Showing papers in "Canadian Journal of Education in 1995"

More Than Words: The Generative Power of Transmediation for Learning.

Abstract: The emerging shift from transmissionto inquiry-oriented models of teaching and learning implies that students need more than words to learn. Transmediation, the act of translating meanings from one sign system to another, increases students' opportunities to engage in generative and reflective thinking because learners must invent a connection between the two sign systems, as the connection does not exist a priori. In this article I explore the semiotic basis for this claim and illustrate the generative potential of transmediation.

Educational Accountability in Alberta

Abstract: Alberta has actively increased accountability for educational performance since the early 1980s through introduction of the student achievement and diploma examination programs, five evaluation policies, and public reporting requirements. In 1994, the government moved to province-wide planning for more and better reporting of infor- mation to enhance public accountability. Accountability focuses attention on performance, communicates how successful the performance is, and proposes strategies for improve- ment. In this article I describe accountability for K-12 education in Alberta, identifying policies, programs, and strategies that help ensure public accountability for educational results. I also describe Alberta Education’s 1994 Three-Year Business Plan, which increases accountability for school jurisdictions and schools. L’Alberta s’emploie a mettre davantage l’accent sur la responsabilite eu egard au rendement scolaire depuis le debut des annees 90. C’est dans cet esprit qu’elle a mis sur pied des programmes d’evaluation des eleves et d’examen des diplomes, implante cinq politiques d’evaluation et formule des exigences pour ce qui est des rapports publics. En 1994, le gouvernement a opte pour une planification a la grandeur de la province afin d’ameliorer qualitativement et quantitativement les informations communiquees. Parler de responsabilite, c’est mettre l’accent sur la performance, determiner le niveau de reussite a cet egard et proposer des strategies en vue d’apporter des ameliorations. Dans cet article, l’auteure decrit la responsabilite face au public de la maternelle a la fin du secondaire en Alberta en identifiant les politiques, programmes et strategies qui aident a assurer une responsabilite eu egard aux resultats scolaires. L’auteure decrit egalement le plan d’action global de trois ans mis sur pied en 1994 en Alberta, lequel augmente la responsabilite des juridictions scolaires et des ecoles.

Educational Responses to Poverty

Abstract: Poverty is an important negative influence on educational attainment in Canada and a key barrier to educational improvement. Although this is widely recognized by educators, schools have not invested significant resources in dealing with poverty effectively. Schools cannot by themselves solve problems of poverty, nor should they be held respon- sible for them. At the same time, a considerable body of research indicates that schools can contribute in important ways to alleviating poverty’s effects. Important strategies for doing so include improved instruction, more preschool education, and stronger links with families and communities. Change in these areas is feasible, though not easy. La pauvrete exerce une influence neegative importante sur la reussite scolaire au Canada et constitue une barriere de taille pour l’amelioration de l’education. Bien que son impact soit largement reconnu par les enseignants, les ecoles n’investissement pas beaucoup de ressources pour faire face a la pauvrete avec efficacite. Les ecoles ne sont pas en mesure de regler toutes seules les problemes de la pauvrete, et ne devraient pas etre tenues responsable de ces problemes. Parallelement, de nombreux travaux de recherche indiquent que les ecoles peuvent contribuer de facon importante a attenuer les effets de la pauvrete. Au nombre des strategies cles en ce sens figurent l’amelioration de la scolarite, une plus grande diffusion de l’education prescolaire et l’etablissement de liens plus solides avec les familles et les communautes. Des changements dans ces domaines sont possible, meme s’ils ne sont faciles a effectuer.

Two Policy Approaches to Native Education: Can Reform Be Legislated?.

Abstract: The evolution of Canadian federal policy for Native elementary and secondary education has followed a pattern remarkably similar to that in the United States. A significant difference in the provision of educational services to indigenous peoples is, however, that whereas the United States has historically attempted to regulate and reform Native education through federal legislation, Canada has generally eschewed such a proactive strategy in favour of what Hall (1992) refers to as the “No Policy-Policy.” In this article I examine the evolution of Native education policy in both countries to determine which approach has brought Native people closer to their desired goal of having control over their children’s education. La politique federale canadienne d’enseignement primaire et secondaire destinee aux autochtones suit une evolution semblable a celle des Etats-Unis. ll existe toutefois une difference significative dans la prestation des services educatifs aux peuples autochtones: les Etats-Unis ont toujours tente de reglementer et de reformer l’education des autoch- tones par le biais de lois federales tandis que le Canada evite, en regle generale, ce genre de strategie proactive et prefere ce que Hall (1992) designe comme une “politique de non-politique.” Dans cet article, l’auteur analyse l’evolution, dans les deux pays, de la politique en matiere d’enseignement aux autochtones afin de determiner quelle approche permet aux peuples autochtones de se rapprocher de leur objectif, qui est de controler l’education de leurs enfants.

Assessment and Accountability in Education in Ontario

Abstract: In recent years, Ontario has joined many other provinces in grappling with the issues of assessment and accountability. Although Ontario does not have a long-standing history of standardized assessment or testing, a ferment of activity has occurred since the mid-1980s. This activity has included a number of program reviews (in different subjects areas, using sampling techniques), a literacy assessment in grade 9, and examination reviews in the final secondary year. The next few years will be important ones as Ontario tries to juggle the critical issues associated with changing social, economic, and political conditions; with the role of teachers in assessment; with the complexity and difficulty of communicating with a widely varied audience; and with interpreting and using assessment results wisely. Au cours des dernieres annees, l’Ontario s’est penche, a l’instar de nombreuses autres provinces, sur les questions d’evaluation et de responsabilite. Bien que l’Ontario n’ait pas une longue tradition en matiere d’evaluation ou de tests standardises, des activites en ce sens ont commence a surgir depuis le debut des annees 80. Elles comprennent bon nombre d’analyses de programmes (dans differentes matieres, a l’aide de techniques d’echantillonnage), l’evaluation des capacites de lecture et d’ecriture en 9e annee et des analyses des resultats d’examen a la fin du secondaire. Les annees qui viennent seront importantes puisque l’Ontario tentera de faire face aux questions essentielles associees a l’evolution des conditions sociales, economiques et politiques, au role des enseignants dans l’evaluation, a la complexite et a la difficulte de communiquer avec un auditoire tres varie et a l’interpretation et a l’utilisation judicieuses des resultats des evaluations.

Common Schools for Common Education

Abstract: Recent decades have witnessed a striking decline in our commitment to the ideal of the common school. At least part of that decline may be explained by our impoverished understanding of the common education that befits a diverse society in which citizens aspire to live together on a basis of mutual respect. The widespread assumption that a common education in these circumstances must be confined to the lowest common denominator of moral commitment leads to a distorted vision of the proper purposes of common schooling. I argue that a richer vision of the purposes of such schooling can be inferred from the principle of equal respect, using Rawls's account of liberal democratic virtue. I use that argument also to clarify the kinds of separate schooling that are commendable or at least acceptable from a liberal democratic perspective.

The Nexus of Equality and Quality in Education: A Framework for Debate

Abstract: Valverde (1988) claims that the general public and many educators believe it is extremely difficult if not impossible simultaneously to provide excellent education to majority youngsters and to provide equality of opportunity to ethnic and racial minority students. We explore the paradox these two major goals present, namely that schools should promote both equality and quality but cannot foster both goals at once. We argue that the apparent antithesis of equality and quality results from mutually exclusive definitions obscuring the true relationship between the two constructs. In place of these definitions, we offer a model demonstrating that equality and quality are not only compatible but mutually supportive and enhancing. Selon Valverde (1988), le public et de nombreux educateurs estiment qu’il est tres difficile, sinon impossible, d’offrir a la fois une excellente education a une majorite de jeunes et l’egalite des chances aux eleves des minorites ethniques ou raciales. Dans cet article, les auteurs analysent le paradoxe qui resulte de ces deux objectifs cles, paradoxe qui se formule comme suit: l’ecole devrait promouvoir l’egalite et la qualite, mais il lui serait impossible de realiser les deux a la fois. Les auteurs avancent que l’opposition apparente entre l’egalite et la qualite resulte de definitions mutuellement exclusives qui embrouillent le lien veritable entre les deux visees educatives. En place et lieu de ces definitions, les auteurs proposent un modele demontrant que l’egalite et la qualite sont non seulement compatibles, mais complementaires et mutuellement enrichissants.

Liberal Civic Education and Its Limits.

Abstract: Respect for diversity is one of today's great watchwords, nowhere more so than in education. Whether what is being advocated is multiculturalism, parental choice, or educational privatization, support for common values and common institutions is giving way to increasingly assertive forms of particularism. There are often, of course, good grounds for welcoming these developments: respect for freedom and diversity are among the deepest commitments of liberal democratic political orders. From a political or constitutional perspective, however, it is troubling that so many of today's proponents of diversity have so little to say about the values and practices that should hold us together as a society. So great is the desire to respect diversity, "difference," and particular commitments and identities that many seem to forget that peaceful, orderly, tolerant liberal diversity needs to be planned for: it does not come about naturally or by the deliverance of an invisible hand.

Creative Dance in the Education Curriculum: Justifying the Unambiguous

Abstract: The inclusion of creative dance in the education curriculum has been variously justified in terms of its value as art, as movement, as therapy, and as a component of an integrated curriculum. Although creative dance is currently justified in different curricula for contra- dictory and ambivalent reasons, there is a need for an unambiguous inclusion of creative dance as a legitimate art form in the curriculum. I evaluate the various justifications for creative dance as movement, therapy, integration, and art and examine how these thwart or do not thwart the need for an unambiguous inclusion of creative dance as an art form. Pour justifier l’integration de la danse creative dans les programmes scolaires, on invoque sa valeur comme art, comme mouvement et comme therapie, ou encore sa place au sein d’un programme integre. Il faut que la danse creative soit incluse d’une maniere non ambigue dans les programmes scolaires en tant qu’expression artistique ayant droit de cite. Actuellement, on justifie l’integration de la danse creative dans divers programmes scolaires en faisant appel a des raisons contradictoires et ambivalentes. L’auteure evalue les divers moyens de justifier la danse creative comme mouvement, therapie, integration et art, et analyse comment ces diverses justifications vont ou non a l’encontre du besoin d’inclure sans ambiguite dans les programmes scolaires la danse creative comme ex- pression artistique.

In the Right Place at the Right Time: Rules of Control and Woman's Place in Ontario Schools, 1940-1980

Abstract: In a recent life-history interview study of two generations of male and female principals in Toronto elementary and secondary schools from 1940–1980, respondents repeatedly said that they had moved into their administrative role because they were in the right place at the right time. I use Clegg’s (1981) configuration of organizational rules of control to question why so few women became principals in the Toronto Board during that period. The analysis illustrates how, despite pressures for change, the overall “place” afforded to most men and women in this educational organization remained unchanged. I consider how we might work within present-day organizations to alter systemic forms of control and to interrupt such persistent hegemonic patterns — which limit both men and women — in school culture. Dans l’etude recente menee a l’aide d’entrevues sur les recits de vie de deux generations de directeurs et de directrices d’ecole au primaire et au secondaire a Toronto de 1940 a 1980, les repondants ont affirme a maintes reprises qu’ils se sont vu confier leur role administratif parce qu’ils avaient ete au bon moment au bon endroit. L’auteure utilise la configuration qu’a donnee Clegg (1981) des regles de controle organisationnelles pour analyser pourquoi un nombre aussi restreint de femmes sont devenues directrices d’ecole a la Commission scolaire de Toronto au cours de cette periode. L’etude illustre comment, en depit des pressions en faveur d’un changement, la “place” globale accordee a la plupart des hommes et des femmes dans cette structure organisationnelle est demeuree la meme. L’auteure suggere des moyens a mettre en oeuvre au sein des structures actuelles pour modifier des formes systemiques de controle et mettre fin a des modeles d’hegemonie aussi persistants — qui limitent autant les hommes que les femmes — dans la culture de l’ecole.

Le stress au travail et ses conséquences potentielles à long terme: le cas des enseignants québécois

Abstract: La recension des ecrits nous enseigne que le stress est l’un des problemes majeurs chez les enseignants et qu’il continue de s’aggraver. La presente recherche a ete entreprise, d’une part, afin de determiner si l’organisation du travail dans le monde de l’enseigne- ment et le stress qui en resulte ont des consequences a long terme sur la sante des enseignants quebecois et, d’autre part, pour tenter de confirmer, a partir de la documen- tation empirique, les resultats obtenus en premiere analyse. Cette recherche a permis d’identifier, hors de tout doute, une cible prioritaire (sante mentale) en matiere de strategies preventives pour ces professionnels. Published research shows that stress is an increasingly serious problem for teachers. This study considered the long-term effects on Quebec teachers’ health of the structure of their work, making use of experimental and documentary sources to arrive at its conclusions. The results show that a preventive strategy to deal with teacher stress should emphasize the goal of general mental health.

Accountability in Education in British Columbia

Abstract: Accountability in education in British Columbia has seven elements: reports, large-scale assessments of student achievement, program evaluation, indicator programs, school accreditation, reference sets, and financial audits. These elements are tied to the goals of education and the attributes of the public school system. This article describes elements that have recently been established or modified. La responsabilite en education en Colombie-Britannique comprend sept facettes: les rap- ports, l’evaluation a grande echelle des resultats scolaires, l’evaluation des programmes, les systemes d’indicateurs, l’agrement des ecoles, les ensembles de reference et les verifications financieres. Ces elements sont relies aux buts de l’education et aux caracte- ristiques du systeme public d’education. Cet article decrit les elements qui ont ete recem- ment mis en place ou modifies.

Idéologies de la nation, idéologies de l’éducation au Canada entre 1867 et 1960: le “bénéfice du locuteur” majoritaire ou minoritaire

Abstract: Deux grands courants ideologiques nationaux et educatifs se sont developpes au Canada entre 1867 et 1960. Les adherents de chacune de ces ideologies ont trouve des avantages concordant avec leur statut de majoritaire ou de minoritaire. Pour ceux de l’ideologie homogeneiste, l’uniformite linguistique et culturelle est la condition necessaire au maintien de l’unite nationale. Pour ceux de l’ideologie dualiste, au contraire, la reconnaissance de la dualite est la condition necessaire au maintien de l’unite nationale. A cause de ces oppositions ideologiques, les projets educatifs des minorites et ceux de la majorite entrent donc systematiquement en collision. Ce retour historique permet de mieux comprendre les raisons profondes qui motivent, aujourd’hui, la resistance aux droits scolaires constitutionnels promulgues par l’article 23 de la Charte canadienne des droits et libertes (1982). Two national educational ideologies developed in Canada between 1867 and 1960. Their adherents were more or less successful in achieving their educational goals depending on whether they were in the majority or in a minority. Those who held to an ideology of homogeneity saw linguistic and cultural uniformity as the precondition of national unity, whereas dualist ideologues thought duality the necessary condition of unity. This ideo- logical antinomy has led systematically to majority-minority clashes. An historical perspective helps us understand the reasons for resistance to education provisions in article 23 of the 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Evaluating an Intervention for At-Risk Adolescents: The Case of The BreakAway Company*

Abstract: Two summative evaluation trials of The BreakAway Company, a career readiness program for at-risk adolescents, produced inconsistent results Although teachers' and counsellors' observations and the students' own narrative accounts provided evidence of program success, the students' scaled, self-report measures of program objectives provided little evidence of student achievement It was also apparent that observations at different times produced conflicting information Using perspectives from cultural psychology, this article describes the outcomes of the program evaluation and speculates on inconsistencies in the observations and measures Knowing what and when to measure and observe is important if we are to demonstrate the effectiveness of complex interventions for at-risk populations Deux essais d'dvaluation sommative de The BreakAway Company, un programme d'orientation professionnelle pour des adolescents A risque, ont donne des r6sultats incoherents Bien que les observations des enseignants et des conseillers ainsi que les comptes rendus des 6l6ves eux-memes semblent indiquer que le programme est un succ6s, les 6valuations par les dl6ves des objectifs du programme ont fourni peu d'indications de rendement scolaire Les observations effectu6es A divers moments semblent en outre avoir produit des donnees conflictuelles A l'aide du point de vue de la psychologie culturelle, I'auteur de cet article ddcrit les resultats de l'6valuation du programme et dmet des hypotheses pour expliquer les incohdrences dans les observations et les mesures II est important de savoir ce qu'il faut mesurer et observer et quand le faire pour d6montrer l'efficacite d'interventions complexes aupr6s de populations A risque

Performance Accountability in the Newfoundland School System

Abstract: This article discusses educational accountability in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It briefly describes the educational context, the historical perspective on accountability, recent attempts to move toward greater accountability for educational performance, as well as organizational difficulties and implications of implementing accountability programs. Cet article traite de la responsabilite en education dans la province de Terre-Neuve et au Labrador. On y decrit brievement le contexte educatif, la notion de responsabilite d’un point de vue historique, les tentatives recentes en vue d’accroitre la responsabilite en matiere de rendement scolaire, les difficultes organisationnelles associees a la mise en oeuvre de programmes ayant trait a la responsabilite et les repercussions d’une telle orientation.

Croyances vocationnelles des jeunes de 16 a 25 ans en difficulte d'insertion socio-professionnelle selon leur profil socio-demographique

Abstract: Cet article presente, dans un premier temps, les fondements theoriques d’une recherche exploratoire qui propose le developpement d’un locus de controle vocationnel comme outil privilegie d’insertion socio-professionnelle et, dans un deuxieme temps, fait etat de certains resultats concernant la relation entre plusieurs croyances vocationnelles entre- tenues chez des jeunes de 16 a 25 ans vivant des difficultes d’insertion socio-profession- nelle et certaines variables socio-demographiques. L’echantillon est compose de 73 sujets de 16 a 25 ans qui ont ete interviewes sur une base volontaire. Sept themes ont ete investigues lors de ces interviews. Il s’agit de la conception du travail, de la planification de carriere, du marche du travail, de la connaissance de soi, de la prise de decision, de l’environnement social et de l’ecole. Les questions degagees a la suite de l’analyse des croyances des jeunes, en regard de ces sept themes et en fonction de leur profil socio- demographique, concernent principalement l’intervention educative de meme que certaines pistes de recherche portant sur le developpement du locus de controle. Young people aged 16 to 25 years may have trouble finding a job and taking their place in society. Using appropriate social theories, this study invited 73 such persons to answer interview questions about their ideas of work, of career planning, of the job market, of self-knowledge, of decision making, of the social environment, and of the school. An analysis of these persons’ beliefs as revealed during interviews, considered in the light of their social origins, leads to conclusions about how educators might best help young people having difficulty of the kinds in question — and suggests new research on where and when vocational decisions are taken.

Education Indicators in Quebec

Abstract: In this article I describe the history, development, and organization of Quebec’s edu- cational indicators. I identify certain weaknesses and recommend using a comprehensive set of indicators for decision making. I discuss school district reactions to indicators and assess the indicators’ effect on education in the province. Dans cet article, l’auteur decrit les origines, le developpement et l’organisation des indi- cateurs en education au Quebec. Il identifie certaines faiblesses et recommande l’utilisa- tion d’un ensemble complet d’indicateurs pour les prises de decisions. Il analyse en outre les reactions des circonscriptions scolaires aux indicateurs et evalue l’effet des indicateurs sur l’education dans la province.

Description des activités quotidiennes d’orthopédagogues

Abstract: Les services de soutien offerts aux eleves ayant des difficultes dans l’apprentissage des matieres de base et frequentant les classes ordinaires, le sont le plus souvent par les orthopedagogues. Cette etude est exploratoire et a pour objectif de decrire la nature des services offerts par ces professionnels. Dix-huit orthopedagogues oeuvrant aupres d’eleves integres en classe ordinaire ont complete chacun le releve de deux semaines d’intervention et ont repondu a des questions d’entrevue. L’analyse des donnees revele que les services sont encore en majorite donnes a l’exterieur des classes ordinaires selon la formule du denombrement flottant et que des formes d’intervention differentes telles la consultation ou les equipes de resolution de problemes sont fort peu repandues. Learning assistance teachers usually provide support services to children with learning difficulties in the core subjects. Our study offers a close description of these services. Eighteen learning assistance teachers working in mainstreamed classes completed sum- mary forms covering two weeks of work, and participated in individual interviews. Analy- sis of the evidence shows that most services are delivered outside of regular class to children identified on flexible criteria, and that non-typical forms of intervention—by consultation or by problem-solving teams — are rare on the ground.

Common Schools for a Secularist Society.

Abstract: Callan develops a coherent argument for the dominant public school based on the substantive "reasonableness" of its teaching. His starting point excludes by definition other strong views such as those of traditional religion or MacIntyre's virtues. Callan is anti-democratic in that majority views of the educational core are rejected; "reasonableness" imposes "heavy intellectual" demands. Callan makes clear that authoritarian, public, monopolistic education is to be kept out of parents' hands and is to be based on neither God nor mammon, but on Rawls.

Effets d’un programme éducatif muséal comprenant des activités de prolongement en classe

Abstract: Depuis 1980, le Groupe de recherche sur l’education et les musees (GREM) a conduit, en collaboration avec plusieurs ecoles et quelques musees, des travaux ayant pour objet l’elaboration d’un modele didactique d’utilisation des musees a des fins educatives. Apres avoir mene plusieurs experimentations, un premier modele inspire de theories propres au curriculum des sciences humaines a ete construit. Il comporte une visite au musee precedee et suivie d’activites se deroulant en salle de classe. La presente etude a pour objet l’etude des effets, au double plan cognitif et affectif, d’activites de prolongement considerees comme faisant partie integrante d’une demarche globale d’apprentissage. Un plan de recherche de type quasi-experimental a ete utilise. Since 1980, the Research Group on Education and Museums has collaborated with schools and museums to construct a pedagogical model for education in museums. Its researches led the Group to adopt a model drawn from the social studies curriculum. The model calls for museum visits preceded and followed by classroom activities. The present quasi-experimental study considers the affective and cognitive effects of follow-up activities that form an integral part of an overall teaching plan.