The Department of Language and Literacy Education together with the David Lam Chair are hosting a visiting scholar this summer. Dr. Loraine D. Cook is a senior lecturer in Research Methods and Educational Psychology at the School of Education, University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona. She will be giving a workshop for graduate students and a lecture open to the public.
Public Lecture
Presenter: Dr. Loraine D. Cook, The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica
Date and Time: Wednesday, July 4, 2018, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Location: Ponderosa Commons Oak House, Multipurpose Room 2012
The Changing Landscape of the Secondary Education System in Jamaica
In Jamaica, formal education at the secondary school level dates back to 1879 with the passing of the post-emancipation law that facilitated the establishment of a secondary school system on the island. Before emancipation in 1838, the idea of educating the enslaved population was strongly opposed by the plantocracy, despite the efforts of the missionaries to provide religious education to convert the enslaved Africans to Christianity. During the post-emancipation period, however, many religious groups tried to foster the development of an education system in the island. Despite decolonization, the British academic traditions are still part of the educational system in Jamaica.
This presentation will examine the effects of colonial education and the changing patterns of the secondary education system in Jamaica from the emancipation of the enslaved population in 1838 to the present day. Topics to be discussed include the gaps between the rich and the poor, the underperformance of males at the secondary level, and the ways in which exit exams impact educational equity .
Workshop
Presenter: Dr. Loraine D. Cook, The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica
Date and Time: Thursday, July 5, 2018, 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Location: Ponderosa Commons Oak House, Multipurpose Room 2012
Mixed-Methods Research: Definition, Philosophy, and Designs
The goal of this workshop is for participants to understand and be able to incorporate Mixed-Methods Research (MMR) into their dissertation/thesis and research project. The workshop will be interactive, and the content will include the following:
• Examining the various definitions of Mixed Methods Research to ascertain the critical attributes of the research approach;
• Discussing the philosophical frameworks used in Mixed Methods Research; and
• Choosing a Mixed Methods Research design.
Dr. Loraine D. Cook
Is a senior lecturer in Research Methods and Educational Psychology at the School of Education, University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona. She received her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from The UWI in 2007. She also graduated from Concordia University, Montreal, Canada for undergraduate studies in the 1980s. Her research interests include evaluating online courses in higher education and helping teachers to improve their teaching methods by investigating ways of aligning the relationships between teachers’ intended actions and their actual teaching behaviours. She has authored and co-authored several book chapters and journal articles.
A recipient of the Fulbright Visiting Researcher Award (2011), Dr. Cook has been a visiting scholar in Applied Psychology at the New York University (NYU). She has conducted several workshops in Mixed Methods Research and Data Analysis. She is presently the Chair of the Mixed Methods International Research Association, Caribbean Chapter, and an associate editor of the International Journal of Multiple Research Approaches.