavioral and attitudinal information with regards to the "proper" use of administering financial aid. The survey instrument was mailed to a random and proportional stratified sample of financial aid and admission directors at 4-year public and private colleges and universities.
Findings/Conclusions. Financial Aid Directors are in agreement with the packaging procedures they employ in order to allocate limited institutional financial aid funds. Also, admission directors are more accepting of awarding financial aid funds on criteria other than need than are financial aid directors. Furthermore, directors at private
institutions employ more efficiency-type behaviors when allocating institutional financial aid funds and are more accepting of allocating funds based on criteria other than need than their counterparts at public institutions. Lastly, behaviors and attitudes financial aid
and admission directors have toward the "proper" use of financial aid funds differed depending upon to whom the director reports.
Recommendations. Future studies should be conducted to 1) include assistant directors
and other staff members who through the packaging of funds and their dealings with students and families witness their ideals of access and choice being manipulated, 2) to measure the closing gap between directors at private and public institutions in their behaviors and attitudes regarding the "proper" use of financial aid, and 3) to stratify the sample based on location to look for regional differences
Retroviral-Medicated Transfer of Suppressor tRNA Genes Into Human Cells
Get PDFx, 51 leaves. Advisor: Charisse M. Buising.Nonsense mutations in protein genes have been associated with a variety of human diseases. A useful therapeutic approach to correct such mutations may be to introduce genes expressing suppressor tRNA that recognize the premature stop codon, insert the appropriate amino acid, and allow translation of a full-length, functional protein. Human opal arginine suppressor tRNA genes that encode the structural portion of the tRNA and about 15 bases from the 3' flanking sequence were synthetically constructed using oligonucleotides. Retroviral vectors were selected for delivery to human target cells in order to stably integrate the suppressor tRNA into the target cells' genome. Recombinant retroviral vectors were used to transfect retrovirus packaging cells and produce recombinant viral supernatants. Recombinant viral supernatants were then used to transduce the target cells. Expression of suppressor tRNA in both the retrovirus packaging cells and in the target cells was confirmed by slot blot analysis. To test the functional activity of the expressed suppressor tRNA, target cells expressing a nonsense mutated GFP reporter gene (Arg73opal mhRGFP) were transduced with the recombinant viral supernatant. Suppression of the opal nonsense mutation in hRGFP was demonstrated by restoration of hRGFP fluorescence. This study suggests that retroviral vectors may be used to deliver suppressor tRNA genes to human target cells
Why Are School Administrators in Short Supply and What Can Be Done About It?
No full text117 leavesThe problem. The problem of this study was to find out why individuals who have
attained the elementary principal endorsement were not serving as elementary school
principals. The problem included finding out what barriers impeded individuals' pursuit
of the elementary principalship, from whom or what they created their perceptions of the
elementary principalship, and what motivated them initially to attain the elementary
principal endorsement.
Procedures. Data was obtained using a survey of 704 people, the entire population
of individuals in Iowa who were endorsed to be elementary principals, but not serving in
that role. Descriptive statistics and t tests were used to analyze and report data from the
survey. Data from those individuals who had pursued the principalship but never offered
a position, those that had never applied for a principalship, and those who had been
principals, but left the principalship, total responses, and differences among the responses
of men and women were the foci of the data analysis.
Findings. Of 704 surveys sent, 424 (62%) were completed and returned. Forty-two
percent of respondents were male and 58% of respondents were female. Sixty-seven
percent of respondents were teachers. Current principals were the source of their
perception of the elementary principalship. Motivation for attaining the elementary
principal endorsement was to make a positive difference for students and teachers, the
desire to be the leader of an elementary school. and to develop leadership skills. Barriers to the job of elementary principal rated highest: Satisfaction with current job; Geographic limitations as to where you can apply for a position or are not willing to relocate; Who you know is more important than in individual's merit in getting hired; The job itself: increased expectations, responsibilities of the principals' role; Time (balancing work and home); and Insufficient salary/fringe benefits.
Conclusions. Barriers to the elementary principalship that could be addressed by
policy were not the most difficult barriers to overcome. Even more poignantly, the most
important reasons for not taking an elementary principalship were not clearly amenable to
policy redress. By their actions on the job, current principals teach teachers about what
being a principal means. From these observations, teachers and counselors decide to
work towards the endorsement so they can make a positive difference. In a gender
comparison, for those not in the principalship, women saw more of a barrier in just not being able to get a job. Men saw inadequate money, the job itself and moving as primary barriers
Employers' attitudes toward hiring persons with disabilities and vocational rehabilitation services
No full textRobert Stensrud is Association Professor of Education, National Rehabilitation Institute, Vocational Rehabilitation in the School of Education at Drake University. He can be contacted at [email protected] article describes a study of employers' attitudes
toward hiring people with disabilities and
toward the state Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
agency. The study examined attitudes of employers
in two states, one in the Midwest and one in
the Southeast. In all cases, en-~ployers were
known to have hired people with disabilities and
to have worked with the state VR agency. The
study found that employers stated that they were
glad they hired the person they did, but
expressed reservations about hiring people with
certain types of disabilities. Employers did not
express a high degree of knowledge about the
state VR program, and satisfaction with VR was mixed