Curriculum Review Supporting students and teachers by keeping Ontarios K 12 curriculum current and r

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Curriculum ReviewSupporting students and
teachers by keepingOntarios K - 12 curriculum
current and relevant
Status Report
Produced by Curriculum and Assessment Policy
Branch Ministry of Education February 2007
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Todays Agenda

• Curriculum Review Process
• Considerations for Revision
• Key Areas of Proposed Revisions
• Feedback Surveys
• Strategic Planning

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Curriculum Review

• Supporting students and teachers by keeping
  Ontarios K 12 curriculum current and relevant
• Includes an increased focus on literacy and
  numeracy across the curriculum

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Current Status of Curriculum Policy

• The Ontario curriculum documents (English and
  French) Grades K 12 include
• 20 elementary curriculum documents
• 62 secondary curriculum documents
• Program Planning and Assessment-2000
• These were introduced/implemented between 1997
  and 2002

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What is Curriculum Review?

• A staged process to review Kindergarten to Grade
  12 curriculum documents by discipline area that
• builds on the quality curriculum currently in
  place
• ensures that the curriculum remains current and
  relevant

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Rationale for Curriculum Review

• ensures ongoing high quality education and
  continuous improvement in student achievement

• sustains the effectiveness of Ontarios
  curriculum for students in a knowledge-based
  society

• assures curriculum coherence and age-
  appropriateness from Kindergarten through Grade
  12 in all disciplines

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Rationale for Curriculum Review

• supports students, teachers, schools and boards
  by identifying targeted areas in need of support

• allows lead time for development or updating of
  related support materials as required (e.g.,
  textbooks)

• supports continual improvement of the curriculum

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What Remains the Same

• high standards for all students
• the framework of grade-by-grade overall and
  specific curriculum expectations
• destination-related secondary school course types
  

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Opportunities and Routes for Input
Focus Groups
Other Consultations and Input
Technical Analysis
Subject / Division Associations
Analysis / Synthesis
Achievement Charts
Research
Revision Teams
Feedback Consultation
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Curriculum Revision Technological Education

• Year One 2005/2006
• Research and stakeholder input
• Synthesis of all input
• Recommendations for revision and approval process
• Summer revision writing (July 06)

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Curriculum Revision Technological Education

• Year Two 2006/2007
• Review emphasis courses with subject experts
  (Fall 2006)
• Preparation for feedback process (Winter
  2006/2007)
• Feedback consultation to all stakeholders
  (February 2007)
• Review survey information (April/May 2007)
• Summer writing if required (July 2007)

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Curriculum Revision Technological Education

• Year Three 2007/2008
• Fact checking by Subject Experts
• Aboriginal perspective
• Biases
• Editing process (Fall/Winter 2007/2008)
• Release and training (Spring 2008)
• Implementation (September 2008)

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Key Recommendations

• Organize the expectations under new strands with
  appropriate sub-headings.
• Improve the description and linkage of the
  Fundamentals Concepts
• Imbed Essential Skills and Work Habits

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Key Recommendations

• Balance expectations by Assessment Category
• Develop a continuum of Skills and Knowledge
• Ensure transition from Grade 8
• Exit skills knowledge for Grade 12

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Key Recommendations

• Ensure a clear distinction and consistency
  between destinations
• Alignment with apprenticeship curriculum when
  appropriate
• Enhance environmental sustainability and safety
  aspects

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Considerations for Revisions

• Strengths of the current curriculum
• Exit Outcomes
• Other Jurisdictions
• Elementary Links
• Key Areas of Learning
• Fundamental Concepts

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Strengths of the Current Curriculum

• The broad-based nature of courses
• The ability to offer emphasis courses
• The ability to offer multi-credit courses
• Emphasis on problem solving

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Strengths of the Current Curriculum

• Activity- based, project driven and student
  centered curriculum
• Safety standards embedded in expectations
• Environmental and conservation expectations
  included

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Strengths of the Current Curriculum

• Career expectations included
• Employability skills included
• Common strands in all Tech Ed subjects

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Exit Outcomes

• The writers suggested what skills and knowledge
  students should possess at graduation. The
  curriculum was developed to facilitate students
  achieving these "exit outcomes.

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Benchmarking

• Benchmarking of Ontario curriculum against other
  jurisdictions
• other provinces
• U.S. States
• English speaking countries.

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Elementary Links

• Alignment of secondary curriculum with Science
  and Technology, Grades 1-8

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Key Areas of Learning

• Common to all subject areas
• Safety
• Essential Skills
• Problem Solving/Design Process
• Environmental Stewardship
• Work Habits
• Technical Skills Knowledge

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Fundamental Concepts

• Controls
• Systems
• Function
• Aesthetics
• Ergonomics

• Structure
• Material
• Fabrication
• Mechanism
• Power and Energy

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Key Areas of Proposed Revisions
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Key Areas of Proposed Revisions

• Separated Computer Studies from Technological
  Education
• Front Matter for
• Grades 9 and 10
• Grades 11 and 12
• Subject Specific Changes
• Proposed New Courses
• Destination changes
• Strand reorganization
• Alignment of Expectations

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Computer Studies

• New curriculum document (Computer Science)
• Change from University/College destination to
  separate College and University destinations

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Technological Education Front Matter

• Broad-Based Technologies
• The philosophy that underlies the teaching of
  broad-based technology is that students learn
  best by doing.
• The curriculum in this area takes an activity
  based, problem solving, project-driven approach
  to learning that provides students with
  knowledge, skills and experiences.

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Technological Education Front Matter

• Broad-Based Technologies
• Cover a range of areas and applications within
  the subject.
• Regardless of the area emphasized in a course,
  students must be given the opportunity to achieve
  all of the expectations of the course outlined in
  this document.

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Front Matter Grades 9 and 10

• Students should take the main 1-credit course in
  Exploring Technologies (TTI 1O) prior to taking
  additional Grade 9 technology credits (e.g. TGJ
  1O, TCJ 1O, TTJ1O)
• Additional specific expectations could be
  included and identified within the TTI 1O
  expectations for Grade 9 additional courses
  (survey question)

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Front Matter Grades 9 and 10

• Additional chart will be added outlining all
  Grade 9 Broad-based courses and course codes
• Multiple credits can be delivered in Grade 10, up
  to 3 credits, 330 hours (no change suggested)
• Emphasis option in Grade 10 will be maintained
  (no change suggested)

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Front Matter Grades 11 and 12

• Additional areas of emphasis within the
  Broad-based areas have been added, including
  additional proposed course codes, emphasis
  descriptors and specific emphasis expectations
• Up to 3 credits can be obtained in a Broad-based
  Technology. As well, up to 3 credits in each
  emphasis area can be earned
• A few additional specific expectations available
  when delivering an area of emphasis

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Exploring Technologies

• Name change from Integrated Technologies proposed
• Clarification as to the option of offering
  additional Grade 9 credits suggested
• Possibility of specific emphasis expectations for
  additional Grade 9 courses (survey question)

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Computer Technology

• Proposed move from Computer Studies-Part B to
  Technological Education BBT
• Computer Technology (University/College)
• Electronics
• Robotics and Control Systems
• Computer Networking
• Computer Interfacing

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Computer Technology

• Computer Technology (Workplace)
• Computer Help Desk Support
• Computer Repair/Hardware Support
• Computer Network Support
• Network Cabling

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Destination Changes

• Open Courses (Grade 9 and 10)
• Grade 9 (additional courses)
• Grade 10 (multiple-credit option)
• New Open Courses (Grade 11 and 12)
• Communications Technology
• Technological Design
• Transportation
• College destination Transportation Technology

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Destination Changes

• College Preparation Courses (Grade 11 and 12)
• Computer Studies
• University Courses (Grade 11 and 12)
• Computer Studies
• University/College Preparation Courses (Grade 11
  and 12)
• - Construction Technology (survey question)
• Health Care (survey question)
• Hospitality and Tourism (survey question)
• Manufacturing Technology (survey question)

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Strand Reorganization

• Fundamentals The foundational knowledge and
  skills of concepts, components and systems,
  materials, service, product and safety
• Application/Skills Development The
  technological skills required for responding to a
  variety of practical challenges

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Strand Reorganization

• Environmental Stewardship and Societal
  Implications The impact of technology on the
  environment, the economy and society.
• Professional Practice and Career Opportunities
  safety related issues, career opportunities, work
  habits and essential skills.

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Alignment of Expectations

• Overall Expectations
• Observable, measurable, achievable and teachable
• Linked to a cluster of Specific Expectations

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Alignment of Expectations

• Specific Expectations
• Clearly support the Overall Expectations
• Update and add examples to clarify the intent and
  ensure relevance

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• Feedback Consultation Technological Education
• Overview
• Please download and review the files below, then
  complete the feedback survey online. Your
  feedback must be received by April 16, 2007.
• Contents
• Continue a Previously Saved Survey
• If you wish to resume a previously saved survey,
  please enter yoursave code at right.

Surveys Due April 16, 2007
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Other Proposed Areas of Revision

• Emphasis Areas
• To include
• Course descriptors
• Course codes
• Specific expectations

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Other Proposed Areas of Revision

• Emphasis Areas
• In Grade 11 and 12 are limited to the identified
  areas in the document.
• Schools delivering emphasis areas must address
  the specific expectations that are identified to
  that specific area but not to the exclusion of
  other areas within the subject.
• Will appear on the students transcript.

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Other Proposed Areas of Revision

• Specific Emphasis Expectations
• for each of the emphasis areas
• mostly apply to fundamental strand and
  application strand.
• are identified separately in the curriculum.
• must be addressed when delivering an emphasis
  course

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Other Proposed Areas of Revision

• Multiple Credits
• In broad-based technology courses should be
  designed to lead to specialist high skills major,
  apprenticeship or certification programs or that
  are part of school-work transition programs
• Additional instructional time should reflect
  current industry practices and standards

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Other Proposed Areas of Revision

• Multiple Credits
• A maximum of three credits may be earned for the
  successful completion of a 330 hour course
• This option applies to all broad-based courses as
  well as any emphasis courses, for example, up to
  3 credits in auto body as well as up to 3 credits
  in auto service.