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Title: "Faculty of Social Sciences undergraduate students"€™ perceptions of
education in Guyana."€
Chapter One: Introduction and Background to the Study
1.1. The General Problem
For many years, educators and researchers have tried to understand why students tend to
criticize their instructors and learning institutions. Research studies have attempted to
identify and measure student attitudes and perceptions, and to predict relationships that
influence their attitudes related to the education curriculum (Corbin, 1994). Through the
years, ongoing changes in curriculum design, teaching methodology, and administrative
practices may have helped to improve students"€™ perception of what is thought in
schools (Shaughnessy & Haladyna, 1985). However, an attitude still persists among many
students, that, some aspects of their educational experiences are found to be boring, and
irrelevant to their lives. If the curriculum of any learning institution is to continue to have
support from their administrators, politicians, and the general public, it is desirable to have
positive student attitudes towards the subject matter. Thus there may be the need to, firstly
diagnose the perceptions of students about the given subject matter or the overall learning
institution to facilitate intervention. For it is quite possible that negative perceptions could
ultimately result in a sharp decline in the allocation of resources for this subject area or the
particular institution.
In a study of students"€™ perceptions of social studies among high school and tertiary
level students, Shaughnessy and Haladyna (1985) captured the essence of why social
studies is one of the least liked courses. The researchers concluded that:
It is the teacher who is key to what social studies will be for the student. Instruction tends
to be dominated by the lecture, textbook or worksheets.... and social studies does not
inspire students to learn (p.694).
In another but yet similar study of "Teachers"€™ perceptions of the University of Guyana
Post Graduate Diploma programme (Granger, 2005) it was observed that teachers have
generally favourable perceptions of that particular programme as it relates to issues such as
worthwhileness of the programme, restructuring, and recognition, among others However,
uncertainties abound with regards to its recognition outside of Guyana (p.21).The
researcher went on to posit that consistent with the findings of her study, "Failure to review
and update [the] programme could result in serious implications for the programme"€
(p.22).
Using these arguments and findings, it can then be assumed that the study of
undergraduate students"€™ perception of education in Guyana bears much relevance to
the future of the University of Guyana.
Further, in light of the many curriculum changes that have taken place over the last two
decades and the changing attitudes of politicians, parents and students toward public
education, the world over of which Guyana is no exception, it is appropriate to visit this
area of research.
As a sociologist and social science educator, my personal mission is to help others gain the
kind of knowledge that has helped me in understanding a broad range of social science
issues. Yet, I want to ensure that they do not have to spend as long as I have, in coming to
grips with a holistic understanding. In other words, I want to contribute to a shortening of
the learning cycle so that others can grasp the importance of knowledge from a well
founded and framed scientific context, and thus make them more aware of those issues that
will play an ever increasing role in the decisions of their generation, i.e. resource
consumption and management. Further, I want to ensure as much as I can that the next
generation of lecturers can help students in their knowledge building, to have a sound, well
founded conception of the social sciences as inquiry, and that their teaching enables
students to think critically and reflect on the trustworthiness of the science behind events
in their daily lives, even in the politics of education and sustainable development.
As an education practitioner, I am also interested in educational reforms that will help
teachers and students re-envision education as a way of learning that involves an ongoing
process of fine tuning ones perception, refining their insight and continuously applying
known and novel ideas to new situations. More than this, however, and fundamental to my
own growth as a social science researcher and educator is the perception, attitudes and
beliefs students bring with them into the classroom, and whether the methodologies and
style I have adopted are of help in furthering learning.
To this end, a pilot study is proposed that will focus on students"€™ beliefs or perceptions
regarding the nature and quality of their university level educational exposure in Guyana,
as well as the types of opportunities that potentially unfold to them after completion of
their tenure of academic studies at the University.
Education in the social sciences at the University of Guyana has traditionally been divided
into categorical disciplines with little cross-over of topics and courses between issues in
physical and social sciences courses. From my own experience as a life-long learner and
long time student, I have often found it challenging to keep the big picture in mind and
carry over the concepts from one social science discipline to another. Science as a way of
knowing, was rarely if ever mentioned by my instructors, and it was only after reflecting
on the whole process of my own learning that I came to understand the value of having a
structure for building my present understanding and integrating the major themes in the
social sciences. These experiences share a tendency to impact upon manner in which one
perceives the quality and functionality of their education.
My interest in science as a way of knowing has also evolved into a general inquiry strategy
into ways of knowledge construction, concept building and cognitive development. My
grasp of the pertinent literature is admittedly far from comprehensive and will be an
ongoing process. Nonetheless, I feel comfortable in my knowledge of the content matter of
sociology to launch into the study of how others come to know the world from a social
science perspective but yet relevant to their perceptions of education in Guyana. It is my
view that the social sciences represent a clearly formalized structure for developing an
understanding of nature and social systems, and with the current push in tertiary education
reform toward the constructivist paradigm, the University of Guyana also reformed it
approach to delivering its tertiary education agenda by transitioning from a year long
approach to the semester system in 1994.
1.2. The Specific Problem
In recent times, there has some changes occurring within the social structure of Guyana.
Disparities in wealth, status, power and opportunity are a conspicuous feature of the
Guyanese society but this is not new. Such disparities occurred, for example, in what can
be termed the "€colour- class"€ system of stratification throughout the English speaking
Caribbean. The rise of the Peoples National Congress political party to political power in
1964, lead to intensified government efforts in subsequent years to improve opportunity
for disadvantaged groups, with a variety of measures being taken to foster social justice.
For example, the policy and practice of free education from nursery to university was
adopted and introduced in 1976.As part of the governments programme, students qualified
for the available places in the public secondary schools system on the basis of their
performance at an objective, standardized achievement and intelligence test. Further, in
addition to the places available for university education at the University of Guyana, large
numbers of scholarships were awarded in a variety of fields to citizens of Guyana.
Employment regulations were also introduced to promote gender equity within the labour
market. However one of the most significant reform strategy embraced was the
modification of the provisions for secondary education that signaled the introduction of the
multilateral and community High school programmes. The result was that candidates who
sat the Secondary Schools Entrance Examination (formerly known as the Common
Entrance Examination) were either assigned places within the senior and junior secondary
schools. Those who did not qualify for places within those schools were assigned places in
the multilateral or community high schools where they received a general education along
with pre-vocational studies in areas such as Agriculture, Industrial Arts, and Home
economics. After three years of community high schooling, this category of students
proceeded to junior secondary school on the basis of a qualifying examination which was
known as the Secondary Schools Proficiency Examination (SSPE).At this level a minority
was able to pursue a primarily academic programme but most combined a general
education with specializations along technical and vocational lines. Currently most of
these schools have been integrated into the secondary school system.
More recently, other reforms have been introduced. This includes the disbandonment of the
Community High School programme, and the introduction of a cost recovery/fee paying
programme at the University of Guyana. Also importantly, the university has embarked on
its own internal reforms. It is therefore possible that these changes could have resulted in
the evolutions of new perceptions about the purpose and role of the University of Guyana.
As well as the future of education in Guyana among present and potential students, hence
the recommendation of this study
1.3. Research Questions
