Northwestern College - Iowa
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The Effect of Smaller Classroom Settings on Behavioral Outcomes for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Full text linkAutism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is increasingly prevalent among children worldwide and presents significant challenges in educational settings due to differences in behavior, communication, and social-emotional regulation. These differences can lead to unexpected and disruptive behaviors, such as aggression, refusal, and elopement, which impact students’ academic success and social interactions. Research has explored various strategies, including early interventions, teacher support, accommodations, and individualized education plans (IEPs), to support students with ASD. However, traditional classrooms with less structure can exacerbate these challenges. This inquiry-based research examines the impact of smaller classroom settings on the expected behaviors of students with autism, specifically focusing on 11 kindergarten students, four of whom exhibit extreme behaviors such as screaming, elopement, self-injury, and aggression. The study utilizes a literature review of recent research on ASD interventions and behavioral strategies, including early interventions, accommodations, and IEP implementation. The research suggests that smaller class sizes and more structured environments can improve expected behaviors and reduce unexpected ones. Data analysis of the study shows a significant reduction in aggressive behaviors, refusal behaviors, and elopement behaviors, supporting the hypothesis that smaller, more structured settings, coupled with intensive behavioral interventions, can be effective in addressing behavioral challenges for students with ASD. These findings emphasize the importance of individualized, consistent support in fostering better outcomes for students with autism in the classroom
The Impact of Mindfulness Practices on Enhancing Focus and Reducing Behavioral Challenges
Full text linkThis research investigates how mindfulness practices affect student focus and behavioral regulation in an elementary classroom. Conducted in a second-grade classroom at a preschool through fourth-grade school in a rural district in Osage, Iowa, this study addresses the growing need for effective strategies in social-emotional learning and self-regulation for young learners. Eighteen students, ages seven to nine, participated in a mindfulness-based intervention to promote self-regulation, enhance classroom engagement, and increase focus. The intervention incorporated developmentally appropriate mindfulness practices, such as yoga, breathing exercises, and guided meditation, into the daily classroom schedule. A qualitative approach was employed, combining teacher observations, surveys from students and teachers, behavioral tallies, and reflective journaling. The data collection sought to reveal patterns in student behavior, especially regarding focus levels and the necessity for behavioral redirection. Initial findings suggest that incorporating mindfulness increased student attention during academic tasks and reduced teacher redirections. These results support existing research on the benefits of mindfulness for young children and highlight the potential of such practices to improve executive functioning, emotional regulation, and the overall classroom environment. This study offers practical insights for educators and enriches the conversation regarding the importance of mindfulness practices in early childhood education
Cousins - 1930s
No full textCousins on the Pas side of the family.
Front row (l to r): Dave Schreur, Helen Beyer, Harriet Simons, Barbara Beyer, J. Simons
Back row (l to r): Dale Pas, Kenny Beyer, Don Simmons, Glenn Beyerhttps://nwcommons.nwciowa.edu/beyerchildhoodimages/1005/thumbnail.jp
The Enneagram & the Barnum Effect
Full text linkThe Enneagram is a 9-type personality system that has gained widespread acceptance as a tool for self-understanding and personal growth. Despite its popularity, empirical support for it is mixed and it has not been tested critically to see if it works due to psychological biases. We hypothesized that the Enneagram seems accurate because of the Barnum effect, which explains the tendency for people perceive vague and general personality descriptions as tailored to them. Specifically, we hypothesized that: The highest three Enneagram types will not be rated differently from each other on accuracy. The highest three Enneagram types will be rated as more accurate than the lowest three
The Impact Computer-Assisted Learning Has On Elementary Students Mastering Math Standards
No full textMath fact fluency is a fundamental skill students need to become proficient in to engage in higher-level math skills. For many students, learning their math facts and becoming fluent in them can be a challenge. This inquiry-based research study aims to determine if the use of computer-assisted learning programs such as Math Fact Lab can help educators meet the varying needs of their students while also making learning math facts an engaging and personalized educational experience for students. The study utilized a quantitative approach, using both Math Fact Lab placement test scores as well as data from the learning levels students were able to complete during the first semester of their 3rd grade year. The findings revealed that all students in the study showed growth over the course of the study. Additionally, 14 of the 17 students in the study were able to demonstrate mastery of fact fluency in both addition and subtraction over the course of a semester. The study highlights the potential computer-assisted learning tools have in helping teachers differentiate the learning taking place in their classroom to meet the needs of all of their learners in the area of mathematics. Further research is needed to explore how computer-assisted learning tools impact student motivation and feelings towards being successful in math. Furthermore, expanding this research to include larger and more diverse student populations would deepen its meaning and impact in the world of mathematics education
Teacher Identification of Learned Helplessness and Supportive Strategies
No full textLearned helplessness is a common problem in the upper grades of compulsory education. It creates frustration and has a significant negative impact on academic achievement. Teachers need to accurately identify learned helplessness behaviors before they can promote effective strategies for student autonomy, resilience, and academic success. Research has shown that appropriate strategies successfully mitigate or prevent learned helplessness, but misguided strategies will exacerbate the problem. This study aims to examine the behaviors that teachers currently associate with learned helplessness and the strategies they have found to be successful in mitigating its effects in their classrooms. After reviewing literature on learned helplessness, its origins, and mitigative strategies, a Google survey was designed and distributed to sixth through twelfth-grade teachers in two small Midwestern towns. Analysis of the responses indicated that teachers have a general idea of the behaviors but are not as accurate at providing research-backed strategies for prevention or mitigation. Some strategies were even known to exacerbate learned helplessness behaviors. Finally, research showed that teachers are attempting to implement teacher-supported autonomous pedagogy in their classrooms. However, teacher psychologically controlling pedagogy persists in over half of the classrooms surveyed. The researcher concluded that classroom management instruction on supportive pedagogy for learned helplessness for pre-service teachers and professional development for in-service teachers is important to support students. Goal setting and autonomous pedagogy will universally promote mastery orientation, resilience, and academic achievement. Further research is needed to increase the sample size and investigate the consequences of unresolved academic learned helplessness
Assessment of Bumblebee Populations Using Bee-bowls and Mark-recapture Methods
No full textThe ecological services of insect pollinators are well established; therefore, the documented decline in pollinator biodiversity is of great global and local concern. Using two survey methods, our study provides baseline pollinator community data at two conservation sites in Northwest Iowa. In September of 2023, we used three colors (blue, yellow, and white) and two depths (shallow and deep) of bowl traps to investigate pollinator communities at a small prairie restoration site (Buena Vista County Park) and a nearby native prairie (The Nature Conservancy Glacial Hills Preserve). Employing modifications of the protocol suggested by the Bumble bee Atlas to collect and identify bumblebees, we used nonlethal mark-recapture methods to evaluate their richness and abundance at the same locations. Abundance and morphospecies richness in our traps did not differ significantly between the two locations. At both sites, total pollinator abundance and morphospecies richness were significantly higher in shallow versus deep traps. The effect of color on pollinator abundance and morphospecies richness varied with location and pollinator taxa. We recovered only 2 species and 4 total bumble bees from 84 bowl traps. In contrast, we collected six species and 68 total bumblebees during our mark and recapture efforts. We conclude that both survey methods provide useful, but different, baseline data. Bowl traps provide valuable information regarding pollinator communities and are widely used. However, we found that these traps are not particularly useful for bumble bees. Given concerns about declining bumblebee populations, we advocate for nonlethal mark and recapture surveys for bumble bee studies.
NOTE: This poster was also presented at 45th Winchell Undergraduate Research Symposium
Improving Reading Comprehension in Secondary Students
No full textSecondary students who persistently read below grade level present a significant challenge for educators, with 69% of eighth-grade students unable to derive meaning from grade-level text according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Despite implementing tier 1, 2, and 3 reading interventions, many students continue to struggle with reading comprehension. This study aimed to identify the effectiveness of implementing reciprocal teaching to improve reading comprehension among secondary students reading below grade level. Based on a literature review examining reciprocal teaching efficacy, reading intervention strategies, and factors affecting comprehension, a quasi-experimental intervention was conducted with seven high school students in a rural, Title 1 Iowa school district. Students received twice-weekly reciprocal teaching sessions over three weeks, with pre- and post-test data collected using Jamestown Reading Comprehension Assessments. Significant implementation challenges, including poor attendance and suspected academic dishonesty, prevented adequate data collection to evaluate intervention effectiveness. Examining attendance data through Varghese et al.\u27s (2021) fidelity framework revealed critical failures in intervention exposure, with students attending only 33% to 50% of scheduled sessions. While the study could not determine reciprocal teaching\u27s effectiveness, it uncovered a potentially more fundamental problem: failure to implement reading interventions with fidelity may be a root cause of persistent reading difficulties among secondary students. Districts should prioritize fidelity monitoring and protect intervention time from competing activities. Further research is needed to examine the relationship between fidelity and intervention outcomes in secondary settings
Continuous Glucose Monitoring vs Fingerstick Monitoring in Pediatric Type I Diabetes
Full text linkType 1 diabetes is rising in the adolescent population, and with that is a rise in technological advances, including continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). CGM and finger-stick testing provide accurate measurements of blood glucose levels, aiding in control of both hyperglycemic and hypoglycemic events. CGM provides multiple benefits over finger-stick testing, including reduced number of skin pricks, easier access sites, and various others. CGM also presents with several complications, including high costs and skin irritation. The goal of increased CGM use and awareness is to decrease long-term complications of type I diabetes in the adolescent population, including cognitive function decline, retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy. In this mini literature review, we summarized several articles which looked at the benefits and complications of CGM and finger-stick use in adolescents with type I diabetes, and the resulting outcomes on the disease
Utilizing Buprenorphine in Patients with Opioid Use Disorder
Full text linkBuprenorphine, a partial mu-opioid agonist, is a critical medication in treating opioid use disorder (OUD) and chronic pain. It was initially developed in the 1960s, then approved for pain management in the 1980s. However, over the past two decades, buprenorphine’s use has expanded to OUD treatment, demonstrating improved patient outcomes, enhanced treatment retention, and reduced opioid use. Its longer half-life allows for less frequent dosing and greater adherence compared to full agonists. Buprenorphine also has a more favorable safety profile compared to methadone, which results in lower risks of respiratory depression and overdose.
Despite its efficacy, buprenorphine remains underused due to provider unfamiliarity and regulatory barriers. However, recent advances in formulation, including transdermal patches, offer improved safety and adherence. Buprenorphine’s potential extends beyond OUD treatment, with research exploring its role in managing co-occurring mental health disorders and chronic pain. Future developments, including microdosing protocols and combination therapies, hold promise for expanding its use