Date of Award

1984

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Program

Counseling Psychology, Ph.D.

First Advisor

Robert J. Cruise

Second Advisor

Wilfred G. A. Futcher

Third Advisor

Bernard M. Lall

Abstract

Problem. Since the 1960s there has been increasing interest in the development of social indicators, educational indicators being an important subset of these. Studies in the U.S. and Europe have sought to (1) establish a conceptual framework for educational indicators, and (2) identify indicators useful for economic planning and monitoring the state of education. The need for these indicators in developing countries has also been identified. The researcher sought by (1) a correlational/predictive study and (2) an exploratory opinionnaire to validate a list of indicators for monitoring primary education in Jamaica and guiding financial choices.

Method. Utilizing scores from three batteries of the 1980 Common Entrance Examination (CEE) to high schools and a profile of pupil personal and school variables, canonical and discriminant analyses were applied to data from a sample of 802 pupils drawn from a stratified sample of schools, in three parishes of Jamaica. The strata were urban, rural, and most and least successful in securing high-school places based on CEE performance. Opinionnaire responses were secured from 177 primary-school teachers on a list of selected indicators.

Results. The canonical analyses identified several inputs as correlating significantly with pupil achievement including: (1) percentage of trained teachers over a three-year period; (2) sessions attended 1978/79; (3) parent's socioeconomic status when introduced into the analyses; (4) principal's administrative experience (negative relationship); (5) higher grade at which CEE was taken; and (6-7) grade teacher's experience and qualifications. The four highest rated indicators by the teachers were overcrowding, trained teacher/pupil ratio, efficient principal and index of malnutrition. Socioeconomic status and higher grade levels in urban areas and higher percentages of trained teachers in rural areas were chief among the distinguishing variables identified by discriminant analyses.

Conclusions. The researcher proposed a number of indicators set in a systems/economics/time perspective. These included: (1) percentage of male/female pupils in the age cohort attending 90 percent of sessions shown teachers; (3) standardized test results; (4) primary-school completion expectancy rate; and (5) enrollment projections. Other indicators were discussed, e.g., overcrowding and teacher/pupil ratios. Recommendations were made.

Subject Area

Education, Primary--Jamaica.

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.32597/dissertations/559/

Download

Files over 3MB may be slow to open. For best results, right-click and select "save as..."

Share

COinS