Barbadian teachers' personal practical knowledge about advocated pedagogic practices used in

528 Pages·2017·12.13 MB·English

EEddiitthh CCoowwaann UUnniivveerrssiittyy
RReesseeaarrcchh OOnnlliinnee
Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses
1-1-1999
BBaarrbbaaddiiaann tteeaacchheerrss'' ppeerrssoonnaall pprraaccttiiccaall kknnoowwlleeddggee aabboouutt
aaddvvooccaatteedd ppeeddaaggooggiicc pprraaccttiicceess uusseedd iinn tthhee eedduuccaattiioonn ooff tthhee
uunnddeerr--fifivveess
Sonja M. Anderson
Edith Cowan University
Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses
Part of the Educational Methods Commons
RReeccoommmmeennddeedd CCiittaattiioonn
Anderson, S. M. (1999). Barbadian teachers' personal practical knowledge about advocated pedagogic
practices used in the education of the under-fives. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1259
This Thesis is posted at Research Online.
https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1259
Edith Cowan University
Research Online
Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses
1999
Barbadian teachers' personal practical knowledge
about advocated pedagogic practices used in the
education of the under-fives
Sonja M. Anderson
Edith Cowan University
Recommended Citation
Anderson, S. M. (1999).Barbadian teachers' personal practical knowledge about advocated pedagogic practices used in the education of the
under-fives. Retrieved from https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1259
This Thesis is posted at Research Online.
https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1259
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USE OF THESIS

The Use of Thesis statement is not included in this version of the thesis.
EDITH COWAN UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY
BARBADIAN TEACHERS' PERSONAL PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE
ABOUT ADVOCATED PEDAGOGIC PRACTICES USED IN THE
EDUCATION OF THE UNDER-FIVES
By
Sonja Myrtle Sandra Anderson
T. Cert. Erd. & UWI, B.A. UWI
A Thesis Submitted in Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Award of
Doctor of Philosophy
at the
Faculty of Education,
Edith Cowan University
September 1999
rd
iv
Declaration
I certify that this thesis does not, to the best of my knowledge and belief
• incorporate without acknowledgment any material previously submitted for a
degree or diploma in any institution of higher education;
• contain any material previously published or written by another person
except where due reference is made in the text;
• or contain any defamatoty material.
Signature: _
Date:
iii
Abstract
This study investigated the personal practical knowledge of twenty-one
Barbadian teachers in relation to a range of pedagogic practices advocated for use
in the education of children under five years of age. The investigation of this
knowledge was based on an interpretative perspective. The conceptual
underpinning was framed by Personal Construct Psychology (Kelly, 1955), and
its methodology, the repertory grid technique. The grid was fommlated and used
in a sample of schools with under-fives. Findings were clarified, confirmed and
elaborated by the use of in-depth interviews conducted with teachers in their
classroom settings.
The findings revealed that teachers construed pedagogic practices from two
perspectives. First, those concerned with the total development of the child, and
second, those which empham«f cognitive development. The filctors associating
the practices and the perspectives were presented under five major themes:
Consideration of the Child; Benefits to the Under-fives; Classroom Experiences;
Traditional Academic Focus; and Teacher's versus Child Dominance.
Eclectic constructions and uses of teaching practices were clearly evident.
Individual choices were varied and at times conflicting; they derived from the
teachers' own construct systems, their anticipation of events in early childhood
education, and their technical, cultural and theoretical knowledge.
The implications and recommendations made in this study provide the basis for
the development of coherent teaching strategies for early childhood education in
Barbados.
r
b
V
Acknowledgments
I welcome the opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to the
completion of this thesis. I am particularly indebted to my supervisors Dr.
Caroline Barratt-Pugh and Dr. Tony Fetherston for their invaluable wisdom,
guidance, support, suggestions and patience throughout the writing of this
research.
I am especially grateful to all those lecturers at the Edith Cowan
University (ECU) who gave up their precious time to discuss and suggest
solutions to problems or offered encouragement during the process of the
research. Special thanks to Dr. Lorraine Corrie who gave up teaching time to
allow me to pilot a repertory grid technique with her in-service teachers.
I also extend special thanks to my colleagues in early childhood
education at Edith Cowan University, and the Director and teachers at the
Edith Cowan Day-care Centre who took time to participate in the pre-testing
of the grids.
I am also indebted to the Ministry ofE ducation in Barbados and
principals of primary, infant and nursery schools for granting permission to
conduct this research. Extra special thanks to the 21 teachers in Barbados who
tolerated me in their classrooms and so good-naturedly shared their personal
practical knowledge about the under-fives and their education.
I am also grateful to typist Sandra Hoyte, transcribers Denise Alleyne
and Beverly Jones, and proof reader Grace Haynes, for their part in the
completion of this research.
-
vi
Finally, I wish to thank my family, especially Winston, my two
daughters Anessa and Aleisha, and my son Anquan, for their unfailing
support, sacrifice and patience throughout the period of study. It is to my
three children and all the under-fives in the education system in Barbados that
this study is dedicated;
vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT 111
DECLARATION 1v
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS v
LIST OF TABLES viv
UST OF FIGURES xvi
CHAPTER ONE 1
Introduction to the Study 1
Introduction 1
Background to the study 1
Physical Characteristics of Barbados 2
Social and Political History of Barbados 3
A BriefHistory oft he Development ofEducation
in Barbados 4
An Overview oft he various levels in the
Education System in Barbados 7
Early Childhood Education (ECE) in Barbados 10
The Problem and Significance oft he Study 16
Aims of the Study 19
The Research Questions 20
Operational Definitions 21
Thesis Outline 22
CHAPTER TWO 25
Literature Review 25
Introduction 25
Pedagogic Practices in ECE 26
Developmentally appropriate practices in ECE 28
Defining Personal Practical Knowledge 30
Components ofP ersonal Practical Knowledge 31
Uncovering Personal Practical Knowledge 34
Di:fficultiesofAccessingTeachers'Personal
Practical Knowledge 36
Importance of Research about Teachers'
Personal Practical Knowledge 40
Research on Teachers' Personal Practical
Knowledge 42
Summary 46
Conclusion 46
CHAPTER THREE 47
Theoretical Framework 47
lntroductio1 · 47
The Interpra itive Paradigm 47