Baker, Alexandra Emily

Tribes and Academic Achievement: A Canadian Context

Keywords: Tribes, Academic achievement, Co-operative learning, Metacognition

Abstract

The Tribes learning process has become increasingly popular in the field of education. Many educators and administrators in Canada and the United States have adopted its practices and principles and have applied them in their classrooms and within their schools. Analysis of the literature indicates various benefits of Tribes on the academic achievement of students. This qualitative study explores first-hand experience of two Tribes teachers’ practices with Tribes and its impact on the academic achievement of students. The main research question explores how the implementation of the Tribes learning process enhances or improves students’ academic achievement. Preliminary analysis of the data collected suggests the following findings. These findings are directly correlated with the Tribes process: metacognition is essential to the academic achievement of students, safety and social elements are significant factors contributing to the academic achievement of students, reaching the influence stage on the Tribes Trail is one of the hardest challenges faced by teachers, the Tribes learning process can enhance or improve students’ academic achievement, however, teachers must be fully entrenched and committed to the process. Thus, data suggests that students’ academic achievement can be enhanced or improved as a result of all the components of Tribes, co-operative learning, multiple intelligences, brain compatible learning, metacognition, being utilized and strung together into one large process, so long as the teacher is fully invested and whole-heartedly believes in the process.

Acknowledgements

There are many individuals who were apart of this outstanding learning adventure of mine and who I am extremely grateful to have had onboard with me during this journey. I would first like to thank my supervisor Dr. Jackie Eldridge and my research group for all of their wonderful guidance, support and words of encouragement throughout this entire process. Additionally, I would like to extend a warm thank-you to my research participants for taking their personal time to share their experiences with me and for providing me with their insights. Finally, I would like to thank my beautiful family and friends for all of their love and support.