Neag School Moves up Four Spots in National Rankings

Posted on March 12, 2013February 23, 2017 by

about-the-us-news-education-rankings-methodologies The U.S. News & World Report released its rankings of Graduate Schools and the Neag School of Education continues to achieve top-ranking status as it rose in rankings to #28 in the nation, up from four places last year. This ranking puts the Neag School at #17 among all public graduate schools of education in the nation.

In addition, the #28 ranking puts the Neag School in the top 10 percent of all graduate schools of education surveyed by U.S. News & World Report. Also, in the specialty rankings, the Special Education program is #12 in the nation, Elementary Teacher Education program is #18, and the Secondary Teacher Education program is ranked #18 in the country. This is among approximately 1,500 teacher preparation programs across the nation.

Each year, U.S. News gathers opinion data from school superintendents and deans from across the country to rank professional school programs. Thomas DeFranco, dean of the Neag School is very proud of the accomplishments of the faculty and staff in achieving this ranking and believes the rankings serve as one of several barometers used by the Neag School to assess its reputation and quality of its programs.

DeFranco also believes a factor helping to build the Neag School’s reputation is its work with public schools in Connecticut and across the country. “Faculty within the Neag School are not only focused on research and scholarship, they are committed to working in partnership with classroom teachers and educational stakeholders across the state sharing information about best practices and improving the academic performance of children,” he says.

“Our goal is to produce highly qualified teachers, principals, superintendents and health professionals who will impact the academic performance and health and well-being of children and adults in Connecticut and in the nation,” DeFranco says.

For more information on the Neag School of Education, visit www.education.uconn.edu.

Neag Alumnus Promoted to Director of the Nayden Clinic

Posted on February 15, 2013December 7, 2021 by

As new director of the Nayden Rehabilitation Clinic, Jeremy Vigneault, PT, is focused on success.

“My job is to ensure the success of others, whether they are my colleagues, students or patients,” Vigneault says. “I’m a proud member of the Nayden team.”

On staff since 2005, Vigneault spent his first six years there as a clinical faculty member, seeing patients and providing clinical education to Physical Therapy (PT) and Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students. In 2011, Vigneault assumed administrative duties, becoming clinic co-director with Morgan Hills.

He became sole director this past fall, when Hills joined the Rehabilitation Services team at the UConn Health Center in Farmington.

As director, Vigneault is responsible for overseeing both the comprehensive patient care and clinical education the Nayden Clinic provides. “It’s a challenging job, in that we rely on the clinic to generate the revenue needed to support all operations,” said Kinesiology Department DPT Program Director Craig Denegar, PT, PhD.

It’s also a job Vigneault is excited to assume. His passion comes from not just his enthusiasm for the great care Nayden Clinic patients receive, but from his enthusiasm for UConn itself. An alumnus, he eared both his bachelor’s degree in Allied Health and master’s in Physical Therapy from the Neag School of Education.

“Jeremy’s familiarity with the campus and work as a clinical faculty member are huge assets,” Dr. Denegar added. “He understands the role the clinic plays in the academic, service and research missions of the PT programs.”

The Nayden Clinic provides graduate and undergraduate Physical Therapy students the opportunity to receive much-needed, hands-on clinical training, putting to practice the concepts and techniques they’ve learned in the classroom. Clinical faculty members act as mentors, supervising and helping students provide the most advanced patient care.

“The fact that I went through the same program current student are going through means I can relate and help guide them through the process,” Vigneault says. “It’s also fun to see what the students are learning, and to have them challenge me. Students receive a great mix of clinical education and patient care, and I interact daily with a group of students who definitely keep me sharp and on my toes.”

In addition to their clinical education experience at the Nayden Clinic, physical therapy students also spend time performing rotations at the UConn Health Center in Farmington and other area hospitals. At the Nayden Clinic, students have the opportunity to focus on caring for patients who need both orthopedic and neural rehabilitation after a surgery, accident, injury or illness.

Jeremy Vigneault conducts a physical therapy treatment on a client at the Nayden Clinic. Photo credit: Sandy Matosz

“The best parts of rotations through the Nayden Clinic are the mentoring relationships students develop with clinical faculty, and the success and growth that occur. There’s no doubt the experience produces students with the theoretical knowledge and clinical knowledge ready to successfully enter the physical therapy field.”

Vigneault’s familiarity with the customization and management of electronic health records also helped the Nayden Clinic successfully transition to a 100 percent digital scheduling, billing and records system.

“I’m kind of a techie,” Vingeault says, “so when I came to the Nayden Clinic, and saw that getting its electronic records program to provide optimum efficiency needed some work, I was excited. It’s a powerful tool that when properly customized and managed by well-trained staff can really make a difference with the patient experience and, when needed, with sharing information to provide collaborative or multi-disciplinary patient care.”

That care the Nayden Clinic provides includes a unique aquatic rehabilitation program that specially-trained physical therapists conduct at the nearby Nathan Hale Inn. The clinic’s location in the Human Development and Family Relations Building on Bolton Road also allows UConn athletes to conveniently receive expert injury assessments; rehabilitation, when needed; and take part in a sports club program.

Run solely by the Neag School of Education’s Department of Kinesiology, the Nayden Clinic is important to both UConn and residents of eastern Connecticut, Denegar says.

“We make first-class physical therapy services accessible to staff, students, faculty and the community, ” Vigneault says. “The level of care you get here is second to none.”

Accolades: Read About the News and Accomplishments from our Students, Alumni and Faculty/Staff

Posted on February 4, 2013December 7, 2021 by

Accolades – below are news and notes from our alumni, faculty, staff, and students. We are proud of all the amazing accomplishments by our Neag family. If you have an accolade to share, we want to hear from you! Please send any news items (and story ideas) to shawn.kornegay@uconn.edu.

Students

Cindy M. Massicotte, a third year doctoral student in the Educational Psychology department was awarded 1st place in the category of “In-progress doctoral-level research” at the 2012 National Association for Gifted Education Conference Research Gala competition this past November in Denver, CO. Her paper titled, “An Investigation of Elementary Teachers’ Use of Differentiated Follow-up Questions During Individualized Reading Conferences” explored the variety of follow-up questions elementary teachers asked students while engaged in discourse around students’ self-selected, high-interest novels.

Students from Joseph Abramo’s class participated with the Neag Holiday Video. (L-R) Christopher Wasko, Andrew Potts, Jessica Pratt, Catherine Miller, Kayla Cardin, Mary Bartolotta, Brittany Rondeau, Jeffrey Ventres and Harrison Stuppler.

http://youtu.be/hn-Uz5Vf-u8

NGSA has given out the following Fall 2012 Travel Awards

Outstanding Research Travel Award ($250):  

Ashley MacSuga-Gage, Eileen M. Gonzalez

NGSA Travel Award ($100):

Jennifer Galluci, Laura Ruberto, Robert Huggins, Mellissa A. Collier, Meek Kelly, Ann O’Shea, Karen Lapuk, Jaclyn Chancey , Maegen Brigid, Brady Cory, Maley Harold Lee

Sixteen DPT students hosted a Health and Wellness Fair at the Court House Wellness and Fitness Center in Vernon. The project was part of a new class led by Susan Glenney, “DPT 5431 Prevention, Health Promotion, Fitness and Wellness” where the students planned and organized the fair.

Nineteen students from Noemi Picardi’s class “INTD 1810: Inspiring the Urban Educator” course hosted a Fall Fest Literacy Night at North Windham Elementary School. The event was organized and coordinated by pre-teaching students as a way to engage students and strengthen our relationship with the school.

Two Neag students, Allie Cipolla and Shelby Flynn, were chosen to participate in UConn Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life’s first-ever alternative spring break to Jamaica with nine other sorority members. The premise of the break was to help spruce up elementary schools for well-deserving children.

Rebecca Duchesneau was awarded a SHARE grant for the semester. She’s working with Catherine Little on a project called “A Study of Teachers’ Questioning Sequences in Reading Instruction.”

Sally Drew and Josh Wilson, two of our advanced Ph.D. students, will be representing two of the only ten total selections nationally this year at the national organization for students with disabilities, the Council for Exceptional Children. Drew is a student of Natalie Olinghouse and Wilson is a student of Michael Faggella-Luby.

Sarah Forte was awarded a SHARE grant for the semester. She’s working with Catherine Little on a project called “Teacher Questioning and Student Responses: Promoting Higher-Level Thinking.”

Chelsie Giegerich was awarded a SHARE grant for the semester. She’s working with Mary Truxaw on a project called “Discourse in Linguistically Diverse Mathematics Classrooms” where they will be investigating practices used to teach math in a classroom where Spanish is the primary language of instruction.

Meredith Hafer is finishing up her masters in educational psychology through the Three Summers program. Over the last few years, she helped found three small independent schools in Stamford, and they’re very excited to share that they’ve recently launched a scholarship foundation to help more underprivileged students. She serves as the head of one of our schools and the academic director for all three.

Kendrick Henes is helping to run a science expo at Annie Fisher STEM Magnet in Hartford. Henes is a fifth-year student and this project is part of his internship.

Robert Huggins, third year exercise science Ph.D. student in kinesiology, was awarded the Francis J. George Scholarship at the Eastern Athletic Trainers’ Association Symposium in Buffalo, NY. The award is given to a doctoral student who displays the same passion, commitment and service to the profession of athletic training as Francis George.

Doctoral student, Evan Johnson, had a paper accepted “Specific Exercise-Heat Stress Protocol for a Triathlete’s Return from Exertional Heat Stroke” to the journal Current Sports Medicine Reports. The paper was co-authored with Larry Armstrong, along with some others from the medical team at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA.

Xin Yi Liew, senior athletic training student in the Department of Kinesiology, was awarded the District 1 Carl Krein Undergraduate Scholarship at the Eastern Athletic Trainers’ Association Symposium in Buffalo, NY. This award is given based on academic, service, and commitment to Athletic Training.

Margaret Seclen, a senior education student, has been selected as the Alma Exley Scholar for 2013. She will be honored at a reception in April. This is the third year in the row that a Neag student has received this honor.

Meghan Silva, a MA student in the Adult Learning Program and a staff member in the Study Abroad Office on campus, will be presenting at the NASPA Conference and International Symposium. Her program title is “Virtual Communities of Practice: Developing Trust and Communication Skills to Effectively Exchange and Manage Knowledge.”

Alumni

Ashleigh Bachert, BS ’05, was named the new executive director of the Jacksonville-Onslow Sports Commission in North Carolina. She was a former softball player at UConn.

Elizabeth Bicio ’88, ’94 MSW is a fellow of Zero to Three, a national, nonprofit organization that informs, trains, and supports professionals, policymakers, and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers.

Thomas Bowler ’66, ’81 6th Year, a sports and recreation injuries expert witness and certified playground safety inspector, is the author of “Inappropriate Buffer Zones May Lead to Litigation,” an article published in the fall 2011 edition of The Trial Lawyer magazine.

Amy L. Cook, Ph.D., and Rachelle Pérusse and Eliana Rojas co-authored “Increasing Academic Achievement and College-Going Rates for Latina/o English Language Learners: A Survey of School Counselor Interventions” in the Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision. Cook is a faculty member at UMASS Boston.

John Felty BS ’04, MA ’05 a social studies teacher at Griswold Middle School was named Griswold’s Highlighted Teacher of the Year. The Highlighted Teacher of the Year award is Griswold’s way of recognizing an additional, standout district teacher beyond the recognition provided through the national Teacher of the Year program.

Lani Florian was appointed to the Bell Chair of Education at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Florian, who earned her Ph.D. in special education in ‘86, is the first woman and American to hold this position.

Gary Gambardella ’83 is district judge in Bucks County, PA.

Jacqueline Dembar Greene ’67 is author of The Crystal Ball mystery books, by American Girl Publishing, and a picture book, Speak Up, Tommy!, by Kar-Ben Publishing.

Sunny Gupta ’97, associate sports medicine physician at Rothman Institute Orthopedics in Philadelphia, works with the team physicians of the Philadelphia Eagles, Flyers, and Phillies sports teams.

Andrea Hudy, MA ’99, was honored as Coach of the Year by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). She has been the assistant athletic director for sports performance at the University of Kansas for the past nine years.

Megan Krell, MA and Ph.D., and Rachelle Pérusse co-authored “Providing college readiness counseling for students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Delphi study to guide school counselors” in Professional School Counseling. Krell is a faculty member at Fitchburg State University.

Kevin Liner, MA ’11, collaborated with Rene Roselle on an article “Pre-Service Teacher Vision and Urban Schools” in the Journal of Urban Learning, Teaching and Research.

Scott V. Nicol ’03 6th Year, ’09 Ph.D. is director of performance management for Hartford public schools.

Nancy Peatman, PT, passed away the week of December 13, 2012 unexpectedly after a brief illness. Nancy was a member of APTA for 42 years and a long standing member of the Massachusetts and New Hampshire Chapters, Education Section, Clinical Education SIG, and served on 5 national elections committees. Nancy earned her BS in Physical Therapy from the University of Connecticut.

Scott V. Nicol ’03 6th Year, ’09 Ph.D. is director of performance management for Hartford public schools.

Mary Rizza,‘97 Ph.D. in educational psychology, was named director of learning communities/gateway to college at Owens Community College.

David Sayler, MA ’96, was named Miami University’s 16^th athletic director. He previously served as leader of the University of South Dakota’s intercollegiate athletic program.

John W. Sullivan, Sixth-Year Diploma ’81, was named interim principal of Avon High School.

Faculty/Staff

In response to the Newtown tragedy: Tom Defranco and faculty in the Neag School of Education reached out to the Newtown school system with offers of assistance. The Neag School hosted a gathering (organized by Joanne Roberge) during the statewide moment of silence to remember the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. George Sugai worked with scholars across the nation to make recommendations to policy makers about school violence.

Twenty faculty members and students were at Kona, Hawaii doing research during the “Kona IronMan World Championship.” Faculty members included: Doug Casa, Carl Maresh, Lawrence Armstrong, Matt Ganio (Former UConn student, now at university of Arkansas), Elaine Lee and Becca Stearns. Doctoral students

included: Julie DeMartini, Amy Mckenzie, Jenna Apicella, Colleen Munoz, Brittanie Volk, Luke Pryor, Riana Pryor, Luke Belval and Evan Johnson.

There is a new hybrid PhD in gifted education, an online program, that’s now accepting applications.

Richard Bohannon was named editor of the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy. He is resuming the role after a six-year hiatus.

Husky Sport hosted their Second Annual Community Fall Fest on November 15 at the Parker Memorial Recreation Center. The Community Fall Fest was a two-part event. First the youth in the neighborhood had an opportunity to “Get Active” and participate in physical activity and nutrition education stations led by 27 UConn faculty, staff and students. In addition, they received a Connecticut Health and Education Facilities Authority Grant for $75,000 to support the after school program for Clark and Wish School 2nd-6th graders at the Parker Memorial Center.

Gary Richards was named “Superintendent of the Year” by the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS). Richards has been a mentor in EDLR’s Education Leadership Program.

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation awarded the Neag Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development a $500,000 grant to replicate the Renzulli Academy model in three other urban districts, possibly in CT.

Sandy Bell co-authored (in press) “Social Network Structures Among Groundnut Farmers” in Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension.

She has also been working with 22 agricultural educators from the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension Services for the past few months in a professional development program titled “Effective Adult Learning Methods for Farmers.” Her activities were supported by Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NESARE) (a USDA organization).

Sandy Bell, Marijke Kehrhahn and Doug Casa co-authored (in press) “Case-based analogical reasoning: A pedagogical tool for promotion of clinical reasoning” in Athletic Training Education Journal.

Anjana Bhat received a $120,000 (two-year) grant from Autism Speaks, to support her work with rhythm intervention in children with autism.

Casey Cobb co-authored “School choice and accountability” in Exploring the school choice universe: Evidence and recommendations.

CONGRATULATIONS SANDY! Grapin, Kranzler, and Daley, in an article that appeared in the January 2013 issue of Psychology in the Schools, examined the scholarly productivity and impact of school psychology faculty in APA-accredited programs during the period 2005-2009. Of 274 faculty members that comprised the 59 programs, Sandra Chafouleas was ranked 8^th with regard to scholarly productivity and 5^th with respect to the number of citations.

Lindsay DiStefano was recently awarded a one-year $57,395 grant from the National Athletic Trainer’s Association (NATA) Research and Education Foundation (REF) to implement a lower-extremity injury prevention in a high-risk population (nearly 1,200 US Military Academy cadets).

Morgaen Donaldson authored (in press) “Teachers’ Perspectives on Teacher Evaluation Reform” for Washington, DC: Center for American Progress. She also co-authored (in press). Reforming Teacher Evaluation: One District’s Story. Washington, DC: Center for American Progress. [Both will be presented and released December 13, 2012 in Washington, DC.] Donaldson presented the following papers at the annual conference of UCEA “Teacher Evaluation in Four High-Performing Charter Schools” and “Conceptualizing Teacher Leadership.” Donaldson (PI), Casey Cobb (co-PI), and Kim LeChasseur (co-PI) have been awarded a five-year, $821,827 grant with New Haven Public Schools system. An Analysis of New Haven Public Schools’ Human Capital System is a study examining the implementation of New Haven’s human capital initiatives. New Haven was awarded a U.S. Department of Education Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) grant for 2013-2018, Center for Education Policy Analysis (CEPA).

Wendy Glenn and two Neag English Education graduates, Ricki Ginsberg (Rockville High School) and Jill Zabrocky (East Ridgefield Middle School) presented a paper, “It’s all in the telling: Multicultural YA lit and the literary aesthetic,” at the annual conference of the National Council of Teachers of English in November.

Richard Gonzales co-authored “Planning university-urban district partnerships: Implications for principal preparation programs” in Educational Planning.

Jason Irizarry gave a presentation at UNLV on his book, The Latinization of U.S. Schools” Successful Teaching and Learning in Shifting Cultural Contexts. The book was just was awarded the 2012 Philip C. Chinn Multicultural Book Award through the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME).

Marijke Kehrhahn was appointed to a three-year term on the Editorial Board for Human Resource Development Quarterly.

The book Alan Marcus co-authored with Walter Woodward (UConn history dept. and CT State Historian) and Jeremy Stoddard (William and Mary) “Teaching History with Museums: Strategies for K-12 Social Studies” was named the No. 1 museum education book for 2012 by the group Museum-Ed through an online vote.

CBER research associate and postdoctoral fellow Faith Miller’s dissertation “Do functional behavioral assessments improve intervention effectiveness for students with ADHD? A single-subject meta-analysis” was accepted in the Journal of Behavioral Education.

Rachelle Pérusse was elected as chair-elect of the New England Regional Council of the College Board (a three-year-term). She is also the conference coordinator “Own Your Turf: Equity-Based College and Career Readiness Counseling” to be held next week in Cromwell, CT. She presented a workshop presented at the 11th Annual Hawaii International Conference on Education, Honolulu, HI. Pérusse is co-author (in press) of “Comprehensive school counseling programs and student achievement outcomes: A comparative analysis of RAMP versus non-RAMP schools” in Professional School Counseling. She was an invited panelist on “Hot topics for Graduate Students” at the annual meeting of the North Atlantic Region Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Niagara Falls, NY. Pérusse presented a workshop “Comprehensive School Counseling Programs and Student Achievement Outcomes: RAMP vs. Non-RAMP Schools” at the same meeting.

Linda Pescatello is the lead author of “A Preview of ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription the Ninth Edition” for the American College of Sports Medicine. She is also the senior editor of ACSM’s “New Preparticipation Health Screening Recommendations.”

Jonathan Plucker co-authored “Trends in education excellence gaps: A 12-year international perspective via the multilevel model for change” in High Ability Studies. He also co-authored “Chartering new waters: The Indianapolis mayoral transition and the charter school community” in Educational Policy. Plucker was a panel presenter on “Research on low-income, high-ability learners” at the annual convention of the National Association for Gifted Children.

Sally Reis was appointed Vice Provost for Academic Affairs at UConn. During the past year, as interim Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Reis has led many important initiatives including on-line learning, faculty development, reorganization of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and the soon to be announced BigIDEAS student enrichment programs.

Diane Ullman was just named a Senior Advisor for the District Management Council. The DMC partners with public school district leaders to help them improve student outcomes, operational efficiency, and resource allocation. She was also just named a Paul Harris Fellow, an honor bestowed upon Rotary members for substantial contribution to Rotary’s humanitarian and educational programs. Ullman is a keynote presenter on “State Policy Reform: Teacher Preparation Program Accountability” and Yuhang Rong is a panel moderator on “International Perspectives on Education Reform” at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) annual meeting in February.

The Dr. Robert C. and Veronica Atkins Foundation awarded $80,000 to the Department of Kinesiology to support Jeff Volek’s work with low-carb diets.

Anjalé Welton, Casey Cobb, Anysia Mayer, Morgaen Donaldson and Kimberly LeChasseur co-presented “School Improvement Grants and the Discord Between Socially Just Intentions and Policy Mandates: A Multifocal Analysis” at the annual conference of UCEA.

Sarah Woulfin served as a mentor at UCEA’s Graduate Student Summit in Denver.

UConn’s Husky Sport Receives $75,000 in Grant Support

Posted on January 30, 2013December 7, 2021 by

Husky Sport, which uses sports to connect UConn students with children in Hartford’s North End, has received a $75,000 grant from the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority.

The grant will support the salaries of five part-time staff persons and cover transportation costs for more than 100 student volunteers who travel from UConn to Hartford and provide as many as 20,000 hours of service each year. The UConn students collaborate with Hartford schools and community organizations to provide sports activities and nutrition lessons and to get the goal of attending college in the minds of the youth. CHEFA is a quasi-governmental agency that helps Connecticut-based non-profit organizations raise funds to for programs that improve the health and education of the state’s citizens.

“Sport based youth development provides the basis for teaching larger life lessons,” says Jennifer Bruening, Ph.D., in the Department of Educational Leadership in the Neag School of Education, who is the director of the program. “We use sport to talk about teamwork and leadership and what it means to make healthy choices. ”

Husky Sport provides an in-school program at Clark School where students in grades kindergarten through 6 participate in a weekly 45 minute Husky Sports class and middle school students are involved in a high school preparation and enrichment program. Clark students join students from Wish School for an after-school program at the Parker Memorial Recreation Center two days a week, and Husky Sport partners with the Hartford Catholic Worker, Salvation Army North End Corps, and Community Renewal Team for two additional days of after-school programming each week.

Husky Sport also provides students at Capital Prep and East Catholic High Schools with early college experience courses and the opportunity to volunteer in the elementary and middle schools in the North End alongside UConn students, while earning early college academic credit.

It also sponsors a literacy program, Read & Raise, for students at Clark, Wish, and Martin Luther King Schools, using motivators such as additional recess time and health food parties, and the ultimate, a trip to UConn for a day for a brunch, awards ceremony and field day.

“Husky Sport has been well received in the North End. The kids love UConn and they love sports. The college students expand their worldview as well. ,” says Bruening. A 2010 Brookings institution report shows Hartford with the highest poverty rate (33.5 percent) of any city in the country.

Initially, the students think they are doing the giving, but they learn so much about the children and their families, they usually realize they are getting an education they probably wouldn’t get any other way.”

For more information on Husky Sport, including how to help support the program, visit here.

National Grant Leads to Addition of Four, Much-Needed Methodology Fellows at Neag School of Education

Posted on January 30, 2013February 17, 2023 by

Neag graduate students, Craig Waterman and Glen Davenport, are the first two recipients of the grant.

A prestigious $400,000 federal grant will allow the Neag School of Education‘s Measurement, Evaluation and Assessment (MEA) Department to not just recruit and support four much-needed fellows, but to help meet the nationwide demand for better standardized tests to assess academic growth and educational effectiveness.

Designed to create jobs and expand research in fields critical to the United States’ economic and social well-being, this selective Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) award from the U.S. Department of Education also recognizes UConn and the Neag School of Education as leaders in the rapidly-growing field of psychometrics—the science of using standardized techniques and data to effectively measure, evaluate and assess performance.

“Standardized test scores in education have always been important, but now they’re really taking a front seat as more states and school districts are using them to not just evaluate student knowledge, but teacher performance,” said UConn MEA Program Coordinator Betsy McCoach, Ph.D.

“Educators are using standardized test results to make large-scale decisions like how to best close the achievement gap; administrators are using them to consider which teachers to hire and fire; and families are using them to make life-changing decisions like where to live and raise their children,” McCoach continued. “The list of how standard assessments are increasingly being used goes on, but what all the items on that list have in common is that they’re high-stakes decisions—which means that the tests being used to guide these decisions must be accurate and effective.”

The GAANN grant for MEA fellows was one of five totaling $2.1 million that UConn received. In addition to the Neag School of Education, awards for “strong contribution and leadership in meeting areas of national need” were presented to the UConn School of Nursing, School of Engineering, Office of the Provost and the Department of Chemical, Materials & Biomolecular Engineering, said Kent Holsinger, interim vice provost for graduate studies and dean of the Graduate School.

Grant-funded MEA fellows will focus on both improving current testing practices and creating new ones, McCoach said: “Tests are created and validated for particular purposes, and an unfortunate reality of education today is that many tests are being used for purposes other than those for what they were intended.”

Today’s educational climate also requires psychometricians to be forward-thinking and willing to work closely with states and school districts.

“The research we conduct needs to be empirically and scientifically rigorous, rather than designed to meet a certain political viewpoint,” McCoach added. “Graduates of this program are expected to contribute to the nation’s understanding of learning, academic growth and educational effectiveness—to really push the envelope on what we know about, and how we use, standardized tests.”

For each of the three years of this MEA Ph.D. program, the GAANN fellowships will cover tuition, health insurance and other school fees, as well as provide an annual $30,000 stipend. The four-person cohort will start in the fall of 2013.

Students will work closely with all MEA faculty, which in addition to McCoach, an associate professor, includes Professor Hariharan Swaminathan, PhD; Associate Professor H. Jane Rogers, Ph.D.; Assistant Professor Megan Welsh, Ph.D.; and Assistant Professor Chris Rhoads, Ph.D.

Past, successful MEA doctoral students have entered the program from many fields, including psychology, statistics, mathematics, economics, sociology and education. McCoach also encourages current educators to consider the opportunity: “Educators interested in testing and looking to change how they contribute to the field may find this to be an incredible opportunity. We’re looking to bring in not just talented students, but a diverse group representative of the diverse population of students they ultimately are going to serve.”

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, demonstrate financial need and submit all needed forms and materials before Feb. 1, 2013. For details, visit the MEA website or contact McCoach at betsy.mccoach@uconn.edu.

MEA Ph.D. graduates typically pursue careers in academia; join state or federal agencies like the Connecticut Department of Education; are recruited by Pearson, Riverside or other standardized testing companies; or work with educational research non-profits like the American Institutes for Research or Education Development Center, McCoach said.

“Whether or not you’re a believer in standardized tests, the reality is that they’re here and being used more and more,” she added. “Our goal is to make good tests even better, as well as to create even more effective evaluation tools. It’s exciting and important work.”

Ph.D. Program Combines Resources to Expand — and Enhance — Leadership Opportunities

Posted on January 30, 2013December 7, 2021 by

Beginning in the fall of 2013, there will be new options for Ph.D. students in the Department of Educational Leadership. “The proposal is to integrate our existing Ph.D. programs in Adult Learning and Educational Administration into a single field of study in Learning, Leadership and Educational Policy, with areas of concentration in Adult Learning and Leadership and Policy,” explains Dr. Robin Grenier, associate professor of Adult Learning in the Department of Educational Leadership in the Neag School of Education.

The change will help ensure students are better prepared for success in the fields of educational leadership and policy, adult learning, and human resource development. There are also a number of commonalities in the two programs that can be better utilized when combined. “Across the two existing doctoral programs, there are similar courses, faculty members and resource needs, as well as very similar research and professional placements for graduates,” says Grenier.

The new, combined Learning, Leadership and Educational Policy program will also expose doctoral students to a wider range of topics, more collaborative work with students and staff, and improved research opportunities.

“As the field grows and changes, so do the needs and expectations of our students. Maintaining our current department and separate Ph.D. programs does not allow for an adequate response to these demands,” says Grenier.

Requirements in this new program will include:

9 or more credit hours of research methods courses offered by EDCI, EDLR and EPSY
9 or more credit hours of courses in the student’s area of concentration
15 credit hours of GRAD 6950 (Dissertation Research)
18 credit hours of core courses

One of the most beneficial aspects of the program, Grenier says, is the high level of interaction students have with experienced Neag faculty members. Students are matched with EDLR faculty that act as mentors and help each student achieve his or her specific educational goals.

The program goal, Grenier said, is to develop for each student an individualized course of study that reflects the student’s specific interests, needs and background.

“We are hoping this new Ph.D. program will create an even more vibrant research community within the Neag School, as well as make our graduates even more effective educational leaders, whether it be in an academic or business setting,” Grenier said. “Our graduates go on to assume positions in academia, administration and policy, government and non-profit agencies, and within the private business sector.”

Adds Dr. Casey Cobb, department head of Educational Leadership: “We’re eager to attract high-quality doctoral students to engage in cutting-edge research in partnership with our faculty, which will only enhance our national standing as a department and school. This is a high priority for us, as is training the best leaders to administer and advance education in schools and elsewhere.”

Kindergarten Students Learn to Value the Creative Writing Process

Posted on January 30, 2013December 14, 2021 by

Fostering a love of reading and writing in young children can be a difficult task. But thanks to the work of Dr. Doug Kaufman, associate professor at the Neag School of Education, students at Dorothy C. Goodwin Elementary School in Storrs are learning to appreciate the creative writing process.

“We have kindergartners who can write for 45 minutes at a time,” explains Kaufman.

Each day, kindergartners, first- and second-graders spend time in “Writing Workshop.” The 45-minute sessions begin with a 15-minute mini-lesson on a topic that relates to the class’ current writing needs. Rather than a more formulaic curriculum, teachers are able to tailor lesson plans to areas most needing improvement. This flexibility means students are learning things relevant to, and challenging them at, that time.

After this lesson, students write for 15 minutes. Teachers walk around the room, encouraging and pushing students to go further with their writing. In the final 15 minutes, students talk about and share their work. Most are eager for their turn, as well as proud and excited about what they have written.

These Writing Workshops have become an essential part of students’ class time, with students recognizing the value of work they produce. Equally important is the fact that they’re having a good time doing it. “If you go into one of these classrooms to see what is happening, you will see kids working very independently with a lot of diligence and extreme enthusiasm. You will see kids getting upset when the workshop is over because they want to keep writing,” says Kaufman, who started the project five years ago after talking with Goodwin staff about the writing challenges they were facing.

Designed to help students understand how writers get their ideas, write and then work with others to improve their writing, the workshops include regular presentations and “mini-lessons” given by Neag graduate school interns. This past year, that was MA students Annie Ramos and Christy Attanasio, who also shared their own writing and worked one-on-one with Goodwin students who needed extra help.

Kaufman, who has a Ph.D. in Reading and Writing Instruction from the University of New Hampshire, believes these Neag interns often impact students most, as their focus is nothing but “pure,” and on writing only. “They are not worried about test scores or other peripheral aspects of teaching,” Kaufman said. “Their focus is to help the Goodwin students write as effectively as possible, and to believe in what they can do.”

The interns also bring a fresh eye, says first grade teacher Angela Mann: “When you’ve been teaching for a while, students often remind you of past students, but these intern have a fresh perspective. They look at each student as an individual case.”

Though Kaufman and his team have not yet formally tested the program’s success, a tremendous amount of anecdotal evidence shows its benefits, including the improvement of students’ writing test scores.

“I could really see the difference in the first grade students who had been part of the program the previous year,” explains teacher Janet Pagoni. “When you ask them, they will willingly tell you that they love writing. They look forward to the workshops and are proud to share their work.”

They also look forward to learning what their teachers have written, as teachers take part in the writing and sharing process, too. This gives students the opportunity to learn from the writing choices their teachers make. “When teachers explain why they wrote something a certain way, they’re showing their students how to make writing choices and how to decide what is important,” says Kaufman.

The “Fearless Speller” aspect of the program encourages students to experiment with word choices and use big words that they might not yet be able to correctly spell.

“Since we have a responsive environment, children feel safe and open to trying new things,” says Pagoni. “They also learn that the more they use new words, the more quickly they become familiar with these words and learn how to correctly spell them.”

The success of the program has led to Kaufman, Neag interns and Goodwin teachers being invited to present information about the program at the National Council of Teachers of English Convention for each the past five years. In 2012, Kaufman attended with three of the teachers, Mary Lee Geary, Mann and Pagoni. “It’s a great opportunity for teachers at the school to show their work and innovation, and to share what the kids are doing,” says Kaufman.

Kaufman’s hope for the program is that it will expand not just throughout all grades at Goodwin School, but throughout the Mansfield School District. He’s also considering pursing grants or other external funding as a way to share the benefits of this unique program with an even wider range of students.

Hartford’s Renzulli Academy to be Replicated in Other Districts

Posted on January 30, 2013November 8, 2019 by

Sixth-graders work on writing projects with teacher Kim Albro at Dr. Joseph S. Renzulli Gifted and Talented Academy in Hartford. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)

Hartford Public Schools’ acclaimed Renzulli Academy for Gifted Students is set to be replicated in at least three other districts, under a $500,000 grant announced in October by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, as part of the foundation’s Centennial Celebration to honor Mr. Kent Cooke’s legacy.

The Talent Development Award, presented to the University of Connecticut’s Neag Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development, is the first of its kind for the foundation. It comes on the heals of a $250,000 grant that the foundation presented to the Renzulli Academy earlier this year to provide a six-week, full-day summer enrichment program in science, art and math for its students. The foundation has pledged to renew the grant for up to three years.

The foundation’s mission is to advance the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. It regards these students as a powerful and untapped resource for the United States. The academy is named after the director of the Neag Center, Dr. Joseph S. Renzulli, who provided much of the expertise needed to launch the school in 2009. Dr. Renzulli and the Neag Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development are part of the Neag School of Education.

“At the Renzulli Academy, we have implemented a model program that has enabled Hartford to become a leader in yet another area of urban school reform,” said Superintendent Christina M. Kishimoto. “Students have an opportunity to learn advanced thinking skills, complete independent studies and do high-level project learning in their interests and academic strength areas.”

Since the academy was founded, Renzulli students have consistently recorded the highest scores in the district on the Connecticut Mastery Tests.

Prospective students are extended a preliminary invitation to apply to the academy based on exceptional test scores. The district follows up the initial application with a thorough examination of grades, attendance and discipline records, as well as a nomination by each student’s classroom teachers.

In addition, the student must demonstrate advanced levels of knowledge, outstanding communication skills, creativity, curiosity and resourcefulness in solving problems. In short, students must be highly motivated to excel.

“Three districts in Connecticut and several out-of-state districts have expressed an interest in replicating the academy model,” Renzulli said. “As part of the grant, teachers from the selected districts will be receiving staff development training and internships at the academy in Hartford.”

In addition to the grants, the Renzulli Academy, at 121 Cornwall St., and the district have been recognized by the National Association for Gifted Children and the Connecticut Association for the Gifted for their work in helping high-ability students reach their full potential.

The academy currently serves students in kindergarten and grades 4 through 9. Plans call for the Renzulli Academy to expand to a full K-12 program by 2015.

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, under the direction of Dr. Lawrence Kutner, is a private, independent organization established in 2000 by the estate of Jack Kent Cooke, a Canadian entrepreneur born in 1912, who owned the Washington Redskins football team, the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team and the Los Angeles Kings professional hockey team. The foundation supports exceptionally talented students from low-income areas through scholarships, grants and direct services, including the largest private scholarships in the United States for students transferring from community colleges to four-year institution.

Chinese Delegation Visits UConn Kinesiology Department

Posted on January 30, 2013February 16, 2023 by

Chinese delegation at UConn. — A member of the delegation from the General Administration of Sports in China photographs an exercise routine during a tour of UConnʼs training facilities. UConnʼs kinesiology department is home to some of the countryʼs top researchers in sports and exercise science and is ranked the top graduate program in the country. (Shawn Kornegay/UConn Photo)

A delegation of top sports and exercise scientists from China visited UConnʼs Department of Kinesiology last month to catch up on the latest in scientific research and training in their field.

The 25 delegates representing Chinaʼs General Administration of Sports attended presentations on sports nutrition, hydration, injury rehabilitation, resistance training, aerobic training, special considerations for the female athlete, and other topics during their six-day visit.

The presentations were conducted by top professors and researchers in the Department of Kinesiology, which is considered the top doctoral program in the country by the National Academy of Kinesiology. The Kinesiology Department is part of the Neag School of Education, which is also home to the top public graduate school of education in the Northeast and East Coast.

“It is a real honor for the University of Connecticut, but more specifically the Department of Kinesiology, to host this delegation representing the General Administration of Sports in China,” says Dr. Carl Maresh, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Kinesiology and head of UConnʼs Kinesiology Department. “The fact that our department was chosen to conduct a comprehensive series of lectures and discussions with these men and women, who are experts in their own right, speaks volumes for the strong international reputation gained through the cutting-edge basic and applied research conducted by our stellar group of faculty over the past 15 years.

“As a result of the professional and personal contacts developed during this time, we expect that important and mutually beneficial research and educational collaborations will develop for both faculty and students,” Maresh added.

Chinese delegation visits UConn — The delegation watched members of the UConn baseball team work out in one of the training rooms at Gampel Pavilion. (Shawn Kornegay/UConn Photo)

The visitors from China were selected from a much larger group of professionals for the trip through a national competition. The delegation was expected to make brief stops at several other universities during its time in the United States, but its main focus was UConn because of the kinesiology departmentʼs reputation and outstanding programs.

“This visit has been excellent,” said Wenge He, director of the Research Institute of Sports Science in the Hebei Province. “The teachers who lectured were very professional and very prepared. The material they shared with us was very up to date.”

Despite its relatively small size, UConnʼs kinesiology department is home to some of the countryʼs top researchers in sports and exercise science, Maresh says. Having the professors share labs has fostered a strong spirit of collaboration among the faculty, which produces between 30 and 40 research papers a year.

Many members of the Chinese delegation work with Olympians and other elite athletes. The visitors represented provinces throughout China and included a high-ranking government official, Liqiang Liu, deputy director of Chinaʼs Division of Science and Technology Cadres Personnel Department.

In between lectures, the Chinese delegation toured UConnʼs various athletic training facilities, the kinesiology departmentʼs Human Performance Laboratory, the Universityʼs recreation center, and Gampel Pavilion. The group left Nov. 7, following a luncheon reception with interim Provost Mun Choi and other guests.

“The goal of this trip is to learn the latest information in sports and exercise science to better our athletes,” He said through an interpreter. “We hope to use this trip to network and build collaborations with other scientists in this field.”

Dr. William J. Kraemer, UConn professor of kinesiology, physiology and neurobiology, and medicine, was one of the principal organizers of the visit, after meeting researchers from China at a national strength and conditioning association conference last July.

“These are some of the top professionals in their field in China,” Kraemer said. “We are sharing with them some of the latest sports science information available, and at the same time helping promote UConn on the international scene.”

University of Illinois post-doc Chenyi Ling served as the groupʼs interpreter for the week. UConn graduate student Courtney Dunn-Lewis helped lead the delegation to different events during the visit.

Maresh said parties from both sides are continuing to stay in touch and there may be opportunities for UConn representatives to visit China in the near future and for researchers from the two countries to collaborate down the road.

Dr. Larry Armstrong Appointed Interim Kinesiology Department Head

Posted on January 30, 2013December 7, 2021 by

Dr. Larry Armstrong has become interim department head of the Department of Kinesiology. Previous department head Dr. Carl Maresh has returned to research and his academic roots as director of the Human Performance Laboratory and professor in physical therapy.

Armstrong began his career at UConn in 1990 as a member of the Department of Kinesiology and currently holds a joint appointment in the departments of Physiology & Neurobiology and Nutritional Sciences. He is recognized internationally as one of the top scholars in his field, publishing more than 170 articles, two books and 31 book chapters, as well as receiving numerous awards from national organizations.

“In addition to his strong research record, Dr. Armstrong served as interim department head during fall 2007 and did an outstanding job in his leadership role,” said Dr. Thomas C. DeFranco, dean of the Neag School of Education. “Please join me in congratulating Larry as he transitions into his new role.”

“I also want to thank Dr. Maresh for his 15 years of service as department head,” said DeFranco. “Through his leadership, he has elevated the department to new heights, including transforming the doctoral program of Kinesiology into the No. 1 program in the nation.”

“We are very proud of Carl’s and the department’s accomplishments over the years. His hard work and dedication have left a lasting legacy in kinesiology at UConn, the Neag School and circles around the country. We look forward to the next chapter in Dr. Maresh’s career with the Human Performance Laboratory and his continued scholarship efforts,” said DeFranco.

Maresh is a Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, the highest award bestowed on UConn faculty. It honors faculty who have achieved exceptional distinction in the areas of scholarship, teaching and service, including public engagement, and who excel in at least one.

He has been a faculty member at UConn since 1985, holding joint professorships in the departments of Physiology & Neurobiology and Nutritional Sciences. Maresh is a fellow of both the American College of Sports Medicine and a past member of the National Board of Trustees (Basic and Applied Science) for ACSM. He is also an active fellow in the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education. Among his other professional memberships are the American Physiological Society, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, the New York Academy of Sciences and the American Association of University Professors.