Evaluating the geography of gendered achievement using large-scale assessment data from the primary school system of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

This study analyzed the spatial distribution of gender differentials in Mathematics and Language Arts on national assessments of educational achievement in the primary school system of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The findings indicate statistically significant medium-sized differences favouring females on Language Arts primarily in the rural regions of east Trinidad and in the island of Tobago and statistically significant, negligible to small differences on Mathematics nationwide. Individual schools reporting medium-sized gender differences were more common in rural, low-performing education districts, where reported poverty was also higher. This pattern of early gendered achievement in language within low-achieving, poor and rural geographic locations points towards the need for placed-based education policies and focused interventions.     

Three-dimensional kinematic analysis of the golf swing using instantaneous screw axis theory,part 1: methodology and verification

A number of recent studies have measured the extent and timing of segment rotation during the golf swing. A promising technique, instantaneous screw axis (ISA) theory, could provide a better expression of segment rotation. In Part 1 of this two-part study, the objectives are to identify the ISA of the pelvis, shoulders and left arm during the downswing, compute segment angular velocity relative to that segment’s ISA and verify that ISA theory is a valid tool to analyse segment rotation during the golf swing. Results indicate that for all subjects, at least 71% of marker velocity is a result of rotation about their respective ISA, when averaging results over the duration of the downswing, confirming that motion is primarily rotational. Furthermore, ISA position and orientation of each segment approaches, on average, the expected gross axis of rotation, confirming that motion about the ISA is representative of joint motion.     

Improving curriculum development practices in a technical vocational community college: examining effects of a professional development arrangement for middle managers

Learning about curriculum development is critical for middle managers of technical vocational institutions in order to assume curriculum leadership in maintaining and enhancing the quality and relevance of their educational programs. This case study reports on the design and effects of a professional development arrangement (PDA), with such a focus, for 13 middle managers of a technical vocational community college in a developing country. The findings indicate that the middle managers appreciated the relevance of the PDA for curriculum development at the community college and gained substantial learning about systematic curriculum development. However, the middle managers' post-PDA curriculum development improvement efforts were minimal and characterised by individual initiatives, due to a lack of senior management support, unfavourable work conditions, and a high rate of middle manager attrition. The conclusion drawn is that for trained middle managers to lead systematic curriculum development practices, contextual and organisational barriers germane to technical vocational education in developing contexts need to be considered.     

Multimodal Versus Unimodal Instruction in a Complex Learning Context

Multimodal instruction with text and pictures was compared with uni-modal, text-only instruction. More specifically, 44 students used a visual or a textual manual to learn a complex software application. During 2 103-116-min training sessions, cognitive load, and time and ability to recover from errors were measured. After training, the authors tested students' learning on trained and untrained tasks. The results for cognitive load, training time, and learning effects initially supported dual coding theory. The results show that even in this complex situation, multimodal instruction led to a better performance than unimodal instruction. That is, the multimodal manual led to a stronger mental model of the computer program, improved identification of window elements and objects, and speeded up the location of window elements and objects.     

A conceptual model for supporting para-teacher learning in an Indian non-governmental organization (NGO)

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are being recognized globally for their influential role in realizing the UN Millennium Development Goal of education for all in developing countries. NGOs mostly employ untrained para-educators for grassroots activities. The professional development of these teachers is critical for NGO effectiveness, yet para-teacher learning in such contexts is rarely researched. To facilitate much-needed research on para-teacher professional development, this article offers a contextually relevant on- the-job learning model for para-teachers. The model suggests that para-educators can effectively learn when their work and learning are integrated by systematizing a simple daily cyclical routine of lesson planning, enactment and reflection for everyday instruction. It also suggests other supports to stimulate learning alongside the cyclical routine.     

Determinants of Academic Success within Classrooms in Trinidad and Tobago: some personal and systemic variables

Within the context of expanding placements for secondary education and the call for improvement of quality within the educational systems of developing and developed countries, this paper considers who and (comparatively) how well students are succeeding in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. The paper notes that there have been a limited number of studies in the Republic which provide information on opportunities for school success at the macro level of the school system. Additionally, there is much conflicting information published which explores factors determining success and failure in developing and developed countries; such factors include personal/biographical and systemic/school focused variables. There is also very little information concerning whether these variables have a similar effect at the micro/classroom level. In relating determinants of classroom level success to the expansion in quantity (and supposedly quality) of the educational system in Trinidad and Tobago, we question whether a greater opportunity for education actually results in a greater probability for all students to succeed. A proportional, stratified, random, clustered sample of 992 secondary school students (5% of the 2nd and 5th form population in half of the educational districts in Trinidad and Tobago) was selected for study. Information obtained for each student included systemic information (school attended, type of school, school size, education district, locality, managing authority, single‐sex or coeducational school, form level and class size) and personal information (sex of student, age, occupation of father and mother, religion and classroom based end‐of‐term test scores in each of the curriculum areas studied — with an average overall score). Analyses of the within‐class test scores showed that a large amount of variance was accounted for by the systemic and personal variables, and the most telling of the variables were the type of school attended and gender of the student. Students in traditional schools obtained higher scores in traditional curriculum areas than other students, and girls consistently gained the highest of the scores. Further analyses showed significant differences with reference to parental occupation, the size and locality of the school and school sexual make‐up. The results show a consistent bias to success of female students, from a middle class home, attending an urban traditional school, in all curriculum areas except social studies. Students attending government managed schools at the 5th form scored higher in social studies than those in traditional schools. The results confirm that the quantitative expansion of the secondary school system in Trinidad and Tobago did not expand in quality educational opportunity for all, except in the new curriculum area of social studies. Interpretations of the results relate to the existing literature on developed and developing countries and the particular situation in Trinidad and Tobago.     

Curriculum leadership in action: A tale of four community college heads of department leading a curriculum development project

College Heads of Department (HoDs) are increasingly expected to perform more curriculum-leadership tasks, maintaining and advancing the department curriculum, especially in developing countries. However, in practice, HoDs are reported to pay little attention to this aspect of their job due to several factors—one of which is a lack of professional support to play this role. This case study investigated how four HoDs of a community college perceived and enacted curriculum leadership during a curriculum-development project after receiving relevant training and assistance. The findings showed that the HoDs valued the relevance and usefulness of the professional support received, which made them realize the significance of their role as curriculum leaders. The findings also indicate that the ways the HoDs enacted the curriculum-leadership tasks and the challenges they encountered varied based on several factors. The conclusion drawn is that the support HoDs need and the challenges they encounter in assuming active curriculum leadership suggest their need for three professional competencies and the need for supportive organizational structures.     

‘Mature regionalism’ and the genesis of ‘functional projects’: ‘educational regionalism’ in small (and micro-states)

This article advances that the movement towards ‘deeper’ Caribbean integration has generated a shift from ‘immature’ regionalism to a ‘mature’ form of regionalism. Thus, mature regionalism, a new governance mechanism, in regulating the institutional and legal framework of Caribbean Single Market and Economy is drastically altering national education governance within the Caribbean Community. In focusing on the functional aspects integration, this article suggests that mature regionalism in education is built upon collaborative governance and encompasses multipartner governance arrangement – with the state, private sector, civil society, and the community as well as hybrid public–private and private–social partnerships and co-management regimes. It concludes that the instrumentalisation of mature regionalism in education is giving way to ‘educational regionalism’ defined by the movement towards structured institutional mechanisms, to facilitate the deepening of Caribbean integration.     

The Learning Effects of a Multidisciplinary Professional Development Programme

Professional development becomes relevant and effective when teachers are actively involved, collaborate, and when it is linked to teachers’ daily school practice (Hunzicker in Prof Dev Educ 37:177–179, 2011). Preparation of teachers for a curriculum implementation such as the new subject Nature, Life, and Technology can be done by a professional development programme where teachers are actively involved (Visser et al. 2010). This study evaluates the designed and implemented professional development programme with respect to its effectiveness in terms of degree of teacher learning and development. Effects are evaluated for five learning areas: Instructional strategies, differences in students’ prior knowledge, adjustments to the module, assessment methods and instruments, and field trips and guest lectures. Eleven teachers from four different schools participated in two professional development programmes, six teachers in the first professional development programme and five teachers in the programme for the subsequent module. Questionnaires and interviews were used to assess the effects in the different learning areas. The findings show that the professional development programme is a useful venture for teachers’ professional growth in different learning areas.