Browsing by Author "Brown, Launcelot I."

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    Differential item functioning and male-female differences in a large-scale mathematics assessment in Trinidad and Tobago: An examination of Standard 1 mathematics assessment
    (School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2007) Brown, Launcelot I.; Kanyongo, Gibbs Y.
    This study investigates gender differences and the existence of gender-related differential item functioning (DIF) in a large-scale Standard 1 mathematics assessment in Trinidad and Tobago. Although research consistently shows that mathematics scores for male students are usually higher than for female students at the secondary and tertiary levels, the differences are not very clear at the primary level. Actually, results from this study show that female students performed slightly better than male students on this examination. Logistic regression procedure was used to detect DIF items, and the results show that about 17 percent of the items in the examination displayed gender-related DIF; however, for all DIF items the effect sizes were negligible
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    Gender and academic achievement in math: An examination of the math performance data on seven to nine year olds in Trinidad and Tobago
    (School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2005) Brown, Launcelot I.
    There is general concern in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider English-speaking Caribbean about the gender differential in performance on regional and national examinations. Previous studies had shown boys not performing as well as girls. Utilizing scores from the math component of the Continuous Assessment Programme (CAP), this study investigated whether the trend was evident among the younger primary school students. The final sample comprised 1,682 students in Standard 1, Standard 2, and Standard 3 (age group 7-9 years). Total scores, Z scores, scores for students attempting all items, and composite scores for the low-level and high-level items were computed. The proportion of boys and girls in the upper (z = 1.00) and lower (z = -1.00) tails of the distribution were examined, as was the gender differential in the number of students omitting test items. Overall, girls scored higher than boys, more boys than girls omitted items, and a significantly greater proportion of boys were in the lower tail of the distribution. The Hindu schools were the exception to this general finding. The non-response to items could be addressed by schools teaching test-taking skills. However, more important may be the underlying reasons for the phenomenon, and the implications for boys' future academic achievement and employment opportunities
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    Relating professional in-school networks, school leadership, and assessment data to academic performance in Trinidad and Tobago: An exploration
    (School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2014) Brown, Launcelot I.; Esnard, Talia; Bristol, Laurette
    In recent years, researchers have turned their attention to the relationship between teacher social interactions and the successful implementation of reforms. The limited research to date has tended to support this relationship, with some research finding significant correlations between teacher collaboration and student achievement. In this study, we use quantitative and qualitative methods to determine the relationship between within-school networks formed around the interpretation and use of the data on the National Tests Report and student achievement, as measured by the proportion of students meeting or exceeding the proficiency standard on the National Tests. The sample comprised 56 teachers from seven schools within an urban school district. Teachers responded to a social network survey and two dimensions on the OCI. Interviews of 15 principals and five focus groups of 31 teachers provided the qualitative data. Findings suggested that a relationship between schools with high collegial trust exhibited deeper collaborative structures and a higher proportion of students performing at standard on the National Tests. These findings have implications for principals and teachers who will need to find ways to maximize the use of within-school skill sets and expertise, especially in a resource-strapped system.