The Epistemological Dilemma: Student Teachers Shared Experiences of Jamaica’s National Standards Curriculum (NSC)

Abstract

In this paper, we examined the epistemological dilemma embedded in Jamaica’s new National Standards Curriculum (NSC), as seen through student teachers' experience. A basic qualitative research design was used with a purposive sample of ten student teachers, eight females and two males. They were all in the final semester of their four-year teacher education program for a Bachelor of Education in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET). Findings indicated student teachers perceived the 5 E-Design process in the new National Standards Curriculum allows knowledge to be constructed through facilitation, conducting research in class, problem-solving, exploration, questioning, real-life experiences, and using active learning strategies. They also reported that resources were lacking in classrooms, some cooperating teachers were resistant to the 5E Methodology, readiness of students were lacking but over time students adopted to strategies used in the 5E approach and began to participate actively in class.