Perceptions of life experiences and academic performance among adult students at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, were examined. The following research questions guided the investigation: What life experiences did adult students have? How did they perceive these experiences? Was there a difference in the perceptions of life experiences of students who received grades of A and B and those who received grades of C and below? The sample consisted of 158 adult students enrolled in two foundation courses at UWI, Mona.

This study compared the performance of grades 7 and 8 students exposed to the Jamaican Reform of Secondary Education (ROSE) Programme with the performance of their nonROSE peers on three tasks. Students were selected from all-age, comprehensive, and traditional high schools. Also sampled were 53 ROSE science teachers and 5 science teacher trainers. Five instruments-a science achievement test, an attitude to science questionnaire, the Cooper-Smith Self-Esteem Scale (1967), a science teacher questionnaire, and a science teacher trainer questionnaire---were used.