curriculum and assessment policy branch ministry of education april 29, 2011 maureen callan...
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Curriculum and Assessment Policy BranchMinistry of EducationApril 29, 2011Maureen Callan
Opportunities to support science, mathematics and technological education
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The Ontario Curriculum
• The Ministry of Education is responsible for developing curriculum policy• Implementation of policy is the responsibility of school
boards • Under the direction of their school board and school,
teachers:– plan units of study– develop a variety of teaching approaches– select appropriate resources to address the
curriculum expectations taking into account the needs and abilities of the students in their classes
Curriculum
Is….• The mandatory knowledge and
skills that students are expected to know and be able to do in each subject at each grade level.
• Identified and described in elementary and secondary curriculum policy documents
• Standard for all students in English-language and French-language publicly funded schools in the province
Isn’t ….• Resources, frameworks or
policies that support the implementation of curriculum policy documents
• Textbooks, videos, literature
Graduation Requirements
Compulsory Credits (18)• 4 in English (1/grade)
• 1 in French as a second language
• 3 in mathematics (at least 1 in grade 11 or 12)
• 2 in science
• 1 in Canadian history
• 1 in Canadian geography
• 1 in the arts
• 1 in health and physical education
• .5 in civics
• .5 in career studies
Optional Credits (12)• Students may earn these credits
by successfully completing courses they have selected from courses listed as available in the school course calendar.
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•1 additional in each of Group 1, Group 2 or Group 3
Total of 30 credits to graduate
Student Achievement • EQAO Math (Grade 9 Mathematics)
– Academic 82% of students at or above Provincial standards– Applied 40% of students at or above Provincial standards
• PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment, 2009) – Mathematics (Ontario student achievement was at the Canadian
average, along with that of students in British Columbia and Alberta)
– Science (Ontario student achievement was at the Canadian average, along with that of students in British Columbia, Quebec and Nova Scotia)
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Student Achievement
• PCAP (Pan-Canadian Assessment Program)– 13 year olds –minor in science Ontario had a statistical score of
second in Canada
• TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study )– Grade 4 science and math– Grade 8 science and math
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Resources and Supports for Teachers
• Textbooks and Learning Resources• Teacher Preparation – Teacher Qualifications• Professional Development and Professional Learning
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Development of Textbooks and Other Learning Resources
• Learning resources used in Ontario classrooms are for the most part, developed by external learning resource development companies/organizations.
• Generally, the Ontario Ministry of Education does not develop textbooks and other learning resources used by students.
• On occasion, the ministry may support the development of textbooks/learning resources to meet an identified need, e.g., low enrolment course. In this case, the learning resource developer is identified through a tender posted to MERX, an electronic tendering service.
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Textbooks• The ministry approves and lists textbooks that have
undergone a stringent evaluation to ensure their support for the curriculum policy to the government’s standard.
• Textbooks must support eighty-five per cent of the curriculum expectations as well as the philosophy and intent of the relevant curriculum.
• When selecting textbooks, educators must select among the titles that have been approved by the ministry.
• The policy document Guidelines for Approval of Textbooks, submission procedures guide and the Trillium List of approved textbook titles is available on the ministry’s web site at http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/trilliumlist.
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Other Learning Resources
• Learning resources which are not classified as textbooks, e.g., pamphlets, interactive web-based resources, CD-ROMs require school board approval only. All must be linked directly to the Ontario curriculum.
• Licensing of educational software is done on the advice of the Ontario Software Acquisition Program Advisory Committee. Licences are obtained through open and transparent procurement processes advertised on www.merx.com.
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Teacher Preparation –Teacher Qualifications
Teacher Preparation• Faculties of Education• Regulated through
the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
Teacher Qualifications• Ontario College of
Teacher • General Studies
qualification or Technological Education qualification
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Professional Development and Professional Learning
• Professional Development days are identified by school boards based on parameters set by the Ministry of Education
• Ongoing professional learning may be available in a variety of ways:– Through subject/division associations– Teacher federations– Board or regional events– Workshops and conferences– Training for implementation when revised curricula are released– Webinars or electronic supports
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Opportunities for Students
• Specialist High Skills Major• Cooperative Education• Dual Credits• Emphasis Courses
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Programs
• A Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) is a ministry-approved specialized program that allows students to focus their learning on a specific economic sector while meeting the requirements to graduate from secondary school. It also assists in their transition after graduation to apprenticeship training, college, university or the workplace
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/studentsuccess/pathways/shsm/shsm_fact_sheet.pdf
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Cooperative Education
• Cooperative education programs allow students to earn secondary school credits while completing a work placement in the community. These programs complement students’ academic programs and are valuable for all students, whatever their postsecondary destination.
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Dual Credits
• Dual credit programs are ministry-approved programs that allow students, while they are still in secondary school, to take college or apprenticeship courses that count towards both the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) and a postsecondary certificate, diploma, or degree, or an apprenticeship certification.
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Emphasis Courses
• Destination-related broad-based technology courses
• Sector specific: – Computer Engineering
Technology: Electronics– Construction Technology:
Electrical/Network Cabling
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Learning Environment -Science
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Variety is the norm in science classrooms across the province.You can expect almost any configuration as well as a variety of materials that will be available.
Learning Environment– Technological Education
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Technological Education has 10 distinct subject areas and therefore will have many different types of classrooms and facilities available.
