Western Connecticut State University
WestCollections Repository (Western Connecticut State University)Not a member yet
724 research outputs found
Sort by
God Called in Sick
No full textThis project is the first five chapters, glossary & outline of a novel entitled God Called in Sick. The novel is set in a world of alternate history where the United States is a very different, yet similar, entity. It prominently follows twenty-one year old Church Krieg as he struggles with being a product of the government's system, where he was a state raised orphan, and with living in a world full of war, terrorism and conflicting religious beliefs
Less Paper, More Learning: The Future of Education
No full textTechnological advances are becoming more and more present in the modern day world, including in the school systems. In past years, schools have already been exposed to newer technology such as SMART boards, laptops, and overhead projections to enhance the learning experience. Recently, schools across the country have been introducing paperless classrooms, where a majority of assignments are completed using new innovations such as iPads, Kindles, social media web pages, laptops, and other portable devices. These technological advances are also being used outside of these paperless classrooms and incorporated into more traditional learning environments. With curriculums now changing due to the new additions to the classroom, controversy has stirred up. Many question these new methods of learning, as well as how appropriate they are to the learning environment. This project will discuss the success of adding technology to the classroom, as well as teachers' opinions on the new changes and future funding for more paperless classrooms. It will also discuss how important it is for students to be acquainted with these new innovations in a world fueled by technology
Alienation
No full textIn a culture dominated by technology, Eleanor Reynolds, is oblivious to her immediate surroundings, feelings, and people in her life. When faced with choosing between an all-inclusive, paid vacation with co-workers, who are equally as tech-obsessed as she is, and a trip back home to visit her grandmother for her 87th birthday, Eleanor must decide where her priorities lie. Through her journey, the narrator discovers how reliant she is on technology and how much it isolates her from the rest of the world
Who Am I?
No full text2
Thesis Abstract
This project is a collection of ten-minute plays that is centered on the theme of identity. Who am I? is a question that everyone reflects on at some point in life . In the first play, Holy Shit, Frank, a penniless writer, crosses paths with Sebastian, a devout Christian, in the fight for a lottery ticket. In the second play, The Goods, Keith, the pizza delivery man, meets Angela, a seemingly normal customer, but is she more than she appears? In the final play, Third Wheel, Jason finds out there's another person in his girlfriend's life
First Time Live
No full textThis thesis project is a blog that offers a behind-the-scenes look into a Communications class at Western Connecticut State University over the course of a semester, Fall 2011. First Time Live is a journalist‟s documentation of the work, dedication and manpower that went into making a live-news television broadcast within a short time and on a small budget. COM 394: Live News and Election Broadcast offered students the opportunity to create a show that focused on the local elections of 14 towns in western Connecticut. The 12 blog posts include reporting on certain key aspects of the class, profiles of contributors vital to the success of the broadcast, equipment used, a personal memoir of election night, and changes for next year
AN INVESTIGATION OF HOW KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS’ PHILOSOPHY AND PERCEPTIONS ARE INTERRELATED TO THE ACTUAL PRACTICE OF PLAY IN THEIR CLASSROOMS
No full textChildren have a right to a childhood as well as an education that respects and supports their learning and growth in developmentally appropriate ways. One way to ensure that education is developmentally appropriate is through the use of play. Research supports the use of play as an educational methodology however as standards and mandates influence education, play is becoming an antiquated tool.
This research study examined the interrelatedness of kindergarten teachers’ philosophy, perceptions, and practices of play in the classroom through the use of a survey, interviews, and classroom observations, as well as a review of key district documents, such as websites, curriculum guides, and parent brochures. Kindergarten teachers (n = 35), from the northeast United States, responded to a researcher-created survey that examined teachers’ philosophy and perceptions of play in their classrooms. After data were collected from those surveys, a purposeful sample of teachers (n = 10) were interviewed to examine teacher philosophy and perception in greater depth. Finally, classroom observations of a purposeful sampling of teachers (n = 6) were conducted to compare teacher philosophy and perceptions about play with the actual practice of play in kindergarten classrooms.
Similar to the research, the teachers’ definitions of play as well as their philosophies were quite varied. Teacher philosophy, however, divided itself into two main categories: child-directed or teacher-directed. Teachers’ self-described philosophies reflected their approach in the classroom; however their actual practice of utilizing play was influenced by number of outside sources. These sources included: increased academic expectations by other teachers, administrators, and parents; their district’s kindergarten curriculum; as well as their personal expectations. These sources were a cause of teacher disconnects: a difference in the teachers’ philosophy compared with their actual practice of play in their classrooms.Doctor of Education (EdD)Education & Educational Psycholog
James Madison and the Making of America
No full textIn James Madison and the Making of America, historian Kevin Gutzman looks beyond the way James Madison is traditionally seen -- as "The Father of the Constitution" -- to find a more complex and sometimes contradictory portrait of this influential Founding Father and the ways in which he influenced the spirit of today's United States.
Instead of an idealized portrait of Madison, Gutzman treats readers to the flesh-and-blood story of a man who often performed his founding deeds in spite of himself: Madison's fame rests on his participation in the writing of The Federalist Papers and his role in drafting the Bill of Rights and Constitution. Today, his contribution to those documents is largely misunderstood. He thought that the Bill of Rights was unnecessary and insisted that it not be included in the Constitution, a document he found entirely inadequate and predicted would soon fail.
Madison helped to create the first American political party, the first party to call itself "Republican," but only after he had argued that political parties, in general, were harmful. Madison served as Secretary of State and then as President during the early years of the United States and the War of 1812; however, the American foreign policy he implemented in 1801-1817 ultimately resulted in the British burning down the Capitol and the White House.
In so many ways, the contradictions both in Madison's thinking and in the way he governed foreshadowed the conflicted state of our Union now. His greatest legacy "the disestablishment of Virginia's state church and adoption of the libertarian Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom” is often omitted from discussion of his career. Yet, understanding the way in which Madison saw the relationship between the church and state is key to understanding the real man. Kevin Gutzman's James Madison and the Making of America promises to become the standard biography of our fourth President.This reference is for the paperback edition. Hardcover and e-book editions are also available from the publisher.</p
A Story About A Guy: The Continuing Adventures Of A Man Who Adventures
No full textSome people say I write like Walt Whitman. I don't know what to think about that.A Story About A Guy: The Continuing Adventures Of A Man Who Adventures is a comedic story set in a fantasy setting. The premise is that the main character (who can both hear the narrator and refuses to let the audience know his name), is drinking in a bar when said bar is attacked by bandits. During the bandit raid, one of the patrons gets mortally injured, but does not die. This makes the main character wonder why he is relevant to the story. This causes the main character to interrogate The Man for his name, only to have The Man be more and more severely injured by the bandits. This enrages the main character, who then slaughters most of the bandits, only to have The Man kidnapped by one of the bandit survivors. The main character (who is known throughout the story as "The Adventurer") then proceeds to go on an elaborate and unnecessary journey to find out The Man's name and why he is important to the plot
Carol's Hourglass
No full textThis thesis project is the first five chapters and a summary of a fiction novel, Carol's Hourglass. After Thea's sister, Carol, commits suicide in the Rosewood Institute of The Living, she inherits all of her assets. Thea goes to Carol's apartment to empty out her belongings. As she looks through Carol's belongings, Thea finds a strange hourglass and a photo of an event that never happened: Carol's wedding. Every night she turns the hourglass and begins to have strange dreams involving a an old childhood room and a strange person who calls himself "The Umbrella Man." Thea gets caught up in her dream world and soon realizes her reality may not be what it seems
THE IMPACT OF A PEER LEADERSHIP PROGRAM ON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ SOCIAL CAPITAL, AS MEASURED BY CO-COGNITIVE FACTORS OF THE RENZULLI HOUNDSTOOTH THEORY
No full textThis study examined the impact of different volunteer experiences on the development of social capital. The study was grounded in Renzulli’s Operation Houndstooth Intervention Theory, which hypothesizes that six co-cognitive factors are associated with the development of students’ social capital, and that volunteer experiences in which students help others (Direct Involvement I) and take active leadership roles (Direct Involvement II) may be most effective at developing social capital.
A sample of convenience, juniors and seniors attending an urban high school in the northeastern U.S., was utilized. Students participated for 16 weeks in one of three programs: (a) a Peer Leadership Program in which they planned a Direct Involvement II project (treatment), (b) a volunteer organization in which they participated in Direct Involvement I activities (comparison), and (c) an Early College Entrance Class that participated in no direct volunteer activities (control). Pretest and posttest data were collected utilizing the Operation Houndstooth Intervention Survey which included subscales to measure each of the co-cognitive factors. Posttest data were analyzed using a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) to determine if there was a significant difference in mean scores between students who participated in the three groups. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the extent to which the factor Romance with a Topic or Discipline predicted the remaining factors. Qualitative methods were used to analyze open-ended items related to students’ perceptions of their Direct Involvement I or II experiences.
A significant effect for Program was found (p = .004). Students in the treatment group scored significantly higher on Physical/Mental Energy than students in the control group (p = .015). Students in the comparison group scored significantly higher on Sensitivity to Human Concerns than students in the control group (p = .008) and the treatment group (p = .011). Regression results suggested that pretest mean scores for Romance with a Topic or Discipline did not predict mean posttest scores for the six co-cognitive factors. Qualitative analyses indicated that students in the treatment group viewed their projects in terms of logistical steps to facilitate projects. In contrast, the students in the comparison group viewed their experience in terms of their associations with volunteer recipients.Doctor of Education (EdD)Education & Educational Psycholog