Browsing by Author "Keller, Carol"

Now showing 1 - 14 of 14
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    A baseline study of the teacher education system in Trinidad and Tobago
    (School of Education, UWI, 2001) Quamina-Aiyejina, Lynda; Mohammed, Jeniffer; Rampaul, Balchan; George, June M.; Kallon, Michael; Keller, Carol; Lochan, Samuel
    This monograph provides the following: 1) an historical overview of the development of the teacher education system in Trinidad and Tobago. 2) overview of both the education system and the teacher education system; 3) a preliminary analysis of teacher education curricula; 4) a discussion of the quality and effectiveness of teacher education, 5) an analysis of teacher identities, attitudes and roles; 6) an examination of resources for teacher education; and 7) a discussion of emerging issues.
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    A baseline study of the teacher education system in Trinidad and Tobago
    (School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2001) Quamina-Aiyejina, Lynda; Mohammed, Jeniffer; Rampaul, Balchan Deodat; George, June M.; Kallon, Michael; Keller, Carol; Lochan, Samuel
    This monograph provides the following: 1) an historical overview of the development of the teacher education system in Trinidad and Tobago; 2) overviews of both the education system and the teacher education system; 3) a preliminary analysis of teacher education curricula; 4) a discussion of the quality and effectiveness of teacher education, 5) an analysis of teacher identities, attitudes, and roles; 6) an examination of resources for teacher education; and 7) a discussion of emerging issues
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    Educational perspectives in the Caribbean
    (1979) Keller, Carol;
    This paper seeks to examine the relationship between education and those values that are consistently espoused and publicly appealed to by policy makers, intellectuals, and other recognized spokesmen through the various media and, more indirectly, to see how the outlook on education might have been influenced by the unconscious motives of this very group of leaders. It considers: 1) the formulation of goals of education and the relationship between these and the concept of development, 2) the relationship between education and work, and 3) the way in which the international system has affected thinking about the organization of education in the Caribbean
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    In the context of Trinidad and Tobago, How do we identify schools that are succeeding or failing amidst exceptionally challenging circumstances?
    (School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2008) De Lisle, Jerome; Smith, Peter; Lewis, Yvonne; Keller, Carol; Mc David, Patricia; Jules, Vena; Lochan, Samuel; Hackett, Raymond S.; Pierre, Phaedra N.; Seunarinesingh, Krishna
    The understanding that some schools face uniquely challenging circumstances represents a groundswell of new research in school improvement and education reform policy. Traditional school improvement theory does not account for variations in school contexts, and some have questioned the applicability of current practice to all schools, especially those in disadvantaged contexts. This leads directly to the core question of this paper: In the context of Trinidad and Tobago, how do we identify schools facing challenge? Answering this question will allow us to address the edifice of inequity strangling schooling outcomes in Latin America and the Caribbean. A critical task is the development of a database of schools with characteristics related to performance and context. This paper describes the protocol and initial data from such a project. Data came from the 2005 and 2006 primary school national achievement tests. A simple measure of school performance, called the Academic Performance Index, was developed, based on the distribution of students in each performance level defined in the national achievement tests. Additional indices were obtained, including disadvantage status and school size. From the database, a short list of high- and low-achieving schools in challenging circumstances was developed
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    OP141 - Mr. Richard Pope Ellis Braithwaite
    (2010-07-15T13:13:29Z) Keller, Carol; Braithwaite, Richard (Prof.)
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    Primary Teacher Education in Trinidad And Tobago
    (School of Education, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies, 1998-04) Quamina-Aiyejina, Lynda; Mohammed, Jeniffer; Rampaul, Balchan; George, June; Kallon, Michael; Keller, Carol; Lochan, Samuel
    A baseline study provides a historical overview of the development of the teacher Education system in Trinidad and Tobago, against the background of a description of the country’s education system. An overview of the contemporary teacher education system is also provided, as well as analysis of: 1) teacher education curricula, 2) the quality and effectiveness of teacher education, 3) teacher identities, attitudes and roles, 4) resources of teacher education 5) emerging issues.
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    The problem of generating a "genuine" social studies
    (School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2008) Mohammed, Jeniffer; Keller, Carol
    The goals of the social studies are about citizenship and developing persons. However, it has low status, tends to be marginalized, and is taught in much the same manner as the other disciplines even though "citizenship" suggests a seamless view of knowledge. This paper sets out the rationale for a research agenda to interrogate the problem of generating a genuine social studies. It does this by analysing the role played by learning theories-behaviourist, cognitivist, and humanist-in structuring the social studies learning environment in different countries and contexts. Theories of situated cognition provide a framework for investigating how teachers, educators, and students learn their environment, how they attempt to overcome it, and whether and how attempts at overcoming can be conceptualized more abstractly, leading to knowledge building in the social studies-more robust theories, concepts, propositions, and learning approaches. This study, then, is charting a way forward in reconceptualizing learning in the social studies so that citizenship and personhood can become more realizable goals
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    The problem of generating a "genuine" social studies
    (School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2009) Mohammed, Jeniffer; Keller, Carol
    The goals of the social studies are about citizenship and developing persons. However, it has low status, tends to be marginalized, and is taught in much the same manner as the other disciplines even though "citizenship" suggests a seamless view of knowledge. This paper sets out the rationale for a research agenda to interrogate the problem of generating a genuine social studies. It does this by analysing the role played by learning theories-behaviourist, cognitivist, and humanist-in structuring the social studies learning environment in different countries and contexts. Theories of situated cognition provide a framework for investigating how teachers, educators, and students learn their environment, how they attempt to overcome it, and whether and how attempts at overcoming can be conceptualized more abstractly, leading to knowledge building in the social studies-more robust theories, concepts, propositions, and learning approaches. This study, then, is charting a way forward in reconceptualizing learning in the social studies so that citizenship and personhood can become more realizable goals
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    Report of the Task Force for the removal of the Common Entrance Examination
    (Task Force, Trinidad and Tobago, 1998-09-01) Garcia, Anthony; George, June; Pujadas, Lloyd; Pantin, Gerard; Vasquez, Karen; Keller, Carol; Pargass, Sushill; Elias, Emile; Pantin, Clive; Mahase, Ana; Stanley-Marcano, Janet; Richardson, Rawle; Nagassar, Orlando; Borley, Clive; Taitt, Glenville; Agarrat, Angela; Hussain, Jennifer; Devenish Huggins, Jean; Aqui, Vernon; Manchoon, Curtis; Samuel, Michael; Medina, Everard
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    The social studies for a postmodern age
    (School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2004) Mohammed, Jeniffer; Keller, Carol
    The social studies has remained an enigma for most of its existence. In rhetoric it is highly regarded; in the lived reality of schools it is perceived as a "soft option." This article traces its origins and development in different contexts, and the epistemological debates and conundrums that still obscure what a study of the social is. The politics of knowledge illuminates its low status in organizational settings such as schools. A case is made for a return to the foundational principles espoused by social theorists, who see a study of the social as essentially that of being human. This knowledge is vitally important in a postmodern age where contradiction and fragmentation are increasingly the norm. Finally, it is shown that the Human Development Paradigm rests squarely on a deeper appreciation of the social, which can come from a reformulated social study
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    Teacher education in Trinidad and Tobago: Costs, financing and future policy
    (Centre for International Education, University of Sussex Institute of Education, 2000-08) Lewin, Keith M.; Keller, Carol
    The first section of this paper outlines general characteristics of the education system in Trinidad and Tobago and its financing. The second section draws attention to recent developments that will shape the future of teacher education, and the third section presents the detailed profile of current provision for training primary teachers through the two teacher education colleges and the University of the West Indies (UWI). Data is provided on enrolments and output, and curriculum organization. In the fourth section, cost and finance are considered in order to assess the cost of producing trained primary teacher, while the fifth section develops projections of future demand and identifies how demand will change under different assumptions. The last section consolidates the analysis and explores the range of policy options that may be considered. It is observed that teacher education is currently hampered by lack of investment in infrastructure, a lack of linkage between the on the job (OJT) training programme and other parts of teacher education, an overloaded curriculum, and an anomalous salary scale whereby teacher educators are paid the same as secondary school teachers. It is noted that as demand for primary school teachers in Trinidad and Tobago is likely to fall in coming years, there is a window of opportunity to revisit the teacher education curriculum, for instance in terms of balance between teaching and assessment, the possible provision of more in-service by college staff, and clearer links.
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    When choosing might mean losing: A mixed method study of secondary school choice in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
    (School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2009) De Lisle, Jerome; Keller, Carol; Jules, Vena; Smith, Peter
    This article argues that Trinidad and Tobago has historically operated a system of open enrolment. Open access to schools by families may be rooted in the conflict between Church and State over schooling. The system is founded on the principle of the right of parents to choose schools for their children, first argued in the 18th century by the Church, and now included as a provision in the Trinidad and Tobago Republican Constitution. Choice of secondary school is operationalized by a system of rules for placement at eleven-plus. Parents are required to list their choice of schools and depending upon the candidates' score in the eleven-plus examination, test takers receive one of these choices or are assigned by the Ministry of Education. To study the system of secondary school choice in Trinidad and Tobago, information was gathered from the registration database of 11 eleven-plus examinations spanning the period 1995-2005. Student choices were analysed along with the demographic and geographic data. In the mixed method research design, data on the construction of school choice were also collected from focus groups and individual laddering interviews with both parents and children at four school sites. The integrated findings suggest that the choice-making process is complex, fluid, and dynamic, with multiple markets and different consumer types. Families made decisions in which children and even outsiders had considerable voice. Making choices involved a dual process of valorization and demonization of schools, but a tendency to reject some schools was predominant in many instances. The value placed on first choice "prestige" schools may be related to the consumer values of future economic success, safety of person, and assurance of stable personal development
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    When choosing might mean losing: The construction of secondary school choice in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
    (School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2008) De Lisle, Jerome; Keller, Carol; Jules, Vena; Smith, Peter
    Trinidad and Tobago has historically operated a system of open enrolment for all schools. This open access to schools by families is a feature rooted in the historical conflict between Church and State over schooling. Open enrolment is founded on the principle of the right of parents to choose schools for their children, first argued in the 18th century by the Church, and now included as a provision in the Trinidad and Tobago Republican Constitution. Choice of secondary school is embedded in the rules of operation for the placement system at eleven-plus, with parents required to list four or six choices. Depending upon the candidates' score in the examination, they receive one of their choices or are assigned by the Ministry of Education. To study the system of school choice in Trinidad and Tobago, information was collected from the registration database of 11 eleven-plus examinations spanning the period 1995-2005. Student choices were analysed along with the demographic and geographic data. In the mixed method research design, data were also collected from parents and children from four schools across the country. The data indicate that the choice-making process is complex, fluid, and dynamic, with multiple markets and different consumer types. Families made decisions with children also having a say. Choice making involved a dual process of valorization and demonization of schools, with a tendency to more often reject new sector government schools. The value placed on first choice "prestige" schools was related to consumer values of safety and security. Parents valued a school if it could shepherd their beloved offspring through life's rocky courses