Progress report

One of the main challenges I have been facing while doing this project is meeting deadlines as well as completely grasping what is the whole project about.I couldn’t just give up there and not try to figure out what I was doing or not giving up things on time.

After a while, I wasn’t so satisfied with my work so I decided to work harder and try to understand better what the project was really about and finally, I was actually able to understand. I decided to make some changes to the proposal because I didn’t like the final product but now I can say I am satisfied with my work. I change my question to ones who fit the subject perfectly.

I think not understanding what to do was a major step back my group members and I were facing. Not knowing where to start or what to write about, was really frustrating especially while having other homework and assignments to do but thanks to Dr.Esprit guidance at advice we were able to catch up and finish our work just in time.

After all these challenges were no longer a holding block I moved on to the research process. Currently, my group members and I are trying to find the information required of us. We are planning to conduct interviews as well as visiting libraries and the documentation center. We hope to do a great job and feel satisfied with our final product.

Something I am really satisfied with is how my group members and I may always have a different point of views and opinion but at the end of the day, we all agree on a final decision. This I believe is what has helped us to grow closer and work together as a team.  .

The project  Resistance and Caribbean Reality: History of Dominica’s Resistance in a Global Context is a large and very extensive project, however it is a much needed topic of discussion in Dominica. My group is responsible for the religion and science aspect of the project. So far the group has four broad topics that will be finalized when all data is collected. The topics include healthcare development, church segregation, voodoo and, Rastafarians and vaccinations. The data collection and analysis segment of the project can be very difficult and challenging, but also quite rewarding!

Data collection requires a bit of field work, which often doesn’t feel very rewarding. For both science and religion the group has decided that conversing with influential person in that field is very important. Their years of experience comes with a wealth of knowledge that is vital to this project. In additon, people in these fields tend to be very busy and setting an appointment to meet with them is almost impossible!  But most people are eager and interested in meeting hence find sometime to discuss with the group’s members. As a result of this there have been five interviews, but most people prefer to be anonymous. Also, online databases and websites such as the Digital Library of the Caribbean (DLOC) and Dominica History are very useful. They provide hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles among other publications, which is a large amount, but the more information the group is provided with the better this project will turn out.

A major aspect of this project is a timeline of the establishment of all/most churches and clinics around the island. This timeline in itself is a challenge, especially the data entry. Over the past weeks in Digital Humanities class numerous software such as omeka and story map were mentioned, however talking and doing are to different actions. The time has come to put into practice what was taught and that can be difficult at times. Also, with the plethora of software available to use to present data one can be indecisive when choosing but, there is always a more specific and detailed software to use.

As the group goes through this data collection and entry segment of the project there are numerous challenges that arise each day however, they are overcome. Progress throughout the project proves that every challenge is a blessing and it is all worth it!

Primary Sources

Guyana, CARIFESTA X Secretariat Georgetown. “CARIFESTA X Information Leaflets.” DLOC Home-Digital Library of the Caribbean. CARIFESTA X Secretariat, Georgetown, Guyana, 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 24 Mar. 2017.

The CARIFESTA X Information Leaflets provide all the necessary information regarding CARIFESTA – Caribbean Festival of the Arts. It includes the invitation of the association to the participants, the rules and structure of the festival and so much more firsthand insight to one of the biggest art festivals in Dominica.

“CXC Annual Report 2015.” CXC Annual Report 2015. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2017.

The Caribbean Examinations Council ,or CXC, is responsible for maintaining a regional standard of high school education. The CXC examinations are regional examinations where students are assessed on their competency of the syllabi organized by the Council. Analyzing the report from the Council in-depth would assist in finding out how various activities contribute to resistance in education.

“The National Curriculum Framework 2005.” Contemporary Education Dialogue 3.1 (2005): 1-40. International Bureau of Education. Web. 24 Mar. 2017.

The National Curriculum Framework gives us an idea of what the personnel in charge of organizing national curricula focus on more. Here, we are able to see whether resistance towards certain aspects of education and towards art in education exist at the root of the national educational systems.

“35th Annual West Indian Literature Conference : Archiving Caribbean Literature & Popular Culture (Conference Program).” DLOC Home – Digital Library of the Caribbean. N.p., 2016. Web. 24 Mar. 2017.

This document is a program of the 35th Annual West Indian Literature Conference. It outlines the various activities that occurred over the 2 days of its duration. It provides researchers with the positions of the board members at the time. Moreover, we can see that during this conference, various Caribbean literature were being discussed and it tells us which one was being discussed where and by whom. It’s considered to be very useful information that can be used in a database.

“CSEC Visual Arts Syllabus.” VISUAL ARTS SYLLABUS (2009): n. pag. CXC. Caribbean Examinations Council. Web. 24 Mar. 2017.

The Caribbean Examinations Council. The governing body of majority of the region’s syllabi. With the syllabus they have organized for Visual Arts as a subject in schools, we see what aspects of the visual arts receive the most emphasis. We get to compare the resistance towards art forms from before to possible forms of resistance towards them in the modern age.

Secondary Sources

Article by Fran Smith

Smith, Fran. “Why Arts Education Is Crucial, and Who’s Doing It Best.” Edutopia. N.p., 28 Jan. 2009. Web. 25 Mar. 2017.

https://www.edutopia.org/arts-music-curriculum-child-development

This article is ideal in outlining the importance of having fine arts in the educational curriculum. This is vital to my projects where I promote the arts’ intersection with education. The information will help my audience to understand this importance.

Ettiene, Earl, Mr. “Interview with Earl Ettiene.” Personal interview. 2017.

Mr. Earl Ettiene is a retired professional painter who has a lot to say in regard to education in the arts. He displays passion for painting and wishes to see more Dominicans involved in its beauty. His personal opinion on my topic will add a bit of personality to my project making it informative, factual, yet interesting.

David, Jacinta, Ms. “Interview with Jacinta David.” Personal interview. 2017.

Miss David’s experience in dance allows her to be a role model to all persons with an interest in dance. She is actively involved in the exposure of rising Dominican dancers to opportunities for education in dance abroad. Her view on education and arts is a great contribution to my project.

Hyacinth, Steve, Mr. “Interview with Steve Hyacinth.” Personal interview. 2017.

Mr Hyacinth awarded me my first opportunity in drama by allowing me to be in one of his plays “Not Until”. Hyacinth’s contribution to Dominica in arts is huge and he has made an even greater impact on his Caribbean audience. His views on education and arts is also appreciated in my project.

Marginson, S. (2016). Participation without Limit. In The Dream Is Over. Participation without Limit.

In this book, Marginson shows the higher education in the world and shows statistics on them from 1972 to 2012 which shows the increase of some and the decrease of some. The author uses data gained from UNESCO, UIS and GTER to show and explain the higher education systems and how they increase over time.  The book is useful to my research topic on education because this shows statistics on different education systems from around the world and how they have increased during the past years. The only issue with this material is that it limits me in finding out about the Caribbean because it only shows statistics of the world.

Marginson, S. (2016). Higher Education in China and the United States. In The Dream Is Over. University of California Press.

In this book by Marginson explains the higher education that China and the United States have. The author use data from his book The Dream Is Over: The Crisis of Clark Kerr’s California Idea of Higher Education and other articles online to draw conclusions that China and the United States have a higher education system in the world. This book is useful to my research topic on Education because it will help me answer my education on whether or not China and the United States have a better education system then Dominica or why is it people choose their education system over ours. The only thing bad about this book is it only explains the higher education of China and the United States and doesn’t show or explain the difference between their education system and ours in Dominica or the Caribbean.

Zong, J., & Batalova, J. (n.d.). Caribbean Immigrants in the United States. Retrieved from migrationpolicy.org: http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/caribbean-immigrants-united-states

In this article, Zong and Batalova show the number of immigrants from the Caribbean to the United States during the 1900’s to 2014 and explain the reasons why the immigrants move and the benefits of moving to the United States. The author used data gained through the Department of Homeland Security to show the statistics of the immigration to the United States and other sources such as Bryce-Laporte, Roy Simon. 1979. Introduction: New York City and the New Caribbean Immigration: A Contextual Statement to show reasons why people migrate to the United States. The article is useful to my research topic because this article shows the immigration of not only the Caribbean people but also Dominica and reasons why they move and the benefits they gain from moving to the United States, therefore I will use the statistics on Dominica and the reasons for moving to conduct my research and answer some of my questions,”.

Cuban, Larry. How Teachers Taught: Constancy and Change in American Classrooms, 1890-1980. Research on Teaching Monograph Series. ERIC, 1984. Google Scholar. Web. 25 Mar. 2017.

Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/ERIC_ED279078  

This paper analyses the educational laws passed in Africa and the response to them. While the research was made out of the region, reading it would provide more perspective and hopefully bring across the significance of educational reforms that have also been enforced here in Dominica, and the Caribbean.

Banham, Martin, Errol Hill, and George Woodyard. The Cambridge Guide to African and Caribbean Theatre. Cambridge University Press, 1994. Print.

https://books.google.dm/books?id=qtlUwQAvKxoC

This book is another resource where information regarding African and Caribbean theatre can be found. Theatre is very prominent in Caribbean culture as its present use is a result of adapted cultural theatres. African influence, which is quite visible in Caribbean culture, should be investigated alongside any cultural aspect. This book provides insight into this.

“Afro-Caribbean Art – 1914 to Present | Petrine Archer [.com].” N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2017.http://petrinearcher.com/afro-caribbean-art-1914-present

The Caribbean is what it is because of influences from the people who came here both willingly and against their will. African slaves made up the majority of population in the time of slavery and even in this present day, African influence is present in everyday Caribbean life. This article on Afro-Caribbean art shows the various influences on art in the Caribbean as well as art forms and cultural practices that stemmed from African influence.

MacKey, Ressa. “‘ All That Glitters Is Not Junkanoo’ the National Junkanoo Museum and the Politics of Tourism and Identity.” (2017): n. pag. Google Scholar. Web. 25 Mar. 2017.

Information regarding Junkanoo and the issues regarding its identity and maintaining its authenticity can be found in this document. It gives an insight as to the structure of Junkanoo and how “all that glitters is not Junkanoo” or, in other words, how

Caspar James. “About Quadrille in the Caribbean.” Culture Crossroads. N.p., 8 Sept. 2011. Web. 25 Mar. 2017.

http://www.culturecrossroads.co.uk/about-quadrille-in-the-caribbean

This web page is an article on Quadrille. Quadrille is a cultural dance of European influence in Caribbean and very prominent in countries with French colonial history. This article provides insight on Quadrille’s history, location as well as how the dance is done.

Dr. Ruby King. “Miller_king.” EDUCATION IN THE BRITISH CARIBBEAN: THE LEGACY OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2017.

https://www.educoas.org/Portal/bdigital/contenido/interamer/BkIACD/Interamer/Interamerhtml/Millerhtml/mil_king.htm

This article gives an account for education in the 19th century Caribbean. It speaks about education before emancipation and movements towards the improvement of curriculum. It also makes mention of educational segregation and educational reform in the region.

Raissa Henderson, Tonilia Eli, Teresa Sebastien, Garvin LeBlanc

INQUIRY QUESTIONS

Ashfred

1) How does politics or political decisions affect economics?
The relationship between politics and economics can be thought of as somewhat ‘influential’. Therefore, can the political decisions in a country consequently or automatically affect the economics of that country? Also, can the financial or economic standings of this country determine or limit the things that they can do and even the laws that they can pass?

2) How does the public react when the political and economic policies are not in their favor?
The government of a country is sometimes thought of as “the voice of the people”. However, why does this voice often take courses of action or make decisions that the people question and don’t believe that it’s justifiable? In recent times we’ve seen the government of Dominica agreed on giving the public servants 000% salary increase that a lot of the public sector workers were not pleased with. This question aims at examining the public’s behavior to decisions government makes which seems “unjust”.

3)How do we rightly judge economic and political decisions in our country?
The purpose of this is to teach or instruct people on how to look at political and economic situations in their country and judge it in a more informed way. From the point of views and perspectives of different people, what the government is currently doing can mean different things to each of them. Some may argue that the current trend of decision making by the government is working for them while others can beg to differ. Therefore, how do we know if our belief system or judgement is sound and accurate?

4) Are high import duties and taxes really necessary?
It is understood that a substantial amount of the country’s income and funds are obtained from the taxation and import duties placed on foreign products. However, we often hear price conscientious consumers complain that the prices and taxes placed on products are unreasonably high. This question aims at answering why this may be so, with the sub question – how do we really know that taxes are unreasonably high?

5) How does the minimum wage rate affect the working class?
Dominica’s minimum wage is said to be one of the lowest in the O.E.C.S at a rate of $4.05 per hour. This basically means that the income might as well be the lowest but, how do the people react to this? What type standard of living and quality of life do minimum wage workers endure? And also, how do they react to visiting another country in the O.E.C.S and discover that the workers there receive a higher income for the same job that the do in the home country? Does this initiate migration and brain-drain?

Breidy

1)How do people react to the increase of inflation and how those the government try to fix it?
This question will help the audience to see the behaviors of people to the increase in inflation rate as well as what the government those to fix it.

2) Is The evasion taxes a form of resistance. Why?
The audience will understand what are taxes and why people decide not to pay taxes.

3) What factor led to the stagnant pay off the Dominicans workers?
This question will allow the audience to see why the pay is so low.

4) Why did the population in Dominica start to decrease in 1995-2000?
They will have a greater understanding of major events that happened that affected the economy.

5) How those political behavior affect the country GDP?
This question will look at how government decision will decrease or increase GDP.

Noah

1.) Would Dominica be better of both economically and politically if it had remained a colony of Britain ?
Readers would be able to attain important information on the British effect on Dominica as well its progress and development over the years.

2.) How do citizens of Dominica resist the government’s regulatory legislations ?
The audience would be able to further understand the importance of government legislations’ and its role in regulating the economy; however a greater understanding of historical event which occurred as a result of certain legislations’.

3.) Are inefficient trade agreements stalling economic development, and if so how do people react ?
A greater understanding of trade agreements will be established and the audience will additionally see the consequences of inefficient trade agreement to the citizens of the country.

4.) How does human behavior and cultural practices affect policy-making ?
The audience will become well aware of the importance of culture and its impact on the economy and the political realm as they become more educated on the impact of policies in relation to human behavior.

5.) How has Dominican citizens resisted government tyranny in the past ?
The audience will learn more about political and economic crisis which occurred in the past and create an ideological understanding of the government’s and/or its opposition’s effect on the economy and political stability of the country.

DH Elements

Breidy
The digital element for the final project that we will like to produce will be a knowledge site. This will include a timeline at the entry page. As primary sources, I would include pictures of certain key figures, as well as text. I would also like to conduct interviews with different persons.The platform will be easy to use yet creative on its own way. The audience would be able to easily access information and use it for answering any research question.

Noah
This project will consist of one digital framework for the site. It will be based on the contents of a knowledge site powered and designed by a platform such as WordPress or Omeka. This was the most appropriate since the five questions would spark the interest of anyone who loves critical thinking, learning new information and economics and political perspectives. Individual who are seeking or have a degree in the study may find the contents of this site very informative and enlightening. Additionally, question like these are not widely targeted on the internet and through the commentary from the audience, I intend to further develop the information and sources while maintaining a certain level of interaction with them. I also would include an oral history segment from interviewed economist, politicians and if possible, scholars.

Ashfred
In my perspective, my project is one which will not be heavily curated or visualized, nonetheless, these features will be used in order to allow my audience to process the information in a way that’s appropriate or suitable for them. The basic elements that’ll be dominantly used are text, audio, and videos. Hence the reason why I have chosen that my section on the project will be a “semi-linear, customizable narrative that includes text, images, audio, and/or video”, with components of a timeline. This element allows me to display my project an essay, but not the normal traditional essay type questions. My aim with this project is that it’d be effective and effectually communicated to my audience, and I don’t believe the regular 1,000-1,500 word essays do that, as the people of today practice extensive instead of intensive reading. Therefore, the different features and elements will give them a variety of ways in which they can view and process the information.
In conclusion, the group has decided to incorporate a combination of a knowledge site, a timeline, and a semi-linear, customizable narrative site, as the elements we will pursue in our DH project.

Annotated Bibliography

Noah

1.) Honychurch, Lennox. The Dominica Story: A History of the Island. London: MacMillan Education, 1995. Print.
Mr. Honychurch, an honorary historian, and author in Dominica, carefully illustrated how the rhythm played in Dominica’s history as far back as the creation of the island. This book is his well respected and highly recommended when gathering information on historical events which had a significant impact on Dominica. It will be ideally satisfying to those who crave further interpretation of certain historical aspects of the island political and economic history.

2.) “Dominica’s History.” Dominica’s History. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2017.
This site brilliantly outlines all significant events between 1838 and 1938. It also accurately illustrates economical and political advancements within this time frame and contains vital details on Growth and development before and after independence.

3.) Site Designed and Built by hydrant (http://www.hydrant.co.uk).
“Dominica: Constitution and Politics.” Dominica: Constitution and politics The Commonwealth. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.
When an inquiry about the advantages and disadvantages of political decisions in the Dominica and the Caribbean this site is great at analyzing the decisions made be certain administrations.

4.) “Homepage.” Global Finance Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.
This site like accommodate for further reading and influence a greater understanding of the topic and the issues associated with them. This site presents a statistical representation of census data and critically analyses this data in their article.

5.) “Economic Online.” Economic Online Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.
This site presents and analyses data on different countries and then make logical decisions in addition to giving relative information from countries which had or are experiencing similar situations.
Breidy

Economics and politics contain large numbers of sources. To gather some of the primary information i will conduct interviews.

1.” Dominica.” Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cultures. Encyclopedia.com. (March 13, 2017).
This article covers the basic information of Dominica. It contains deep analysis on the country’s economic and political judicial system. It also contains information on important events that occurred in the past. This is useful to the project as the information has a lot of detail and depth, and can be used to look at Dominica’s judicial system.

2.”Inflation, GDP Deflator (annual %).” World Bank National Accounts Data, and OECD National Accounts Data, n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2017.
This article will provide the inflation rate for different years. It clearly shows how the inflation rate increases and decreases, during those years. It makes it more evident to see that the inflation rate in 2015 was really low.

3.”Lennox Honychurch Article: Important Dates in Dominica’s History.” Lennox Honychurch, n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2017.

The author of this article is providing information in a timeline form of the different event that occurred in the Dominican history. It gives the specific date of the formation of the Dominica Labour Party as well as the independence date.
4. “The Dominican Analysis of the Banana Industry.”. Dr. Emanuel Finn, 16 Aug. 2002. Web. 12 Mar. 2017

This analysis on the Banana Industry clearly shows the reader why the banana industry failed in Dominica. The writer gives factors that cause the industry to somewhat banish. These factors include; technology, migration, an exodus of banana farmers from the plantations, demographic trends, and capital investment, world political and economic dynamics. This will help to answer why the population was decreasing during 1995-2000.

5.” Law and the Rule of Law.” The Judicial Learning Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2017.
This article helps to understand what basically is law. It gives the reader an insight of laws and where they come from. This article assists me a lot in my research in relation to the aspect of the law.
Ashfred

Site Designed and Built by Hydrant (http://www.hydrant.co.uk). “Dominica.” Dominica | The Commonwealth. ComSec Access, n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.

This website entitled “The Commonwealth”, is comprised of information about all the fifty-two member countries of the commonwealth. I have decided to use it not only because Dominica is a member of the commonwealth, but also because the site contains information regarding the society, economy, constitution and politics of Dominica, as well as information about its history and travel. The site discussed areas in the economy such as the Gross Domestic Production Growth and inflation, and illustrated how the Real Growth in GDP decreased drastically from 2007 to 2011, and how the inflation rate was the lowest in 2009.

2. Sandra W. Meditz and Dennis M. Hanratty, editors. Caribbean Islands: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1987.

“Caribbean Islands: A Country Study”, is a book which contains information about the economies, governments and politics, education and more, of various Caribbean Countries. The information on Dominica is very detailed and comprehensive. Not only do I intend on using the information on the country’s micro economic view, banking and finance, foreign trade and balance of payments to answer the third question in my inquiry, but also to compare it with that of other Caribbean countries, and analyse whether the minimum-wage rate is low as a result of internal economic factors in Dominica, or is it because of universal economic problems.

3. Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica Web Portal. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.

Whenever a law or policy is passed in a country, there will always be consequences. Some of them affect our social life, but how does some of these laws affect our economy? If a law is passed which increases the minimum wage rate does this mean that the quality of life or standard of living will increase likewise? This source will allow me to generate various laws and policies that were passed in Dominica, which will enable me to contrast and compare the changes that these laws caused in the economy.

4. Pettinger, Tejvan. “The Relationship between Economics and Politics.” Economics Help. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.

In this article, the basic composition of economics and politics were examined. Pettinger analytical looked at the symbiotic relations between the two, and almost made it look like a ‘you can’t have one without the other’, type of situation. He also looked at topics such as: economics needs political support, who owns the economy?- politicians or economist, and lastly microeconomics- free of politics?

5. Staff, Investopedia. “Minimum Wage.” Investopedia. N.p., 29 July 2015. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.

This article basically deals with the concept of minimum wage. Not only does it illustrate how minimum wage is determined or calculated, but also the many issues that arise in it and what determines its figure. The article also compared the minimum wage rate with that of various developed countries, and also discussed topics on: wage push inflation, the economics of minimum wage, justified wage and demand for labour. This source will indeed be used to bolster question five in my inquiry.

Annotated Bibliography MLA

Bisnauth, Dale. “History of Religions In The Caribbean.” Africa World Press & The Red Sea Press. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017. This book expounds on the religious aspects pertaining to the various beliefs of the Africans and later native Afro- Caribbean people. It includes the religious history of the Caribbean prior to, during and after slavery.

Catron, John. “Across The Great Water: Religion And Diaspora In The Black Atlantic.” Dissertation. University of Florida, 2008. Web. This dissertation mainly focuses on the religions of the Afro- Caribbean people in the mid- eighteenth century. This report encompasses the converted spiritual beliefs of the Africans which as a result shaped the nineteenth century.

Clyde, David F. Two Centuries of HealthCare in Dominica. New Delhi: Prem Printing, Print. In this book the author describes health care in Dominica in the past. Although health care was not not as developed and he describes how it was in those ages and the challenges faced.

Crask, Paul. Dominica. Chalfont St. Peter: Bradt Travel Guides, 2016. Print. – Paul Crask’s book Dominica touches on each aspect of the island’s culture, heritage and much more. There is specific content about religion and science, throughout the book more information can be found about these topics especially the religious beliefs.

Didier, Micheal. 2017,. – Mr. Michael Didier was a long-standing Operations Manager at Dominica Banana Marketing Cooperation (DBMC). Notably, he made contributions to books such as ‘Survival by Association: Supply Management Landscapes of the Eastern Caribbean’ and other banana production-related texts.

Edmonds, Ennis, and Michelle Gonzalez. Caribbean Religious History. NYU Press, 2010. Project MUSE. Web. 14 Mar. 2017. This book by Edmonds and Gonzalez details the various religions present in the Caribbean. The diversity of religions range from Amerindian beliefs to European Christianity to African based religions like Rastafarianism etc.

Eugene, Ph.D. Hermancia. 2017 ,.  – Dr. Hermancia Eugene has a PhD. in Molecular Virology Biology. She is a professor at the Dominica State College and possessed notable research skills.

Golob, Peter, Graham Farrell, John E. Orchard, Rick Hodges, and Debbie Rees. Crop Post-harvest. Science and Technology: Principles and Practice. N.p.: n.p., 2002. Print. – This book dives into how technology is used in Dominica to help the farmers produce their crops.  It states the biological needs of harvesting and how it  plays a major role in the agriculture sector.

Leung, Joyce. The Encyclopedia of Caribbean Religions: Volume 1: A-L; Volume 2: M-Z. Ed. Patrick Taylor, Frederick I. Case, and Sean Meighoo. University of Illinois Press, 2013. JSTOR. Web. 14 Mar. 2017. – This book focuses exclusively on the religious beliefs and rituals exercised in the various Caribbean islands throughout slavery etc.

.Lauwyck, Bernard. “DOMINICA’S BEAUTIFUL CHURCHES AND CHAPELS.” DOMINICA’S BEAUTIFUL CHURCHES AND CHAPELS. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017. <https://dioceser.wordpress.com/>  This article focuses on the churches/ chapels of the Catholic churches in Dominica and their history’s.  It states the parishes of Dominica and how they have developed of the years.

Malzaire, Bp. Gabriel. 2017,. – His Lordship, Bishop Gabriel Malzaire, has been the ordained Bishop of the Commonwealth of Dominica for 15 years. Although he is St. Lucian by birth, he is knowledgeable of a significant portion of Dominica’s religious history.

Md, Stephen Berger. Infectious Diseases of Dominica. Place of publication not identified: Gideon Informatics Inc, n.d. Print. – In this book Stephen Berger provides a detailed list of all the infectious diseases diagnosed in Dominica. Among that detailed list includes diseases predominantly known to Dominica along with the agent, vector, symptoms and more.

Sammy, Dennis, Karen Eckert and Errol Harris. 2008. Action Plan for a Sea Turtle Conservation and Tourism Initiative in the Commonwealth of Dominica. Prepared by the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST), in partnership with Nature Seekers and the Dominica Sea Turtle Conservation Organization (DomSeTCO), with funding from the United States Agency for International Development, Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica. 59 PP. – This action plan provides access to scientific research based in Dominica on turtles as well as their conservation. The plan is forwards as a local community based assessment while being an ecotourism endeavor.

Wiley, James. “Dominica, Grenada, And The NTAE Imperative”. vol 25, 1999, JSTOR,        https://www.jstor.org/stable/25765876?search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=dominic a+agriculture&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3Fso%3Drel%26amp%3Bwc%3Don%26amp%3BQuery%3Ddominica%252Bagriculture%26amp%3Bprq%3Dscience%252Bdominica%26amp%3Bfc%3Doff%26amp%3Bhp%3D25%26amp%3Bacc%3Doff&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents.  – This is a journal article. This research article focuses on Dominica and Grenada’s efforts to diversify their agricultural exports during a time when competition for similar crops is increasing.
Zamore, Wayne. “China Aid Agriculture Technical Cooperation Project Description.” Division of Agriculture. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017 <http://divisionofagriculture.gov.dm/programmes/china-aid-agricultural-technical-cooperation-project/112-china-aid-agricultural-technical-cooperation-project-description> This website breaks down the agriculture sector in Dominica as an economic activity and its projects.  It relates technology to agriculture and it is used to improve Dominica.

 

Primary Sources

Commonwealth of Dominica; Division of Culture website

Division of Culture. (n.d.). Performing and Visual Arts. Retrieved from Division of Culture: http://divisionofculture.gov.dm/index.php/performing-and-visual-arts

This site contains information about the different arts in Dominica and the autobiographies of various people who contributed to Dominica’s growth and development in the arts. It is vital to my field of research as the information presented on this site provides the insight on the individuals involved in the arts and their personal contributions. This information can be analyzed to understand and relate the arts into the education perspective.

 

Digital Library of the Caribbean (DLOC)

http://dloc.com/

The Digital Libraries of the Caribbean (DLOC) website is a digital library where various events in Caribbean history have been made available on a digital platform. Most of the information on this website are digitized magazines, news articles, journals and other documents alike. Details regarding Caribbean art such as theatre performances, art gallery viewings as well as records of artistic contributions to the islands ( sales, donations, musical performances) would be found on on the DLOC website. In addition to this, the documents would have records of various educationally related events, possibly inter-school academic events, statistics of academic performances of the various institutions as well as the development and growth of education in the region.

 

The Documentation Center: http://dlis.gov.dm/national-documentation-centre

The Documentation Center provides access to a collection of reports, newsletters, research papers and statistical data. Some categories found in the collection include Trade, Sustainable Development, and most importantly, Education. The documents found at the Center could contribute to the project by presenting supporting evidence with statistics and information from the Ministry of Education of Dominica.

The National Archives: http://dlis.gov.dm/national-archives

The National Archives contains permanent records of documented events, both private and public. Compared to the Documentation Center, there would be more primary information that ranges from an earlier time, like before 1960, to the present.

Internet Archives: https://archive.org/

The Internet Archives is a non-profit library that aims for “universal access to all knowledge”. This site has information that is relevant to the topic, Education, on a regional platform. It would contribute to the format of the project, in terms of the digital edition of texts and media, like pictures, audio and videos.

Secondary Sources

Article by Fran Smith

Smith, F. (2009, January 28). Why Arts Education Is Crucial, and Who’s Doing It Best. Retrieved from EDUtopia: https://www.edutopia.org/arts-music-curriculum-child-development

This article is ideal in outlining the importance of having fine arts in the educational curriculum. This is vital to my projects where I promote the arts’ intersection with education. The information will help my audience to understand this importance.

 

Interview with Earl Ettiene (International Dominican Artist)

Mr. Earl Ettiene is a retired professional painter who has a lot to say in regard to education in the arts. He displays passion for painting and wishes to see more Dominicans involved in its beauty. His personal opinion on my topic will add a bit of personality to my project making it informative, factual, yet interesting.

 

Interview with Jacinta David (Trained Dancer)

Miss David’s experience in dance allows her to be a role model to all persons with an interest in dance. She is actively involved in the exposure of rising Dominican dancers to opportunities for education in dance abroad. Her view on education and arts is a great contribution to my project.

 

Interview with Steve Hyacinth (Drama/Scriptwriter)

Mr Hyacinth awarded me my first opportunity in drama by allowing me to be in one of his plays “Not Until”. Hyacinth’s contribution to Dominica in arts is huge and he has made an even greater impact on his Caribbean audience. His views on education and arts is also appreciated in my project.

 

Marginson, S. (2016). Participation without Limit. In The Dream Is Over. Participation without Limit.

In this book, Marginson shows the higher education in the world and shows statistics on them from 1972 to 2012 which shows the increase of some and the decrease of some. The author uses data gained from UNESCO, UIS and GTER to show and explain the higher education systems and how they increase over time.  The book is useful to my research topic on education because this shows statistics on different education systems from around the world and how they have increased during the past years. The only issue with this material is that it limits me in finding out about the Caribbean because it only shows statistics of the world.

 

Marginson, S. (2016). Higher Education in China and the United States. In The Dream Is Over. University of California Press.

In this book by Marginson explains the higher education that China and the United States have. The author use data from his book The Dream Is Over: The Crisis of Clark Kerr’s California Idea of Higher Education and other articles online to draw conclusions that China and the United States have a higher education system in the world. This book is useful to my research topic on Education because it will help me answer my education on whether or not China and the United States have a better education system then Dominica or why is it people choose their education system over ours. The only thing bad about this book is it only explains the higher education of China and the United States and doesn’t show or explain the difference between their education system and ours in Dominica or the Caribbean.

 

Zong, J., & Batalova, J. (n.d.). Caribbean Immigrants in the United States. Retrieved from migrationpolicy.org: http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/caribbean-immigrants-united-states

In this article, Zong and Batalova show the number of immigrants from the Caribbean to the United States during the 1900’s to 2014 and explain the reasons why the immigrants move and the benefits of moving to the United States. The author used data gained through the Department of Homeland Security to show the statistics of the immigration to the United States and other sources such as Bryce-Laporte, Roy Simon. 1979. Introduction: New York City and the New Caribbean Immigration: A Contextual Statement to show reasons why people migrate to the United States. The article is useful to my research topic because this article shows the immigration of not only the Caribbean people but also Dominica and reasons why they move and the benefits they gain from moving to the United States, therefore I will use the statistics on Dominica and the reasons for moving to conduct my research and answer some of my questions,”.

Lennox Honychurch’s website

http://lennoxhonychurch.com

 

Mr. Lennox Honychurch is a renowned historian based in Dominica. In his years of research, he has amassed vast amounts of information regarding Dominica and the Caribbean region. While his focus may not have been the same as ours towards resistance through art and education in the Caribbean, there would be research material that he made available on his site regarding Caribbean culture, a subject which art would fall under. Information regarding theatre, music and visual arts and craft will be found on this site

 

The Cambridge Guide to African and Caribbean Theatre

Woodyard,Hill,Banham.1994.

https://books.google.dm/books?id=qtlUwQAvKxoC

 

This book is another resource where information regarding African and Caribbean theatre can be found. Theatre is very prominent in Caribbean culture as its present use is a result of adapted cultural theatres. African influence, which is quite visible in Caribbean culture, should be investigated alongside any cultural aspect. This book provides insight into this.

 

Afro-Caribbean Art – 1914 to Present,

Dr. Petrine Archer-Straw

http://petrinearcher.com/afro-caribbean-art-1914-present

The Caribbean is what it is because of influences from the people who came here both willingly and against their will. African slaves made up the majority of population in the time of slavery and even in this present day, African influence is present in everyday Caribbean life. This article on Afro-Caribbean art shows the various influences on art in the Caribbean as well as art forms and cultural practices that stemmed from African influence.

 

Research Guides: Caribbean Art and Visual Culture: Online Resources, Deirdre Spencer.

http://guides.lib.umich.edu/c.php?g=283260&p=1886848

 

This is a portal to various to web resources that contain information on art in the Caribbean can be found. Among these resources are databases, articles, and mapping sites. It also provides a link to a resource dealing with resistance in slavery which will be of dear importance to our research.

 

Culture Crossroads,About Quadrille in the Caribbean

http://www.culturecrossroads.co.uk/about-quadrille-in-the-caribbean

 

This web page is an article on Quadrille. Quadrille is a cultural dance of European influence in Caribbean and very prominent in countries with French colonial history. This article provides insight on Quadrille’s history, location as well as how the dance is done.

 

EDUCATION IN THE BRITISH CARIBBEAN:THE LEGACY OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY,Dr. Ruby King

https://www.educoas.org/Portal/bdigital/contenido/interamer/BkIACD/Interamer/Interamerhtml/Millerhtml/mil_king.htm

 

This article gives an account for education in the 19th century Caribbean. It speaks about education before emancipation and movements towards the improvement of curriculum. It also makes mention of educational segregation and educational reform in the region.

 

Noah

1. Honychurch, Lennox. The Dominica Story: A History of the Island. London: MacMillan Education, 1995. Print.

This book will further enhance the context in which the project will be created and since this book is used as ”a  mother’s look for guidance” on everything Dominica. It  will be ideally satisfying to the audience who enjoy books such as the Dominica Story,  as they might be able to relate to certain information which will be presented in the project.

2.“Building Communities 1838-1938.” Building Communities 1838-1938. N.p.,n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.

This site outlines all significant economical and political events between 1838 and 1938

Site Designed and Built by hydrant (http://www.hydrant.co.uk).

3. “Dominica : Constitution and Politics.” Dominica : Constitution and politics | The Commonwealth. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.

This secondary source reinforces the validity of the other sources as the information cited rational deductions will be made.

4. “Homepage.” Global Finance Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.

This secondary site like others will accommodate for further reading and influence a greater understanding of the topic and the issues associated.

This secondary site paves the pathway for recommendations for further reading  and answers.

5. “Economic Online.” Economic Online Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.This  give an especial outline to what is economic. It will great a greater understanding to economics.

Breidy

Economics and politics contain large numbers of sources. to gather some of  primary information  i will conduct interviews.

1.”Dominica.” Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cultures. . Encyclopedia.com. (March 13, 2017).

This article covers the basic information of Dominica. It contains deep analysis on the country’s economic and political judicial system. It also contains information on important events that occurred in the pass. This is useful to the project as the information has a lot of  detail and depth, and can be used to look at Dominica’s judicial system.

2.”Inflation, GDP Deflator (annual %).” World Bank National Accounts Data, and OECD National Accounts Data, n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2017.

This article will provide the inflation rate for different years. It clearly shows how the inflation rate increases and decreases, during those years. It makes it more evident to see that the inflation rate in 2015 was really low.

3.”Lennox Honychurch Article: Important Dates in Dominica’s History.” Lennox Honychurch, n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2017.

The author of this article is providing information in a timeline form of the different event that occurred in the Dominican history. It gives the specific date of the formation of the Dominica labour party as well as the independence date.

4. “The Dominican: A Dominica Analysis of the Banana Industry.”. Dr. Emanuel Finn, 16 Aug. 2002. Web. 12 Mar. 2017

This analysis on the Banana Industry clearly shows the reader why the banana industry failed in Dominica. The writer give factors that cause the industry to somewhat banish. These factors include; technology, migration, exodus of banana farmers from the plantations, demographic trends and capital investment,world political and economic dynamics. This will help to answer why the population was decreasing during 1995-2000.

 

5.”Law and the Rule of Law.” The Judicial Learning Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2017.

This article helps to understand what basically is law. It gives the reader an insight of laws and where they come from. This article assists me a lot in my research in relation to the aspect of law.

Ashfred

1. Site Designed and Built by Hydrant (http://www.hydrant.co.uk). “Dominica.” Dominica | The Commonwealth. ComSec Access, n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.

This website entitled “The Commonwealth”, is comprised of information about all the fifty-two member countries of the commonwealth. I have decided to use it not only because Dominica is a member of the commonwealth, but also because the site contains information regarding the society, economy, constitution and politics of Dominica, as well as information about its history and travel. The site discussed areas in the economy such as the Gross Domestic Production Growth and inflation, and illustrated how the Real Growth in GDP decreased drastically from 2007 to 2011, and how the inflation rate was the lowest in 2009. I anticipate that this website will assist me in answering my second and fourth question.

2. Sandra W. Meditz and Dennis M. Hanratty, editors. Caribbean Islands: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1987.

“Caribbean Islands: A Country Study”, is a book which contains information about the economies, governments and politics, education and more, of various Caribbean Countries. The information on Dominica is very detailed and comprehensive. Not only do I intend on using the information on the country’s microeconomic view, banking and finance, foreign trade and balance of payments to answer the third question in my inquiry, but also to compare it with that of other Caribbean countries, and analyse whether the minimum-wage rate is low as a result of internal economic factors in Dominica, or is it because of universal economic problems.

3. Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica Web Portal. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.

Whenever a law or policy is passed in a country, there will always be consequences. Some of them affect our social life, but how does some of these laws affect our economy? If a law is passed which increases the minimum wage rate does this mean that the quality of life or standard of living will increase likewise? This source will allow me to generate various laws and policies that were passed in Dominica, which will enable me to contrast and compare the changes that these laws caused in the economy. This will come into play in questions two and five of my inquiry.

4. Pettinger, Tejvan. “The Relationship between Economics and Politics.” Economics Help. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.

In this article, the basic composition of economics and politics were examined. Pettinger analytical looked at the symbiotic relations between the two, and almost made it look like a ‘you can’t have one without the other’, type of situation. He also looked at topics such as: economics needs political support, who owns the economy?- politicians or economist, and lastly microeconomics- free of politics?

5.  Staff, Investopedia. “Minimum Wage.” Investopedia. N.p., 29 July 2015. Web. 14 Mar. 2017.

This article basically deals with the concept of minimum wage. Not only does it illustrate how minimum wage is determined or calculated, but also the many issues that arise in it and what determines its figure. The article also compared the minimum wage rate with that of various developed countries, and also discussed topics on: wage push inflation, the economics of minimum wage, justified wage and demand for labour. This source will indeed be used to bolster question five in my inquiry.

Rationale

 

The objective of this essay is to create and present questions centered around the theories and principles of politics and economics, and analyse and observe the symbiotic relationship, between the two. Furthermore, the essay will help facilitate critical thinking while asking questions which have been created by our fellow group-mates, in an attempt to bolster our understanding of these topics. Additionally, the objectives are also aimed at forming questions so that they are stated as clear, concrete, and coherent as possible.

Topic Description

Ashfred

Imagine living in a world where the government would hire persons to assess the financial standings of a country, and predict whether the current trend of decision making is positively or negatively influencing said economy. Also imagine having a principle that, in theory and practice, influences people through the exercise of power; i.e. the government (Tejvan Pettinger: economicshelp.org). Well this world is the world that you’re living in today and that’s what happens when one fuses politics and economics.

As one complete idea, politics and economics don’t have a joint definition, however, the relationship between the two have proven to be seamless and coherent, thus, it would be preferred to have one with the other. Despite the stigma that economics primarily deals with the finances of a country, and politics deals with the affairs of the government, it’s often misleading and misinformed, therefore, I intend on answering the questions: “what really is economics and politics?” throughout this essay.

My target audience are tertiary level education students, as well as young adults. The reason for selecting this type of audience, is simply because they are; or they are approaching the age of universal suffrage, and I believe that this essay would assist them in becoming more informed, learnt, and aware of their rights as citizens. This will also give them a clearer understanding of the concepts, and the ability to critically analyze the decisions of the government, and society. This will then bring me to my second question: “why is politics and economics important or even relevant”?

Generally, my span of knowledge about the topics is narrow, however, I am interested and fascinated by what I’ve already been expose too, and am anxious to acquire more knowledge and interpret it to my audience. Hence, I will be addressing the question: “how do we rightly judge economic and political decisions in our country”?

Also when walking through the supermarkets and shopping Centre’s of Roseau, it’s almost impossible not to hear persons complain about the prices of items and its quality, and often compare them with that of well-known superior supermarkets abroad. Sometimes persons even ask the question “why are the locally made products this expensive”? Consequently, I aim at tackling why these prices are the way they are, and what causes it.

Furthermore, we have recently been seeing quite a few demonstrations and protests, more than we have seen in the past 15 years, led by the opposition party. A lot of these protests may address different areas where persons believe the government is lacking; i.e poor usage of tax revenue. This question will look at economic problems the public may have with the government; mainly answering the question ,“why does Dominica has the lowest minimum wage in the OECS”?

 

Breidy

Economics is how society is able to allocate resources and use them to best of their ability. I think economics is very important because it shows us how people use resources to get through their daily life. If we have to look back at the maroon, how they were able to use what was available in the large forest to survive, we will be able to see economics . The maroons were able to utilize the trees to construct houses ,canoes and even weaponry; which they then used to resist the slave masters. The maroons left the plantation because they could no longer cope or deal with the slave system. They were tired and angry at the way in which they were treated.

Politics refers to the operation of a constitutional system of government and publicly defined institutions and procedures. Politics to me is how members of the government make decisions that benefit or affect a country. The government sets laws and regulation that protect the members of society. To me Marcus Garvey was a very inspiring politician because he wanted people to stand up for themselves. He also showed me that you can do anything if you work hard and put your all into it. Garvey was able to motive black all around the Caribbean and showed them that they have the power to change. Politicians are supposed to motivate their people as well as to provide them with the basic needs like education, health care and protection.

The audience targeted would be high school and college student who study history and economics because they’re required to learn about the different politicians from the Caribbean as well as they role and achievements. Also how the maroons were able to use resources in the environment for survive. I will like to research on these two topics because I want to know how different actions and decisions  has an impact on the people both positive and negative. I want people to stop thinking that economics and politics are boring topics and get interested in learning more about them.

Noah

Economics

Economics is the study of how individuals think and make rational decisions under conditions of scarcity. since the beginning of time, humans have had to take various actions and think critically about their wants and how to obtain them and through such decisions they experienced what economists call “Opportunity Cost”. Opportunity cost can be defined as what is dropped or given up to gain something else. Like politics, the study of the economy (economics) are based upon certain assumptions, theories and principles, and they have been tested and evaluated over hundreds of years by people who we refer to as economist.

This essay will help  people ranging from teens to grown-adults  as it will stimulate growth and further understanding on the study topic. This study will particularly interest individuals who are studying economics at the Dominica State college as it is definitely helps in asking and comprehend the requirements of the questions. This topic for me was particularly interesting for me as an economics major at the college I was able to pose and answer tough question in my field of study and I intend to learn if economics success has been an achieved goal in Dominica.

Politics

            Politics can be defined as the activities accompanied with a particular set of principles and beliefs with the governance of a country of state. From the creation of this project I intend to reach out to individuals with questions about politics and their profession. This perhaps would have been students who were looking forward to studying political science at the Dominica state College or perhaps it may be grown adult who wants some perspective on what they are in for if they choose start a political career.

Fundamentally, systems were designed with noble intentions to reach out  to the publics and their needs and interest in accordance with traditional morality and decency. However, today in countries all over the world these agendas has been brushed aside by power-seeking, money squandering, criminals dress as friendly, caring persuasive  individuals whose real objectives are to their wallets . People who are systematically elected into an administrative board of governance over a country are deemed as politicians, these politicians have very bad names in the eyes of the public but not all of them are bad. Like  John Steinbeck said “power doesn’t corrupt. Fear corrupts. Perhaps the fear of a loss of power” Here he made a very interesting point that power itself does not corrupt but the fear of losing it may drive a man to do unprecedented things.

INQUIRY QUESTIONS

Ashfred

What really is economics and politics?

This question will look at economics and politics in depth to ensure the audience understand the questions to come.

Why is politics and economics important or even relevant?

The aim of this is to point out to the audience the necessity of two concepts in our country, and to also understand why they’re there.

How do we rightly judge economic and political decisions in our country?

The purpose of this is teach or instruct people on how to look at political and economic situations in their country, and judge it in a more informed way.

Why are the prices of local products “more expensive” than the imported?

Persons will understand this much clearer, and perhaps may even be given possible solutions to this problem, or see if it’s a “normal thing”.

Why is Dominica’s minimum wage the lowest in the OECS?

The audience, especially the minimum wage working class, will get further details why this is so. It will also be compared with that of our country’s, and ways this can be corrected in ours.

Breidy

How are economics and politics connected to each other?

This will help  the audience see how politics and economics work together or go along hand in hand.

Why does the government have the right to make decision for the country?

The Government has a right to make decisions for the country, because it with make the populace understand what they do.

Why do they pass laws and regulations?

We will be able to know why this laws and regulation are passed also what are really laws.

Why did the population in Dominica started to decrease in 1995-2000?

They will have a greater understanding on major events that happened that affected the economy.

In 2015 the inflation rate was the lowest it ever been in Dominica. Why is this?

The audience will find out more about the inflation rate in Dominica what is being done to keep it law.

Noah

Would Dominica be better of both economically and politically if it had remained a colony of britain ?

Readers would be able to attain important information on the british effect on Dominica as well it progress and development over the recent years.

Why do politicians keep some information verboten ?  
The audience would be able to understand the importance of information from a political and economical realm and acknowledge reasons why this is done.

 

Why don’t developing countries like Dominica follow in the footsteps of developed countries with larger economies ?

A greater understanding of how economic systems work will be built in the audience’s minds and they will be able think more rationally why decisions like these are not being made.

Why can’t politicians be efficient at their profession without having perspective on the  economy ?        
The audience will become well aware of the importance of both economic and political studies not only for government positions, but in everyday life.
How important is a country’s balance of payment ?

The audience will become more educated of the consequences of an overburdened economy battling its national debt and be able to share the information they learnt with others.

DH Elements

Breidy

The digital element for the final project that we will like to produce will be a knowledge site. This will include a timeline at the entry page. As primary sources, I would include pictures of certain key figures, as well as text. I would also like to conduct interviews with different persons.The platform will be easy to use yet creative on its own way. The audience would be able to easily access information and use it for answer any research question.

Noah

This project will consist of one digital frameworks for the site. It will be based on the contents of  a  knowledge site powered and designed by a platform such as WordPress or Omeka. This was the most appropriate since the five questions would spark the interest of anyone who loves critical thinking, learning new information and economics and political perspectives. Individual who are seeking or have a degree in the study may find the contents on this site very informative and enlightening. Additionally, question like these are not widely targeted on the internet and through the commentary from the audience I intend to further develop the information and sources while maintaining a certain level of interaction with them. I also would include an oral history segment from interviewed economist, politicians and if possible, scholars.

Ashfred

In my perspective, my project is one which will not be heavily curated or visualized, nonetheless, these features will be used in order to allow my audience to process the information in a way that’s appropriate or suitable for them. The basic elements that’ll be dominantly used are text, audio and videos. Hence the reason why  I have chosen that my section on the project will be a “semi-linear, customizable narrative that includes text, images, audio, and/or video”, with components of a timeline. This element allows me to display my project an essay, but not the normal traditional essay type questions. My aim with this project is that it’d be effective and effectually communicated to my audience, and I don’t believe the regular 1,000-1,500 word essays do that, as the people of today practice extensive instead of intensive reading. Therefore, the different features and elements will give them a variety of ways in which they can view and process the information.

In conclusion, the group has decided incorporate a combination of a knowledge site, a timeline ,and a semi-linear, customizable narrative site, as the elements we will pursue in our DH project.

The Religion and Science group proposes to use knowledge, crowdsourcing and geographic mapping sites for the project. The knowledge site will include timelines that will be utilized to relay the significant events of the development of the healthcare system and agricultural sector and their resistance in chronological order. The geographic mapping sites will be most appropriate to present a visual view of health centers island wide, disparity in the density of farms and agricultural land over the years. In addition, the most prevalent religious denominations and the establishment of new churches, will be present in the mapping aspect of the site. This site will also incorporate the use of crowdsourcing as an efficient means of ensuring the continuity of this project. This will allow the information to be curated by not only the staff but, by the public as well. The process will be vetted to maintain credibility, while ensuring the addition of new information by using a large number of people collaborating with the group members therefore, improving the website with the addition of new perspectives to the topic.

Summary: TERESA

In our journey as young people we always learn that ‘Education is the key to success’.  In this project titled ‘Resistance and Reality’, my main research will be on the subject of education.  For many years, even before my generation students have been leaving Dominica and moving to study or get jobs overseas or even in other Caribbean islands. My task on this project is to find out why this is happening, is it because Dominica is not fit for studies or to obtain jobs? My targeted audience for this project is students about age 16 and above who attend college or education levels higher such as universities. The reason in particular why I chose this audience is because these are the group of students who normally live to further their studies elsewhere. My reason for choosing this subject (Education) is to find out why students aren’t studying in Dominica or why is there are decrease in the number of students who come to study here and an increase in the number of students who live to study elsewhere.  Another reason is to find out whether or not our education system isn’t right for studying because that’s a need to know as students who will be soon going to further their studies.  

 

Questions: TERESA

The five research questions that I chose to centralize my project about is; what’s wrong with the education system in Dominica? Why do students choose overseas or other Caribbean countries to further their studies and not Dominica? Do they move to explore other countries or is something wrong with ours? Can’t our economic system withstand studies that come to our island for studies or can’t our economic system withstand us in wanting to further our studies? Is there something wrong with our colleges or universities in Dominica? These questions are all connected somehow and they are going to help me under my topic much better. These questions are going to give me a clear view on the reasons why students don’t admire the schools in Dominica and the reasons why they choose to go and study elsewhere which is exactly what I need to conduct my project.

 

DH Elements: TERESA

 

In this past couple of months I have learned some many things about digital humanities and through this knowledge I am going to present my project by choosing from the wide range of methods. This part of my project which will be on education will be carried about by a knowledge site, a digital edition of texts and a semi-linear, customizable narrative that includes text, images, audio, or video. First of all, a knowledge site is a collection of primary or secondary sources and resources for research or teaching. This type of DH element will bring my points towards and audience of people that are may need this type of information and make it more accessible to them. Secondly, a digital edition of texts is an online version of text. This element will have bring my point across more and accessible and it will also help in the understanding of the topic and the question that are to be answered during this research. Lastly, I hope to find pictures, text, videos and audio to bring life to this project, to make it more attractive to researchers because not everybody learns from reading what they see but they learn from visuals and audio.

 

Raissa Henderson

Resistance and Caribbean Reality

Education

Summary

Education is important. People often say that you need to know your past, in order to have a future. The only way to gain knowledge, is to research, and it is in that way we are educated. This topic intends to present the history of resistance in education in Dominica and the Caribbean, and the development of the education system and its impact on the system of today and of the near future. The aspect of education in resistance would be important to students and teachers alike, of all ages, especially students who desire to become the new generation of teachers and education facilitators. I hope to also reach to scholars who study and research in order to improve the educational status of youth all around the world, and digital humanists who understand the importance of providing accessible and essential information about anything of substance to anyone who seeks it. There are people who struggle to find a good quality of education because of race and religious beliefs, or social stature and a country’s availability. I chose this topic of research to understand how change can be made by firstly answering the question why, since I believe that anyone willing to make a change or to grow mentally should be given the opportunity to do so. Whereas, some people take that opportunity for granted and do not appreciate the blessing that is in their reach, even here in Dominica. I wish to deeply analyse the present education system, in hopes to make request of  positive changes where I believe are needed.

Inquiry

Education may sound like a linear aspect, however, being a curious student has helped me to go in depth and relate education to the topic, Resistance and Caribbean Reality. There are many questions to ask, and many ways to answer them. Through thorough research and analysis, the following questions are expected to be answered.

What does it mean to be educated?

The word education is often tossed around in the mouths of illiterate and literate beings who have many opinions, or rules, as to what it means. This question is an important one as it forms the basis of this aspect and leads the way for the other questions. Who defined education? Was there resistance toward that definition? Who agreed, or begged to differ? How? Why?

What role did the government play?

From what I have learnt about Caribbean history, every past and present event has been politically influenced, whether lightly or not. Surprisingly, the education of a people depends on the approval and prioritization of a government or national authority. This leads to even more evaluation like, were the actions of the government a successful one? What were their actions? How did the people respond? Is there any present evidence of the efforts of the government to push for or against a prosperous education system?

Was education desired?

People are subjugated by acts of wickedness, or even by acts of kindness. Today, education is seen as a privilege, since it is determines your value to a company, and your status in a community. Students often feel the need to prove themselves by getting the highest level of education as possible. However, some may argue that education is the enslavement of the mind by “the white man” or even the black one, because of how it is imposed. So, is there resistance in being educated? Or is there resistance in being uneducated? Why? Is it flat out slavery?

What were the first signs of education?

With every action, there is an equal reaction. Education was never a thing that sneaked up on us. It lingered, became empowered and then enthroned. While it was used only for the betterment of a nation or used to pass the time, it was the cause to many effects. Trends were observed and progressed and education “leveled up”. Therefore, it is important to ask, for comparison, what trends developed in the education system? What were the restrictions? Who or what influenced these trends? How did these trends the future education system?

When; where?

Education, like mentioned before, is perceived differently by a person. This question serves to present a country’s perspective of education during a certain period. It is expected that in the very early days, education would be based on group’s basic survival skills, like hunting and trade. Whereas now, there are more divisions and focuses like neurology and orthopedic medicine and civil, mechanical and computer engineering. Of course, the popularity or demand for a certain level of education would depend the needs and structure of a country. Yet, this all goes back to one question: what influenced the idea of education, or the idea of resistance in that country?

Was education strictly academic?

As said before, there are different definitions of education. Some people believe that being educated does not mean being academically inclined only. The enforcement of extra-curricular activities in schools today prove that education is not strictly academic. When was extra-curricular introduced? Are there schools or education systems that believe only in academia? Why, or why not?

Note that this question is the link between education and its association with art. Many artists have been deemed intelligent because of their play with words or colours, since only few were exceptional and legendary.

DH Elements

This piece of the project will be displayed as a knowledge site with digital editions of texts and narrations. A knowledge site is a collection of primary, and sometimes secondary, sources and resources that can be used for research and for teaching. A digital edition of a text is the online or digitalised version of a text or texts that are related to a topic and serve the purpose of rejuvenating the work of someone else, and/or presenting and creating a different aspect of that work.  I think this format is appropriate since my angle can be displayed to an audience that may be unaware of it and the content can become more accessible to that audience. I also think using digital editions of text(s) will help to bring across my analysis and position of this topic and the answers to my questions. Additionally, it is appropriate because I expect to find documents and publications made by the Ministry of Education that may declare updates in the education system or changes made to school buildings and by facilitators, like salary change, protests, expansions, removals, exchanges. Pictures, texts and audio, if available in good quality, will be presented to support statements, events and authoritative figures mentioned in the content of this project.

 

TONILIA ELI

 

Summary

Education and art can be seen together in my opinion. When thinking of them as one unit I get the idea of the fine arts being prominently involved in the education sector. I chose to view these topics as one because of my deep interest for the fine arts, especially dancing. Art involves not only painting and sculpting but writing, drama, dance and music. In Dominica the fine arts are merged with our culture in almost every aspect. The music is both traditional involving steel pan, guitar and jing ping instruments (just to name a few) and modern ranging from the piano to flute to even violin. There are paintings which serves the purpose of keeping the culture alive by reminding individuals about historical events based on a spectacular painting. Dancing, drama and writing are being pushed the most into culture as it involves the people themselves portraying culture and history in a physical form which provides a real life experience of Culture Dominica. There is so much to explore in art yet so many questions are raised; especially concerning education. The arts are not widely promoted in education in Dominica and the big question is why? I believe they contribute to one’s standard of living and should be just as important as any other job or career. Why can people study to become lawyers and doctors but not professional dancers or musicians? I believe that there is a need for the arts but there is room for deeper exploration to truly understand art ad education combined.

Inquiry Questions

1.      Why is art not widely promoted in the education sector in Dominica?

Is there a reason why art is not made equal with the rest of the general fields of educational study? I think that it could have to deal with the fact that there are not many professional individuals within the fine arts sector to teach but what about the few we have? Or shouldn’t we consider providing educational opportunities abroad for these individuals to contribute?

2.      What is the general opinion of art being a part of the education curriculum?

What do the people think? There are people who are deeply passionate about the arts but do their voice over power those who think it’s a “waste of time”? Would the people actually consider arts being a professional career? How do people view art?

3.      Is enough effort being made to ensure that the interest in art remain alive (through education)?

Can more be done to expose the arts to the youth or do we purposefully keep them away from education in the arts because of our own opinions about it? In Dominica we have exhibitions and presentations of the various arts occasionally but is that enough to grab their attention?

4.      How can we obtain information regarding the arts (in detail)?

Is there a place we can go to obtain information about the art? Who can we rely on to educate us about the arts in Dominica? Is the information available for everyone? There are people who seek education in the arts; is there any information which may be convenient for their area of study?

5.      Is it possible for Dominica to become acquainted with other schools abroad to provide benefits for citizens in arts?

Can we implement study abroad programs in schools regarding the arts? I believe that these acquaintances will provide a lot of benefits for students interested in art but would it be appreciated?

 

DH Elements

Digital Humanities has allowed me to truly understand the importance of making information readily available using a wide range of different sources and methods of research. My part of the final project of art and education will be primarily a knowledge site where individuals interested in the arts or the anatomy of arts in education would receive ready information to answer the many questions they may pose. The project will include interactive text which will give the information in a way which grabs the attention of the viewer. I plan on using my skill in media arts (audio, video, images) to add emphasis and to provide an interactive environment for the individuals who are seeking the information. The site, although being a knowledge site with text information, will be composed of mainly video and audio to allow the viewer to actually see different aspects of the topics explained, and to hear firsthand about the journey of the arts in education by different individuals. The individuals who will be a part of my project are experienced in arts and will be interviewed to outlay their personal views on art in education.

 

Summary

Garvin LeBlanc

 

The definition of art is relative. What I may call art may be something that norms and familiarity may result in you not even recognizing it as something unique. For me, art is a unique way of making normal things, less normal. Most of the art forms that are easily recognizable are the visual arts such as paintings, drawings, busts, crafts and other visually perceivable art forms. Other art forms involve music, drama, writing, dancing and storytelling. Yes, storytelling is an art. Everyone is gifted with the ability to relay a message but getting someone to listen and receive that message willingly, takes skill. Art, to me, is skill. Art is tradition. Art is culture. I have a fair knowledge of Caribbean art. I know of a number of Caribbean authors, whether they be born or of parentage. I know of various visual artists and artisans. But where did this come from.          A lot of people know where they draw inspiration and influence but where are those influences and inspirations rooted? Did we, as Caribbean people we draw our artistic nature from those who were brought here? Or from those who brought us here? I want to know where it came from. And how it survived hundreds of years of resistance to exist in our current society. I chose this topic because of my enthusiasm towards art. I’m actively involved in many art forms, namely visual arts as well as poetry, and I want to know whether my influences are a result of the influences that my ancestors and their contemporaries may or may not have had. I hope that my content will attract people like me who are curious about the where their affinity for pen, paper, sound and structure stems from. I wish that whoever is to be attracted to my work is on a search of truth like I am currently embarking on. The truth behind how art lived, fought, and survived in the Caribbean.

Questions

What is art?

Where did it come from? What does it entail? What forms does it take on? How have those forms developed? How were these forms influenced? Where were they influenced? Why were they influenced? Were any new forms created? How was art treated in the caribbean? What types of art forms were tolerated?

Who were artists?

Where did they come from? Were they educated? Did they try to educate others about their art? Was art allowed where they came from? What did they do to be allowed to create art? How successful were they with their art? Are there remnants of their art today? Did they leave to spread their art around? How were they met with resistance?

What opposing forces came against art?

Were laws passed to hinder cultural practices? Why? How were they dealt with? Did these practices continue? Who was responsible for trying to minimize the artistic presence in the Caribbean? In Dominica?Were there eras when art was seen as a way out of an economic hard time? Were there psychological blocks forced towards art?

Which art forms survived?

Which art forms still stand today? How have they changed? Have their uses differentiated? Where is caribbean art today? How do you preserve caribbean art? Where do we preserve it? Do we implement art into our educational systems?

 

DH Elements.

 

For this project, I believe that the work that I’m dealing with should take on the form of a knowledge site with a database.

To me, the database will make locating sources much easier for those who wish to take up a project like this. In the database would have relevant information of individuals and organizations involved both directly and indirectly to Caribbean art, it’s development and participation in art-related resistance movements. Also, I believe that it would show a fair representation of which Caribbean countries produced individuals who were more actively involved in artistic resistance than others. I believe that this is important for young artists to have a visual and factual representation of the presence of a strong artistic force in their islands. A sub-database would also take on the form of an art gallery/ museum with links to the artists’ relevant information available in the main database

The knowledge site would be structured to facilitate the information regarding the artists’ origins as well as other relevant information used to answer my proposed research questions. Due to the nature of material that I plan to research, I feel that a knowledge site would make the information easily accessible and better presented than the other types of projects. I may implement some features of the customizable narrative in the form of multimedia presence on the site as well.

-Garvin LeBlanc