In the rapidly changing atmosphere of the global economy, productivity has become a very important concept for long-term economic growth, development, regional and global competitiveness, raising social living standards and increasing the level of welfare for countries. In the 21st century, when scientific knowledge, technology, innovation,…

Creole-speaking contexts are significantly underrepresented in language and literacy research yet present a unique context for understanding the nature of language and literacy development among numerous learners in the Global South. In the Caribbean in particular, the poor writing outcomes of Creole speakers across all levels of education has…

In the Caribbean, as with many other contexts, though learning through play serves as the impetus behind recommended early years classroom practices, very little is known about children's play, what it looks like and the factors that shape it. To explore this issue, traditional qualitative methodology including interviews, documentation of field…

Media use has been linked to unhealthy eating, but there is evidence that parent discussion about media and media literacy can inoculate against negative media effects. Therefore, we examined the relationships between mothers' food-focused media literacy and their discussions about media and their adolescents' food-focused media literacy in a…

Limited evidence describes promoting development and reducing violence in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), a missed opportunity to protect children and promote development and human capital. This study presents a systematic literature review of integrated early childhood development plus violence prevention (ECD+VP) interventions in…

This paper looks at how countries have mobilized additional resources for education and assesses their impact on access and learning outcomes, using the World Bank's new Learning-Adjusted Years of Schooling measure. The paper shows that global spending on education has risen significantly over the past two decades, although spending as a share of…

The recruitment of overseas trained teachers (OTTs) in England is a matter that has received as much attention inside the United Kingdom as outside. Education systems in small island and developing states, especially, were believed to have been placed 'at risk' following the departure of experienced and qualified teachers. Correspondingly, the…

Research into small island states emerged during the period of decolonisation with comparative case studies making a valuable contribution. This study was undertaken to evaluate information and communications technology (ICT) policies in primary education in Malta and Jamaica and to consider the influence of small island status on policy and its…

Discusses Jamaican music, especially "reggae," in terms of national identity, autonomy, and public policy. Reports a survey that shows that the majority of Jamaican youth identify with "reggae" and find music vital to their existence, but that the upper classes prefer foreign over local music. (PD)

This study examined the internal validity and reasons for false positives for the Ten Question Screen (with and without probes), used by community workers in developing nations to assess type and severity of disability. Results support the use of the screen but only if paired with measurements of hearing and visual impairments. (DB)

This study evaluated use of the Ten Question Screen (TQ) to identify disability in a 2-stage population-based survey of 5,478 children aged 2-9 years in Clarendon, Jamaica. Findings indicated varied sensitivity by different subgroups (age, gender, and disability) and an unacceptably high false positive rate. (Author/DB)

Personality differences among Jamaican and American Black populations of varying socioeconomic backgrounds were investigated using several personality assessment instruments. Differences in personality traits and social constructs were found to be consistent with those that might be predicted between members of a more traditional society and those…

Suggests alternative ways to advance knowledge about the reasons why people in the Caribbean are under-nourished. Argues for replacing quantitative surveys that focus on using the methodology of one discipline with L. Joy's (1979) "repeated scenarios" crossing disciplinary boundaries around which theorizing can begin. (GG)

Examines implementation of educational reforms in the Latin American-Caribbean region during the 1990s, based on national case studies (Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Jamaica, and Paraguay), descriptions of nationally supported projects, and discussions with reformers and researchers. Despite similarities in reforms' origins and components, each…

Problems of higher education in developing countries are discussed with specific reference to Jamaica. Although universities in developing nations may focus on educating students to solve national problems and to aid in development, many of the students emigrate to wealthier countries. (BH)