Browsing by Author "Smith, Peter"

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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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    Reconsidering the consequences: Gender differentials in performance and placement in the 2001 SEA
    (School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2004) De Lisle, Jerome; Smith, Peter
    This paper provides an analysis of the gender fairness and consequences associated with the test design used for the 2001 Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) in Trinidad and Tobago. It is argued that the rationale for choosing the SEA test design emphasized the usefulness and purpose of the selection instrument, but failed to consider one significant consequence: the likelihood of adverse impact resulting from large performance differentials in favour of females. The study also tests the hypotheses that gender differences are (1) institution-specific and (2) vary across ability groups. The major findings were that patterns of gender inequity were complex and sometimes even contradictory, with females favoured on SEA composite total score, language arts, and creative writing and males favoured on the placement process. However, males and females performed similarly in mathematics. An analysis across different ability groups indicated that large differentials favouring females were more likely among students below the 50th percentile. On the other hand, among higher achievers, males performed just as well as females. The gender fairness of five alternative SEA test designs was evaluated using Willingham's (1999) social matrix
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    Students’ achievement, students’ perceptions and predictors of success: A further look at the National Test of Trinidad and Tobago: [Unpublished] Research report
    (2014-12-16) George, June M.; Broomes, Orlena; Smith, Peter; Anderson, John O.
    This research report is based on the 2009 National Test results in Trinidad and Tobago in the subject areas of Language Arts and Mathematics. It is the sequel to an earlier study by Anderson, George, and Herbert (2009), which analysed the 2006 National Test results, also in Language Arts and Mathematics. Both studies sought to analyse educational indicator data comprising results from the National Test for Standard 3 students (aged 9-10 years) in ways that identify relationships of student achievement to factors involving students, schools, and the home. The study was conducted during 2009-2010 and used the results of the 2009 administration of the National Test in Language Arts and Mathematics, as well as questionnaire responses obtained during that period. Statistical analyses included multiple regression analysis. The results indicate that in the 2009 administration of the National Test, girls scored higher than boys in both Language Arts and Mathematics. Generally, both boys and girls in all school types were satisfied with the care and attention they received from both teachers and parents as they engaged in their educational pursuits. The regression analysis results indicate that achievement in Language Arts is positively related to the extent to which students see themselves as competent readers, have a positive attitude towards school and school work, and perceive their teachers as caring about their performance in school work. The predictors for Mathematics achievement were similar to those described above for Language Arts; however, there was a fifth predictor in the model for mathematics—students’ view of mathematics. The results suggest that policymakers need to consider planning for the development of students’ level of satisfaction with their school environment, as well as teachers’ ability to be supportive of and encouraging to their students as possible means of enhancing student performance, at least at the Standard 3 level.
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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