School of Education

Bio

Dr Leacock has served in the field of education for over 35 years. She advocates for literacy and numeracy for all, but her primary focus is on mathematics education.Through her research, she seeks to identify best practices for teaching and learning mathematics in early childhood, primary and secondary classrooms in the region, with special interest in the use of technology to enhance classroom experiences. 

She shares her knowledge and expertise through research, publication, conference presentations, workshops and seminars in schools and other fora across the region. She advocates for better preparation and professional development for teachers of mathematics in public schools in the region.
 

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Education (Cantab), 2003
• M.Phil. in Educational Research (Cantab), 2000
• B.Ed. (Curriculum) (UWI – Cave Hill), 1998
• Cert. Ed. (Teaching of Mathematics) (UWI – Mona), 1993
• Postgraduate Certificate in Remedial Education (Erdiston), 1990
• Certificate in Teacher Education (Secondary Ed) (UWI/Erdiston), 1985

Research Areas

Research Interests include issues relating to:

• The teaching and learning of mathematics
• Student achievement
• Technology use in education
• Democratising classrooms
• Literacy across the curriculum

Main Research Projects 

• Caribbean students’ performance in mathematics at the CSEC level: An ongoing study executed by a CXC-commissioned regional working group
• Factors influencing student achievement in the Eastern Caribbean (Supported by The UWI Board of Graduate Studies and Research): an ongoing investigation into the influence of factors such as SES, school, school type, teacher practices and student attitudes on the academic achievement of students in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.
• Investigation of teaching and learning of mathematics in the Eastern Caribbean (CDB supported).  An investigation into the profile of teachers of mathematics in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, their perceptions of their competence and their classroom practices.
• Technology integration in education in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.A study of the use of netbooks issued to students as part of the One Netbook per Child initiative in SVG, and factors that affected the use of the machines.

Teaching Areas

Undergraduate Courses:

• EDMA 2111 – Structure and Nature of Mathematics
• EDMA 2207 – Teaching Mathematics at the Primary Level
• EDMA 3204 – Issues Relevant to the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics
• EDRS 2201 – Introduction to Research in Education
• EDRS 2202 – Basic Data Analysis with the Computer

 
Graduate Courses:

• EDRS 6001 – Research Methods in Education
• EDRS 6002 –  Statistics and Research Methods in Education
• EDRS 6210 – Fundamentals of Educational Research II
• EDFA 6010 – Current Issues in Education

Publications

Leacock, C. J. (2016). Investigating Mathematics Teaching and Learning in the Eastern Caribbean.  Report on a research project partly funded by CDB. (61 pages)   
          
Leacock, C. J., Warrican, S. J., & Rose, G. St.C. (2015). Research Methods for Inexperienced Researchers: Guidelines for Investigating the Social World (Rev Ed). Kingston, Jamaica: Ian Randle. 
 
Leacock, C. J. (2015). Status of mathematics education in the Eastern Caribbean: Issues and possible solutions for teacher preparation and support.  Journal of Eastern Caribbean Studies, 40(3), 210-233.
               
Warrican, S. J., Leacock, C. J., Thompson, B. P., & Alleyne, M. L. (2014). Predictors of Student Success in an Online Learning Environment in the English-speaking Caribbean: Evidence for The University of the West Indies Open Campus.  Open Praxis, 6(4), 331-346.    

Veira, A., Leacock, C. J., & Warrican, S. J. (2014). Learning outside the walls of the classroom: Engaging the digital natives.  Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 30(2), 227 – 244.         
  
 

Keywords

Mathematics education, educational research, content area reading, technology, student achievement