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The repository is a service of the Western Connecticut State University libraries. Research and scholarly output included here has been selected and deposited by the individual university departments and centers on campus.
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Item Positive Relationships Make the Difference: A Case Study of Secondary Educators' Perspectives on Student Connectedness to School2022(Western Connecticut State University, 2022-11-08)The typical high school in the United States can be considered a community comprised of students, teachers, administrators, counselors, coaches, and support staff interacting with one another. A student’s level of connectedness to the school community can have several short and long-term positive impacts on his or her well-being. However, not all students feel as connected to their school as others. This is especially true for students in grades 9-12 in the United States (typically adolescents between the ages of 14-18). This qualitative case study sought a deeper understanding of student connectedness to school from the vantage point of students and educators at a high school in Connecticut. This study utilized pre-existing survey data (n = 643) and educator interviews (n = 10) to address the research questions. The pre-existing survey data from students were utilized to select educators who were interviewed. The survey data also provided descriptive statistics to help the reader better understand the students in the school where the research occurred. The interview data served as the primary data focus. The survey findings demonstrated that students form meaningful connections with a diverse range of adults within the high school. The findings from the educator interviews suggested that educators believed that they could increase students’ feelings of connectedness to school by purposefully working towards creating trusting and psychologically safe learning environments, mindfully humanizing interactions with students, and leveraging opportunities to increase informal interactions with and between students. The findings also indicated that educators believed increasing students’ feelings of connectedness to school can be accomplished by encouraging their students to engage inItem Teacher Beliefs Regarding Middle Level Students and Engagement: Passion, Curiosity, Perseverance, and Interest(Western Connecticut State University, 2022-12-05)Since the early 20th century, education has shifted from the teacher being the sole disseminator of information for students to the teacher serving as the facilitator of curricular experiences that are engaging and promote critical thinking. This is especially impactful for middle level aged students as there is a decrease in student engagement after the elementary years. Examining ways that teachers understand and facilitate student engagement in middle level education has the potential to facilitate increased levels of engagement in their classrooms and increase students’ overall engagement in schooling, even beyond middle school. In order to examine the phenomenon of student engagement in the classroom, a qualitative approach was utilized with this research study. Classroom observations and teacher interviews were conducted to better understand teacher perspectives and the way engagement was actualized in the classroom through teacher directed activities. Findings suggested that there was a disconnect between what the teachers discussed as the importance of student engagement and what they carried out in their classrooms. Areas that teachers did not demonstrate through observation included encouraging flexible thinking, curiosity, and creativity. Ensuring that teachers are trained in the variety of areas that promote all dimensions of student engagement will help teachers utilize student engagement to improve student academic and social achievements.Item Optimizing Daphnia magna culturing for management at Lake Waramaug, CT by experimenting with a variety of food sources(2024-12)Large-bodied Cladocera such as Daphnia are believed to affect algae and cyanobacteria populations in Lake Waramaug. The Lake Waramaug Task Force sought to increase the population of large-bodied Cladocera that had historically been greatly reduced due to the introduction of landlocked Alosa pseudoharengus (alewife). The goal of this project was to develop optimal practices for raising Daphnia magna by investigating the effects of different food sources on fecundity. The experimental food sources were Chlorella vulgaris, Scenedesmus spp., and a combination of all three food sources (C.v., S. spp., YCT). Preliminary work during the summers of 2021 & 2022 on the Lake Waramaug zooplankton farm suggested that current culturing methodology resulted in approximately one organism per liter. A healthy population should be closer to 10 per liter (B. Kortman personal communication, January 17, 2019). Our objective was to develop a reliable practice that would result in >1 Daphnia per liter. The food source that yielded the highest number of neonates and adults was the combination of YCT/Scenedesmus/Chlorella vulgaris. Additionally, Scenedesmus alone yielded more neonates compared to YCT or Chlorella vulgaris alone. Since Scenedesmus is twice the size of Chlorella vulgaris, this additional mass of food could have contributed to these results. This project has lake management value because it aids in the development of an optimal practice for raising Daphnia magna populations in a lake where large bodied Cladocera were eradicated due to the introduction of land-locked alewife.Item The Effect of Mindfulness Coaching on Preservice Teachers' Self-Efficacy and Mindfulness Utilizing a Mixed-Reality Simulation Environment(Western CT State University, 2020-05-07)The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of mindfulness coaching on preservice teachers’ self-efficacy and mindfulness, utilizing a mixed-reality simulation environment. Data was collected via a concurrent embedded mixed methods design. This study involved a treatment group of preservice teacher participants that received mindfulness coaching and a comparison group of preservice teacher participants that did not receive mindfulness coaching, within a mixed-reality simulation environment. Each preservice teacher participant completed the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale to measure mindfulness and the Teachers’ Sense of Efficacy Scale to measure self-efficacy as pretests and posttests. Participants were also interviewed. Findings were then analyzed and while there were no statistically significant quantitative results, qualitative analysis resulted in the following finding statement: Participating in a mixed-reality simulation environment influenced the teaching self-efficacy beliefs of preservice teachers and learning about mindfulness strategies while engaging in that process enabled preservice teachers to cope with in-the-moment stressors and consider ways to utilize mindfulness as classroom teachers.Item Teacher Perceptions of Principal Support and Teacher Self-Efficacy(Western CT State University, 2022-06-15)Wellness is important in the discussion of successful teachers and the longevity of their careers. This mixed methods research study included teachers from the four regions of the United States. Three instruments were administered to explore the connections between demographic factors, personal wellness, and indicators of teacher burnout. Regression analyses included predictor variables of: teachers’ years of education experience, school socio-economic status (SES; Title 1 or non-Title 1), school setting (urban, suburban/rural), number of school activities outside of the primary teaching role, self-reported ability to manage stress, and six wellness factors to predict three subscales of burnout. Qualitative data from four open-ended items addressed teachers’ perceptions of wellness, stress, and burnout. A stepwise multiple linear regression indicated that psychological health and self-reported ability to manage stress predicted the mean score of emotional exhaustion, explaining 20% of the variance. Spiritual health and the number of schoolrelated activities outside of the primary teaching role predicted the mean score of depersonalization, with 27% of the variance explained. Intellectual and spiritual health predicted the mean score of personal accomplishment, explaining 42% of the variance. Individuals reported a variety of health enhancing behaviors in which they participated regularly, primarily related to physical health (i.e., diet and exercise). Teachers reported many stressors such as addressing the needs of students and parents. Reasons for leaving the profession prior to retirement included burnout, dealing with student and parent concerns, and resource-related issues. Some educators reported receiving no support from districts, others reported benefits from resource availability and positive administrators.
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