Conference Proceedings

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Adventures in building a learning community: Experiences in reformulating a course in educational foundations [PowerPoint presentation]
(2013-07-02) Geofroy, Stephen; Joseph-Alleyne, Gail; Mohammed, Jeniffer; Pierre, Phaedra
The aim of the course, "Education and the Development of Social Competencies," is to explore what is involved in the process of developing social competencies relevant to the demands of effective citizenship in Trinidad and Tobago (or in the Caribbean today). This paper explores the rationale in revisiting the course and for undertaking departures from that which existed previously. One central concern was that students should engage in intensive practical experiences in groups, the requirements of building a learning community. Building learning communities in schools, in disciplinary groupings, and generally among educators appears to us as essential to being effective or socially competent in our space, whether envisaged on the national, regional, or international level. The key research question is: How comfortable are students and lecturers with the efforts at building community traced over the years 2010 to 2012, in reference to the course "Education and the Development of Social Competencies"? Data comprised lecturers' and students' comments, test and assignment scores, and group evaluations, where students assessed each other. This article discusses the reflections and experiences of three cohorts of students and lecturers as the journey into building a learning community unfolded
Altering the pedagogy of Caribbean teaching: Beyond the new "chalk and talk"
(2013-06-24) Francis, Lovell
This paper attempts to assess the current trend of integrating the use of technology into the classrooms of tertiary level institutions like the University of the West Indies at St Augustine. This thrust has for example, seen the use of laptops, multimedia projectors and various other advanced paraphernalia becoming items of customary usage in the classroom. It notes, however, that while this move is generally laudable and has assisted in the effective conveyance of needed information to students, if used incorrectly it can be pedagogically flawed and easily lends itself to bad classroom practices and ineffective teaching. In delineating the aforementioned the paper also attempts to illustrate that in many circumstances instead of promoting and creating innovative and lively teaching and learning experiences, the use of technology has been concomitant with the rise of a new culture of "chalk and talk" in the classroom that is inimical to the requirements of effective teaching and learning at the tertiary level. It concludes by asserting for it to be truly meaningful the use of technology in the classroom must not be considered a "conceit" but instead must be seen as a necessary conduit of the wider well established practices of a student-centred education
An Alternative Language Experience approach for selected Creole-influenced students
(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2008) Joseph, Barbara
This paper explores the notion that to assist problem/struggling readers in Trinidad and Tobago, it is necessary for teachers to have a knowledge of how language is used in the community and how communication events occur there. These can be the basis for patterns of interaction with texts written in English where both learners and teachers are speakers of Trinidadian or Tobagonian Creole English. The speech acts fall within the learners' "experience" of their language and can be used creatively by teachers for the better comprehension and production of (International) English texts
The Alternative Paper to School Based Assessment (SBA): Importance of sustaining and expanding the CXC innovation [PowerPoint presentation]
(2013-06-24) Griffith, Stafford A.
This paper explores the significance and challenges of the Alternative Paper to School-Based Assessment (SBA) in the public examinations offered by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC). It considers the opportunity that the Alternative Paper provides to out-of-school candidates to complete their secondary or immediate post-secondary education and to acquire certification for advancement at work or to satisfy other purposes. It examines the challenge of assuring equivalence of the competencies assessed for those who take the Alternative Paper and those who complete the SBA. This is an important consideration since the two sets of candidates obtain certification that is identical. The paper considers the impact of the possible discontinuation of the Alternative Paper. It concludes by urging the adoption of measures to sustain and expand the Alternative Paper, including steps to assure its validity as a measure of the competencies developed and assessed through SBA. These measures include more extensive action research and the use of technology to provide simulated experience for out-of-school candidates who may not have access to the facilities that would enable them to develop and demonstrate the same competencies as their in-school counterparts
Anti-racist education and research: A vision for Caribbean education in the 21st century
(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2008) Kallon, Michael
This is a theoretical paper intended to discuss ideas on how anti-racist education and research can be approached in the Caribbean context. The paper seeks to examine the role of, and challenges, to anti-racist education and research in a contemporary new epoch, one that is remarkably different in its celebration of cultural fragmentation and pluralism as against the universalizing, homogenizing effects of rationality and scientism. I would not attempt to argue that there is a consensus out there on what constitutes anti-racist education and research. I only draw attention to certain basic challenges for those interested in the conduct of anti-racist work in the Caribbean
Assessing the cultural relevance of INSIGHTS for Jamaica [PowerPoint presentation]
(2013-07-01) McClowry, Sandee; Spellmann, Mark
The purpose of this study was to assess the cultural resonance and dissonance of "INSIGHTS into Children's Temperament" as a first step in adapting the intervention for dissemination in Jamaica. INSIGHTS is an evidence-based intervention that enhances the development of school-age children and the child management skills of their teachers and parents. The intervention was developed with extensive input from stakeholders in high poverty neighborhoods in New York City. Thirty-two Jamaican educators attended a two-day INSIGHTS workshop. At the conclusion, the educators were asked to evaluate whether INSIGHTS resonates with the "deep structures" of Jamaican cultural values and beliefs. A thematic content analysis of their verbal and written comments supported that the deep structures of the intervention resonates well with Jamaican culture. The themes that emerged included: INSIGHTS gives Jamaican educators and parents new strategies to replace harsh discipline; offers new perspectives, providing more developmentally appropriate and sophisticated ways of seeing things; and provides practical strategies and solutions. Additional comments addressed "surface level" elements that would make the intervention more accessible and appealing for Jamaican audiences. Suggestions included remaking the intervention's videotapes at local schools and capturing the specific challenges faced by Jamaican teachers and children
Attributes of internality: An alternative path to teacher effectiveness
(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2008) Cook, Loraine D.; Bastick, Tony
The literature reports that individuals with an internal locus of control (LOC) are more effective in the workplace than externals, and that it is possible to increase individuals' LOC internality through training. Hence, the researchers have proposed "Teachers' Internality Training," a new alternative type of training, to increase the effectiveness of teachers. This paper describes qualitative and quantitative research with 220 Jamaican teachers that expanded the traditional LOC construct to expose the attributes of LOC that can be targeted by teachers' internality training. The paper also shows how this new expanded LOC construct suggests possible mechanisms for accomplishing this training. The significance of this paper is that it opens the possibility of a new type of alternative training for teaching effectiveness
“The best thing created since sliced bread…” – Our journey toward blended learning
(Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education, 2008) Wood-Jackson, Aisha; Mahabir, Cherisse; John, Lindsay
From 2001 to the fall of 2006, the lecturers and students of The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago, used WebCT, a commercial web-based learning management system (LMS), to prepare, manage and deliver learning content and resources to students. The low level of adoption and high cost of the license led university administrators to question the benefit-to-cost ratio. A committee was formed to compare open source LMSs (Moodle, Sakai, and Angel) to WebCT and, based on this data, recommend an LMS for the St. Augustine Campus. Based on their review of the pricing, hardware/software requirements, communication tools, productivity tools, opportunities for student involvement, administrative tools, course development, and curriculum design features, the committee chose to adopt Moodle. This paper describes the Moodle implementation strategy and reflects on the issues as well as successes arising over the last two years.
Birds in the school yard: The impact of a science inquiry unit on local bird ecology on the environmental attitude and knowledge of Grade 4 Trinidadian students [PowerPoint presentation]
(2013-06-24) Kalloo, Rowena
In Trinidad and Tobago, teaching environmental science as situated knowledge at the primary level can be challenging because of a scarcity of resources and knowledge of local natural environments. This study raised questions on the extent to which a module on bird ecology could influence environmental attitudes of Trinidadian, primary schools students. Research suggests that children's attitudes to the environment are shaped by multi-sensory, inquiry-driven learning experiences in nature. It was predicted that there would be a high probability of an increase in students' pro-environmental attitudes and knowledge of local birds after exposure to the module. Twenty six, Standard 4 students in a low-income, urban environment were introduced to an eight-week multisensory, interactive module on local bird identification and ecology, which included an out-of-school field trip to a nature centre. Students' environmental attitudes were measured using questionnaires before and after treatment. Data were supplemented with qualitative observations, interviews, and a participatory mapping exercise. Statistical analysis indicated a significant difference in environmental attitudes (p=0.05), indicating that changes to attitudes were statistically significant and may be related to the quality of the intervention. The potential and challenges for introduction of this module into the local primary system of Trinidad and Tobago is discussed
Bridging the science and mathematics divide: Issues, challenges, and promises
(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2008) Bell-Hutchinson, Camille
The learning of both science and mathematics represents alienating experiences for many students in the Caribbean. This must be cause for concern, since both these disciplines play pivotal roles in the growth and development of a nation. This paper puts forward the position that teachers should more closely link the two subjects in the classroom in order to bring meaning to both. We argue that since both mathematics and science teaching not only share some common learning goals-the development of a spirit of inquiry, the ability to draw conclusions based on evidence, and the ability to reason and solve problems-but also important concepts such as length, area, volume, mass, and time, that learning can be significantly enhanced through classroom practices that deliberately attempt to connect such knowledge, skills, and principles that have clear relevance to both disciplines. Issues and challenges in attempting to bridge the divide will be discussed with implications for teacher education and the associated challenges
Building creative capacity for the 21st century: Implications for Caribbean education of the UNESCO World Conference on Arts Education and the CCFA Conference on Societies in Crisis
(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2008) Sharma, Satanand
This presentation comments on emerging themes of the World Conference on Arts Education 2006
Case study: The use of video game construction to bridge hearing and deaf students in Trinidad and Tobago [Poster]
(2013-07-04) Gonzalez-Lord, Janadi
This poster presents a case study of a problem-based project conducted at a single school in Trinidad. The project is discussed in terms of its academic and social impact on the 175 students who participated, as well as the possibility of using this method to foster better inclusion of hard-of-hearing and/or deaf students into mainstream schools. Students, in collaboration with members of the deaf community, created games; web-based assessments to test others' knowledge of the game content; and a tour of a planetarium for deaf, hearing, and hearing-impaired students. Students also created video journals of their journey. The project resulted in better academic scores in science, mathematics, visual arts and English Language, better understanding of deaf culture and higher levels of engagement in science for students of Bishop Anstey High School East (BAHSE). However, future investigations should be explored into the impacts of deaf and hearing-impaired students being more directly involved in these types of problem-based projects, especially in terms of second-language (English) development, crafting knowledge across curriculum areas, and social interactions with the hearing world
Cassava resist dyeing: Traditional dyeing techniques in a new environment [PowerPoint presentation]
(2013-07-05) Becker, Jill
In several cultures around the world, paste resist dyeing has been traditionally performed in the dyeing of textiles. In Nigeria, adire eleko is a method which uses cassava as the base for the paste. In Japan, a similar process, katazome and tsitsugaki-zome, is also used in the dyeing of textiles. The base of the resist in this environment is a special rice and rice bran mixture, which is prepared through steaming according to a specific procedure. These practices derived from the use of indigenous materials in other cultures are used as the basis for informing teaching and learning practices in fashion designing around the world. Within Jamaica, the use of indigenous materials to increase artistic expression by local fashion designers is becoming increasingly important as the country seeks to preserve its uniqueness. This experimental research seeks to ascertain whether cassava, an indigenous product of the Caribbean region, is an appropriate local substitute in the resist dyeing of cotton and silk fabrics. Three recipes using cassava in its various state-cassava in its organic state, re-constituted bammies, and cassava flour-were developed to test the hypothesis. Additionally, dyes were added to the resist paste to extend the design potential to allow for a number of colours to be printed on one piece of textile. The findings generated from this study will be used to inform teaching/learning practices in fashion designing, as well as used as a basis for collaborating with artisans in the region to develop and promote the use of indigenous knowledge
Causes of absenteeism at the secondary level in Jamaica: Parents' perspective [PowerPoint presentation]
(2013-07-08) Jennings, Zellynne; Cook, Loraine D.; Anderson, Susan
Inclusion has been broadly defined to include the elimination of social exclusion due to differences in social class and ability, inter alia. Chronic absenteeism occurs when a student is absent from school without reason 20 percent or more of school time. Students who are habitually absent from school will generally fall behind their classmates in their academic success. Research has underscored that low attendance and dropout rates are problematic in the Jamaican school system. This study sought to investigate parents' perspectives on the causes of student absenteeism at the secondary level. How their levels of education, their relationship with the school, and family background influenced their views on the causes of students' absenteeism were also examined. Using a convenience sample, a survey was carried out involving 227 parents in 10 secondary schools located in various parishes of Jamaica. The findings so far suggest that the factors influencing students' absenteeism are the home and family, and school factors
Changing landscapes in Caribbean education: Are our teachers being adequately prepared for this? [PowerPoint presentation]
(2013-07-08) Jennings, Zellynne; Anderson, Susan
Didacus Jules contends that we need to adopt a radical approach in rethinking education in the Caribbean to make learning fun, more closely related to the digital world, and more relevant to the social issues that beset schools today. This challenge was reiterated by Jessop (2012) who highlighted critical points on transforming education made at the 18th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers in Mauritius. Jessop noted that the current decline in Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) exam results is a signal that young people are leaving school unprepared for the job market-a trend that will have adverse effects on Caribbean economies. Among the suggestions for the way forward is the need to reassess teaching methods so they become more technology-driven and relevant to national development. This paper presents research that critically examines the effectiveness of the different models of teacher education used at The University of the West Indies over a 10-year period (1997-2007), drawing on the experiences of the graduates of the programme, current students, and other stakeholders. The findings point to crucial changes that need to be made if teachers are to be appropriately prepared for the challenges of today's classrooms
Classroom research: A defining feature of professional practice
(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2008) Singh, Vashti
Classroom research, teaching, and professional development are closely linked. Their interrelation and interconnectedness may be described as axiomatic. In addressing the question: Why classroom research by teachers?, a range of issues emerges from topics such as classroom practice, social context, curriculum knowledge, professional learning, and the usefulness of research. This paper urges that teachers who are committed to their own professional practice seek to expand their knowledge and adapt their teaching to educationally sound delivery, arising from authentic classroom research. In the Caribbean, the teacher's claim to professionalism sometimes falters in this regard. A significant issue is that teachers need to be increasingly effective in enabling culturally diverse groups of students to learn increasingly complex subjects. This includes aspects of pedagogical content knowledge that incorporate culture and community contexts for learning. Simultaneously, teachers ought to reflect on their practice to learn from and improve upon it continually. This paper focuses on three themes that explore the concept of classroom research by teachers. The first establishes the link between classroom research and the teacher professional. The second evaluates curriculum and the teaching/learning process as the focus of classroom research, and the third discusses problems in the traditional research paradigm for guiding teachers to improve their teaching. The paper concludes with a reflection on the nature of classroom research itself and its relevance for teachers' professional development within the Caribbean context
Collaborating to reform science education in context: Issues, challenges, and benefits
(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2008) Herbert, Susan M.; Rampersad, Joycelyn; George, June M.
Within recent times, the call for collaboration among stakeholders in education is made with increasing frequency. In current thinking, community building and collaboration are posited as critical elements in school reform. The literature reveals various models for initiating collaboration. There is the model that describes the initiative for collaboration as undertaken by "researchers"/university personnel. A second model describes the perspective in which schools as organizations invite researchers to collaborate on a project. The Reforming Science Education in Context (ReSEC) project is an example of the first model. This paper reports the issues that emerged in forging collaborative relationships among two lower secondary science teachers at a selected New Sector High School in Trinidad and three members of staff from the School of Education, St. Augustine, during the period September 2005 to July 2006. It also presents the benefits and challenges associated with the process of collaboration, which aims to achieve a school-based agenda for education
Collaboration: An alternative approach for mathematics teachers' professional development and student learning [PowerPoint presentation]
(2013-06-24) McLymont, Enid F.
The Jamaican education system is failing to prepare and qualify many of the nation's youth exiting secondary school for higher educational pursuits or for the workforce because of the predominant use of the traditional direct teaching methodology in the classrooms. This study therefore sought to conceptualize, introduce, and examine the development of an alternative approach to the traditional approach for professional development for a selected set of secondary school mathematics teachers, and to explore the generation and accommodation of this approach to the teaching and learning of mathematics. Data were collected from participants through interviews, observations, coaching conferences, students' written reflections, and small group discourses. The results revealed that the trust-building tools of Cognitive Coaching Discourses, which included grouping in the collaborative setting with the assignment of specific roles; and techniques in questioning, including wait-time, paraphrasing and probing, and body language were considered important cornerstones of the professional development experiences and the mathematics learning experiences. The tools employed by teachers and students led to them experiencing a greater sense of efficacy, deeper understanding of principles and concepts, and a sense of caring and teamwork, which generated of a trusting culture for mathematics teaching and learning
Constructivism and the enabling of mathematical thinking
(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2008) Bell-Hutchinson, Camille
The way mathematics is taught in many Caribbean classrooms often hinders the development of mathematical thinking skills and the attainment of mathematical understanding. This paper puts forward the view that the essential task of mathematics teachers is to enable the construction of meaning in order to facilitate their students' mathematical thinking and mathematical understanding. The paper argues the view that mathematics is not something that exists "out there" but, rather, is an activity that is socially constructed and validated. Findings of research conducted in Jamaica in two Grade 8 mathematics classrooms, where two teachers implemented thinking-focused pedagogy grounded in social constructivist ideology, are discussed, in an attempt to demonstrate how they used strategies that were aimed at the construction of meaning through access to mathematical ideas and the attainment of mathematical understanding. The paper argues that the use of such teaching approaches can fundamentally change the face of mathematics education in Caribbean schools
Creating a constructivist learning environment: The challenge of Jamaica's Revised Primary Curriculum
(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2008) Jennings, Zellynne
For two decades, Jamaican primary school children were exposed to a curriculum which, though conceived as integrated in its approach to teaching, in actuality was more discipline-based, accentuated by the use of didactic pedagogical strategies in its delivery. In re-engineering this curriculum, a child-centred, integrated holistic curriculum was adopted at the lower primary level, with a more subject-based approach at the upper levels. A constructivist pedagogical approach was adopted. The changes expected in the learning environment included a change in the role of the teacher, the use of questioning techniques that stimulated higher-order thinking in the children, a more activity-oriented environment in which children were frequently engaged in collaborative learning, and changes in the mode of assessment. The revised curriculum was implemented in schools in 2001. This paper explores the extent to which such changes are evident in the classrooms of Grades 1-3 in selected primary schools. It pinpoints challenges such as resources, contextual factors, and examinations, which some teachers can overcome to ignite a passion for learning in their pupils

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