Report prepared by: Louise Donnelly CFUW Burlington Representative to:
Ontario Council Standing Committee on
Education
September 26, 2015
Dr. David Cameron, Research Director for People for Education presented an overview of student success and the measurements used to describe and define student success in the Ontario school system. His background working in school systems in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, combined with his research working with the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat of the Ontario Ministry of Education gives him a broad perspective on education and student assessment.
David began with a description of People for Education, a non-profit organization that partners with parents, teachers, school boards and the government to hold conferences, conduct research and facilitate public dialogue around education in Ontario, with its specific purpose being the support of public education.
The “Measuring What Matters” research initiative is working with experts across Canada and beyond, to create a set of assessment measures that are educationally useful and reflect a broad set of skills students will need to live happy, healthy, economically secure and civically engaged lives. The domains identified in the project plan move beyond the basic skills currently assessed (through EQAO). They are Health, Social-Emotional Learning, Creativity, Citizenship and Quality Learning Environments.
A group discussion touched on the challenges in the current Ontario school system, including curriculum expectations and working conditions within schools. The Measuring What Matters group, along with their partners (including the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Atkinson Foundation) is now working with twelve school districts interested in starting action research projects. Schools will integrate the core domains and identified competencies into the life of the school and work toward developing different kinds of data to reflect student success in a broader way.
For more information, please see their website:
http://peopleforeducation.ca/measuring-what-matters/
or contact David directly at
david@peopleforeducation.ca
Respectfully submitted
Louise Donnelly