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Item Academic achievement, pupil participation, and integration of group work skills in secondary school classrooms in the Caribbean(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2006) Kutnick, Peter; Layne, Anthony; Jules, Vena; Layne, Bereneice ClarissaThis study sought to implement and evaluate a group work pedagogic method intended to encourage classroom participation and learning. It was especially concerned with teachers initiating and implementing within-class activities to enhance the performance of the lowest attaining students among both sexes. The 12 teachers identified to participate in the study were selected from those undertaking the inservice training in the postgraduate Diploma in Education (Dip.Ed.) programme at the Cave Hill, Barbados and St. Augustine, Trinidad campuses of The University of the West Indies (UWI). Data were collected from nearly 300 students in January and July of the 2003-2004 academic year. It was found that: 1) virtually all students improved their academic performance through the two terms of group work in their classrooms. This was especially evident among the lowest achieving students (particularly boys); 2) students showed generally improving attitudes towards working in groups and achievement in school over the two terms (especially among low achievers); and 3) teachers' attitudes and understanding of a "good pupil" changed over the course of study--moving away from simple individual skills (good knowledge, good concentration, etc.) to the recognition of the importance of social inclusion and relational skillsItem Lower secondary science teaching and learning: An inventory of science apparatus and materials(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2003-12) Rampersad, Joycelyn; Herbert, Susan M.This is a survey of the apparatus and materials to support lower secondary science in 54 of the 115 schools that existed at the time the research was undertaken. The sample reflects approximately equal percentages of the various school types. The study sought to obtain an overall picture of the availability and adequacy of resources to support practical work, and to obtain some information about the challenges or problems faced by lower secondary science teachers in their attempts to use or access resources for practical workItem Lower secondary science teaching and learning: A glimpse into the science classroom(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2003-12) Herbert, Susan M.; Rampersad, Joycelyn; Akinmade, Christopher; Maharaj-Sharma, RawateeThis is an exploratory study of a sample of 31 lower secondary science classrooms, representing the range of school types within the educational system in Trinidad and Tobago. It sought to answer the following questions: 1) What are teachers' intentions when they plan and implement science lessons? 2) Do teachers encounter any problems as they enact the curriculum? and 3) What strategies are being used to implement the lower secondary science curriculum? Specifically, the study sought to investigate the processes and activities that teachers engage in as they plan for and implement the lower secondary science curriculum, in order to document what was happening and to offer suggestions for improving practice in lower secondary science educationItem Lower secondary science teaching and learning: Teachers' characteristics and perspectives(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2003-12) George, June M.This study sought to gain a fuller understanding of the characteristics of the teachers engaged in teaching science at the lower secondary level in schools in Trinidad and Tobago, as well as some of the perspectives of these teachers with respect to the teaching of lower secondary science. It also sought to determine what gains, if any, had been made in the eight-year period since a study with somewhat similar aims had been undertaken, with respect to the quality of the provision for the teaching and learning of science at this levelItem Primary teacher trainees in Trinidad and Tobago: Characteristics, images, experiences, and expectations(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2001) George, June M.; Mohammed, Jeniffer; Quamina-Aiyejina, Lynda; Fournillier, Janice B.; Otway-Charles, SusanThis monograph reports on a study that was undertaken to provide some insights into the characteristics, images, experiences, and expectations of student teachers in Trinidad and Tobago, so that educators can provide programmes that take cognizance of these qualities in the attempt to adequately prepare these trainees for their work in primary school classrooms. Three different techniques were employed to collect data: 1) examination of the personal files of trainees to determine their entry characteristics; 2) administration of a questionnaire to obtain survey data; and 3) small-group work with 16 volunteers utilizing autobiographies, focus group interviews, and one-on-one interviews. It was found that, on the whole, trainees have an image of the good teacher as caring and nurturing, as technically proficient in the classroom, and as performing in difficult contexts where intrinsic rewards can enhance their self-image, but where poor working conditions and the low status accorded the profession may militate against a feeling of satisfaction on the job. The trainees not only had images of the teacher as expert, but they also expected to become experts as a result of their teachers' college experiences. Their experience, though, was that the route to becoming an expert at the teachers' colleges was not as facilitating as they had expected. Their expectations of how lecturers should treat them were sometimes not metItem Becoming a primary school teacher in Trinidad and Tobago: Part 2: Teaching practice experience of trainees(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2001) George, June M.; Worrell, Patricia; Rampersad, Joycelyn; Rampaul, Balchan DeodatThis monograph reports on a study that sought to gain insights into the process of learning to teach by obtaining information on the teaching practice process, observing teaching practice sessions, and documenting and analysing the views of the major stakeholders involved in this process, namely, the trainees, the teachers' college lecturers who supervise the teaching practice, and principals and cooperating teachers in the primary schools to which trainees are attached for fieldwork. The study focused on the preparation of trainees at the two government teachers colleges--Valsayn Teachers' College and Corinth Teachers' College--in Trinidad and Tobago. Data were collected through document analysis; observation of trainees as they taught classes in the schools; observation of post-teaching conferences between trainees and supervisors; and in-depth, semi-structured interviews with trainees, supervisors, cooperating teachers, and principals of cooperating schools. It was found that there were differences in provisions for teaching practice as well as in the structure of the programme between the colleges. The provisions for practice also varied significantly among the cooperating schools, and determined the type of opportunities offered to trainees for applying the strategies taught. Teacher educators generally viewed the provisions for teaching practice as less than ideal. Trainees were generally of the view that they were overburdened with work in preparing units and lessons for teaching practice sessions. Most trainees were conscientious about making use of what they had learnt at college during the teaching practiceItem Becoming a primary school teacher in Trinidad and Tobago: Part 1: The curriculum in the teachers' college(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2001) George, June M.; Worrell, Patricia; Rampersad, Joycelyn; Rampaul, Balchan Deodat; Mohammed, JenifferThis monograph reports on a study that sought to assess the philosophical orientation and content of specific aspects of the documented teachers' college curriculum in Trinidad and Tobago. The study also sought to describe how the lecturers at the two colleges articulate their understandings of what the documented curriculum demands, and how they try to implement it, that is, the espoused curriculum. In addition, the curriculum as enacted within the teachers' colleges was explored through an examination of teaching/learning episodes in specific subject areas in the college. Data on the documented curriculum were gathered through content analysis of the curriculum document. Ideas about the espoused curriculum were obtained through in-depth interviews with 14 lecturers from the two colleges. It was found that there is no stated philosophy underpinning the teachers' college curriculum in Trinidad and Tobago. The curriculum is differentiated into academic studies and teaching practice. There was a reasonable level of congruence between the documented curriculum and the curriculum as espoused by the lecturers. However, there were some areas of unease for the lecturers. The stated intentions of the lecturers did articulate, to a large extent, with the enacted curriculumItem On-the-job training: Pre-service teacher training in Trinidad and Tobago(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2001) George, June M.; Fournillier, Janice B.; Brown, Marie-LouiseThis monograph reports on a study that investigated the On-the-Job (OJT) Pre-Service Teacher Training Programme in Trinidad and Tobago in order to understand its origin, goals, programme design, curriculum, and organization. Data were gathered from in-depth interviews with personnel from the Ministry of Education, eight trainees, and three graduates of the programme; documentary analysis; and limited field observations. Although all indications are that the OJT Programme is making an impact on the preparedness of young, untrained teachers for the classroom, there are structural problems that have plagued the programme. These include: 1) the insufficiency of funds needed to implement the programme, 2) the lack of necessary staff, and 3) the lack of coordination among the various components of the programme and also with the teachers' colleges that receive OJT graduatesItem Newly qualified teachers in Trinidad and Tobago: Impact on/interaction with the system(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2001) Morris, Jeanette; Joseph, ArthurThis monograph reports on a study that investigated the following: 1) experienced teachers' perceptions of the value of the present teachers' college programme, 2) how newly trained teachers are socialized into the school working culture, and 3) what happens to the knowledge and skills acquired at teachers' college. Interviews were conducted with eight newly qualified teachers (six females and two males) from five schools, and three principals. Classroom observation was also carried out with seven teachers. It was found that, on the whole, experienced teachers view their newly qualified counterparts as having positive attitudes to their work and displaying caring relationships with their students. However, they point out that where teaching methods are concerned, newly qualified teachers display some shortcomings. The experienced teachers admitted that there is little time and virtually no structured programme for inducting these teachers into the ways of life of the schools. In general, newly qualified teachers felt that the teachers' college programme did not prepare them adequately for work in the school setting. Despite this perception, the evidence, both from the interviews and the classroom observations, seemed to indicate that through professional training received by the newly qualified teachers, overwhelming benefits flowed to the schoolsItem 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, SamuelThis 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 issuesItem Reading-challenged fourth formers' perspectives on schooling(School of Education, UWI, St. Augustine, 2009) Farrell, PermillaThis study sought to reveal the perspectives on schooling of two fourth-form students who read below their chronological age and who were enrolled in a senior comprehensive school on the "East-West Corridor" in Trinidad and Tobago. It attempts to identify the strategies employed by these students to cope with the curriculum, their affective responses to schooling, and the extent to which they perceived their special educational needs to be catered for in the then existing senior comprehensive school system. The data revealed that the participants experienced some negative affective responses to schooling. Aware of their relative incompetence as readers and their self-perceived disadvantage relative to their peers, they felt anger and embarrassment and sought to avoid reading tasks. However, the two participants also displayed some positive affect towards schooling. While not being highly efficacious students, they displayed some of the behaviours consonant with efficacious students