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The RISE Caribbean, Educational Research Conference, kicks off next week from May 30 – June 1 at the ßÙßÇÂþ»­ (USF). Speakers will share their research contributing to the conference’s theme: Building Solidarity Across Educational Communities: Cultivating Spaces Where Students Thrive.

RISE Caribbean Initiative

Research Initiative for Supporting Education in the Caribbean — also known as the RISE Caribbean initiative — is a partnership engineered by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), The University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill, the ßÙßÇÂþ»­ (USF) and numerous other stakeholders in the Caribbean region. 

As part of its goals, RISE Caribbean launched an interdisciplinary educational research center — the Caribbean Educational Research Center (CERC) — at The UWI Cave Hill in 2021. The purpose of the CERC is to support education policy development and timely decision-making on issues impacting schools in the region. Prior to the launch of the CERC and the establishment of the RISE Caribbean initiative, there was no centralized location for educators to access research, training or support and information in Barbados and the broader Eastern Caribbean region.

Patriann Smith, associate professor of Literacy Studies at the USF College of Education and a native of St. Lucia, serves as USF principal investigator of RISE Caribbean with S. Joel Warrican, professor, Director of the School of Education and UWI principal investigator of the initiative. 

Classroom Caffeine Podcast Series

Throughout May, Lindsay Persohn, assistant professor of Literacy Studies at the USF Sarasota-Manatee campus, has hosted the RISE Caribbean Special Series on the Classroom Caffeine podcast, giving listeners a warmup to what will be shared at the conference.

May 9:

Allison Skerrett, keynote speaker at the RISE Caribbean conference, is known for her work in the areas of secondary English and literacy education in urban contexts, including among transnational youth. Professor Skerrett’s teaching and research focus on young people’s literacy practices, secondary English education, and transnationalism toward educational justice for diverse students.

May 16:

Coreen J. Leacock currently serves as UWI project coordinator for the Caribbean Educational Research Center (CERC) with the RISE Caribbean research team in Barbados. Leacock is known for her work in the areas of literacy and numeracy, including the teaching and learning of mathematics, student achievement, technology use in education, democratizing classrooms and literacy across the curriculum. 

May 23:

Erin Mahon is known for her work investigating special education and inclusive practices in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean. She serves as a RISE Caribbean Research Fellow in CERC.

Judy-Ann Allison Auld is an advocate for students identified with special educational needs; hence her research focuses on inclusive education. She serves as a RISE Caribbean Research Assistant in CERC.

May 30:

Bethlene Ferdinand is known for her work in the areas of educational leadership and health and wellness. Ms. Ferdinand is from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, an island west of Barbados. She holds a BA in Linguistics, a Postgraduate Diploma in the Teaching of English and a Masters of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill.

Videos of conference sessions will be available following the close of the conference.