Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Thriving In The 21st Century By Tackling Wicked Problems, Judith A. Ramaley

Higher Education

More than 20 years ago, I was a member of a leadership roundtable in Portland, Oregon, that was working on achieving the ambitious goal of 100 percent graduation rate from high school. In the course of our deliberations, we finally asked ourselves why young people were dropping out of school. After listening to a number of experts talk about retention, we thought to ask ourselves, “What would the young people themselves say?” To find out, we invited a group of young high school dropouts and high school student leaders to an afternoon conversation. The experts had talked about various strategies …

Reinventing Citizenship As Public Work, Harry C. Boyte

Civic Engagement

The fate of democracy is inextricably tied to the work of educators, as well as to the meaning of citizenship and the practices of civic education. If we are to create a citizen-centered democracy—with citizens capable of tackling the mounting challenges of our time—we must revisit conventional ideas. We will have to reinvent citizenship as public work, for the sake of ourselves as educators, as well as for our students and for the democracy itself.

Book Review Of Go East, Young Man: Imagining The American West As The Orient By Richard V. Francaviglia, Christina E. Dando

Geography and Geology Faculty Publications

Historical geographer Richard Francaviglia tackles the intriguing imagery of the American west as orient in his latest book. Using vivid examples from the last two hundred years, Francaviglia illustrates the connections between the west and the middle and far east: distant lands associated in western culture with ancient history and sacred landscapes, but also with sensuality and hedonism. Francaviglia argues that ‘Orientalism was a powerful force in shaping the way newcomers encountered, and made sense of, the people and places they found in the North American West’ (p. 13).

The Never Ending Story Of Language Policies In Puerto Rico, Sandra Rodriguez-Arroyo

Sandra Rodriguez-Arroyo

This literature review addresses some of the issues discussed in the literature written about the controversial topic of English teaching in Puerto Rico. A deeper look into the language policies established in Puerto Rico since the island became a U.S. colony (1898) could lead us to understand why after more than a century of U.S. occupation, the majority of Puerto Ricans are still not bilingual in English and Spanish.

The Use Of Social Media In Counselor Education, Douglas R. Tillman, Julie A. Dinsmore, Christine Chasek, David D. Hof

Counseling Faculty Publications

Examined in this article are ways the use of social media can enhance a counselor education program’s activities in the areas of recruitment, curriculum, pedagogy, extracurricular student contact, and alumni connections. Also discussed are privacy, confidentiality, informed consent, boundary, copyright, liability, and free speech issues related to the administrative and instructional use of social media in a counselor education program. A social media policy is proposed to help counselor educators use this potent tool ethically and effectively.

Examining Inclusive Practices In Nicaraguan Schools, Julie Delkamiller, Kristine D. Swain, Elizabeth M. Leader-Janssen, Mitzi J. Ritzman

Special Education and Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine Nicaraguan teachers’ efficacy for inclusive practices and current teaching practices in Nicaraguan schools as the first step in developing a special education training program. Sixty-one teachers in 15 schools completed the Teacher Efficacy of Inclusive Practice (TEIP) survey to determine their confidence in inclusive practices, collaboration and dealing with disruptive behaviors. Classroom observations were also completed to examine the environment, teaching/ learning strategies, student behaviors, learning materials, and time distribution in the classroom. Results from the TEIP indicated Nicaraguan teachers were highly efficacious in inclusive practices. The survey and observation data collected …

Evaluating The Phonology Of Nicaraguan Sign Language: Preprimer And Primer Dolch Words, Julie Delkamiller

Special Education and Communication Disorders Faculty Publications

Over the past 30-years linguists have been witnessing the birth and evolution of a language, Idioma de Señas de Nicaragua (ISN), in Nicaragua, and have initiated and documented the syntax and grammar of this new language. Research is only beginning to emerge on the implications of ISN on the education of deaf/hard of hearing children in Nicaragua. The purpose of this comparative exploratory field study was to evaluate preprimer and primer Dolch sight words and sign language frequency between English, American Sign Language (ASL), Spanish and Idioma de Señas de Nicaragua (ISN). The research focused on word and sign frequencies …

Gastrophilanthropy: Utopian Aspiration And Aspirational Consumption As Political Retreat, Patricia Mooney Nickel, Angela M. Eikenberry

Public Administration Faculty Publications

In this paper we inquire into the practice of gastrophilanthropy—the individualized consumption of food products under the aegis of philanthropic action. In particular, we examine the case of the philanthropic cupcake. By positioning gastrophilanthropy within the complex of consumption and social relations of power we attempt to shed light on why it has become so well accepted in society today and how the impulse to consume and the impulse to be philanthropic relate to each other and to the contemporary political moment. We question the transformative impact of gastrophilanthropy on those who practice it and on those for whom it …

Keep Relationships Positive Or Do Things Right: Bridging Women Leaders’ Conflict Management Strategies In Non-Profit Organizations In Taiwan And The Us, Chin-Chung Chao, Dexin Tian

Communication Faculty Publications

Purpose – The present study aims at contributing to the knowledge of organizational communication and cross-cultural female leadership by examining the conflict management strategies between Taiwanese female presidents and their American counterparts in Rotary Clubs.

Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through field observations and 25 in-depth interviews with 14 Taiwanese female presidents and 11 American female presidents in Rotary Clubs. Theme analysis of the interpretive method was used in this research.

Findings – This study revealed that the female presidents in both cultures applied obliging and integrating strategies to handle management conflicts. Yet, due to the interference of past presidents, …

Gender Differences In The Effects Of Exposure To Violence On Adolescent Substance Use, Gillian M. Pichevsky, Emily M. Wright, Abigail A. Fagan

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

To date, research exploring gender differences in the relationship between exposure to community violence and substance use has been limited. This study employs longitudinal data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN) to assess the exposure to violence–substance use relationship and explore whether this relationship varies by gender. We find that the two forms of exposure to violence—direct (primary) and indirect (secondary)—independently increase the frequency of subsequent alcohol use, binge drinking, and marijuana use among males and females. One gender difference emerged, as females who had been directly victimized engaged in more frequent binge drinking than males …

Materials For Incorporating I/O Into An Introductory Psychology Course, Joseph A. Allen, Carrie Bulger, Chris Cunningham, Lisa Kath, Mike Horvath, Morrie Mullins, S. Tonidandel

Psychology Faculty Publications

The following materials were created by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) in an effort to produce some “shovel-ready” modules for incorporating I-O Psychology topics directly into Introductory Psychology courses. Although interest in I-O psychology has grown among students, very few introductory psychology textbooks cover the topic. Therefore, we have designed modules that correspond directly with the topics typically discussed in introductory psychology courses (e.g. Biopsychology in the workplace, Memory and Job Performance, etc.) that can be “cut-and-pasted” into already prepared lectures.

Communo Magazine, 2012-2013, School Of Communication

CommUNO Magazine

CommUNO magazine was produced by MaverickPR and is currently published annually by the UNO School of Communication: 6001 Dodge Street, ASH 140, Omaha, NE 68182: Phone: 402.554.2600. Fax: 402.554.3836. For more information, follow us on Twitter@ CommUNO, join the “UNO School of Communication” page on Facebook or visit communication.unomaha.edu.

The Czech Automotive Industry In Global Production Networks: Regional Dimensions Of Upgrading Between 1998 And 2008, Jan Ženka, Petr Pavlinek

Geography and Geology Faculty Publications

n this article, we draw on the global production networks (GPNs) and global value chains perspectives to examine the regional development effects of economic upgrading in the Czech automotive industry between 1998 and 2008. We investigate how the position of Czech-based automotive firms in GPNs affects the intensity of upgrading and the amount of value captured for the benefit of the host regions through wages, corporate taxes revenues and reinvested profits. Based on the statistical analysis of firm-level data aggregated at the micro-regional level, the intensity of economic upgrading and value capture is measured for groups of regions and for …

Book Review: Practice-Based Research In Social Work: A Guide For Reluctant Researchers, Jeanette Harder

Social Work Faculty Publications

Social work students are typically reluctant to engage in research. The Research Partnership model takes a service-learning approach, allowing students to work with data from a community agency and resulting in a final paper with all the sections of an empirical journal article. Use of this model in teaching social work research enhances student motivation, learning, and skills through hands-on activities within an authentic context, and by using group support with individual accountability, structured and incremental learning opportunities, and teaching from a strengths-based perspective.

Incorporating I-O Into An Introductory Psychology Course: A New Set Of Custom Modules By The Education And Training Committee, Joseph A. Allen

Psychology Faculty Publications

One concern that SIOP members often express at conferences and other gatherings of I-O psychologists is the general lack of visibility of I-O among the majority of the undergraduate students in psychology. Although interest in I-O psychology has grown among students, very few introductory psychology textbooks cover the topic. In an effort to address this concern, Mikki Hebl, the former Education and Training Committee Chair, invited a subcommittee composed of committee members and others who have expertise in undergraduate education to develop “shovel-ready” modules that introduce I-O topics to an introductory psychology audience. Those responsible for preparing the modules include …

New Road For Training: Committing To The Provision And Sustainability Of Aviation Training Excellence In Africa, Rebecca Lutte

Aviation Institute Faculty Publications

Aviation is growing its footprint in Africa. It's one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world. Predictions are that the next 10 years may see an annual growth of 7.5 percent. With that growth comes the need for thousands of aviation professionals to be training in line with international standards. But forecasts and research predict a significant shortage of qualified personnel in all aspects of aviation in Africa.

Climatequal® And Thinklets: Using Climatequal® With Group Support Systems To Facilitate Discussion And Set Priorities For Organizational Change At Criss Library, Audrey Defrank, Nora Hillyer

Criss Library Faculty Publications

Objective – This article discusses a series of actions taken by the Criss Library at the University of Nebraska at Omaha to implement organizational change, using the ClimateQUAL® survey and facilitated discussions with ThinkTank™ group decision software. The library had experienced significant changes over a five-year period, with a renovation of the facility and three reorganizations resulting in a 50% staff turnover. Recognizing the strain that years of construction and personnel changes had placed on the organization, there was a desire to uncover the mood of the employees and reveal the issues behind low morale, uneasiness, and fear.

Methods – …

Envisioning A Literacy Partnership: The University Of Nebraska At Omaha’S Criss Library And Girls Inc., Joyce Neujahr, Nora Hillyer, Melissa Cast-Brede

Criss Library Faculty Publications

The history of academic library involvement in service learning is varied. This paper provides an overview of service learning and the literature on academic libraries’ participation in service learning activities. A vision of service learning participation is described, as well as the implementation of service learning activities in two library science courses. Strategies for future library contributions to service learning are presented to encourage more widespread involvement across the profession.

State Fertility Rates By Race/Ethnicity: 2011‐2013 Averages, U.S. Census Bureau

Past Publications

No abstract provided.

Fertility Rate For All Races By State: 2007 Final Versus 2013 Final, National Center For Health Statistics (Nchs)

Past Publications

Sources: Table 11, Births: Final Data for 2007 released 8-9-2010; Table 12, Births: Final Data for 2013 released 1-15-2015, NCHS @ CDC

Fertility Rate For All Races By State: 2007 Final Versus 2013 Final, Center For Public Affairs Research (Cpar)

Past Publications

Fertility rates are births per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years. The 2013 U.S. fertility rate was the lowest ever recorded, going back to 1920. 2007 was a recent peak in fertility.

Median Household Income In The Past 12 Months (In 2012 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars): 2008-2012 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Center For Public Affairs Research (Cpar)

Past Publications

Supporting documentation on code lists, subject definitions, data accuracy, and statistical testing can be found on the American Community Survey website in the Data and Documentation section.

Sample size and data quality measures (including coverage rates, allocation rates, and response rates) can be found on the American Community Survey website in the Methodology section.

Although the American Community Survey (ACS) produces population, demographic and housing unit estimates, it is the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program that produces and disseminates the official estimates of the population for the nation, states, counties, cities and towns and estimates of housing units for states …

Needs Assessment For The United Neighborhood Alliances Of Omaha, Center For Public Affairs Research (Cpar)

Past Publications

In February 2013 the Neighborhood Center closed. The Neighborhood Center provided a range of programs and services to neighborhood associations in the Omaha area.The United Neighborhood Alliances of Omaha (UNAO) identified a needs assessment as a necessary next step in planning what will take its place. The needs assessment was envisioned to assist the alliances in moving forward by helping to identify strategies that make the best use of Neighborhood Scan and other existing resources and offer the best response to neighborhood conditions.

The UNAO partnered with the Consortium for Organizational Research and Evaluation (CORE) at the University of Nebraska …

Legislature’S Planning Committee 2013 Report, John Harms, Tanya Cook, Greg Adams, John Wightman, Heath Mello, Mike Gloor, Kathy Campbell, Paul Schumacher, Kate Sullivan

Past Publications

The Legislature’s Planning Committee was created in 2009, pursuant to LB 653, introduced by Senator John Harms, of Scottsbluff. The 2012-13 Committee is:

Senator John Harms, Chair
Senator Tanya Cook, Vice-Chair
Senator Greg Adams, Speaker of the Legislature
Senator John Wightman, Chair, Executive Board
Senator Heath Mello, Chair, Appropriations Committee
Senator Mike Gloor
Senator Kathy Campbell
Senator Paul Schumacher
Senator Kate Sullivan

When the Committee was formed in 2009, it was decided that, in order to achieve their goals, they would be assisted by the Legislative Research Office and the College of Public Affairs at the University of Nebraska at …

Nebraska Legislative District Quick Facts, Center For Public Affairs Research (Cpar)

Past Publications

These Legislative District Quick Facts tables are summary profiles showing frequently requested data items from two Census Bureau programs: the 2000 Census and the 2007-2011 American Community Survey. These items also show how Nebraska’s Legislative Districts have changed since 2000 and demonstrate the wide variety of data available. These same data also are available for all of Nebraska’s counties and communities.

The tables in this report are based on the District Boundaries for the 102nd Legislature and do not reflect the boundary changes following the 2010 Census. The new Legislative District boundaries will be used when the 2008-2012 ACS data …

Furious Activity Vs. Understanding: How Much Expertise Is Needed To Evaluate Creative Work?, Learning Research Institute, John Baer, David H. Cropley, Roni Reiter-Palmon

Psychology Faculty Publications

What is the role of expertise in evaluating creative products? Novices and experts do not assess creativity similarly, indicating domain-specific knowledge’s role in judging creativity. We describe two studies that examined how quasi-experts (people who have more experience in a domain than novices but also lack recognized standing as experts) compared to novices and experts in rating creative work. In Study One, we compared different types of quasi-experts with novices and experts in rating short stories. In Study Two, we compared experts, quasi-experts, and novices in evaluating an engineering product (a mousetrap design). Quasi-experts (regardless of type) seemed to be …

Reanalysis Of Genetic Data And Rethinking Dopamine's Relationship With Creativity, Michelle Murphy, Mark A. Runco, Selcuk Acar, Roni Reiter-Palmon

Psychology Faculty Publications

Several genetic analyses of creativity have recently been reported. A key finding is that dopamine might be related to ideational fluency (Runco, Noble, Reiter-Palmon, Acar, Ritchie, & Yurkovich, 2011) or even to creativity per se (Reuter, Roth, Holve, & Hennig, 2006). Previous analyses have ignored an important part of genetic theory, however, namely the likelihood of polygenetic contributions. Many human characteristics are polygenetic.

The Signal Provision Of Emotion: Using Emotions To Enhance Reliability Via Sensemaking, Joseph A. Allen, Cliff Scott, Sarah Tracy, John Crowe

Psychology Faculty Publications

High reliability organization (HRO) theory suggests that early detection of and swift responses to potentially hazardous and situation changing events in organizational environments is central to the sustainability of reliable operations. Limited research on HRO’s (e.g. military groups and firefighters) considers how normative demands on feeling and emotion help to explain why some events are recognized and responded to while others not. In this article, we propose a model of enactment of anomalous events (i.e., situation changing events) that considers the manner in which emotions are regulated in high reliability contexts and how this influences the extent to which early …

A Sequential Analysis Of Procedural Communication In Organizational Meetings: How Teams Facilitate Their Meetings, Nale Lehmann-Willenbrock, Joseph A. Allen, Simone Kauffeld

Psychology Faculty Publications

How do teams facilitate their own meetings? Unmanaged (or free) social interaction often leads to poor decision-making, unnecessary conformity, social loafing, and ineffective communication processes, practices, and products. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the potential benefits of procedural communication in team meetings. The role of procedural communication, defined as verbal behaviors that structure group discussion to facilitate goal accomplishment, was examined in 59 team meetings from 19 organizations. Meeting behaviors were videotaped and coded. Lag sequential analysis revealed that procedural meeting behaviors are sustained by supporting statements within the team interaction process. They promote proactive communication (e.g., …

Oh, Snap! Using Popular Culture To Reach Undergraduates In Library Instruction, Heidi Blackburn, Cynthia Dudenhöff, Kate Wise

Criss Library Faculty Proceedings & Presentations

Tired of boring, run-of-the-mill library instruction? Want to jazz up your information literacy program and connect with students? Many academic librarians struggle with making instruction sessions interesting and interactive while still incorporating all the information students need to know. This interactive webinar will provide a variety of approaches incorporating pop culture themes into information literacy instruction from several different institutions, as well as allow for participants to share their own experiences. We will provide specific ideas about what works (and what doesn’t), how to incorporate learning outcomes while not losing the pop culture hook, and assessing the impact of these …