BCTF Information Services—Research & Reports

Peter P. Grimmett and Laura D'Amico (SFU)
Do British Columbia's Recent Education Policy Changes Enhance Professionalism among Teachers?
Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, No. 78, July 17, 2008; (20 pages)

The authors address the issue of education policies in B.C., particularly over the last 7 years. Demographic changes, increase in teacher retirements, increase in the working age of teachers, increased student diversity, and an increased emphasis on standards and accountability systems, have all combined to create pressure on teachers in BC to continually learn and adapt.

What is needed, the authors argue, is the building of capacities to foster student learning through endeavours such as in-school professional learning communities.

Lorenzo Cherubini and John Hodson
Ontario Ministry of Education Policy and Aboriginal Learners' Epistemologies: A Fundamental Disconnect
Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, No. 79, August 2, 2008 (18 pages).

Examines policy initiatives around Aboriginal education reform and subsequently discusses the paradox of standardized provincial assessments, teacher education to support Aboriginal self-determination, and the meaningful engagement of Aboriginal communities.

Provides an excellent historical discussion and good contextual information in terms of statistics and demographics.

Jessica Ball
Promoting Equity and Dignity for Aboriginal Children in Canada
IRPP Choices, 14:7 (June 2008); 32 pages

Examines the quality of life of aboriginal children using indicators and cultural issues as a lens. The author spends considerable space discussing early childhood programs and developmental services, in addition to making comprehensive policy recommendations.

Canadian Teachers' Federation
National Issues in Education Poll (News Release with links)
Released July 10, 2008

This poll conducted by Vector Research and commissioned by CTF sought the opinions of over 2500 Canadians on the topic of public education. CTF President Emily Noble says, "In 7 of the 8 public opinion polls conducted nationally since 1995, class size reduction remained at the top of the spending priority list, despite variations over time in the other priorities surveyed."

Marylu Walters
Teachers Learn How to Increase Student Resilience
Alberta Teachers' Association Summer Series 2008

ATA has developed a workshop for teachers titled, "Increasing Student Resiliency - Releasing Diamonds from the Rough." The workshop is based on a 30-year longitudinal study titled, "Overcoming the Odds: High Risk Children from Birth to Adulthood." Researchers found that of 200 children who were considered high-risk while in school, 166 of this group actually bounced back later on and were doing quite well as adults.

Gerald Fallon and Jerald Paquette. Devolution, Choice, and Accountability in the Provision of Public Education in British Columbia: A Critical Analysis of the School Amendment Act of 2002 (Bill 34), Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, #75 (June 25, 2008).

In the author's words, this study "provides an account of the manner in which policy problems were posed, of the explanations constructed, of the policy directions formulated, and of the policy issues to which policy makers ultimately paid attention with enactment of Bill 34."

Don A. Klinger, Christopher DeLuca, and Tess Miller
The Evolving Culture of Large-Scale Assessments in Canadian Education, Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy, #76 (July 3, 2008)

The authors note an increase in the number of large-scale assessment programs in Canada in recent years. Their purpose in publishing this paper was to document all the provinces and territories' large-scale assessment programs. They categorize the programs by their stated functions of accountability, gatekeeping, instructional diagnosis, and monitoring student achievement.

Canadian Council on Learning
State of Learning in Canada: Toward a Learning Future, July 2008

The Canadian Council on Learning uses an informal set of indicators in providing an overview on the state of learning in Canada. The report is divided into 4 sections covering early childhood learning, elementary and secondary education, post-secondary education, and adult learning.

Richard Rothstein. The Corruption of School Accountability. The School Administrator, June 2008.

The author, a research associate with the Economic Policy Institute, examines how experience with quantitative measurements in other sectors, can shed light on testing and accountability in the education sector.

Statistics Canada.
Summary Public School Indicators for the Provinces and Territories, 1999/2000 to 2005/2006
Ottawa, July 2008; 63 pages

A wide array of educational indicators for each province and territory is provided in this report, including enrolment, graduation rates, student-educator ratios, spending, and teacher remuneration.