Caribbean Curriculum

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Browsing Caribbean Curriculum by Author "Barrow, Dorian"

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    Exploring Gamification for Reinforcing Geometrical Concepts and Skills at the Primary Level in Trinidad: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study
    (School of Education, UWI, 2018) Jaggernauth, Sharon; Ramsawak - Jodha, Nalini; Kamalodeen, Vimala Judy; Dedovets, Zhanna; Barrow, Dorian; Figaro-Henry, Sandra
    Though games have had popular use in primary schools over time, there is increased interest in using elements of gaming in the classroom to promote motivation and thinking skills. This paper reports on a mixed methods intervention pilot study in one primary school in Trinidad that explored the effects of a gamified classroom on reinforcing geometric concepts and skills. Familiar learning tools, like tangrams and origami, were used. A non-equivalent control group mixed method design was used with both groups taking the pre- and post-tests. Only the experimental group used the gamified activities. Qualitative data were obtained from the experimental group teacher’s interview and observational notes, and analysed to reveal three interpretive themes about students’ perspectives: favourable, unfavourable and change. Overall, students reported that games made mathematics easier to remember. The teacher reported high student engagement, collaborative problem solving, and respectful competition among teams. Quantitative data were obtained from a pre/post achievement test. Analyses reveal significant differences in the experimental group’s pre-test and post-test scores. Results from the pilot study were instrumental in developing the gamification approach for the larger study of 10 primary schools.
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    Extra-lessons: A comparison between "different sides of the track" in Trinidad and Tobago
    (School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2008) Lochan, Samuel; Barrow, Dorian
    This paper attempts to compare the participation in extra-lessons by the students of a senior comprehensive school and a traditional seven -year girls' school in Trinidad and Tobago. Survey data were gathered from 25 students at each level from Forms 4, 5, and 6 in each school. Data are presented on the socio-economic status of different students, participation rates by students of the two schools, subjects chosen by students for extra-lessons, costs per subject, reasons for seeking extra-lessons, and the effects of extra-lessons. This study therefore presents some data on private lessons not previously available. It also draws some comparisons between the two schools that are critical for understanding school performance in Trinidad and Tobago
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    A qualitative evaluation of the lower secondary SEMP science curriculum of Trinidad and Tobago
    (School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2009) Barrow, Dorian; De Lisle, Jerome
    Timely and systemic evaluations of educational innovations continue to be two challenges faced by education reforms in Trinidad and Tobago (TandT). This paper is, therefore, an attempt to counter this pattern by placing in the public domain a report of a small-scale evaluation of 24 randomly selected science teachers in TandT. A focus group interviewing technique was used to evaluate the teachers' stages of concerns and their levels of use of the new lower secondary science curriculum-a curriculum initiative launched in 2002. Using the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) and grounded theory as the theoretical frameworks, an analysis of the focus group interviews of the science teachers revealed that these teachers had very high levels of concerns with the innovation, that is, they had thought critically about some of the major issues surrounding the innovation, but had very low levels of use. However, because the study involved a small sample of science teachers' views (n = 24), the findings should, at most, be considered exploratory, and therefore must be subjected to later verification using some quantitative or mixed methods curriculum evaluation techniques on more samples of science teachers