Abstract
The study sought to evaluate the extent to which an online course in literacy leadership appropriately trained prospective literacy coaches, already situated in Caribbean schools, to assume roles as literacy leaders in their respective contexts. A secondary aim of the study was to evolve a research-driven model of literacy leadership suited for guiding the training and school-based practice of literacy coaches across the islands of the Caribbean. Having exposed the 60 graduate-level literacy leadership candidates - spanning 10 Caribbean islands - to four research-driven learning modules centred on key attributes and processes of effective literacy-focused schools, the researchers sought to immerse teams of candidates in activities cited in the research as critical in instituting these attributes and processes in schools. A combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis of problem-based text interactions surrounding these activities, as well as candidates' own post-course ratings of course content was used to answer key research questions. Did candidates gain an overt understanding of what is involved in establishing an effective literacy infrastructure in schools? Was a viable training model used? The research affirms the efficacy of innovations geared at training literacy practitioners online across the islands of the Caribbean.