Comparing the Voices of Teachers and Students on Implementation of Secondary Reforms in Seven Countries

• In Event: Educating Diverse Democracies: Comparing the Voices of Teachers and Students on Implementation of Secondary Reforms in Seven Countries

Abstract

Curriculum Planning
In planning lessons, majority (83-93%) of the sample teachers used the Internet (83-93%) and resource books (68-75%) and much less in Africa. About three-quarters of the sample teachers in Guyana and Jamaica and 60% of teachers in Trinidad claimed that they do not have enough resources. The percentages in Africa are higher and most Chinese, Trinidadian and Canadian sample teachers said they have enough resources and professional development. African teachers received very little or no professional development. As for planning time, average sample teachers in China spent 15 hr/wk, Canadians 10 hr/wk, less for teachers in the Caribbean and much less for Africans.
Teaching and Student Evaluation Methods
Except for Ontario, all countries have high-stakes examinations in the final year. Tables 2 and 3 showed sample teachers` self-reporting of the teaching and assessment methods they always/often used. Tables 4-7 showed the students` perceptions of the teaching methods always/often by teachers in English, Math, Science and Social Studies subjects. With a few exceptions, there is strong agreement between the teachers’ and students’ perceptions on how often certain strategies were used. It appears that teachers talk is a predominant strategy used by most teachers, followed closely by discussions, questioning and individual desk work, all of which are teacher-directed pedagogies. As for activity-based lessons, it appears that sample teachers in Jamaica and Guyana were using more activities than Trinidad. About a third of the teachers used group work and student and presentations. Technology is not used by most teachers except for China and Quebec but little in jurisdictions with the Laptop initiatives like Trinidad and Ontario. Technology is not used at all in Africa. In general, we conclude that sample teachers used a variety of teaching strategies. However, sample teachers in all three Caribbean countries appeared to have serious classroom management problems as almost half of the sample students and 40% of the sample teachers claimed that the behaviours of others in the classroom were affecting their work. Even the Chinese sample students claimed that classroom management is affecting their learning. Sample students and teachers have conflicting opinions of classroom management problem in Africa. As for assessment strategies, it appeared that sample teachers in all seven countries always/often used tests, exams, class work and homework/assignments.
In meeting the needs of special needs students, most sample teachers claimed that about 20% of their classes had students with special needs (see Tables 8 and 9). Jamaica had more support for students with special needs and Trinidad had the least, in fact, it had cancelled reading programs in 2013. In China, of those teachers surveyed, about 10% had special needs students integrated into their classrooms. Students with special needs included learning disabled and behavioural learners, as well as a few gifted and handicapped students. Teachers provided extra individual help and a modified curriculum for learning disabled students and special seating arrangements for behavioural or “active” students. Gifted students received additional enrichment. These strategies were mentioned by most sample teachers in all countries.

Authors

• Peter Yee Han Joong, University of Toronto

• Disraeli M. Hutton, University of the West Indies

• Peter Francis Wintz, University of Guyana

• Nalini Ramsawak-Jodha, The University of the West Indies