Factors that Influence Academic Performance of Students in the Caribbean: An Empirical Study [Brief]

S. Joel Warrican; Melissa Alleyne; Patriann Smith

Over the years, education in the Caribbean region has been and continues to be a topic that has been much discussed and debated. Among the many bones of contention are practices that have been in place from the times when the countries of the region were colonies of one or the other European nation. Issues such as curriculum content and methods, practices relating to transferring from primary to secondary education, hierarchical arrangement of schools, and teacher recruitment activities have been dissected in the media, in parliamentary debates and other fora across the region. Based on these discussions and debates, policies are often formulated and implemented. Important decisions about the way forward in education often appear to be made based on hunches, adherence to the status quo, and personal philosophies and anecdotes. Buzz words, agendas of external agencies, and musings of experts who often have no research evidence to support their views are currently also influential in informing how educational policies are created and implemented. However, in more recent times, there have been calls for evidence-based policy making and practices. It is recognised that, with the ever-shrinking financial resources, decisions made relating to education, which are still highly prized in the region, must be based on empirical evidence, rigorously gathered and analysed. To this end, the current study is part of the new normal: seeking evidence to inform practice. This study therefore should add to the knowledge of the conditions that facilitate or impede students’ academic progress in the region. It seeks to achieve the following objectives: 1. To determine the relationship/impact of certain characteristics on student academic performance at the primary and secondary school levels in the region 2. To determine characteristics that best predict student academic performance at the primary and secondary school levels in the region 3. To determine the characteristics of schools (primary and secondary) at which students consistently produce high or low performances 4. To determine the association between student performance and students’ engagement on extra- or co-curricular activities 5. To develop/propose a model for education in the region that takes into consideration the factors that facilitate high academic performance in the region This report presents a summary of some preliminary findings based on data already collected. The summary consists primarily of descriptive statistics, but in future reports, more sophisticated analyses (e.g. comparisons by various characteristics, correlational and predictive analyses) will be employed to interrogate the data collected.

Factors that Influence Academic Performance of Students in the Caribbean: An Empirical Study REPORT ON PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF DATA S. Joel Warrican Coreen J. Leacock Benita Thompson Melissa Alleyne Patriann Smith Andrea Burnett Karen Thomas Desire Collins 02 September 2020 This research is planned and executed by a team. Team members are: - Professor S. Joel Warrican, Director, School of Education, UWI Cave Hill Dr. Coreen J. Leacock, Senior Lecturer, School of Education, UWI Cave Hill Dr. Benita Thompson, Senior Research Officer, UWI Open Campus Ms Melissa Alleyne, Planning Officer, UWI Open Campus Dr. Patriann Smith, Assistant Professor, College of Education, University of South Florida Mrs Andrea Burnett, Programme Coordinator, UWI Open Campus Dr. Karen Thomas, Deputy Director, SVG Community College Ms. Desire Collins, Head of Teacher Education TA Marryshow Community College TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1 Theoretical Framework…………………………………………………………………………………………..... 2 Research Design…………………………………………………………………………………………… 3 Data Collection……………………………………………………………………………………………... 7 Methodology…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..... 3 Participants………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4 Data Analysis……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8 Some Preliminary Findings………………………………………………………………………………………. 10 Profile of Teachers in the Primary School Sample………………………………………….. 10 School Leadership………………………………………………………………………………………... 16 Secondary Schools…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 22 Classroom Practices……………………………………………………………………………………... 24 Views on School and Other Education-Related Issues…………………………………….. 29 School Facilities……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 37 Primary Schools………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 10 Classroom Practices……………………………………………………………………………………... 13 Views on School and Other Education-Related Issues…………………………………….. 18 Profile of Teachers in the Primary School Sample………………………………………….. 22 School Leadership………………………………………………………………………………………... 27 Perception of Schools: Voices of Students…………………………………………………………………. 33 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 38 INTRODUCTION Over the years, education in the region has been and continues to be a topic that has been much discussed and debated. Among the many bones of contention are practices that have been in place from the times when the countries of the region were colonies of one or the other European nation. Issues such as curriculum content and methods, practices relating to transferring from primary to secondary education, hierarchical arrangement of schools, and teacher recruitment activities have been dissected in the media, in Parliamentary debates and other fora across the region. Based on these discussions and debates, policies are often formulated and implemented. Important decisions about the way forward in education often appear to be made based on hunches, adherence to the status quo, and personal philosophies and anecdotes. Buzz words, agendas of external agencies, and musings of experts who often have no research evidence to support their views are currently also influential in informing how educational policies are created and implemented. However, in more recent times, there have been calls for evidence-based policy making and practices. It is recognised that, with the ever-shrinking financial resources, decisions made relating to education, which is still highly prized in the region, must be based on empirical evidence, rigorously gathered and analysed. To this end, the current study is part of the new normal: seeking evidence to inform practice. This study therefore should add to the knowledge of the conditions that facilitate or impede students’ academic progress in the region. It seeks to achieve the following objectives: 1. To determine the relationship/impact of certain characteristics on student academic performance at the primary and secondary school levels in the region 2. To determine characteristics that best predict student academic performance at the primary and secondary school levels in the region 3. To determine the characteristics of schools (primary and secondary) at which students consistently produce high or low performances 4. To determine the association between student performance and students’ engagement on extra- or co-curricular activities 5. To develop/propose a model for education in the region that takes into consideration the factors that facilitate high academic performance in the region This report presents a summary of some preliminary findings based on data already collected. The summary consists primarily of descriptive statistics, but in future reports, more sophisticated analyses (e.g. comparisons by various characteristics, correlational and predictive analyses) will be employed to interrogate the data collected. Page | 1 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Whether approached from a psychological, sociological or economic perspective, it has long been recognised that there are many factors that influence how children perform and achieve in academics in their school lives. In larger countries with greater resources for investigating these phenomena, there are large bodies of research data that are subjected to various kinds of analyses to investigate the impact of a wide range of factors on students’ academic achievement. However, in the Caribbean, it is often not always clear which factors are most influential, how they interact to produce the outcomes that we see, and what are the best ways of maximising the positive influences while at the same time, minimising the impact of negative factors. This often means that policy and planning in education in the region are based at best on incomplete information. This situation may contribute to ineffective use of resources and funds, which can have devastating effects on small countries such as those in the Caribbean where financial and other resources are limited. It is therefore important to seek to determine factors that have an impact on academic achievement in the region, bearing in mind that solutions coming from other countries may not be applicable in this context. To date, achievement indicators from the region reflect marked improvment in certain areas of curriculum accompanied by stagnation and a decline in others. For instance, statistics from 2009 indicated that 21% of the candidates administered the Caribbean Secondary Education Certification (CSEC) examinations achieved passing grades in five or more subjects with 52% of these students failing to pass any subject or received passing grades in just one subject area (Jules, 2010). A decade later, statistics from 2019 reflect that from a total of 2,515 candidates registered to write CXC (CSEC) examinations in May/June 2019, 1,530 of which were female and 985 of which were males, the CSEC pass rate in 2019 was 74.54%, reflecting an improvement of 5.04% in comparison to the pass rate of 70.50% in 2018 and the pass rate was 67.36% in 2017 (Press Release, 2019). In subjects such as Music, Theatre Arts , Physical Education and Sport, Technical Drawing, Food, Nutrition and Health, Industrial Technology Electrcal, Principles of Business, Information Technology, Industrial Technology Building, Agricultural Science, and Electronic Documentation Preparation and Management, the Caribbean region saw its highest number of passes. However, in subjects such as Mathematics (38.59%), French (45.21%), Spanish (52.47%) and Additional Mathematics (54.54%), the percentage pass remained low and relatively stangnant, such that there was a 38.57% pass rate in 2018 and 38.59% in 2019. Interestingly, the region saw a signfiicantly increased performance in English A from a 66.98% pass rate in 2018 to a 78.28% pass rate in 2019. In countries such as the United States where a perceived 'achievement gap' largely signals distinction in performance between White youth and students of color, opportunity gaps have been identified as crucial to explaining achievement for students from diverse backgrounds. Richard Milner (2012), in presenting the opportunity gap explanatory framework as an analytical tool for describing gaps experienced in opportunity within highly diverse and ubran social contexts in the United States, highlighted a key tenet: the myth of meritocracy. The myth of meritoracy, together with other constructs of the framework (i.e., color blindness, cultural conflicts, low expectations and deficit mindsets, context-neutral mundsets), provides a basis for "explain[ing] both positive and negative aspects and realities of people, places, and policies in educational practice" and also, Page | 2 functions a premise for researchers to "explain and systematically name what they observe and come to know inductively" (Milner, 2012, p. 699). While the educational context in the Caribbean is considered to be markedly different from that of contexts such as the U.S. in many regards, the myth of meritocracy is a construct that presents a relevant heuristic for considering the ways in which oppoortunities may be obstructed for students in the Caribbean context. Specifically, the myth of meritocracy suggests that when explaining educational outcomes, educators may be apt to embrace the idea that "their own, their parents, and their students’ success and status have all been earned" such that any failure on the part of an individual in relation to educational outcomes "is solely a result of making bad choices and decisions" (Milner, 2012, p. 704). In doing so and while identifying achievement gaps, educators may misunderstand how factors such as socioconomics interact with education even while they "appear to be more at ease, confident, and comfortable reflecting about, reading, and discussing how socioeconomics, particularly, resources related to wealth and poverty, influence educational disparities, inequities, outcomes, and opportunities" (Milner, 2012, p. 704). Individuals operating under the myth of meritoracy, for instance, might forget that they may have succeeded because of economic privilege, whether earned or unearned, and may presuppose that all individuals are presented with educational practices and opportunities that privide equal or equitable chances for success. Such a myth can function as a mechanism to explain how opportunities through teacher quality, teacher training, currciulum, the digital divide, wealth and income, health care, nutrition, and quality childcare all interact to affect achievement (Irvine, 2010). In our examination of academic achievement through the current initiative, we acknowledge the ways in which the myth of meritocracy can potentially function in Caribbean contexts to obscure and overlook opportunities that affect the achievement outcomes of youth. As Smith (2020) has recently shown, Eurocentric mechanisms operate in the Caribbean educational context, implicitly undergirding about literacy and how it functions in student performance. Our explorations, therefore, consider opportunities in the form of factors such as school resources, technology, teacher quality, and curriculum to better identify and explore underlying patterns in achievement visible in the Caribbean contexts. In doing so, we hope to ultimately develop frameworks that explain achievement and opportunity which are steeped in the Caribbean educational experience and unique to the Caribbean region. Page | 3 METHODOLOGY In this section, a synopsis of the research methods used is presented. Research Designs In order to investigate the factors that influence academic achievement in the Eastern Caribbean and Barbados, a multi-method design was adopted. This approach was selected to ensure that different types of data, quantitative and qualitative, are obtained. Several small studies were planned to be executed over time. Since the idea is to collected data from as many of the countries in the region as possible, it was felt that this would be the best design over time. Hence, a series of separate but related studies were planned. These include survey studies, observation studies, interview studies and correlational/predictive studies. Survey Studies Survey studies are very useful for investigating beliefs, attitudes, practices and characteristics found among an identified population. They allow for the collection of large quantities of data from a relatively large sample over a short period. With the use of well-crafted questionnaires, delivered by hand, by mail, or via an electronic facility, large quantities of standardised data can be obtained. Another strength of survey designs is that when an electronic distribution facility is used, the data can be downloaded in a database that eliminates the need for manual data entry, which can be time consuming and subject to human error. In addition, data obtained from survey studies are often easier to compile and analyse. While not necessarily the case, surveys tend to yield quantitative data that can be used for measuring constructs. The survey study was conducted among students, teachers and principals selected from primary and secondary schools in the countries involved in the study. Observation Studies Observation studies are used when researchers want a first-hand view of practices and behaviours. They allow researchers to note practices and behaviours in real time, that is, as they occur, rather than having to rely on reports. For this study, it is important to get a good sense of interaction between students and students; between teachers and students; and between teachers and school administrators. Therefore, observations studies were chosen as a means of collecting data, both quantitative and qualitative data. These data will be used in conjunction with the data collected from the other types of studies to obtain a clearer picture of the factors that are at play and that may be influencing the academic achievement of students on Caribbean schools. For this study, a sample of classrooms, both primary and secondary, will be observed in the countries involved in the research. Interview Studies Interview studies are useful when multiple perspectives and in-depth information are needed. With these types of studies, researchers can seek explanations of people’s perspectives, delve into not only the “what”, but also the “why”. Interview studies allow for individuals from different groups or Page | 4 categories to explain findings from survey and observation studies. The researcher can use probes and prompts to ask interviewees. For this study, interview studies were chosen so that researchers can do in-depth follow-up with students, teachers, parents, administrators, and other education stakeholders. Interviews will be conducted with individuals or in focus groups and will provide opportunities for the researchers, for example, to seek clarity where necessary; to dig deeper to understand phenomena; and obtain specific details from the perspectives of the different groups of participants on issues relevant to the investigation. Correlational/Predictive Studies Correlational/predictive studies are used to investigate relationship between variables that are measurable. These relationships can then be analysed to predict outcomes. Predictive studies can help education stakeholders determine which factors have the greatest impact on outcomes such as student achievement, so that limited resources can be assigned to areas that would ensure maximum returns on investments. Such studies also help education authorities to identify crucial areas of need to foster academic success among students with different characteristics. This design is particularly valuable for the current study, where one of the goals is to identify factors that are correlated with academic achievement, and hence can be used to predict this outcome. Participants Literature and previously conducted research suggest that broadly, the factors that influence academic achievement can be placed in categories such as school factors, personal characteristics of students, and home/community factors. To obtain data relating to as many of these categories as possible, a range of sources of data should be consulted. In this section, the sources of data (human and otherwise) for the research are presented. Countries All the English-speaking countries in the Caribbean were eligible for the research. However, owing to limited available personnel, it was decided that only a sample of countries would be included. A list of criteria for inclusion was created to ensure that the diversity in the region was represented. These criteria included: • • • • • Countries in the Eastern Caribbean [EC] (geographical Windwards/Leewards; political – OECS/Non-OECS) Single islands / Multi-island nation British dependencies Diversity (ethnic/language) Countries with Universal Secondary Education [USE] (recent/long standing) Based on these criteria, a sample of countries was selected. This original sample included Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago. How these countries met the criteria, thus capturing the diverse characteristics of the region, is shown in the table below. Page | 5 Country Antigua & Barbuda Barbados Belize British Virgin Islands Dominica St Kitts/Nevis St. Vincent & the Grenadines Trinidad & Tobago Context – Leeward Islands – Recent USE – Multi-Island nation – EC, but outside OECS – Long standing USE – Ethnic/language situation – British dependency – National Secondary school exit examinations – New policy on writing CSEC exams – Multi-Island nation – Windward Is – Language (French Creole) – USE before other countries in the region – Multi-Island nation – Windward Islands – Multi-Island nation – Ethnic – Multi-Island nation This sample was deemed adequate as most of the countries selected exemplified more than one of the characteristics required. But this sample had to be adjusted, reduced to only five countries, because there was not sufficient funding to cover data collection in all eight of them. Efforts were made however, to maintain as much as possible, the diversity. In addition, at the time of data collection, Dominica had just been affected by Hurricane Maria and it was not possible to collect data in that country. Consequently, Grenada was included as a replacement for Dominica. Thus, the sample of countries included in this first data collection phase consists of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. This sample was manageable in terms of available manpower and funding. It was decided that in each country, data would be collected at the school level (students, teachers, principals, and if possible, parents), and from other stakeholder groups (e.g. Ministries of Education (MOEs), teacher education institutions). Schools In each country in the sample, there are many schools and for research supported by limited resources, it is not possible to include them all. Consequently, a plan for selecting a sample of schools was devised. A general sampling guide (presented below) was created to inform the selection of schools in each country. In addition, since it is often challenging to gain access to private schools, a decision was taken to restrict the schools selected to public schools or schools that are government-assisted. Page | 6 General Sampling Guide PRIMARY 1. From each district, select 4 schools SECONDARY 1. Two schools from each district 2. If schools are small, may select more 2. 3. Sample should include single-sex schools (at least one girls’ and one boys’), where possible Sample should include former grammar school(s) 3. Sample should include single-sex schools (one girls’ and one boys’), where possible 4. Where there is great diversity (e.g. language, ethnicity), efforts will be made to ensure that different groups are represented in the sample. 5. Only students in the grade level prior to the level at which primary exit examinations are normally written will be included. 6. This guide is provisional and can be adjusted when information on the number of students in each school is obtained. 4. Only students in the second and fourth form levels will be included. 5. Where there is great diversity (e.g. language, ethnicity), efforts will be made to ensure that different groups are represented in the sample. 6. This guide is provisional and can be adjusted when information on the number of students in each school is obtained. To select the schools, information was sought from the Ministries of Education in each country. A list of schools by region was acquired. Then schools were randomly selected, and the selection sent back to the MOEs for feedback. For example, most countries sent the names of all schools, including private schools. If there were any private schools in the sample, these were identified by the MOEs and these were replaced in the sample. In addition, information about the number of students in the required grades and teachers at the schools selected was also obtained so that adequate numbers of questionnaires could be provided. The number of schools from each country included in the sample is shown below. COUNTRY Antigua and Barbuda Barbados Grenada St. Kitts and Nevis St. Vincent and the Grenadines TOTAL No. of Prim Schools 16 12 14 10 22 74 No. of Sec Schools 5 6 11 5 12 39 Case studies: Schools To obtain insights into school factors that may facilitate or impede student successful achievement, a decision was taken to select FOUR (4) schools (two at the primary level and two at the secondary level) for in-depth study. At each level, one with a history of high student achievement and one that is less successful, will be selected. Features such as school leadership, teacher quality, curriculum, school environment, classroom instructional practices, parental involvement, extra- and coPage | 7 curricular activities, and available resources will be taken into consideration. This aspect of the research will be executed in a later phase, when more is known about the schools in the sample. Other Sources of Data Apart from human sources of data, other sources will be included. For example, results for primary school exit assessments and for Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations will be sought from MOEs. These will inform the predictive studies that will be executed in a later phase of the research. Data Collection As mentioned earlier, the research is being conducted in several different types of studies: survey studies, observation studies, interview studies and correlational/predictive studies. Each different type of study relies of different data collection approaches. Below is a synopsis of the various data collection methods involved, linking them to the various research designs. Surveying Surveying generally involved the distribution of a data collection tool, usually a questionnaire, to participants. For the current research, surveying was used in the first data collection phase to collect data from students, teachers and principals in the sample of schools. Using surveying, data were collected from: • students to gauge characteristics such as attitudes (e.g. to school, to learning, to teachers); motivation to learn; and academic history; • teachers to gauge characteristics such as professional and academic background; attitudes to teaching and learning; classroom practices; • principals to gauge their leadership style; qualifications; perceptions of teachers; to learn about school characteristics (e.g. school and class size; school environment, curriculum); school policies. The surveying was done by traditional (face-to-face) means and using the online facility, SurveyMonkey. For the students, all questionnaires were administered face-to-face in their classrooms by trained researchers. It was felt that this was the best way to maximise the quality of data obtained. For example, some of the items on the questionnaire asked for the students’ opinions on school features, including the quality of teaching. During the administration of the instruments in the first schools, it was noticed that some students were uncomfortable completing the questionnaire in the presence of their teachers, especially since some of the teachers walked around the classroom attempting to help the students who had challenges with reading. Based on this, the decision was taken to have the tools administered without the presence of teacher. Wherever possible, especially in the primary schools, two researchers visited each classroom, and one of them assisted students with reading difficulties. Where there was only on researcher in the Page | 8 class, if necessary, the researcher read the items aloud to the entire class to assist weak readers. The questionnaires were administered and collected in the same day. The questionnaire for the teachers and principals were administered in paper format where possible. In many cases, the questionnaires had to be left at the schools and collected at an arranged time since teachers were usually busy. In other cases, email addresses were obtained for the teachers and the questionnaire was administered via SurveyMonkey. Ideally, it would be cost effective and efficient to administer the student questionnaire online. If possible, a link could be set up and students could go to the school’s computer labs to respond to the items. If this is not possible, paper versions will be used. Interviewing: Interviews (individual and group) will be conducted: • with teachers for in depth look at issues related to teaching and learning • with students to learn more about their school experiences and their interpretation of these experiences • with MOE officials for information on policies relating to assessment, teacher recruitment and retention, professional development Use of existing data from standardised tests: For the schools in the sample, data from past exit and other available assessments at the primary level, and Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC) and Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) at the secondary level. School Observation: In cases where it is deemed appropriate, school observation will be carried out. For example, for schools reputed to obtain excellent results (academic and otherwise) among their students, school observation (e.g. of facilities; of practices; of relationships) may be carried out to determine factors that contribute to their success to establish best practices. Data Analysis Both quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques will be applied. Quantitative: Numerical data will be summarised using descriptive statistics; Inferential statistics will be used to make comparisons of performance across groups of students (e.g. by sex; by SES; by exposure to ECE), and across schools (e.g. by school size – Small/Medium/Large; by school type – public/private, studentfriendly/other) Predictive analysis will be run to determine predictors of performance at the student level (e.g. sex, SES, exposure to ECE, attitudes, motivation) and at the school level (e.g. intake, school size, school type, teacher quality). Page | 9 Academic performance at the primary student level will be measured by performance on the primary school exit assessments, whereas at the secondary level, it will be measured by the number of subject written and passed at the CSEC level. Qualitative: Data from interviews with students and school personnel (principals/teachers) will be explored for common themes in an effort to identify factors that facilitate or impede academic performance. Data from interviews with MOE personnel will be analysed to identify policies and other factors at the macro level that may have an impact on the operations of and consequently, the academic performances in schools. Page | 10 SOME PRELIMINARY FINDINGS In this section, some preliminary findings mined from the quantitative data collected will be presented. The statistics presented are descriptive in nature and serve to summarise data collected from the principals, teachers and students who participated in this phase of the research. PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS Data were collected from 257 primary school teachers across the five countries involved in the research. The breakdown by country is shown below. Distribution of the Sample of Primary School Teachers over the Countries involved in the Survey Country Antigua & Barbuda N 32 % 12 Barbados 73 28 Grenada 89 35 8 3 55 21 257 100 St. Kitts & Nevis St. Vincent & the Grenadines Total Profile of Teachers in the Primary Schools Sample The data were compiled and analysed using descriptive statistics to create a profile of the teachers in the primary school sample. Sex of the Teachers Distribution of the Sample by SEX Sex of Teachers N Female 204 79.4 Male 41 16.0 No Response 12 4.7 257 100.0 TOTAL % In relation to sex of the teachers, the sample reflected the trend in primary schools in the region, where the proportion of female teachers is much greater than that for males (5:1). Page | 11 Years of Teaching Experience Of the sample, 241 (94%) of the teachers reported the number of years that they were in the teaching service. Descriptives for No. of Years in Teaching for the Primary School Teachers N Min Max No. of Years in Teaching Profession 241 0 41 Mean 14 SD 11 Though some of the teachers who responded indicated that they were in the service for over 40 years, the mean number of years for the sample was just under 15 years. In fact, 65 percent of the teachers reported being in the service for 15 or fewer years. Years at the Current School Two hundred and thirty-eight (93%) of the teachers responded to the item asking the number of years they were teaching at their current school. Descriptives for No. of Years in Teaching at their Current for the Primary School Teachers No. of Years at CURRENT School N 238 Min 0 Max 40 Mean 9.56 SD 9.350 Three percent of the respondents reported being at their current school for over 30 years and 69 percent reported 10 or fewer years. The mean number of years reported reflects the time reported by most of the sample. Qualification Held The teachers were asked to indicate the qualifications that they held at the time of data collection. They could select all the qualifications held. Number and Percentage of Primary School Teachers who Reported Holding Various Qualifications Qualification (N=257) n % Associate degree 113 44 Bachelor’s degree 88 34 Master’s degree 16 6 Doctorate (EdD) 0 0 Doctorate (PhD) 0 0 66 26 Other Qual (e.g. CSEC) Less than half of the teachers reported having an associate degree and about one-third, a bachelor’s degree. Thirteen (5%) of the teachers reported having CSEC or CAPE as their only qualifications. Page | 12 Education-Related Qualifications Not only were the teachers asked to indicate the qualification they held, they were also asked to indicate the area of the qualification. These areas were categorised as being education-related and not. Education-related include areas such as primary education, primary education core areas English, Mathematics, Science and Social Sciences. The percentages of respondents holding their qualification in an education-related area are shown below. Proportion of Primary School Teachers with Qualifications in Education-Relates Areas. Qualification Qual Education-Related n % Associate degree (N=113) 59 52 Bachelor’s degree (N=88) 27 31 10 63 Doctorate (EdD) 0 0 Doctorate (PhD) 0 0 44 67 Master’s degree (N=16) Other Qual (N=66) Teachers whose qualifications were in non-education-related areas held their degrees in areas such as accounting, architectural design and engineering, building technology, business and business administration, computer science, economics, fashion design, human resource management, international management, mass communication, and political science. Professional Status The teachers indicated their status as to whether they were trained or held at least a first degree. Proportion of Primary School Teachers in Various Professional Status Categories Professional Status N % Trained Graduate 85 33.0 Trained Non-Graduate 85 33.0 9 4.0 Untrained Non-Graduate 45 18.0 Other Professional Status 10 4.0 Untrained Graduate No Response Total 23 9.0 257 100.00 Two-thirds of the primary school teachers were trained; just over one-third of them held at least a first degree. As seen earlier, most of those holding degrees held them in areas that were not related to education or what they would be expected to teach at the primary level. Page | 13 Areas Taught by the Teachers The teachers were asked to indicate the subject areas that they normally taught at their particular grade level. Subject Areas Teachers Normally Teach (N=257) Subject Areas n % Language Arts 200 77.8 Mathematics 191 74.3 Science 172 66.9 Social Studies 180 70.0 Other Subjects 66 25.7 Other subject that teachers reported teaching include Agricultural Science, Art and Craft, Bible Knowledge, Computer, Dancing, General Knowledge, Health and Family Life, Information Technology, Library Skills, Mental Ability, Music, Physical Education, Religious Knowledge and Spanish. Summary The profile of the teachers in the primary school sample seems to reflect what is seen across the region: largely female, more trained teachers than graduates, graduates with degrees in areas that are not education-related, and few teachers with postgraduate degrees. Generally teachers in primary schools teach the four core subject areas, but may also be asked to teach other areas that are included in the curriculum for primary grades. Classroom Practices One section of the questionnaire that was administered addressed teachers’ classroom practices. With the focus on integrating technology into classroom practice, the teachers were asked about their practices relating to the use of technology. In addition, since student-sensitive practices that promote student engagement and that reflect the principles of democracy are currently being promoted in education, the teachers were also asked about their students’ engagement in certain practices related to these ideals. Frequency of Using Technology for Various Purposes The questionnaire contained a list of activities for which technology may be used in teaching and learning. The teachers were asked to reflect on their practices over the past academic year and indicate the frequency with which they used technology for those purposes. The percentages of the teachers in the sample reporting frequency of use of technology for each activity is presented below. Page | 14 Percentages of Teachers Reporting Frequency of Using Technology for Various Purposes (N = 257) Frequency of Use in the Academic year (%) Purpose - Get information from the Internet for use in lessons - Formulate tests for students Often Sometimes Seldom (8+ times) (3-7 times) (1-2 times) Never No Response TOTAL 66.9 17.1 1.2 0.8 14.0 100.0 47.5 21.4 12.1 5.8 13.2 100.0 - Create instructional materials 44.0 28.8 8.9 3.5 14.8 100.0 - Record student grades 42.8 16.7 10.9 13.6 16.0 100.0 - Produce handouts for students 39.7 27.2 9.7 9.3 14.0 100.0 - Prepare homework assignments 36.2 23.0 13.2 13.2 14.4 100.0 - Use videos or DVDs to teach concepts - Share material, ideas and/or information with other teachers - Use skill games to reinforce concepts taught 29.2 29.6 17.1 10.5 13.6 100.0 27.6 29.6 21.8 7.8 13.2 100.0 24.5 32.3 19.5 9.7 14.0 100.0 - Access lesson plans from the Internet 23.3 20.6 19.5 22.2 14.4 100.0 - Use LCD projectors to present lessons - Design multimedia presentations (e.g. Power Point) - Have the students use the Internet for researching subject content - Use software to teach concepts 19.8 18.7 19.1 28.0 14.4 100.0 15.6 25.7 21.0 22.2 15.6 100.0 14.8 24.5 20.2 26.1 14.4 100.0 14.4 25.3 21.4 24.9 14.0 100.0 - Use software for remediation of basic skills 10.9 18.7 22.2 33.5 14.8 100.0 - Use scanners to prepare for lessons 10.1 18.3 18.7 38.5 14.4 100.0 3.9 10.9 21.0 49.0 15.2 100.0 2.3 2.7 6.6 73.9 14.4 100.0 1.2 2.3 1.6 80.2 14.8 100.0 1.2 1.6 4.7 77.8 14.8 100.0 - Use digital cameras to enhance lessons - Engage students in online discussion through for example, blogs, chat rooms and social networking sites (e.g. Facebook, Twitter) - Post homework assignments online - Send lesson information, assignments and other communication to students by email It is apparent that the teachers in the sample used electronic technology to some extent in their practice. However, they tend to use it for traditional activities such as finding information and creating instructional resources and handouts for their students. The teachers were given a list of factors that are shown to influence frequency of use of technology in teaching and learning. They were asked to indicate the extent to which each factor affected their use of technology in their practice. The percentages of the teachers in the sample who indicated different levels of influence are shown below. Page | 15 Factors Affecting Use of Technology Factors Extent of Influence (% of Sample) To a Great Extent To a Moderate Extent A Little Bit TOTAL No Response Not at all - Not enough computers available 39.7 13.2 10.9 20.6 15.6 100.0 - Internet not easily accessible 35.4 18.7 16.3 15.2 14.4 100.0 - Unreliable computers 31.1 15.6 15.2 20.2 17.9 100.0 - Lack of good instructional software - Inadequate amount of computer peripherals - Inadequate training opportunities - Use of technology not integrated into curriculum documents - Lack of technical support or advice - Lack of support regarding ways to integrate technology into the curriculum - Lack of administrative support 29.2 19.8 21.8 12.5 16.7 100.0 24.9 22.2 21.4 16.3 15.2 100.0 16.0 24.1 19.8 24.5 15.6 100.0 16.0 14.8 24.9 28.0 16.3 100.0 14.8 19.5 24.5 26.5 14.8 100.0 11.3 20.6 22.2 31.1 14.8 100.0 9.7 16.0 20.2 38.9 15.2 100.0 6.2 16.3 21.4 41.2 14.8 100.0 5.4 17.1 22.2 40.9 14.4 100.0 - Lack of relevant computer skills - Lack of knowledge in ways to integrate technology to enhance the curriculum The factors identified most often as having a great effect on the teachers’ use of technology tend to be the ones that tend to be named as inhibiting use of the technology. These include insufficient or unreliable computers and poor internet connectivity. Students Engagement in the Classroom An indication of student-centred instruction is the extent to which teachers use activities that involve high levels of student engagement. The teachers were presented with a list of activities (reflecting both traditional approaches and approaches that conform to democratic principles and student-centredness) and asked to indicate the frequency with which students engaged in these various activities in their classes during the term. The percentages of teachers indicating the different frequencies of engagement are presented below. Frequency with Which Students Engaged in Various Activities in Class During the Term (N = 257)) Frequency of Engagement (%) Practice - Engaged in whole class activities - Worked on their own assignment at their own desks. - Worked individually answering questions in textbooks or worksheets - Participated in interactive / hands-on classroom activities - Demonstrated their work to others (teachers/students) - Worked in small groups to complete an assignment - Worked in small groups to come up with solutions or approaches to problems. Often (8+ times) Sometimes (3-7 times) Seldom (1-2 times) Never No Response TOTAL 74.3 7.4 1.6 0.8 16.0 100.0 62.6 15.2 5.1 1.9 15.2 100.0 60.3 17.9 4.3 2.3 15.2 100.0 51.8 23.0 7.8 1.9 15.6 100.0 38.5 31.1 11.3 3.9 15.2 100.0 26.8 35.4 16.0 5.8 16.0 100.0 21.4 36.2 23.0 3.9 15.6 100.0 Page | 16 - Worked on individual tasks for portfolios 21.0 23.3 17.9 21.8 16.0 100.0 - Led discussions - Engaged in a writing activity in which they were expected to explain their thinking or reasoning at some length - Gave presentations 17.5 31.9 25.7 9.3 15.6 100.0 15.2 31.9 23.3 12.8 16.7 100.0 15.2 31.1 29.6 8.6 15.6 100.0 - Suggested or helped plan classroom activities 12.1 28.0 31.9 12.1 16.0 100.0 - Wrote in a journal - Conducted research for projects via the Internet - Worked on projects that took a week or longer 11.7 16.3 21.8 33.5 16.7 100.0 11.3 19.8 20.2 31.9 16.7 100.0 7.4 26.1 32.3 17.9 16.3 100.0 Based on the responses, the activities in which the students are likely to engage in the classroom are traditional in nature, particularly working on their own to complete exercises assigned by the teacher. Summary There is evidence that some teachers are making use of technology and other innovative activities in ways that promote student engagement. However, this is not widespread and classroom activities largely remain traditional in nature, with students receiving content information from their teachers and completing exercises. School Leadership One of the sections on the questionnaire was designed to gather from the teachers, their views on the behaviours of their school leaders. An instrument, the Teacher Short Form of the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) created by Professor Philip Hallinger1, was presented. This instrument consists of 22 behaviour associated with school leadership. The respondents were asked to indicate the extent to which they observed the school principal engaging in these behaviours in the past school year, using a scale from 1 (Almost Never) to 5 (Almost Always). The instrument can be scored and analysed as a full scale, on three dimensions of school leadership or on 10 functions/jobs od school principals. For the purpose of these preliminary findings, the proportion of the teachers selecting the various options will be presented. Scoring and exploring the teachers’ perceptions of the principals’ leadership in greater depth will be done in the larger report. The teachers in the primary school sample completed the Teacher Short Form of the PIMRS. The descriptive statistics summarising their responses are presented below. 1 See Chapter 6 in Hallinger, P., & Wang, W. C. (2015). Assessing instructional leadership with the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer. Page | 17 Descriptive Statistics Summarising Primary School Teachers’ Responses on the PIMRS Short Form Percentage of Respondents (N=257) 1. To what extent does your principal . . . ? Item Mean Item Std. Dev. Almost Never Seldom SomeTimes Freque ntly Almost Always No Respon se Develop a focused set of annual school-wide goals 1.6 5.4 19.5 29.6 22.6 21.4 3.84 0.985 Use data on student performance when developing the school's academic goals 4.3 7.8 17.9 29.6 17.5 23.0 3.63 1.109 Develop goals that are easily understood and used by teachers in the school 3.1 5.1 21.8 27.2 20.6 22.2 3.74 1.049 3.9 13.2 18.7 23.7 18.7 21.8 3.51 1.171 4.7 7.4 16.7 29.6 17.1 24.5 3.62 1.123 Ensure that the classroom priorities of teachers are consistent with the goals and direction of the school 2.3 7.4 18.3 32.7 16.3 23.0 3.69 1.008 Review student work products when evaluating classroom instruction 5.1 7.0 26.5 27.6 10.9 23.0 3.62 3.062 Make clear who is responsible for coordinating the curriculum across grade levels (e.g., the principal, vice principal, or teacher-leaders) 4.3 6.2 16.7 26.8 23.7 22.2 3.77 1.134 Draw upon the results of school-wide testing when making curricular decisions 3.9 6.6 22.2 28.4 15.6 23.3 3.59 1.064 4.7 8.2 24.9 24.5 13.6 24.1 3.45 1.094 3.9 13.2 24.9 22.6 12.5 23.0 3.34 1.096 1.9 10.9 19.8 23.7 20.2 23.3 3.85 3.069 1.2 2.3 17.9 23.7 32.3 22.6 4.08 0.950 4.3 7.0 18.3 27.2 20.6 22.6 3.67 1.153 3.5 5.8 19.1 26.1 22.6 23.0 3.76 1.095 5.4 6.2 23.7 20.2 21.8 22.6 3.60 1.180 Item Mean Item Std. Dev. Communicate the school's mission effectively to members of the school community Refer to the school's academic goals when making curricular decisions with teachers Participate actively in the review of curricular materials Meet individually with teachers to discuss student progress Use tests and other performance measure to assess progress toward school goals Encourage teachers to use instructional time for teaching and practicing new skills and concepts Take time to talk informally with students and teachers during recess and breaks Attend/participate in extra- and co-curricular activities Compliment teachers privately for their efforts or performance Percentage of Respondents (N=257) 2. To what extent does your principal . . . ? Seldom SomeTimes Freque ntly Almost Always No Respon se 16.3 14.0 19.1 10.5 8.9 31.1 2.73 1.328 Create professional growth opportunities for teachers as a reward for special contributions to the school 10.5 16.0 21.8 17.9 7.0 26.8 2.93 1.193 Lead or attend teacher in-service activities concerned with instruction 3.5 14.0 23.3 24.5 10.5 24.1 3.32 1.071 Set aside time at faculty meetings for teachers to share ideas or information from in-service activities 4.3 7.8 19.8 24.1 19.8 24.1 3.63 1.143 Almost Never Acknowledge teachers' exceptional performance by writing memos for their personnel files Page | 18 Recognize superior student achievement or improvement by seeing in the office the students with their work Contact parents to communicate improved or exemplary student performance or contributions 10.1 17.5 20.6 16.0 9.7 26.1 2.97 1.238 6.6 12.1 26.5 14.4 12.8 27.6 3.20 1.186 For each behaviour, the percentage of the teachers selecting each option is given. The option with the largest proportion of the sample is in bold font. For all the behaviours except Encourage teachers to use instructional time for teaching and practicing new skills and concepts, the largest proportion selected “sometimes” or “frequently”. Of note is that this behaviour is the only one for which the largest proportion of the sample selected “almost always” and the only one for which the largest proportion exceeds 30 percent. In addition, on a scale from 1 to 5, the mean score for all but three behaviours (Acknowledge teachers' exceptional performance by writing memos for their personnel files, Create professional growth opportunities for teachers as a reward for special contributions to the school and Recognize superior student achievement or improvement by seeing in the office the students with their work) have a mean of 3 or higher. The relatively low means for the three behaviours may be an indication that the teachers generally may perceive that school principals do not do sufficient to reward achievement at their schools. Views on School and Other Education-Related Issues There are several education-related issues that are current in the region and items on the questionnaire sought to learn about the teachers’ views on these matters. The responses of the teachers in the primary school sample are presented next. Feelings about Teaching The teachers in the sample were asked to indicate their feelings about teaching in general. Their responses are summarised below. Proportion of Primary School Teachers Who Expressed Different Feelings about Teaching I like teaching in general. n % 41 16.0 Always True 165 64.2 No Response 51 19.8 257 100.0 Sometimes True Total The largest proportion (almost two-thirds) of the teachers in the primary school sample reported positive feeling about teaching, while almost one-fifth reported ambivalent feelings. Page | 19 Feelings about their School The teachers were asked if they liked their school at which they were teaching. Their responses are presented below. Proportion of Primary School Teachers Who Expressed Different Feelings about Their School I like teaching at this school. n % Never True 6 2.3 80 31.1 Always True 120 46.7 No Response 51 19.8 257 100.0 Sometimes True Total Almost half of the teachers in the sample indicated that they liked the school at which they were teaching, but a substantial proportion (almost one-third) appeared to be somewhat ambivalent. A small proportion admitted not liking their school. Out-of-School Lessons The issue of teachers providing instruction outside of regular school hours is one that raises concern. Three items on the questionnaire addressed this issue. The responses of the teachers in the primary school sample are presented next. Proportion of Primary School Teachers Who Reported Providing Extra Lesson Outside of School Time n % Never True 90 35.0 Sometimes True 65 25.3 Always True 47 18.3 No Response 55 21.4 257 100.0 I provide extra lessons for students in my class outside of school hours. Total Almost one-fifth of the teachers in the sample indicated that they always provide extra tuition for students outside of regular class time, while one-quarter reported doing so on occasion. Of note is that over one-third of the teacher reported that they never engaged in this practice. Proportion of Primary School Teachers Various Opinions on Parents’ Willingness to Pay for Lessons n % 65 25.3 106 41.2 Always True 21 8.2 No Response 65 25.3 257 100.0 Parents at this school are willing to pay for extra lessons for their children. Never True Sometimes True Total Page | 20 A substantial proportion of the teachers in the primary school sample (about two-fifths) perceived that parents were not always willing to pay for extra tuition for their children. A quarter of the teachers felt that parents were never will to pay for this service. Proportion of Teachers Expressing Different Views as to Whether Teachers should be Paid for Providing Extra Tuition (lessons) to Students in Class Out of Regular School Time Teachers Should be Paid for Extra Lessons n % Yes 167 65.0 No 32 12.5 No Response 58 22.6 257 100.0 Total Almost two-thirds of the teachers in the primary school sample indicated that they felt that teachers who provided extra tuition outside of regular school time should be paid Common Entrance Examination The teachers in the sample were asked to indicate their support for certain practices that are part of education systems in the region. One such practice is the use of the results of the primary school exit examinations2 to place students at secondary schools. The teachers’ responses are presented below. Proportion of Primary Teachers Expressing Support for Use of Results of Primary Exit Assessments n % 150 58.4 I DO NOT support this 29 11.3 Not Applicable/ No Opinion 21 8.2 No Response 57 22.2 257 100.0 Using the common entrance examination for secondary school placement I support this Total Over half of the teachers in the sample reported that they supported the practice of placing students in secondary schools based on the results of the primary school exit assessments. Streaming and Grade Retention The teachers in the sample were asked to indicate their support for the practices of streaming students according to academic ability and grade retention. Their responses are presented below. 2 These examinations have different names: e.g. 11-plus; common entrance; Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment Page | 21 Proportions of Primary School Teachers Expressing Support for Streaming Classes According to Ability n % 127 49.4 I DO NOT support this 59 23.0 Not Applicable/ No Opinion 15 5.8 No Response 56 21.8 257 100.0 Streaming According to Ability I support this Total Proportions of Primary School Teachers Expressing Support for Grade Retention n % 100 38.9 I DO NOT support this 78 30.4 Not Applicable/ No Opinion 24 9.3 No Response 55 21.4 257 100.0 Grade Retention I support this Total Almost half of the primary school teacher sample reported that they support streaming students according to academic ability and about two-fifths indicated that they support grade retention. Summary The responses of the teachers in the sample for these items suggest that there may deep-seated issues among teachers at this level that need further, more in depth exploration. This will be done during the qualitative interviews in the next phase of the research. Page | 22 SECONDARY SCHOOLS Data were collected from 247 secondary school teachers across the five countries involved in the research. The questionnaire was administered in paper format in Barbados and Grenada. Teachers in Antigua, St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Vincent and the Grenadines completed the questionnaire online. The breakdown of respondents by country is shown below. Distribution of the Sample of Primary School Teachers over the Countries involved in the Survey Country N % ANT 33 13.4 BAR 87 35.2 GRE 43 17.4 SKN 4 1.6 SVG Total 80 32.4 247 100.0 Profile of Teachers in the Secondary Schools Sample The data were compiled and analysed using descriptive statistics to create a profile of the teachers in the secondary school sample. Sex of the Teachers Distribution of the Sample by SEX Sex of Student Female Male No Response Total N 166 % 67.2 79 32.0 2 247 0.8 100.0 About two-thirds of the secondary school teachers who responded to the questionnaire were female. Years of Teaching Experience Of the sample, 245 (99%) of the teachers reported the number of years that they were in the teaching service. Descriptives for No. of Years in Teaching for the Secondary School Teachers N Min Max Mean No. of Years in Teaching Profession 245 0 44 14.25 SD 9.544 Page | 23 Though some of the teachers who responded indicated that they were in the service for over 40 years, the mean number of years for the sample was just over 14 years. Just over half of the teachers (57 percent) reported being in the service for 14 or fewer years. Years at the Current School Again, 245 (99%) of the teachers responded to the item asking the number of years they were teaching at their current school. Descriptives for No. of Years in Teaching at their Current for the Secondary School Teachers N 245 No. of Years at CURRENT School Min 0 Max 44 Mean 10.31 SD 8.431 As with the primary school teachers, there were long-standers in some secondary schools. About 3 percent of the secondary school respondents reported being at their current school for over 30 years. Sixty percent reported 10 or fewer years at the school. The mean number of years reported reflects the time reported by most of the sample. Qualification Held The teachers were asked to indicate the qualifications that they held at the time of data collection. They could select all the qualifications held. Number and Percentage of Primary School Teachers Who Reported Holding Various Qualifications Qualification (N=247) n % Associate degree 64 25.9 Bachelor’s degree 161 65.2 Master’s degree 50 20.2 Doctorate (EdD) 0 0.0 Doctorate (PhD) 1 0.4 71 28.7 Other Qual In the region, it is desirable for subject teachers at the secondary level to have at least a bachelor’s degree in the content area. For this sample of teachers, almost two-thirds of the teachers reported having a bachelor’s degree. However, only 108 (44%) of the teachers held a bachelor’s degree or higher in the subject area that they were teaching or a closely related area. Thirty-eight (15%) of the teachers who did not hold at least a bachelor’s degree in the subject area that they were teacher had a lower qualification (e.g. associate degree; certificate; diploma) in the area. This was particularly noticeable among those who reported that they taught physical education and technical and vocational subjects. Only one-fifth of the teachers in the sample reported holding a master’s degree. Of these, the majority (86%) had this qualification in an area that is related to the field of education. Seven (3%) of the teachers reported having CSEC or CAPE/A’Levels as their only qualifications. Page | 24 Professional Status The teachers were asked to indicate their professional status. They had to indicate if they were teacher-trained and if they held at least a bachelor’s degree. Their responses are presented below. Proportion of Secondary School Teachers in Various Professional Status Categories Current Professional Status n % 118 47.8 Trained Non-Graduate 37 15.0 Untrained Graduate 50 20.2 Untrained Non-Graduate 30 12.1 Other Professional Status 7 2.8 No Response 5 2.0 247 100.0 Trained Graduate Total For the secondary school sample, just under two-thirds of the teachers were trained and just over two-thirds held at least a first degree. As seen earlier, several of those holding degrees held them in areas other than the subjects that they were teaching. Summary Looking at the profile of the teachers in the secondary school sample, it is evident that though the majority of them hold at least a first degree, many of them do not hold these qualifications in the subject areas that they were teaching. In addition, the proportion of the sample that reported being trained is higher than would have been found in the past. Finally, few of the teachers in the sample reported having a master’s degree. Classroom Practices As with the teacher from the primary schools, a section of the questionnaire addressed teachers’ classroom practices relating to their use of technology and activities that promote student engagement and that reflect the principles of democracy that are currently being promoted in education. Frequency of Using Technology for Various Purposes The questionnaire contained a list of activities for which technology may be used in teaching and learning. The teachers were asked to reflect on their practices over the past academic year and indicate the frequency with which they used technology for those purposes. The percentages of the teachers in the sample reporting frequency of use of technology for each activity is presented below. Page | 25 Percentages of Secondary Teachers Reporting Frequency of Using Technology for Various Purposes (N = 247) Purpose Frequency of Use in the Academic year (%) Sometimes (3-7 times) Seldom (1-2 times) Get information from the Internet for use in lessons 60.3 24.7 6.5 0.4 8.1 100 Record student grades 56.3 17.4 8.9 9.7 7.7 100 Formulate tests for students 55.5 21.5 6.9 8.1 8.1 100 Create instructional materials 49.4 30.4 8.9 2.8 9 100 Produce handouts for students 45.3 29.1 13.8 4.0 7.7 100 Prepare homework assignments Have the students use the Internet for researching subject content Share material, ideas and/or information with other teachers Access lesson plans from the Internet 39.3 29.1 17.4 6.5 7.7 100 35.6 37.7 15.4 3.2 8.1 100 28.3 32.8 21.5 9.7 7.7 100 23.1 23.5 21.9 21.5 10 100 Design multimedia presentations (e.g. Power Point) 19.4 27.1 25.5 19.8 8.1 100 Use skill games to reinforce concepts taught 15.8 26.7 23.1 25.5 8.9 100 Use LCD projectors to present lessons Send lesson information, assignments, and other communication to students by email Use videos or DVDs to teach concepts 15.0 22.3 22.3 31.2 9.3 100 13.8 19.0 23.5 36.0 7.7 100 13.0 27.5 25.5 25.1 8.9 100 Post homework assignments online Engage students in online discussion through for example, blogs, chat rooms and social networking sites (e.g. Facebook, Twitter) Use scanners to prepare for lessons 9.3 10.1 18.6 53.4 8.5 100 8.9 13.8 19.0 49.0 9.3 100 8.5 20.6 20.2 40.5 10.1 100 Use software to teach concepts 8.5 19.4 25.5 36.8 9.7 100 Use software for remediation of basic skills 6.1 14.2 25.9 44.5 9.3 100 Use digital cameras to enhance lessons 5.7 10.1 16.2 59.1 8.9 100 Never No Response TOTAL Often (8+ times) As with the primary school teachers, the teachers in the secondary school sample reported using technology primarily for traditional purposes such as seeking information for lessons and creating instructional material and handout for students. As with the primary school teachers, the teachers in the secondary school sample were given a list of factors that are shown to influence frequency of use of technology in teaching and learning. They too were asked to indicate the extent to which each factor affected their use of technology in their practice. The percentages of the teachers in the sample who indicated different levels of influence are shown below. Page | 26 Factors Affecting Use of Technology Extent of Influence (% of Sample) Factors To a Great Extent To a Moderate Extent A Little Bit No Response Not at all TOTAL Internet not easily accessible 50.6 19.4 15.0 6.5 8.5 100.0 Not enough computers available Inadequate amount of computer peripherals Unreliable computers 40.5 25.1 14.2 11.3 8.9 100.0 30.4 27.9 19.4 12.6 9.7 100.0 25.9 21.5 25.5 16.6 10.5 100.0 Lack of good instructional software 22.3 31.6 20.2 17.0 8.9 100.0 Inadequate training opportunities Use of technology not integrated into curriculum documents Lack of support regarding ways to integrate technology into the curriculum Lack of technical support or advice 17.0 28.3 25.1 20.6 8.9 100.0 15.8 25.5 24.7 23.9 10.1 100.0 13.0 26.3 26.7 25.5 8.5 100.0 11.7 25.9 27.1 26.3 8.9 100.0 Lack of administrative support Lack of knowledge in ways to integrate technology to enhance the curriculum Lack of relevant computer skills 10.9 26.3 27.9 25.9 8.9 100.0 6.9 23.5 27.9 32.8 8.9 100.0 4.5 17.4 28.7 40.9 8.5 100.0 Of note is the fact that lack of relevant computer skills was reported by very few teachers as having a great effect on their use. The most influential factors were those that relate to access to and reliability of computers, peripheral and the internet. Students Engagement in the Classroom The secondary teachers were also presented with a list of activities (reflecting both traditional approaches and approaches that conform to democratic principles and student-centredness) and asked to indicate the frequency with which students engaged in these various activities in their classes during the term. The percentages of teachers indicating the different frequencies of engagement are presented below. Frequency with Which Students Engaged in Various Activities in Class During the Term (N = 247)) Frequency of Engagement (%) TOTAL Practice Worked individually answering questions in textbooks or worksheets Engaged in whole class activities Worked on their own assignment at their own desks. Participated in interactive / hands-on classroom activities Worked in small groups to complete an assignment Demonstrated their work to others (teachers/students) Often (8+ times) Sometimes (3-7 times) Seldom (1-2 times) 58.7 27.9 5.7 0.4 7.3 100.0 57.1 26.3 8.5 0.4 7.7 100.0 55.1 29.1 7.3 0.8 7.7 100.0 33.2 34.8 19.8 4.0 8.1 100.0 29.6 45.3 15.4 1.6 8.1 100.0 29.1 35.2 25.1 3.2 7.3 100.0 Never No Response Page | 27 Worked in small groups to come up with solutions or approaches to problems. Engaged in a writing activity in which they were expected to explain their thinking or reasoning at some length Conducted research for projects via the Internet Worked on individual tasks for portfolios 27.1 39.3 20.6 4.9 8.1 100.0 26.3 40.9 18.2 6.9 7.7 100.0 19.0 40.1 23.5 10.1 7.3 100.0 18.6 21.1 20.6 31.2 8.5 100.0 17.0 37.7 29.1 8.9 7.3 100.0 15.8 34.0 32.4 9.3 8.5 100.0 15.4 40.9 30.0 6.5 7.3 100.0 Wrote in a journal 8.9 13.0 20.2 49.0 8.9 100.0 Suggested or helped plan classroom activities 8.1 29.1 38.5 17.0 7.3 100.0 Led discussions Worked on projects that took a week or longer Gave presentations As is the case reported by the primary school teachers, the teachers in the secondary school sample reported that the students mostly engage in traditional classroom activities such as working on their own to complete exercises. Summary The data from this sample suggest that though some of the innovative practices relating to the use of technology and student engagement are present in classrooms, what remains prevalent are the traditional practices where the students are passive receivers of information prepared by teachers. School Leadership The teachers in the secondary school sample also completed the Teacher Short Form of the PIMRS. The descriptive statistics summarising their responses are presented below. Descriptive Statistics Summarising Secondary School Teachers’ Responses on the PIMRS Short Form Percentage of Respondents (N=247) 1. To what extent does your principal . . . ? Develop a focused set of annual school-wide goals Use data on student performance when developing the school's academic goals Develop goals that are easily understood and used by teachers in the school Communicate the school's mission effectively to members of the school community Refer to the school's academic goals when making curricular decisions with teachers Ensure that the classroom priorities of teachers are consistent with the goals and direction of the school Review student work products when evaluating classroom instruction Almost Never Seldom SomeTimes Frequently Almost Always No Response Item Mean Item Std. Dev. 2.0 5.3 23.9 26.3 25.1 17.4 3.81 1.019 4.5 5.7 17.0 33.2 23.9 15.8 3.79 1.092 2.8 4.9 22.3 30.0 23.5 16.6 3.80 1.025 2.8 5.3 26.3 25.5 24.7 15.4 3.76 1.048 4.0 7.3 23.5 26.3 22.7 16.2 3.67 1.110 2.4 9.3 23.9 29.1 17.8 17.4 3.61 1.037 6.5 12.1 25.9 26.3 8.5 20.6 3.23 1.092 Page | 28 Make clear who is responsible for coordinating the curriculum across grade levels (e.g., the principal, vice principal, or teacher-leaders) Draw upon the results of school-wide testing when making curricular decisions Participate actively in the review of curricular materials Meet individually with teachers to discuss student progress Use tests and other performance measure to assess progress toward school goals Encourage teachers to use instructional time for teaching and practicing new skills and concepts Take time to talk informally with students and teachers during recess and breaks Attend/participate in extra- and co-curricular activities Compliment teachers privately for their efforts or performance 2. To what extent does your principal . . . ? Acknowledge teachers' exceptional performance by writing memos for their personnel files Create professional growth opportunities for teachers as a reward for special contributions to the school Lead or attend teacher in-service activities concerned with instruction Set aside time at faculty meetings for teachers to share ideas or information from in-service activities Recognize superior student achievement or improvement by seeing in the office the students with their work Contact parents to communicate improved or exemplary student performance or contributions 4.5 6.5 14.2 25.9 33.2 15.8 3.91 1.160 5.3 8.9 21.1 27.9 19.8 17.0 3.58 1.150 6.5 10.9 22.7 23.9 15.8 20.2 3.40 1.185 10.1 15.4 26.7 23.1 8.1 16.6 3.04 1.157 5.7 9.3 20.6 26.3 21.9 16.2 3.59 1.183 0.4 3.6 13.8 28.7 37.7 15.8 4.18 0.893 3.6 7.7 15.4 25.9 31.6 15.8 3.86 1.171 4.0 8.5 15.4 22.3 33.6 16.2 3.87 1.190 5.7 8.5 20.6 23.1 23.9 18.2 3.62 1.204 Item Mean Item Std. Dev. Percentage of Respondents (N=247) Almost Never SomeTimes Seldom 16.6 19.0 19.0 15.4 5.3 24.7 2.65 1.226 12.6 14.6 25.1 16.6 9.7 21.5 2.95 1.240 4.5 12.1 26.3 23.1 14.6 19.4 3.39 1.113 2.8 10.9 20.6 24.7 23.9 17.0 3.67 1.127 9.3 11.7 24.7 16.2 15.0 23.1 3.21 1.262 7.3 10.9 26.7 21.1 11.3 22.7 3.24 1.153 Frequently Almost Always No Response For each behaviour, the percentage of the teachers selecting each option is given. The option with the largest proportion of the sample is in bold font. For all but one behaviour (Acknowledge teachers' exceptional performance by writing memos for their personnel files), the largest proportion selected “sometimes”, “frequently” or “almost always”. In addition, on a scale from 1 to 5, the mean score for all but two behaviours (Acknowledge teachers' exceptional performance by writing memos for their personnel files and Create professional growth opportunities for teachers as a reward for special contributions to the school) have a mean of 3 or higher. The relatively low means for the two behaviours may be an indication that the teachers generally may perceive that school principals do not do sufficient to reward their efforts and achievements. Page | 29 Views on School and Other Education-Related Issues As for the teachers in the primary school sample, the teachers in the secondary school sample were also asked to share their views on several education-related issues that are current in the region. Their responses are presented next. Feelings about Teaching The secondary school teachers were also asked to indicate their feelings about teaching in general. Their responses are summarised below. Proportion of Secondary School Teachers Who Expressed Different Feelings about Teaching I like teaching in general n % Never True 1 0.4 70 28.3 Always True 140 56.7 No Response 36 14.6 247 100.0 Sometimes True TOTAL Just over half of the teachers in the secondary school sample reported very positive feelings about teaching. Just over one-quarter of then were ambivalent. Feelings about their School The teachers were asked if they liked their school at which they were teaching. Their responses are presented below. Proportion of Secondary School Teachers Who Expressed Different Feelings about Their School I like teaching at this school. n % Never True 4 1.6 Sometimes True 110 44.5 Always True 98 39.7 No Response 35 14.2 247 100.0 TOTAL Approximately two-fifths of the teachers in the sample reported positive feelings towards their school. Just over this same proportion reported ambivalent feelings. Out-of-School Lessons The issue of teachers providing instruction outside of regular school hours was also raised with the teachers in the secondary school sample. Their responses to the three items that addressed this issue are presented below. Page | 30 Proportion of Secondary School Teachers Who Reported Providing Extra Lesson Outside of School Time n % Never True 52 21.1 Sometimes True 95 38.5 Always True 63 25.5 No Response 37 15.0 247 100.0 I provide extra lessons for students in my class outside of school hours. TOTAL One-quarter of the teachers reported that they provided extra tuition for students out of school hours. Parents at this school are willing to pay for extra lessons for their children. Proportion of Secondary School Teachers Various Opinions on Parents’ Willingness to Pay for Lessons n 69 % 27.9 100 40.5 Always True 31 12.6 No Response 47 19.0 247 100.0 Never True Sometimes True TOTAL Over one-quarter of the secondary school teachers felt that parents at their school were never willing to pay for extra lessons for their children, while about two-fifths felt that sometimes (perhaps under certain conditions) parents at their school are willing to pay for this service. Proportion of Secondary School Teachers Expressing Different Views as to Whether Teachers should be Paid for Providing Extra Tuition (lessons) to Students in Class Out of Regular School Time Teachers Should be Paid for Extra Lessons n % Yes 171 69.2 No 35 14.2 No Response TOTAL 41 16.2 247 100.0 Almost three-quarters of the teachers in the sample felt that teachers should be paid for providing extra lessons to students out of regular school time. The item did not indicate whether these extra lessons would be given at the teachers’ discretion or not. This issue will be followed up in the interviews with teachers in the next phase of the research. Page | 31 Common Entrance Examination The teachers in the secondary school sample were also asked to indicate their support for practice is the use of the results of the primary school exit examinations to place students at secondary schools. Their responses are presented below. Proportion of Secondary Teachers Expressing Support for Use of Results of Primary Exit Assessments n % 138 55.9 I DO NOT support this 54 21.9 Not Applicable/ No Opinion 13 5.3 No Response 42 17.0 247 100.0 Using the common entrance examination for secondary school placement I support this TOTAL More than half of the secondary school teachers in the sample reported that they support this use of the results of the primary education exit examinations. Streaming and Grade Retention The secondary school teachers were also asked to indicate their support for the practices of streaming students according to academic ability and grade retention. Their responses are presented below. Proportions of Secondary School Teachers Expressing Support for Streaming Classes According to Ability Streaming According to Ability I support this I DO NOT support this Not Applicable/ No Opinion No Response TOTAL n % 145 58.7 50 20.2 9 3.6 43 17.4 247 100.0 Proportions of Secondary School Teachers Expressing Support for Grade Retention Grade Retention n % I support this 116 47.0 I DO NOT support this 64 25.9 Not Applicable/ No Opinion 22 8.9 No Response 45 18.2 247 100.0 TOTAL The majority of the teachers in the sample (almost 60 percent) reported support for the practice of streaming students according to ability. A lesser majority (almost half) reported their support for having students repeat grades until they pass. Page | 32 Summary The responses of the teachers in the secondary school sample suggest that, despite the innovations and on-going discussions about the benefits of policies such as universal secondary education and mixed ability classrooms, there may be large proportional of teachers at this level who hold very traditional view on issues. Page | 33 PERCEPTION OF SCHOOLS: VOICES OF STUDENTS One aim of the research is to learn about students’ perceptions of the environment of their schools. For this purpose, a 30-item School Climate Survey-Student Version ESAI-E-S3 was administered to both the primary and secondary school student samples. The instrument contains the stems for 30 statements, each stem with three options for completing the statements. The students read each stem and them selects the option that best indicates their perception of the school. Normally, the responses of students in a school are scored collectively and the result taken as a measure of the school climate from the perspective of students from the school. For the preliminary findings presented here, for each item, the percentage of the students who selected each option is presented. No individual country or school singled out here at this time. A total of 1222 primary school students from across the five countries involved in this phase of the research. The tool was administered to students in Grade 5/Class 3. At the secondary level, 1477 students from Form 2 (54%) and Form 4 (46%) completed the questionnaire. Below is a summary of the proportions of the primary school and secondary school students that selected the various options. Comparison of Primary & Secondary Students’ Responses on School Climate Survey STATEMENTS 1. From what I can tell, this school is a. A great place for people to visit. b. An okay place for people to visit. c. 2. a. b. c. 3. a. b. c. 4. a. Not a place people want to visit. In my experience, at this school Everything works, or gets fixed quickly. A few things are broken, but mostly things here work. A lot of things are broken. When I look around at this school I see Lots of colour and kids’ work is up everywhere. Some colour and kids’ work is up in some places. Mostly blank walls. Most of the students at this school Help the teachers and other kids make the school clean and nice to look at. b. Keep the school clean because we would get in trouble if we did not. c. Don’t keep the school pretty and clean even with teachers tell us to. 3 % of Primary Students (N=1222) % of Secondary Sample (N=1477) 67.2 24.7 32.5 50.4 6.1 14.2 42.0 48.0 7.7 15.1 58.9 22.5 56.4 29.1 12.0 24.4 42.2 29.2 49.0 17.1 29.1 19.6 30.1 48.8 Retrieved online from https://web.calstatela.edu/centers/schoolclimate/pdf/assessment/ASSC_SCAI-ES.pdf Page | 34 5. My teacher spends time with other teachers a. Planning, talking and teaching together often. b. Talking mostly at recess or school events. c. 6. a. b. c. Only at lunch or not at all. When I am at school, I feel like The teachers, classmates, and I are like a family. I am part of a good school, but not really a family. No one cares about me at this school. 7. At this school a. Students all get along no matter what they look like or where they are from. b. Students who are alike or friends get along. c. A lot of students don’t get along. 8. The popular students at this school a. b. c. 9. a. Are nice to the other students. Are nice to the other popular students. Think they are better and are often mean to others. In my class We make a lot of the decisions along with the teacher. b. The teacher lets us choose sometimes. c. The teacher makes all the decisions. 10. In my class a. There are lots of classroom jobs and we all take turns doing them. b. There are a few jobs for students in the class. c. Students only do classroom jobs because they have to, or have gotten in trouble. 11. School events such as games, plays, performances, meetings, or conferences are attended by a. Lots of people. b. Some people who care about that event. c. Not many people. 12. At this school, I feel safe a. Everywhere in the school. b. Only in my classroom. c. Some days and not other days. 55.0 25.8 42.3 36.2 16.0 14.5 53.7 32.7 11.0 26.3 52.7 16.5 36.5 15.3 26.2 35.3 37.6 43.5 34.5 15.6 46.5 20.5 18.6 56.1 31.1 25.3 43.0 22.4 53.2 17.4 52.5 28.4 21.7 23.9 15.9 49.8 50.8 34.0 11.8 35.8 49.4 11.0 48.9 20.2 27.7 36.9 19.8 38.9 35.4 46.3 15.1 23.4 51.9 20.9 35.9 19.9 43.5 17.3 61.6 13.8 13. At this school a. Many students are in leadership roles in and out of class. b. A few students are picked by the teachers to be leaders. c. There are few or no students in leadership roles. 15. At this school a. The students and teachers from different classrooms work together on many projects. b. The students work together on projects in their class. c. Students do not work together on projects. Page | 35 16. In my class, the rules a. Are clear and help the kids get along. b. Are clear and keep the kids from misbehaving. c. Are not clear and the kids are afraid of doing something to make the teacher angry. 17. When students break rules a. The teacher gives them a fair consequence and helps them understand why. b. The teacher gives consequences sometimes. c. The teacher gets upset at the students publically. 18. In my judgment, I would say that a. I am learning to be more responsible every day because of my teacher. b. I am learning to do what the teacher wants. c. I feel like, if I did what I wanted to do, I would get in trouble. 19. I would say that a. I can see clear evidence that my teacher respects and cares about me. b. When I show my teacher respect , he/she shows me respect. c. I try to respect my teacher, but sometimes I feel like I am not respected. 20. In my class a. Things run smoothly because the teacher makes things very clear. b. Things run pretty well because the teacher has a lot of control. c. A lot of the time things do not run smoothly. 21. When it comes to grades and assignments a. What it takes to get a good grade is very clear to me. b. Most of the time I understand what is expected. 43.4 33.5 24.4 46.0 20.2 23.1 41.0 36.3 27.8 34.2 28.0 24.2 58.2 18.4 19.6 48.8 18.1 26.6 46.5 32.6 18.2 28.4 40.3 25.0 46.1 22.2 24.9 25.9 30.5 40.9 55.9 25.9 41.0 34.9 c. Often I am confused as to why I get the grades I do. 22. What is important in my class is a. How much we try and the effort we put into our work. b. Getting right answers and good grades. c. Doing what makes the teacher happy. 14.9 18.4 49.6 28.5 18.7 42.8 43.5 8.1 23. I would describe the work in my class as a. Active, hands-on and interesting. b. Interesting but mostly out of the book. c. Mostly worksheets and the teacher talking. 50.3 27.2 19.1 31.4 35.4 27.1 24. The work in my class a. Makes me think and challenges me. 58.4 49.2 26.4 11.4 32.8 11.9 b. Is mostly about remembering what the teacher or textbook says c. Is mostly about keeping us all busy 25. At this school when a student uses mean language a. Other students point out to them that it is not right. b. Sometimes they get in trouble from an adult. 41.5 41.4 17.6 44.5 c. Usually nothing happens to them, so they keep doing it. 13.2 30.8 Page | 36 26. At this school a. I trust and can talk to most of the adults. b. There are one or two adults that I can trust to talk to, but not many. c. I do not feel like I can be honest with the adults at the school. 27. On the playground a. We have peer mediators and/or “Peacemakers” that help the students solve their own problems. b. We have peer mediators and/or “Peacemakers,” but they mostly just get kids in trouble. c. There are only adults to supervise. 28. The best way to describe how I feel about this school is a. I am very proud to be a student here. b. I like this school. c. This school is okay, but I would rather be at another school. 29. My parents a. Feel welcome to come to the school. b. Mostly just come to school for events that are expected such as parentteacher conferences. c. Don’t come to the school very often. 30. At this school a. We have lots of guests, visitors, and volunteers. b. We have a few guests, visitors and volunteers. c. There are not many guests, visitors or volunteers. 51.7 29.5 22.1 42.1 15.0 28.2 40.8 29.0 19.9 22.9 32.7 34.0 47.6 29.9 18.7 37.5 28.8 26.9 51.6 29.7 25.2 42.7 19.6 21.1 56.1 25.5 15.1 33.7 41.1 18.7 In the table, for each item, the option selected by the largest proportion of the two samples of students is highlighted in bold font. What is noticeable is that for the most part, the largest proportion of the primary school students selected the most positive option (a). On the other hand, for the secondary school students, generally the largest proportion selected either the moderate option (b) or the negative option. Page | 37 SCHOOL FACILITIES To obtain a sense of the environment of the schools that participated in this phase of the research, consideration was given to the facilities that are present and that are in use. For this purpose, on the questionnaire that was completed by the school principals, there was an item that asked them to indicate whether certain facilities were at the school and if present, whether they were in use. Thirty-three school principals (19 primary and 14 secondary) across the five countries responded. The questionnaire was administered in both paper and electronic formats. Below is a summary of the responses received, with the percentages of principals presented by school level. Percentages of School Principals Reporting on the Facilities at their Schools PRIMARY SCHOOLS (N=19) SECONDARY SCHOOLS (N=14) Facilities at the Present Present Present & Not No Present & Not No School but NOT but NOT Used Present Used Response Used Present Used Response Library 57.9 5.3 15.8 21.1 78.6 7.1 0.0 14.3 Computer lab Canteen Sickbay Playing field Hard courts 31.6 31.6 21.1 42.1 15.8 5.3 15.8 21.1 5.3 15.8 47.4 36.8 42.1 36.8 52.6 15.8 15.8 15.8 15.8 15.8 85.7 71.4 21.4 64.3 64.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 7.1 0.0 14.3 64.3 14.3 14.3 14.3 14.3 14.3 21.4 14.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 10.5 10.5 5.3 10.5 10.5 73.7 73.7 73.7 73.7 73.7 15.8 15.8 21.1 15.8 15.8 85.7 64.3 78.6 78.6 21.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 7.1 0.0 21.4 7.1 7.1 57.1 14.3 14.3 14.3 14.3 14.3 5.3 10.5 68.4 15.8 50.0 7.1 28.6 14.3 Science labs Art rooms IA rooms HE rooms Music room Special subject rooms (e.g. math room, foreign language room, geography room) Though the number of principals who completed the questionnaire was small, the findings for these two samples can still provide some insight into the availability of facilities that are desirable in schools. It is of note that facilities at the primary schools appear to be somewhat sparse. Page | 38 CONCLUSION This report presents the finding from preliminary analyses of data collected to investigate factors that influence the academic performance of students in the the Eastern Caribbean and Barbados. The research is being conducted in phases, with the first phase being a survey across a sample of schools in five countries. Questionnaires were administered to school principals, teachers and students at the primary (Grade 5/Class 3) and secondary (Forms 2 and 4) levels. Preliminary analyses included the generation of descriptive statistics (frequencies, means, standard deviations) to summarise the data. More in-depth analyses will be carried out to seek answers to the overall research questions guiding the research. Below is a summary of findings that emerged from these preliminary analyses. - At both primary and secondary levels, there is a larger proportion of female teachers than males; the disparity between the sexes is greater at the primary level than at the secondary level; - Though there are some long-staying teachers in the schools at both levels, the mean number of years of teaching experience is 14 years; - The mean number of years at their current school for teachers at both levels is 10 years; - Teachers at the primary level tend to hold associate degrees as their highest academic qualification while those at the secondary level tend to have at least a bachelor’s degree; - Substantial proportions of teachers at the primary level hold their qualification in noneducation-related areas; - Substantial proportions of the teachers at the secondary level hold their qualification in areas other than the subject that they are teaching; - Though not prevalent, there are still teachers in the system who hold only high school (CSEC, CAPE) qualifications as their highest academic qualification; - Substantial proportions of the teachers at both primary ans secondary levels were untrained; the proportion being larger at the secondary level; - Though technology is being used at both primary and secondary levels, use is mainly by the teachers for finding information to give to the students; - Teachers at both levels point to issues of availability, access, and reliability of hardware and the internet as factors that influence their use of technology in instruction; - Classroom practices at both levels tend to be teacher-driven, with students engaging in the more traditional activities; Page | 39 - At both levels, teachers perceive that principals may not be doing enough to rewards teachers and students for their achievements; - At both levels, teachers generally seem to like teaching; - A substantial proportion of teachers at the secondary level appear dissatisfied with the school at which they are assigned; - Substantial proportions of the teachers at both levels support the notion that teachers should be paid for providing extra tuition outside of regular school times; - Generally, teachers at both levels support the use of the results of the primary exit assessments to place students in secondary schools; - Substantial proportions of teachers at both levels support the practices of streaming and grade retention; - Primary school students appear to have more positive perceptions of their school environment than do secondary school students; - Substantial proportions of primary schools do not have facilities such as libraries, a sick bay, and specialist rooms, or have such facilities that are not in use; - Larger proportions of secondary schools than primary schools have facilities (e.g. library, computer and science labs, playing fields and hard courts, art and music rooms) deemed desirable in schools. Though in some cases the sample may be considered small (e.g. only 33 school principals), the insights from the findings will provide the basis for follow up in-depth investigation (both quantitative and qualitative) of factors that influence student performance. The ultimate goal is to provide empirical evidence to inform policy and practice in education in the Eastern Caribbean and Barbados and to maximise the presence of conditions that support positive influence, while minimising those that inhibit student success. Page | 40 REFERENCES Jules, D. (2010, December 13). Rethinking education in the Caribbean. Retrieved from http://www.cxc.org/?q=media-centre/cxcs_blog Milner IV, H. R. (2012). Beyond a test score: Explaining opportunity gaps in educational practice. Journal of Black Studies, 43(6), 693-718. Press Release. (2019). National summary for CXC CSEC 2019 Retrieved from https://www.nowgrenada.com/2019/08/national-summary-for-cxc-csec-2019/ Smith, P. (December 4, 2020). Ideological tensions across Englishes: Implications for literacy education. Paper presented at the 2020 annual meeting of the Literacy Research Association Conference. Page | 41

RELATED PAPERS

RELATED TOPICS

Log In

Factors that Influence Academic Performance of Students in the Caribbean: An Empirical Study [Brief]

Factors that Influence Academic Performance of Students in the Caribbean: An Empirical Study [Brief]

Related Papers

RELATED PAPERS

RELATED TOPICS