Date of Award
8-2026
Degree Type
Doctoral Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Education
Committee Chair
Dr. Deirdra A. Preis, Ed.D.
2nd Reader
Kimberly D. Hellerich, Ed.D
3rd Reader
Shamel Lewis, Ed. D
Abstract
This qualitative Improvement Science Dissertation in Practice examined how Building Thinking Classrooms for Social-Emotional Learning (BTC-SEL), an instructional approach adapted from Liljedahl's (2021) mathematics framework, could strengthen SEL instruction in Connecticut elementary schools. The study addressed a persistent problem of practice in which traditional SEL delivery fails to engage the students most in need of support, particularly Black and Hispanic/Latino students, students with disabilities, and students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Grounded in engagement theory, cognitive load theory, and social constructivism, the three-month intervention supported six elementary teachers across three Connecticut districts, including schools from District Reference Groups I and D and a regional magnet school, as they integrated visible random grouping, vertical non-permanent surfaces, and open-ended thinking tasks into their SEL instruction. Data included a researcher-developed questionnaire administered at three points in the study, professional learning reflection journals, lesson reflection journals submitted weekly, the open-response items of the initial and mid-study questionnaires, and individual exit interviews conducted at the conclusion of each teacher's implementation period. Thematic analysis revealed that teachers observed increased student engagement from the first BTC-SEL lesson, expanded peer relationships and inclusion, meaningful shifts in conflict resolution and emotional regulation, and evidence of social-emotional skill transfer beyond the structured lesson. Teachers identified random grouping as the most valuable BTC component. The approach demonstrated clear boundaries in reaching students with the most intensive behavioral and emotional needs. All six participants expressed strong intentions to continue using BTC-SEL beyond the study period. Findings informed recommendations for teachers, school and district leaders, and broader implications for Connecticut, offering a structurally different approach to SEL that addresses persistent disparities.
Recommended Citation
Leja, D.M. (2026). From passive to active learning: How building thinking classrooms (btc) strategies shape teacher perceptions of student social-emotional development [Doctoral dissertation, Sacred Heart University]. https://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/edd/86/
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Comments
A dissertation in the Isabelle Farrington College of Education and Human Development presented to the faculty of Sacred Heart University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education.