The University of the West Indies is pleased to announce the promotion of Dr. Kolawole Soyibo, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Educational Studies in the Faculty of Humanities and Education, The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, to the rank of Professor of Science Education, with effect from May 20, 2004.

Professor Soyibo, who was born on March 2, 1945, holds the Bachelor of Science degree in Education with Upper Second Class Honours from the University of Lagos, Nigeria in 1976, and the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom in 1979 and 1981 respectively. He joined the staff of the UWI, Mona Campus in 1991 as Lecturer and was promoted to the rank of Senior Lecturer in 1992.

Dr. Soyibo is an experienced lecturer, having taught at the University of Lagos (1977-1990) and in the primary, and secondary school systems in Nigeria (1965-1977), prior to his arrival at the UWI. He has demonstrated and maintained a high standard of academic leadership, having supervised the research and theses of 62 students at the Masters and doctoral levels.

His research work has involved using a variety of instructional strategies to improve student science learning and achievement; the evaluation of science curriculum materials, with particular focus on biology and integrated science curriculum materials; socio-cultural influences on students’ learning in science; drug abuse and health issues; domestic violence, school violence and ethical issues in science education.

Professor Soyibo also has a consistent record of regular publication extending over some 20 years. He is author or joint author of 96 publications including 57 articles in refereed journals and 20 textbooks on the teaching of integrated science in secondary schools. His publications show considerable expertise in science education research, particularly in the area of assessment. Much of his work has focused on the production of texts on integrated science and biology, teaching methods for biology and various aspects of Science Education and social issues affecting achievement in the field. “Essentials of Science Teaching”, published in 2000, of which he is the lead co-author, has been adopted in the main science methodology textbook for use in Jamaican teachers’ colleges and in Bermuda.

He has been concerned to turn his research findings to practical use and has managed to make the link between the theoretical ideas in science education and the practicalities of classroom life, so that much of his work adds to the theoretical literature while at the same time providing useful information for classroom teachers.

His contribution to comparative studies in science education has achieved international recognition, evidenced by the number of times that his contributions to the National Association for Research in Science Teaching annual conferences have been nominated for the “Outstanding Paper” award. Professor Soyibo has also been a consistent presenter at meetings of the American Educational Research Association and has presented academic papers at 31 local and international conferences.

Dr. Soyibo has been a Research Consultant to Jamaica’s National Council on Education (1997-98), National Assessment Programme (1995-98), Jamaica’s Scientific Research Council and the Ministry of Education, Bermuda. He is the External Examiner of science education doctoral theses, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia and MEd theses, University of Guyana.

Professor Soyibo holds membership in several associations, including the Australian Science Education Research Association; the American Education Research Association, the National Association of Research in Science Teaching, the Association of Science Teachers in Jamaica, the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria, and the African Academy of Sciences. He is also Associate Editor/Reviewer of the International Journal of Science and Maths Education in Australia, Caribbean Journal of Education, Caribbean Annals, Journal of Science Teachers Association of Nigeria and Research in Science and Technological Education in the United Kingdom.
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