Next, we describe the work performed since the beginning of the project to its end. To organize this information in a clearer way, a summary is done for each of the two years of the project.
Year 1: Review of literature and quantitative and qualitative research about student-teacher relationships
At the beginning of the project a website and social media accounts were created to enhance communication and dissemination.
Our research work focused on the quantitative component of the project and the planned literature review, which was fundamental for giving the project a solid start. More specifically, quantitative analyses using multilevel modelling were used to examine the links between school characteristics such as type of school, location, size, and student-teacher ratio and student-teacher relationships. We also undertook analyses to examine the links between relationships with teachers and other aspects of school connectedness and important aspects of a healthy development, including low substance use risk, self-esteem and emotional wellbeing.Early in the project, a possibility of international collaboration was identified, and a research stay was performed at Umea University (Sweden) at the end of the first project year. This allowed an expansion of our quantitative investigations by looking to some of our associations of interest longitudinally.
We also designed and conducted a scoping review of the literature that was used for two purposes: (1) to summarize existing evidence and advance current understanding of the concepts of school and teacher connectedness and (2) to provide a map of existing research on the links between these concepts and wellbeing in adolescence.
In parallel, the fellow took part in intensive qualitative research training and worked in the design of the qualitative element of the project, which included focus groups with students and interviews with their teachers. To strengthen the cross-cultural aspects of the project, fieldwork to explore the meanings, barriers and facilitators of teacher connectedness from the perspective of students and teachers was conducted both in England and in Spain.By the end of the first year, we had completed fieldwork with both teachers and students in England and with students in Spain as well as started our qualitative analyses.
Year 2: Completion of the qualitative study followed by student-teacher connectedness scale development and initial piloting
During the second year the qualitative the interviews with teachers in Spain were completed. In addition, all the data from the qualitative study was analysed. To be able to pilot our scale on student-teacher connectedness during the HBSC study 2017/2018 data collection period, we worked intensively in developing a relevant pool of items based on the findings from our qualitative study with students and the scoping review mentioned above. An expert consultation about the relevance, clarity and level of analysis in the proposed items was conducted and the scale was included in the HBSC survey (both in England and Spain) for its initial piloting. Although the data collection is still in progress, we have been able to conduct some preliminary analyses of the items functioning whose results are positive so far.
Year 2 also involved an intensified dissemination and communication of the project work and its main findings including presentations in conferences and submission of publications to international journals, interviews and intense activity in social media, production of a briefing for teachers and educational professionals, and invited seminars in international universities, among others.
