Schools In Trinidad Research Articles

An Investigation into Teachers’ Perspectives of the Factors that Facilitate the Implementation of the e-CAL Curriculum Change Initiative in Trinidad and Tobago

In Trinidad and Tobago, there is a thrust towards technology integration into the curriculum as a means of improving student achievement. The one to one computing model was adopted in 2010 and the initiative is currently in its fifth year. The research study sought to discover the teachers’ perspectives of the factors which supported their implementation of the initiative. Five teachers were chosen from secondary schools in Trinidad and Tobago. Data collection consisted of semi-structured interviews and an open-ended questionnaire. The findings revealed that factors critical to successful implementation of the eCAL curriculum change initiative were teacherrelated (teacher belief, teacher collaboration and support); innovation-related (need and relative advantage), and contextual factors (availability and accessibility of technical resources and technical support, principal leadership and teacher training and professional development). It is hoped that the findings from this study would augment knowledge in the curriculum policy arena in the Trinidad and Tobago context.

A case study of what experiences contribute to the ideas of energy held by primary school students in Trinidad and Tobago.

This case study explored what experiences contribute to the ideas of energy held by 30 purposively selected primary school students from one primary school in Trinidad and Tobago. The study used the Interview About Events (IAE) approach to explore students’ ideas about energy and further to reveal what experiences may have led to them having these ideas. During the IAE exercise, flashcards of events and items were shown to students to prompt responses which were used to initiate a semi structured interview. The findings showed that students ideas were as a result of many different experiences but that these experiences could be grouped into one of three categories: hearsay experiences, incomplete understandings, classroom experiences.

Exercise, bodyweight perception and related weight loss behavior among adolescents in Trinidad and Tobago.

This study attempted to evaluate the real and perceived body weight, exercise habits and weight-altering dietary supplement use by adolescents attending schools in Trinidad and Tobago. A de novo questionnaire was administered prospectively to 15-19-year-old to determine their exercise habits, their perceived body weights, and their use of any weight gain or weight loss supplements. A subset of students had their actual height and weights recorded and BMI calculated. Five hundred and eighty-three students did the questionnaire (88% response rate), and 363 students had BMI calculated. Some 14.9% (54/363) of the students were overweight, and 15.4% (56/363) were obese, and more than 75% of the obese students had attempted weight loss in the past. These measures included exercise in the majority of the students and use of dietary supplements in the minority. Only 6% of the obese students exercised five or more times per week. About 28% of the students misclassified their body weights, and perception of body weight influenced weight loss behaviors more than actual body weights. Almost one third of the students were overweight or obese. Overweight students were motivated to lose weight, and these students need to have some structured health promotion program, which educates them on correct exercise habits, safe measures to lose weight, and which informs them of their actual body weight.

Teachers’ Perceptions of the Dimensions of the Psychosocial School Environment in Primary Schools in Trinidad and Tobago

The study explored some of the important psycho-social factors in the primary school environment that impact on students’ learning as perceived by teachers. It also attempted to identify, describe and develop conceptual categories as separate dimensions of the social and emotional environment. The sample consisted of 187 teachers and 53 schools selected from one Educational District – St. George East. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS-SPG2). Statistical means, T-tests, ANOVA and regression analysis were used to make comparisons between schools and to show the relationships between the independent psycho-social categories and the overall dependent psycho-social environment. The five independent psychosocial categories were teacher-student relations, teacher-related issues, student and curriculum issues, school organization and policy and school health and safety. The findings revealed that teachers perceived student-related and school violence issues as the most important dimensions of the psychosocial environment. There was a significant positive correlation between the five dimensions of the psychosocial environment. Also, the psycho-social environment had negative influences on students’ attitudes and emotional well-being as perceived by teachers in many of our primary schools in the sample, especially in the Government schools. The findings further indicated that teacher-related issues had the greatest influence on the overall psycho-social environment.

Everyday personal laptop usage in secondary schools in Trinidad and Tobago

The e-Connect And Learn (eCAL) programme is a Trinidad and Tobago government-led initiative, launched in 2010, that grants personal laptop computers to students entering secondary school. The purpose of this paper is to provide a snapshot of how students are using these government-issued personal laptops 3 years after the programme’s launch. This paper explores the fissure between what the policy recommends and what is actually enacted in the context of laptop usage in the classroom. Data were drawn from 1,451 students, from 32 secondary schools across Trinidad and Tobago. Responses indicate that students are falling short of the expectations for in-class laptop usage and in schools where usage is less often but on a regular basis, laptops are mainly used for technology-related subjects. These findings not only suggest that students’ everyday personal laptop usage in the classroom is not in alignment with the eCAL programme goals, but also highlight some of the issues to be considered by other countries when implementing large-scale laptop programmes.

Secondary school students' knowledge of physical therapy: the trinidadian scenario.

Research in regions outside of the Caribbean shows that high school and college students' knowledge of physical therapy is lacking. There is no data reported to date for students in the Caribbean region. This study sought to evaluate Trinidadian secondary school students' knowledge of physical therapy, identify sources of knowledge and examine the relationship between knowledge and selected factors. A non-experimental cross-sectional analysis of relationships was conducted with 1427 students attending schools that were randomly selected from rural and urban locations in Trinidad. A questionnaire which required the students to identify selected tasks performed by physical therapists, grade the skill level associated with each task and identify sources of information was utilized. A total of 1353 questionnaires were returned, of which 1236 were eligible for analysis. The mean number of correct responses regarding knowledge of tasks conducted by a physical therapist was 6.47 ± 2.05 out of a total of 11. More than 50% of the respondents had incorrect responses for questions related to the skill level associated with each task. Seniors and students who were interested in health careers had significantly higher scores for knowledge of tasks performed by physical therapists (6.72 ± 1.94; 6.7 ± 1.81) than juniors and those who were interested in non-health careers (6.4 ± 2.07; 6.52 ± 1.99). The two most common sources of information from all categories of respondents were television (74.8%) followed by internet (54.6%). Students attending secondary schools in Trinidad are not well informed about physical therapy and strategies must be developed to address this.

Dimensions of Teacher Efficacy and Student Academic Achievement in Selected Primary Schools in Trinidad and Tobago

The study focussed on the efficacy of teachers in one Education District in Trinidad and Tobago. Three dimensions of teacher efficacy–student engagement, instructional strategies and classroom management [1] were examined in relation to teachers’ attributes and teacher-student relationship. The study explored perceived differences in teacher efficacy based on school type, size, demography, gender and years of teaching experience. Comparisons were made between teachers’ efficacy scores and student academic achievement. The participants were 532 teachers from 52 government and government-assisted primary schools in the St. George Education District of Trinidad and Tobago. A quantitative method employing a cross-sectional design was used in the study. The quantitative data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS–SPG2). Descriptive and inferential statistics were employed to test hypotheses and answer research questions. The results indicated that there were no significant differences in the three dimensions of teacher efficacy according to school type, gender, location, size of school and years of teaching experience. There was also a moderate to strong correlation between the demographic and school-level teacher efficacy factors. The results indicated further that student engagement had the greatest influence on student

Energy drinks and other dietary supplement use among adolescents attending secondary schools in Trinidad and Tobago.

The objective of the present study was to determine the knowledge and practices among Trinidad and Tobago school-attending adolescents towards energy drinks (ED), alcohol combined with energy drinks (AwED), weight-altering supplements (WAS) and vitamin/mineral supplements (VMS) and their experience of adverse effects associated with such use. A cross-sectional, proportionate, stratified sampling strategy was adopted using a self-administered, de novo questionnaire. Secondary schools throughout Trinidad and Tobago. Students aged 15-19 years. Five hundred and sixty-one students participated, an 84% response rate; 43·0% were male, 40·5% East Indian and 34·1% mixed race. VMS, ED, WAS and anabolic steroids were used by 52·4%, 44·0%, 8·9% and 1·4% of students, respectively, with 51·6% of ED users using AwED. Predictors of use of AwED were males and students who played sport for their school (OR = 1·9; 95% CI 1·2, 3·2 and OR = 2·6; 95% CI 1·4, 4·7, respectively). Predictors of ED use were males and attendees of government secondary schools (OR = 1·7; 95% CI 1·1, 2·4 and OR = 1·7; 95% CI 1·2, 2·4, respectively). Side-effects, mainly palpitations, headaches and sleep disturbances, were reported in 20·7% of dietary supplement users. Many adolescent students in Trinidad and Tobago use dietary supplements, including ED and AwED, and about one-fifth of users experience side-effects. Identification of students at risk for ED, AwED and WAS use and education of students about the dangers of using dietary supplements need to be instituted to prevent potential adverse events.

Collaborative Leadership and Motivation as Examples of Education for All Goals 1, 3, 4, and 6 at Work in Seven Schools in Trinidad

The underlying theoretical framework of this qualitative case study was leadership and motivation. The research questions were: What issues and challenges to effective teaching and learning do you have? What mechanisms do you use to resolve these teaching and learning issues? The issues surrounding teaching and learning were leadership and motivation. Collaborative or shared leadership consisted of team building, whilst motivation involved boosting teacher morale and promoting self-efficacy among students as its component. Each case study focused on various issues of Education For All (EFA) in schools in Trinidad. The issues of leadership and staff morale related to EFA Goal 6 and Participants 1 to 4 identified with these. Participant 5 implemented strategies to enhance four- and five-year olds' pre-writing skills, which is consistent with EFA Goal 1 of developing and improving early childcare and education. Participant 6 employed kinesthetic games to increase the capacity among students with learning disabilities to listen and respond to basic instructions. Participant 7 used real-life experiences to teach life skills to her students with learning disabilities. The intervention strategies used by Participants 6 and 7 encompassed EFA Goals 3 and 4.

Quality control in a colonial school setting: How it worked and for what purpose

This paper recognizes that quality control was a significant concern in the colonial state. The understanding was that if goals of colonialism were to be accomplished then education, a major apparatus for promoting state objectives, had to be carefully monitored. As a consequence, in colonial Trinidad and Tobago schools were systematically visited and carefully evaluated at least once per year by Inspectors appointed by the State. A major objective of the visit was quality control, defined detection and exposure of defective work. This article uses historical records as contained in log books to examine what the quality controls in colonial elementary schools in Trinidad and Tobago revealed. How and why the controls identified related to State objectives for education and schooling in the colony are of primary concern. The exercise reveals that defects were indeed found in several areas of school work, and that malfunctioning was a threat to political, social and economic stability of the colonial state. An important remark is the similarity between quality controls found in colonial schools in Trinidad and Tobago and those found in schools in the modern state. The observation leads to some speculation as to how the two, though similar in many respects, differ

The Caribbean Court of Justice and the Legal Profession: Promoting a Caribbean Jurisprudence*

The author submits that the main purpose in the establishment of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) is to promote the development of a Caribbean jurisprudence, based on the Commonwealth Caribbean's common historic, political, economic and cultural experiences and mutual history. * This is an adaptation of an address given to the Eastern Caribbean Bar Association on 21 September 2007, in Grenada. ** Justice Adrian Saunders is a Judge of the newly established Caribbean Court of Justice. He is a graduate of the University of the West Indies and the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad. He was called to the bar in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in 1977 and practiced in that country as a Barrister and solicitor. He was the senior partner in the firm of Saunders & Huggins when, in 1996 he was appointed a Judge of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC). The article examines the role of final appellate courts, noting that judges of such courts must often choose between alternatives which are perfectly capable of being defended as rational, reasonable and consistent with ‘the law’. Factors such as life experiences, socialisation, and backgrounds all play a role in determining the choices that are ultimately made. This is why, the author underscores that ‘it is so important to have a diverse Bench, to have Judges from different backgrounds’. For judges to come close to steering the right course they must have an understanding of the society that gives rise to the legal disputes. They must be grounded in that society. In this respect, the author argues, it is remarkable that the evolution of certain landmark judgments relating to human rights, particularly capital punishment, have been rendered by British judges, sitting and residing in England. The article, which draws on a wealth of jurisprudence, proceeds to examine the original jurisdiction of the CCJ and the role of the Bar in defending the integrity of the Court and the justice system as well as in enhancing the quality of judgments. Finally, it emphasises the need to promote Caribbean jurisprudence and access to local judgments. In this regard, it is lamented that many truly outstanding judgments of Caribbean judges do not receive the recognition they should because, if there is an appeal, they become almost automatically buried beneath the judgments of the higher court.

Food insecurity, weight control practices and body mass index in adolescents

We investigated whether experienced food insecurity was associated with weight control behaviour of adolescents. A national survey of 16-year-old students with the six-item food security scale, questions concerning intentions of trying to change weight, physical activity patterns, and measurement of height and weight. Representative sample of 29 schools in Trinidad, West Indies. Data analysed for 1903 subjects including 1484 who were food-secure and 419 who were food-insecure. In the whole sample, food security status did not vary by body mass index (BMI) category. 'Trying to gain weight' and 'spending most free time in activities involving little physical effort' were each associated with lower BMI. 'Trying to gain weight' was more frequent in food-insecure subjects (135, 32%) than in food-secure subjects (369, 25%, P = 0.012). After adjustment for BMI, age, sex, ethnicity and socio-economic variables, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 'trying to gain weight' for food-insecure subjects was 1.39 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-1.82, P = 0.014). Food-insecure subjects (197, 47%) were more likely than food-secure subjects (575, 39%) to report that most of their free time was spent doing things that involved little physical effort (P = 0.003). This association was not explained by adjustment for BMI, age, sex and ethnicity (OR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.13-1.76, P = 0.002) or additional socio-economic variables (OR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.02-1.57, P = 0.033). Adolescents who experience food insecurity are more likely to intend to gain weight but engage in less physical activity than food-secure subjects with the same BMI.

Ethnicity, body image perception and weight-related behaviour among adolescent females attending secondary school in Trinidad

The correlates of body image perception among an ethnically diverse group of adolescent females attending secondary school in Trinidad were investigated. A cross-sectional survey was carried out among adolescent females from selected secondary schools in Trinidad. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic items and standardized psychometric instruments. Two hundred and fifty-one students participated in the survey with an ethnic composition as follows: Indo-Trinidadian (35.9%), Afro-Trinidadian (28.7%), Indo-Afro mixed Trinidadian (21.9%) and other (13.5%). The results suggest that 2.4% of the participants reported having a medical diagnosis for an eating disorder Indo-Trinidadians had significantly greater body dissatisfaction than Indo-Afro-mixed Trinidadians but not more than Afro-Trinidadians (p = 0.04). Also, a significantly higher proportion of Indo-Trinidadians engaged in binge eating behaviour compared to the other ethnic groups (p < 0.001). Afro-Trinidadians were more likely to use vomiting as a mean of weight control compared to Indo- and Indo-Afro-mixed Trinidadian (p < 0. 05). Fifty-one per cent of participants had a negative body image perception. Altered body image perception was associated with a significant higher mean Body Shape Questionnaire BSQ 16 score (p < 0.001) and increased likelihood of reporting being diagnosed with an eating disorder (OR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.78, 2.31; p = 0.01) compared to non-altered body image state. Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26) score was positively correlated with Drive-for-Thinness (p < 0.001) and BSQ16 (p < 0.001) scores and inversely correlated with the Rosenberg self-esteem score (p = 0.012). In this group of adolescents, there are ethnic differences in the level of concern over body image and associated eating, and weight-related behaviour.

Urinary fluoride levels in children in a single school in trinidad and tobago: a preliminary investigation

To determine urinary fluoride levels in school children in a non-fluoridated area in Trinidad and Tobago. Morning urine samples were requested from 750 children aged 5 to 14 years, attending a primary school in the area of St Joseph, north west Trinidad. Urine was collected at home and brought to school in labelled plastic bottles. Urinary fluoride concentration (ppm) was measured using an ion-specific electrode. Urine samples were available for 500 children (67%). Mean age was 8.5 years. Overall mean fluoride concentration was 0.5 ppm +/- standard deviation (SD) 0.27; males (n = 263) were 0.58 ppm +/- 0.28 and females (n = 237) 0.55 ppm +/- 0.27. Children in the 5 to 7-year age group had the highest levels (0.64 ppm +/- 0.33). Mean urinary fluoride levels in this sample of school children were low indicating a fluoride intake below the optimum level for caries prevention. Fluoridation programmes may need to be implemented to increase fluoride intake among school children in the study area.

Comparison of prevalence and severity of asthma among adolescents in the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Tobago: results of a nationwide cross-sectional survey

BackgroundAsthma is a growing problem in the Caribbean but the prevalence in most islands is unknown and possible inter-island variation in prevalence has not been determined. A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted to compare the prevalence of asthma symptoms among high school students in the two islands of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.MethodsQuestionnaire and video instruments based on those developed by the International Study of Asthma & Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC) were used to assess asthma prevalence among 6394 children (age range, 11–19 years; mean age, 14.08 yrs) in the second and third years of 35 randomly selected high schools in Trinidad and Tobago. This cross sectional survey was conducted between September and December 2002.ResultsA total of 4988 questionnaires were available for analysis (3519 in Trinidad and 1469 in Tobago). Among respondents from the two islands, there were no significant differences in the prevalence of ever wheezing (24.1% and 24.3% for Trinidad and Tobago, respectively, RR 0.99, 95% CI, 0.90–1.08); wheezing in the previous 12 months (13.1% & 13.4%, RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.84–1.15); a previous or current diagnosis of asthma (12.8% & 13.5%, RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.82–1.12) and night cough in the past 12 months (35.4% & 38.3%, RR0.93, 95% CI 0.86–1.00). However, symptoms of severe asthma were significantly more common among students from Tobago and included having had more than one acute attack in the past year (13.4% & 15.8%, RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.73–1.00, p = 0.0004), night waking as a result of wheeze (7.4% & 10.9%, RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.56–0.83, p < 0.0001) and speech limitation in the past year (5.2% & 8.7%, RR 0.59, 95% CI 0.47–0.74, p < 0.001) Exercise-associated wheezing was also more frequent among Tobagonian adolescents (17.5% & 20.2%, RR 0.87, 95% CI 0.76 – 0.98, p = 0.04).ConclusionSelf-reported wheeze is common among adolescents in Trinidad and Tobago. Variation in symptoms was found between the two territories; high school students from Tobago, the less industrialized of the two islands, reported more symptoms of severe asthma and exercise-induced wheeze. Difference in the ethnic composition rather than socio-economic factors may be contributing to the observed differences in symptom prevalence.

Smoking at home is strongly associated with symptoms of asthma and rhinitis in children of primary school age in Trinidad and Tobago

To compare, in the twin-island republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the prevalence of symptoms of asthma and rhinitis among children of primary school age who are exposed to household environmental tobacco smoke with the prevalence of these symptoms in their colleagues without this exposure. Between September and December 2002, questionnaires based on the instrument developed for the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) were distributed, via the children in their schools, to parents of 6,611 Year 2 pupils (typically 6 years old) or Year 3 pupils (typically 7 years old) in 106 randomly selected schools in Trinidad and Tobago (5,511 pupils on Trinidad and 1,100 pupils on Tobago). We added to the standard ISAAC questionnaires two questions, one on household smoking and one on the ethnicity of the children. A total of 3 170 completed questionnaires were suitable for further analysis (2,618 from Trinidad and 552 from Tobago). On Trinidad 782 of the children (29.9%) lived in homes where one or both parents smoked, and 513 (19.6%) had other relatives in the household who smoked. On Tobago 94 of the pupils (17.0%) had parents who smoked, and 84 (15.4%) came from homes where other residents smoked. Parental smoking was significantly associated with wheezing (odds ratio (OR): 1.43; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.11-1.83), exercise-induced wheezing (OR: 2.12; 95% CI: 1.59-2.82), nocturnal coughing (OR: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.37-1.97), and symptoms of rhinitis (OR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.10-1.65) in the last 12 months as well as a history of hay fever/sinus problems (OR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.11-1.74). Smoking in the home by adult residents other than parents was also significantly associated with all of these symptoms as well as a history of asthma (OR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.13-1.97). In terms of ethnic differences, parental smoking was most prevalent in the homes of South Asian students, while smoking by other adults in the home occurred most commonly in the households of pupils of mixed race. Even in Trinidad and Tobago, which is a tropical environment where more time is spent outdoors and homes have more open ventilation than in temperate climates, environmental tobacco smoke exposure is closely associated with an increased prevalence of symptoms of asthma and rhinitis in primary-school-aged children.

Education and Community in the Asian Diaspora: The Struggle for Hindu Schools in Trinidad

Education and Community in the Asian Diaspora: The Struggle for Hindu Schools in Trinidad

Body image of adolescents in a multi-ethnic Caribbean population.

To examine the perceptions of body size among adolescents in Trinidad and to determine whether there were ethnic differences. Cross-sectional survey. Secondary schools in Trinidad. A stratified random sample of 1139 adolescents, aged 14-17 y. Silhouettes of different body sizes were used to determine perceptions of body size, while weights and heights were measured to determine actual body size. A total of 1090 students (96% response rate) participated, comprising 578 (53%) females. The main ethnic groups were South Asian (49%), African (25%) and persons of mixed ethnicity (23%). The calculated body mass index (BMI) indicated that 14% were thin, 73% normal and 13% overweight; however there was a preponderance of thinness among South Asian males (28%). Whereas 68% of students correctly identified their body size, South Asian males were also more likely to overestimate their body size than the other adolescents, ie they were thinner than they thought. Overall, 64% of the sample was satisfied with their current size, but thin South Asians were more likely to be satisfied with their size than other thin adolescents (P=0.04), while overweight Africans were more likely to be satisfied than other overweight persons (P=0.03). The majority of the sample associated the normal body size with good health, but the majority also associated the overweight and obese silhouettes with wealth. In addition, 40% of them associated the male overweight and obese silhouettes with happiness. Although the prevalence of overweight/obesity was not high, the perception of the Trinidadian adolescent that obesity was associated with wealth, and to a lesser extent happiness, and the satisfaction of the overweight African females with their size, were all causes for concern.

Sources of Stress and Psychological Disturbance Among Dental Students in the West Indies

The aim of this study was to investigate sources of stress and psychological disturbance in dental students across the five years of undergraduate study at a dental school in Trinidad. Eighty-three percent of students completed a modified version of the Dental Environment Stress questionnaire (DES) and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). On a scale ranging from 0 (not stressful) to 5 (highly stressful), overall mean DES scores for each of the five years of study were 1.58, 1.83, 2.65, 2.39, and 2.61 respectively, suggesting that levels of stress increase over the five years with a noticeable spike at the transition between the preclinical and clinical phases. Significant differences were found between specific stressors across the five years of study. Seven specific stressors and the stressor domains of Academic work and Clinical factors were more stressful for female students (t-test p < 0.05). The Global Severity Index of the BSI indicated that 54.8 percent of males and 44.2 percent of females were in the clinical range indicating significant psychological disturbance. Psychological disturbance was significantly associated with stress levels for male students (Spearmans rank correlation r = 0.56; p < 0.001), but not generally for female students. Further development is needed of dental educational programs that enhance students' psychosocial well-being.

Girls, boys and school achievement: Critical comments on who achieves in schools and under what economic and social conditions achievement takes place—a Caribbean perspective

This paper reports findings from a large-scale research project exploring female attainment and male underachievement in representative samples of students from the islands of Barbados and St Vincent. It also reports findings from case studies of secondary classrooms in various stratified schools in Trinidad. In reporting these findings, the paper will show that simplistic gender-based, matrilineal and male marginal explanations are not adequate explanations for school attainment. A more adequate explanation requires a complex methodological approach which draws upon quantitative and qualitative studies and the ability to integrate school-based, cultural and home factors. Findings show that, generally, girls attained at higher levels than boys, but this is qualified by type of school attended, pre-school attendance, with whom the student lives and occupations of mother and father.