Academic Research

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Action Research and Teacher Education, Part 1
(Daily Express, 2006-10) Worrell, Patricia
Part 1 of this article notes that the School of Education at the St. Augustine Campus of The University of the West Indies (UWI) has included an action research component as a core element of its certificate and diploma programmes as one means of addressing the demand for more effective programmes of teacher education. However, it is also noted that the benefits of action research are not being realized in schools because of the negative reactions experienced by student teachers returning to schools and attempting to implement action research interventions. It is suggested that teacher education institutions should seek to design interventions that will include whole schools in the cycle of research
Action Research: Fruitful Collaborations, Part 2
(Daily Express, 2006-11) Worrell, Patricia
The second part of this article makes the case for collaborative action research as one way to help to ensure that positive changes occur in schools and classrooms. It makes suggestions for the specific arrangements that need to be put in place to ensure fruitful collaboration
The challenges of designing and implementing a cross-cultural unit of work
(Taylor & Francis Group, 2006) Herbert, Susan M.
This paper reports on the challenges experienced during an action research project in Trinidad and Tobago, in which a cross-cultural unit of work entitled "Maintaining Health" was designed and enacted. The intention was to improve teacher practice and facilitate students' access to conventional science concepts by having them build bridges between their traditional knowledge about health-related matters and conventional science concepts. The first action research cycle--plan, act and observe, reflect--was conducted with a group of Form 2 students (12-15 years) at an urban single-sex (female) secondary school. Reflections from this phase were recorded in a journal and the data from the classroom enactment were audio-taped and transcribed. These data were analysed quantitatively into themes by use of grounded theory methodology. Among the challenges that emerged were "resistance and doubt," "level of teacher control," and "communicative competence: the language of bridge building." Based on these findings, a second action research cycle was enacted with another group of Form 2 students at a rural co-educational secondary school. The results revealed evidence of the three themes as well as an overall improvement in the teacher-researcher's use of the language of bridge-building. This suggested that change occurs over time and is facilitated by the process of reflection on evidence gathered systematically.
Face to face: Vlogging and Facebook in the Spanish classroom at UWI, St. Augustine [PowerPoint presentation]
(2013-07-01) Landa-Buil, Maria; Sánchez-Galvis, Jairo
The Internet has become an important tool for any learning process, and foreign language teaching is not an exception. In the Caribbean, access to the Internet has increased tremendously and the student population is composed of mainly digital natives that enjoy the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs). This study is an ongoing action research that aims to analyse students' perspectives on the introduction and use of two different technological tools in the Spanish classroom: a weekly video journal and the social network, Facebook. The Facebook experience consisted of the creation of a group for the class to provide a forum outside the classroom, and it has been piloted with three Spanish classes at the Centre for Language Learning, at The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus since September 2012. The online video blogging has been taking place as part of the course assignments with specialist students of the Spanish BA programme at the Campus since September 2011. The data have been gathered through online questionnaires that combine both qualitative and quantitative methods, including open- and close-ended questions and 1 to 5 measurement scales. Preliminary analyses suggest that the students consider this type of experience as a very effective learning experience that increased their motivation and their skills for autonomous learning
Improving practice in primary science education through participatory action research [PowerPoint presentation]
(2013-07-08) Rainford, Marcia; James, Joan
Continuing professional development (CPD) is considered essential for teachers and teacher educators to improve their practice. Models of CPD, such as those that involve action research, which respond to the local needs of teachers in the context of their regular classroom experiences, are considered to be particularly useful for sustaining interest and transforming practice. These models of CPD provide new learning spaces in the context of practice, where practitioners have greater control and become more involved in the process of their own professional development. This paper describes a participatory action research (PAR) project which was designed to improve one Grade 4 primary school teacher's attempts at using inquiry-based instruction in the teaching of science in Jamaica. It describes the impact on the practice of the two professionals-teacher and teacher educator-who were engaged in the collaboration. The findings of the study reveal that the PAR approach to CPD had positive effects on the practice of both teacher and teacher educator. The implications for using PAR for in-service professional development in primary science education are discussed
The Learning Teacher
(Daily Express, 2005) Yamin-Ali, Jennifer
This article examines the role of the teacher as learner, as teachers assess problems they or their students encounter in the teaching/learning process, and try to overcome them. It notes the obstacles encountered by the teacher as learner, and identifies the role of mentoring in schools as being crucial to supporting the teacher
Peer mentoring using teachers' own research findings [PowerPoint presentation]
(2013-06-24) Ramroopsingh, Mitra
Recognizing that B.Ed. and Dip.Ed. graduates can experience career stagnation if they are not afforded opportunities/avenues for continued professional development, this presentation sets out to explore involvement in ongoing professional pursuits, in their professional settings, as one such avenue. It examines one trained science teacher's experiences as a mentor overseeing the mentoring of a novice, untrained science teacher and her own professional development at an all-girl, board-assisted secondary school in the Victoria District, Trinidad. Data were collected through interviews and reflective journals. A model for establishing an effective mentoring programme was developed, which posits that three conditions must be in place: the players, learning, and needs considerations. The players involved engage in learning through reflection, enactment, and growth. The enablers and barriers to mentoring as identified by the mentor are also be discussed

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Browsing Academic Research by Subject "Action research"

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