Browsing by Author "Conrad, Dennis A."

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
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    Man with a mission: Carol Keller
    (School of Education, The University of the West Indies, 2016) Conrad, Dennis A.; Mohammed, Jeniffer
    This monograph explores the contributions of one educational leader at the School of Education (SOE). The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. Using the biographical approach, which incorporates life story, archival notes, and narratives, two researchers—one having been a colleague—narrate the experiences, practices, and perspectives of Carol Keller, referred to as CK for purposes of this study. The co-authors illustrate the evolutionary and relational nature of leadership in CK’s life; and share some of his contributions in the transformation of the SOE and his transformative role in the lives of his colleagues, from their perspective. Colleagues contributed research poems based on their experiences and observations of CK in his various roles. He is revealed as one who was about service; who shared a context-driven vision; and exemplified authentic, caring, and transformative leadership, even though he was critical of these ways of describing and researching the phenomenon of leadership.
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    Poetry to rapso: Localized narrative in the classroom
    (School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2013) Conrad, Dennis A.; Forteau-Jaikaransingh, Beulah; Popova, Dyanis
    This qualitative research paper explores the experiences and perspectives of two long-standing teachers and poetry enthusiasts who use poetry and Rapso in their classrooms. The researchers use self-study of teaching and narrative analysis to share their stories and explore the ways in which personal and localized materials inform their teaching. They employ a "critical friend" to facilitate verification of the narratives and findings. The emergent themes, while identifying challenges, portray Rapso in the Poetry and the Poetry in the Rapso as rich in relevance and opportunities for nurturing a joy for learning and teaching generally, and reading and cultural identity more specifically
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    Recollections and representations of folk in the classroom: Teacher perspectives
    (2016-05-10) Popova, Dyanis A.; Conrad, Dennis A.; Philip, Lisa M.; Conrad, Deborah J.; Mohammed, Antonia
    Using narrative analysis, critical pedagogy, and employing a phenomenological approach, this paper explores the experiences and perspectives of its co-researchers regarding their recollections of folktales and responses to a collection of Caribbean folk narratives. The paper also shares the voices of five educators regarding how similar folk narratives might be incorporated into the classroom. The results support the increased use of folk narratives in the classroom. The authors assert that the use of folk narratives offers a means of increasing student engagement, positive identity, and a sense of community, and enhancing learning among participating teachers and learners
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    Special Schools and the Search for Social Justice in Trinidad and Tobago: Perspectives From Two Marginalized Contexts
    (School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2010) Conrad, Dennis A.; Paul, Nicole; Bruce, Margaret; Charles, Suzanne; Felix, Kirk
    This study shares the perspectives and experiences of members of staff from two established special education institutions in Trinidad and Tobago on the issue of how they are responding to national calls for inclusive education. Methodology within the case study tradition included narrative analysis of responses to open-ended questions, observations, document analysis, and the critical experiences of the co-researchers. Findings reveal resilience as one characteristic displayed by the staff of special schools in addressing inclusive education. There is also a concern about whether social justice is possible with an inherited elitism. Staff identified challenges, which include building and sustaining collaborative relationships, resourcing and utilizing technology for education, culturally responsive teaching, early identification and intervention, and teacher preparation. Recommendations for moving forward include more local and Caribbean-wide practices that address culturally responsive curricula, action research-based interventions, a continuum of professional development systems targeting teacher dispositions, and public mobilization regarding the role of education in social justice
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    Stories that transform teachers: The use of fiction across teacher education programs [PowerPoint presentation]
    (2013-06-24) Kalyanpur, Maya; Scales, Sheryl; Conrad, Dennis A.; Conrad, Deborah J.
    Using fiction in the classroom enhances literacy and critical proficiencies. Fiction illuminates "imagined-worlds," and socially constructed perspectives of identity and culture. This guides readers into critiquing portrayals of self and others; minimizing the caricaturing of the "Other." However, efforts at integrating fiction across content areas might be less evident in Caribbean classrooms. Further, teachers and teacher educators integrating fiction, and particularly local fiction, risk being perceived as not having such expertise, and as being less scholarly or less rigorous in their commitment to content mastery. Four professors of differing cultural backgrounds across two subject areas explore the rationale and strategies for integrating Caribbean and other fiction within diverse programme courses. The co-researchers synthesize their experiences, artifacts, and lessons learned using self-study/auto-ethnography/narrative inquiry to frame their research. Four guiding questions directed the development of their narratives: 1) What are our stories as teacher educators using "integrated fiction"? 2) What specific strategies do we consider most effective? 3) What are our challenges? And 4) What recommendations do we have for improving our teaching? Emerging results indicate that using diverse fiction, particularly local/indigenous material, can inform students and educators while fostering cultural sensitivity, community connectedness, meaningfulness to curricula, and critical praxis