To see any of these reports, please follow this link:
http://www.epsb.ca/board/november2409_agenda.shtml
The meeting starts at 6 PM. Hope to see you there! (Note: #5 re: board succession plan, is a motion I have put forward.)
A. O Canada
B. Roll Call
C. Communications from the Board Chair
D. Communications from the Superintendent of Schools
E. Minutes:
1. Board Meeting #5 - November 10, 2009- These minutes will be posted November 25, 2009.
F. Improving Student Achievement
2. Improving Student Achievement: Engaging Students through Volunteerism
G. Comments from the Public and Staff Group Representatives
H. Reports
3. Report #1 of the Audit Committee (From the Meeting Held November 17, 2009)
4. Report #4 of the Conference Committee (From the Meeting Held November 17, 2009)
5. Motion re Board Succession Plan
6. Motion re District Priorities Committee
7. Proposed Early Years Policy
8. Policy Review JAB.BP - Formal Delegations, Presentations and Comments to the Board
9. Policy Review - GAA.BP Personnel Policies Priority Objectives
10. Approval of 2009-2010 Expenditures Budget
11. Trustee Subcommittee Review of 2008-2009 School and Central Department Results
12. Edmonton Public Schools' Annual Education Results Report 2008-2009
13. Responses to Board Requests for Information
14. Committee, Board Representative and Trustee Reports (NO ENCLOSURE)
I. Trustee and Board Requests for Information
J. Notices of Motion
K. Meeting Dates
L. Adjournment
Friday, November 20, 2009
Clear message: keep class sizes small!
Last night, around 200 parents overwhelmingly pressed button #6, sending a clear message to the board of trustees: keep class sizes small.
At the board's first-ever town hall forum using clickApad technology, parents from almost every EPSB school voted on lists of priorities, providing valuable input as we look ahead to potential financial challenges. Round tables filled the gym at Jasper Place High School, each one facilitated by an EPSB employee. Trustees moved from table to table, listening to the conversation. At the end of the evening, parents were asked to vote on whether they found the evening worthwhile and would they do it again. Another clear message to the board: YES.
Here's how the evening went:
Introduction from Board Chair Fleming, explaining the uncertain climate (financially) and why we are seeking their input. He affirmed that we, as their representatives, are committed to making decisions that reflect the views and values of the public.
Demonstration on how to use the voting technology. (Everything worked well- phew!)
At the tables, a quick overview of District Priorities, Mission Statement and Board of Trustees' Strategic Plan to set the stage for the rest of the discussions.
First chance to vote: List of Educational Values.
A list of 10 values was presented to each parent. Recognizing that all the values were important, we asked people to struggle with picking out THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE. First, people voted on their top pick, independent of any discussion at their table, providing their "Gut reaction". Most people found it difficult to choose- as did I looking at the list!
Results were then projected for all to see, here are the ones with the highest votes:
All Students should be successful in their studies- 26%;
Schools should be respectful, inclusive, and responsive to diverse needs of students- 21%,
All students must complete high school- 21%
Then the tables discussed why they voted as they did and after 15 minutes, another vote was taken and reported. The percentages changed slightly as people were convinced by the persuasive arguments of their table-mates.
Next Topic: List of Educational Outcomes.
Same format- gut reaction vote, discussion, second vote.
Here's a snapshot of the top picks:
Literacy- 26%
Critical thinking- 20%
Lifelong learning- 18%
Creativity- 8%
After discussion, critical thinking went up, lifelong learning went up and I think so did adaptability to 13%. *
(*Complete results will be made available to the board and the public. Please accept my "snapshot" reporting at this stage.)
Finally, we had the vote on Educational Services for Students. This topic was perhaps most easily connected to financial decisions and it was here that the clearest message was delivered: 59% chose "keeping class sizes small (retaining staff to maintain a good ratios of teachers to students)". This was so far ahead of any of the other nine options that it actually drew a vocal reaction from the crowd. In fact, some options turned in a 1% or 0% vote. The second choice was "Offering a variety of courses beyond the core courses" at 11%.
Very interesting... and challenging, as we know that with any large reduction of funding, class sizes will almost inevitably be affected, due to the high percentage of our budget that is dedicated to teacher salaries. We are a people business, after all, and most of our expenditures are salaries.
The evening has given us some great food for thought, as we look ahead.
Thanks to all who took the time to attend. I think it was a great success and we will certainly learn from this first attempt to refine and improve the process even further.
At the board's first-ever town hall forum using clickApad technology, parents from almost every EPSB school voted on lists of priorities, providing valuable input as we look ahead to potential financial challenges. Round tables filled the gym at Jasper Place High School, each one facilitated by an EPSB employee. Trustees moved from table to table, listening to the conversation. At the end of the evening, parents were asked to vote on whether they found the evening worthwhile and would they do it again. Another clear message to the board: YES.
Here's how the evening went:
Introduction from Board Chair Fleming, explaining the uncertain climate (financially) and why we are seeking their input. He affirmed that we, as their representatives, are committed to making decisions that reflect the views and values of the public.
Demonstration on how to use the voting technology. (Everything worked well- phew!)
At the tables, a quick overview of District Priorities, Mission Statement and Board of Trustees' Strategic Plan to set the stage for the rest of the discussions.
First chance to vote: List of Educational Values.
A list of 10 values was presented to each parent. Recognizing that all the values were important, we asked people to struggle with picking out THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE. First, people voted on their top pick, independent of any discussion at their table, providing their "Gut reaction". Most people found it difficult to choose- as did I looking at the list!
Results were then projected for all to see, here are the ones with the highest votes:
All Students should be successful in their studies- 26%;
Schools should be respectful, inclusive, and responsive to diverse needs of students- 21%,
All students must complete high school- 21%
Then the tables discussed why they voted as they did and after 15 minutes, another vote was taken and reported. The percentages changed slightly as people were convinced by the persuasive arguments of their table-mates.
Next Topic: List of Educational Outcomes.
Same format- gut reaction vote, discussion, second vote.
Here's a snapshot of the top picks:
Literacy- 26%
Critical thinking- 20%
Lifelong learning- 18%
Creativity- 8%
After discussion, critical thinking went up, lifelong learning went up and I think so did adaptability to 13%. *
(*Complete results will be made available to the board and the public. Please accept my "snapshot" reporting at this stage.)
Finally, we had the vote on Educational Services for Students. This topic was perhaps most easily connected to financial decisions and it was here that the clearest message was delivered: 59% chose "keeping class sizes small (retaining staff to maintain a good ratios of teachers to students)". This was so far ahead of any of the other nine options that it actually drew a vocal reaction from the crowd. In fact, some options turned in a 1% or 0% vote. The second choice was "Offering a variety of courses beyond the core courses" at 11%.
Very interesting... and challenging, as we know that with any large reduction of funding, class sizes will almost inevitably be affected, due to the high percentage of our budget that is dedicated to teacher salaries. We are a people business, after all, and most of our expenditures are salaries.
The evening has given us some great food for thought, as we look ahead.
Thanks to all who took the time to attend. I think it was a great success and we will certainly learn from this first attempt to refine and improve the process even further.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Tues, Nov. 10 board meeting
Tuesday's board meeting, with all the attached reports can be found here:
http://www.epsb.ca/board/november1009_agenda.shtml
There is a lot of policy work in this meeting- early years, records, public delegations to board- as well as updates on work in the early years and Aboriginal education.
Item #11 contains two items that may be of interest to the parents and community members: how widespread is the use of restorative justice in our schools and an update on community use of gyms. (Joint Use Agreement)
The meeting starts at 6 PM. I'm guessing this one will finish on time (9PM). Hope to see you there! Feel free to identify yourself to me.
The items for the meeting are:
Roll Call
B. O Canada - L'Académie Vimy Ridge Academy
C. Remembrance Ceremony
1. L'Académie Vimy Ridge Academy Remembrance Ceremony
D. Communications from the Board Chair
E. Communications from the Superintendent of Schools
F. Minutes:
2. Board Meeting #4 - October 27, 2009- These minutes will be posted November 13, 2009.
G. Comments from the Public and Staff Group Representatives
H. Reports
3. Report #3 of the Conference Committee (From the Meeting Held November 3, 2009)
4. Motion re Public Engagement
5. Reaffirmation of District Priorities
6. Policy Review - JBG.BP - Retention of Records and Objects Moved to CN.BP - Managing District Information
7. The Early Years: An Overview and Update
8. Proposed Early Years Policy
9. Policy Review JAB.BP - Formal Delegations, Presentations and Comments to the Board
10. Aboriginal Education Policy and Regulation Implementation Plan Update: Year Two
11. Responses to Board Requests for Information
12. Committee, Board Representative and Trustee Reports (NO ENCLOSURE)
I. Trustee and Board Requests for Information
J. Notices of Motion
K. Meeting Dates
L. Adjournment
http://www.epsb.ca/board/november1009_agenda.shtml
There is a lot of policy work in this meeting- early years, records, public delegations to board- as well as updates on work in the early years and Aboriginal education.
Item #11 contains two items that may be of interest to the parents and community members: how widespread is the use of restorative justice in our schools and an update on community use of gyms. (Joint Use Agreement)
The meeting starts at 6 PM. I'm guessing this one will finish on time (9PM). Hope to see you there! Feel free to identify yourself to me.
The items for the meeting are:
Roll Call
B. O Canada - L'Académie Vimy Ridge Academy
C. Remembrance Ceremony
1. L'Académie Vimy Ridge Academy Remembrance Ceremony
D. Communications from the Board Chair
E. Communications from the Superintendent of Schools
F. Minutes:
2. Board Meeting #4 - October 27, 2009- These minutes will be posted November 13, 2009.
G. Comments from the Public and Staff Group Representatives
H. Reports
3. Report #3 of the Conference Committee (From the Meeting Held November 3, 2009)
4. Motion re Public Engagement
5. Reaffirmation of District Priorities
6. Policy Review - JBG.BP - Retention of Records and Objects Moved to CN.BP - Managing District Information
7. The Early Years: An Overview and Update
8. Proposed Early Years Policy
9. Policy Review JAB.BP - Formal Delegations, Presentations and Comments to the Board
10. Aboriginal Education Policy and Regulation Implementation Plan Update: Year Two
11. Responses to Board Requests for Information
12. Committee, Board Representative and Trustee Reports (NO ENCLOSURE)
I. Trustee and Board Requests for Information
J. Notices of Motion
K. Meeting Dates
L. Adjournment
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Charting growth vs. standardized testing
I am in the middle of reviewing schools- it's an annual encounter(every fall) with school principals from across the District, where subcommittees of two trustees review last year's results and discuss with principals what the implications are for the upcoming school year. In essence, it's a chance to reflect, deepen our understanding of how our students are doing, what challenges schools are facing, and how everyone is planning to improve.
The biggest benefit to me, as a trustee, is not so much reviewing the data, but being able to understand the story behind the data.
Which brings me to the topic of this blog- "charting growth vs. standardized testing."
The Province mandates standardized testing as a means to ensure accountability. We all want to be assured that the public dollars invested in education is being wisely used, that students are learning and that teachers are doing a good job. I have no problem with those goals. In fact, I think they are critically important.
However, the testing doesn't reveal the true story. Currently in Edmonton, we have a growing population of students arriving at our schools with serious language deficits... schools I reviewed today had 40-55% English Language learning students. How can you understand the history of the Aboriginal people of Canada or the concept of local government, when you can't speak the language? Imagine yourself trying to take a course in Urdu or Swahili, how well would you score? As well, many of our students have special needs (cognitive, behavioural, emotional) and some are very severe. Others are experiencing extreme poverty (1 in 6 children in Edmonton live in poverty. Roughly translated, that means 12,000 children within Edmonton Public Schools.) Others have experienced trauma in refugee camps and never been to a school.
In short- all children do not start at the same place. Some come to Kindergarten knowing how to read, some have never seen a book and don't know how it "works". To ask them all to arrive at the same finish line on the same day (in grades 3, 6, 9 and 12) doesn't make sense. It is demoralizing to the hard work of many staff members who are playing a desperate game of 'catch up' with some of their students. These students may, in fact, show heroic personal growth, but they still fall short of the standardized expectations and are recorded as "fails to achieve the acceptable standard."
It reminds me of my son's physical growth chart as a baby. At birth, he was tiny (5 lbs. 12 oz) and ended up on the doctor's chart at the 25th percentile: "Below average". How I wanted him to get to the 50th percentile... but every month he steadfastly remained at the 25th percentile. I felt like a failure and this was unkindly reinforced every time the nurse plotted his weight on the chart with a disapproving sigh: "Still in the 25th percentile". Until finally, the doctor pointed out the obvious- his growth was a perfect curve; he was keeping perfect pace with himself. He was growing. He was proportionate and in the end, as the doctor said, "Someone has to be in the 25th percentile". I threw away the chart and looked for other indicators of health and well-being.
It's not a failure for a child to enter our system in grade 3 with no English (essentially below kindergarten or 4 years behind), no idea what school is about and within a year, he has friends, can communicate, enjoys being at school and is demonstrating progress academically. In grade 5, he is gaining ground and is now only 2-3 years behind. By grade 8, he is at grade level. This is a remarkable achievement which points to incredible dedication on the part of both the teachers and the student. In fact, his GROWTH (gaining 10 years growth in 5 years) far outstrips the other students in his cohort... and yet, this will not be known by looking at standardized testing.
Similar stories can be applied to students with special needs or children who have come from deprived backgrounds.
I suggest, with all respect, that we are measuring the wrong thing.
I heard today from one principal that it is possible to account for growth, we have the measures and it could be put into nice charts and graphs for those who like that sort of thing... so let's focus on GROWTH and leave PERFORMANCE where it belongs: on the stage!
The biggest benefit to me, as a trustee, is not so much reviewing the data, but being able to understand the story behind the data.
Which brings me to the topic of this blog- "charting growth vs. standardized testing."
The Province mandates standardized testing as a means to ensure accountability. We all want to be assured that the public dollars invested in education is being wisely used, that students are learning and that teachers are doing a good job. I have no problem with those goals. In fact, I think they are critically important.
However, the testing doesn't reveal the true story. Currently in Edmonton, we have a growing population of students arriving at our schools with serious language deficits... schools I reviewed today had 40-55% English Language learning students. How can you understand the history of the Aboriginal people of Canada or the concept of local government, when you can't speak the language? Imagine yourself trying to take a course in Urdu or Swahili, how well would you score? As well, many of our students have special needs (cognitive, behavioural, emotional) and some are very severe. Others are experiencing extreme poverty (1 in 6 children in Edmonton live in poverty. Roughly translated, that means 12,000 children within Edmonton Public Schools.) Others have experienced trauma in refugee camps and never been to a school.
In short- all children do not start at the same place. Some come to Kindergarten knowing how to read, some have never seen a book and don't know how it "works". To ask them all to arrive at the same finish line on the same day (in grades 3, 6, 9 and 12) doesn't make sense. It is demoralizing to the hard work of many staff members who are playing a desperate game of 'catch up' with some of their students. These students may, in fact, show heroic personal growth, but they still fall short of the standardized expectations and are recorded as "fails to achieve the acceptable standard."
It reminds me of my son's physical growth chart as a baby. At birth, he was tiny (5 lbs. 12 oz) and ended up on the doctor's chart at the 25th percentile: "Below average". How I wanted him to get to the 50th percentile... but every month he steadfastly remained at the 25th percentile. I felt like a failure and this was unkindly reinforced every time the nurse plotted his weight on the chart with a disapproving sigh: "Still in the 25th percentile". Until finally, the doctor pointed out the obvious- his growth was a perfect curve; he was keeping perfect pace with himself. He was growing. He was proportionate and in the end, as the doctor said, "Someone has to be in the 25th percentile". I threw away the chart and looked for other indicators of health and well-being.
It's not a failure for a child to enter our system in grade 3 with no English (essentially below kindergarten or 4 years behind), no idea what school is about and within a year, he has friends, can communicate, enjoys being at school and is demonstrating progress academically. In grade 5, he is gaining ground and is now only 2-3 years behind. By grade 8, he is at grade level. This is a remarkable achievement which points to incredible dedication on the part of both the teachers and the student. In fact, his GROWTH (gaining 10 years growth in 5 years) far outstrips the other students in his cohort... and yet, this will not be known by looking at standardized testing.
Similar stories can be applied to students with special needs or children who have come from deprived backgrounds.
I suggest, with all respect, that we are measuring the wrong thing.
I heard today from one principal that it is possible to account for growth, we have the measures and it could be put into nice charts and graphs for those who like that sort of thing... so let's focus on GROWTH and leave PERFORMANCE where it belongs: on the stage!
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Children & Youth Services seeks public input
"Albertans asked for input on the child intervention system"
Albertans are invited to provide their say as part of a review of the province’s child intervention system.
A review panel was established this past summer by Children and Youth Services Minister Janis Tarchuk to study the system and suggest ways it can be strengthened to support at-risk children, youth and families in the province. As part of this review, the panel has launched a website with a discussion guide where Albertans can offer their thoughts and ideas.
According to the terms of reference for the review, the panel will make recommendations that focus on the following key questions:
Are the necessary checks, balances and processes in place to ensure accountability and transparency in the child intervention system?
Does the system have the capacity to effectively respond to emerging societal trends, service demands, and evolving workforce and practice issues?
Is the system organized and aligned with leading practices and evidence-based research?
The discussion guide provides information on the history of child intervention and how the system currently operates in our province. Albertans are encouraged to review the discussion guide and provide their input by completing a survey or commenting online at www.child.alberta.ca/cisreview. Feedback is requested before November 30.
Albertans are invited to provide their say as part of a review of the province’s child intervention system.
A review panel was established this past summer by Children and Youth Services Minister Janis Tarchuk to study the system and suggest ways it can be strengthened to support at-risk children, youth and families in the province. As part of this review, the panel has launched a website with a discussion guide where Albertans can offer their thoughts and ideas.
According to the terms of reference for the review, the panel will make recommendations that focus on the following key questions:
Are the necessary checks, balances and processes in place to ensure accountability and transparency in the child intervention system?
Does the system have the capacity to effectively respond to emerging societal trends, service demands, and evolving workforce and practice issues?
Is the system organized and aligned with leading practices and evidence-based research?
The discussion guide provides information on the history of child intervention and how the system currently operates in our province. Albertans are encouraged to review the discussion guide and provide their input by completing a survey or commenting online at www.child.alberta.ca/cisreview. Feedback is requested before November 30.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Thomas Frey- Futurist
At the Alberta Congress Board conference this past weekend, one of the keynote speakers was Thomas Frey from the DaVinci Institute. (He writes two blogs, by the way: The Impact Lab and Futurist Speaker).
He is a "senior futurist" and very much in demand. He held two talks and I attended both. Mr. Frey suggests that the future is created through the vision of leaders and images of the future determine actions of today. That is, he asserts: "The future creates the present."
Mr. Frey identified 8 trends:
1- Hyper-individualization.
More and more things will be custom-fit to the individual, and broad categories will be seen as too imprecise. He predicts personal health interface which will tell you what minerals, vitamins, etc. you are lacking and tell you what to eat to fix that. Products will be predictive and personal and they will come to you.
2- Battle between the atoms and the electrons.
Atoms (physical world) are losing ground to electrons (digital world) because the latter is quicker and more responsive.
3-Search Technology will expand-
Search technology now is largely linked to text, with some limited searches of images. It will grow to include many more values- taste, reflectivity, texture, smell, etc. There already exists technology (smart goggles) which can record everything the wearer sees and with search technology, it can create a searchable world.
4-Diminishing value of Proximity-
Telepresence (more than teleconferencing, the people appear three dimensional) and creating communities by design. Soon, living "near" something will relative.
5- Empire of One-
More and more businesses are a business of one person. Everything is outsourced, often all around the world, through on-line networking. People have the freedom to work from wherever they wish, as long as the internet connection is good.
6- Social Reform-
For the first time, 50% of people are living alone. More parents are living with their adult children. Life expectancy is rising and there has been a 1000% increase in blended families over the past 30 years.
7-Moving from product based to Experience-based economy-
Extreme ironing? Combo of hang-gliding and snowboarding? People are searching for the Ultimate Experience.
8-Prize Competitions-
They have been used in the past to develop an alternative to ivory billiard balls, and to motivate Lindbergh to fly across the Atlantic. Now, it is one the big drivers to innovation. (See: youtube videos on DARPA- vehicles that operate without human presence.) Prize competitions will be used more and more to circumvent a lack of political will and go directly to the entrepreneur to create the next break-throughs.
On Education
(note: he did not differentiate between post-secondary and K-12 in his comments):
-Education will need to change to keep in step with all these trends. In particular, Mr. Frey feels education will need to focus more on developing student's 3D thinking, as we are stuck in a two dimensional thinking right now. (Paper, flat screens, smart boards, etc.)
- We need to examine our structures and ask if they are preventing our kids from thinking in the way they need to be able to think to solve the problems of the world. He cited the fact that there were no Roman mathematicians of note, because of the Roman numeral system. It was not conducive to complicated mathematical problems. What systems are our equivalent of Roman Numerals?
- Teaching will become syndicated. Courses will be offered by master and/or famous teachers and their lessons will be syndicated throughout the world. Teachers in classrooms will be guides, coaches or facilitators for the on-line lesson.
- Courses will be a la carte and people will get education similar to how people now buy music through iTunes- by selecting their own personal "hits" and creating their own library or degree. (already is happening with "itunesU" and in Alberta with eCampus).
-Personal coaching will be more popular. The coach would literally be in your ear and able to see what you are doing (through special goggles which the student wears.)
-Increasing importance of oral skills versus written skills.
- Bookless libraries.
- Life long learning and going beyond PhDs. (PhD and Masters will be seen as the beginning.)
-Educational institutions will hook up with businesses to solve problems. Students will work on 'real-time' problems and research will expand.
In summary: Mr. Frey says we are "preparing humanity for worlds unknown, preparing minds for thinking thoughts unthinkable, and preparing hearts for struggles unimaginable."
Having this content come so quick on the heels of the Inspiring Education forum is fortuitous. My brain hurts a bit, but it's a good thing!
He is a "senior futurist" and very much in demand. He held two talks and I attended both. Mr. Frey suggests that the future is created through the vision of leaders and images of the future determine actions of today. That is, he asserts: "The future creates the present."
Mr. Frey identified 8 trends:
1- Hyper-individualization.
More and more things will be custom-fit to the individual, and broad categories will be seen as too imprecise. He predicts personal health interface which will tell you what minerals, vitamins, etc. you are lacking and tell you what to eat to fix that. Products will be predictive and personal and they will come to you.
2- Battle between the atoms and the electrons.
Atoms (physical world) are losing ground to electrons (digital world) because the latter is quicker and more responsive.
3-Search Technology will expand-
Search technology now is largely linked to text, with some limited searches of images. It will grow to include many more values- taste, reflectivity, texture, smell, etc. There already exists technology (smart goggles) which can record everything the wearer sees and with search technology, it can create a searchable world.
4-Diminishing value of Proximity-
Telepresence (more than teleconferencing, the people appear three dimensional) and creating communities by design. Soon, living "near" something will relative.
5- Empire of One-
More and more businesses are a business of one person. Everything is outsourced, often all around the world, through on-line networking. People have the freedom to work from wherever they wish, as long as the internet connection is good.
6- Social Reform-
For the first time, 50% of people are living alone. More parents are living with their adult children. Life expectancy is rising and there has been a 1000% increase in blended families over the past 30 years.
7-Moving from product based to Experience-based economy-
Extreme ironing? Combo of hang-gliding and snowboarding? People are searching for the Ultimate Experience.
8-Prize Competitions-
They have been used in the past to develop an alternative to ivory billiard balls, and to motivate Lindbergh to fly across the Atlantic. Now, it is one the big drivers to innovation. (See: youtube videos on DARPA- vehicles that operate without human presence.) Prize competitions will be used more and more to circumvent a lack of political will and go directly to the entrepreneur to create the next break-throughs.
On Education
(note: he did not differentiate between post-secondary and K-12 in his comments):
-Education will need to change to keep in step with all these trends. In particular, Mr. Frey feels education will need to focus more on developing student's 3D thinking, as we are stuck in a two dimensional thinking right now. (Paper, flat screens, smart boards, etc.)
- We need to examine our structures and ask if they are preventing our kids from thinking in the way they need to be able to think to solve the problems of the world. He cited the fact that there were no Roman mathematicians of note, because of the Roman numeral system. It was not conducive to complicated mathematical problems. What systems are our equivalent of Roman Numerals?
- Teaching will become syndicated. Courses will be offered by master and/or famous teachers and their lessons will be syndicated throughout the world. Teachers in classrooms will be guides, coaches or facilitators for the on-line lesson.
- Courses will be a la carte and people will get education similar to how people now buy music through iTunes- by selecting their own personal "hits" and creating their own library or degree. (already is happening with "itunesU" and in Alberta with eCampus).
-Personal coaching will be more popular. The coach would literally be in your ear and able to see what you are doing (through special goggles which the student wears.)
-Increasing importance of oral skills versus written skills.
- Bookless libraries.
- Life long learning and going beyond PhDs. (PhD and Masters will be seen as the beginning.)
-Educational institutions will hook up with businesses to solve problems. Students will work on 'real-time' problems and research will expand.
In summary: Mr. Frey says we are "preparing humanity for worlds unknown, preparing minds for thinking thoughts unthinkable, and preparing hearts for struggles unimaginable."
Having this content come so quick on the heels of the Inspiring Education forum is fortuitous. My brain hurts a bit, but it's a good thing!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Sector Review Process
We will be discussing this report tomorrow. I want to share some of my thoughts with you. As always, please feel free to tell me if you disagree, but keep your comments at the "non-personal" level... that is, don't single out or criticize individuals, rather focus on the issues.
We all know that school closure is emotional. Our process, in the past, has been criticized. One of the chief complaints has centered around meaningful public engagement and transparency of of decision-making. I honestly believe that this document shows how seriously we have taken those comments and how committed we are to improving our process. Please take a look:
http://www.epsb.ca/board/oct27_09/item05.pdf
In particular, I am pleased to see the multiple strategies to reach people- which shows that we understand some of the barriers to communication (language, time, place, etc.) and have brought forward strategies to address those issues. I like the clear pathway, which follows the IAP2's Public Participation Spectrum (Inform, Consult, Involve, Collaborate, Empower). I think this is a solid process. I like the constant evaluation built in to the process and the emphasis on "engage stakeholders to gather input and feedback on the transparency, openness and accountability of the process" (Page 6)
I have said all along that HOW we arrive at the decision is critical to HOW people feel about it. Closing a school will never be a popular choice, but if the process is fair, transparent and considers all input, people will at least understand the choice.
"EPSB recognizes that a robust public engagement process accompanying the sector review will contribute significantly to the sustainability of the resulting decisions. A meaningful public engagement process provides an opportunity to build trust, create ownership, improve relations and yield better understanding of the complexity of the issues related to the review and ultimately the decisions to be made." (Page 2)
I have been working so hard on this issue for many years; it's become clear to me that I can't stop all school closures but I have confidence now that the process to those painful decisions will be just, fair and transparent. I hope you feel the same... but if not, please, let me know.
We all know that school closure is emotional. Our process, in the past, has been criticized. One of the chief complaints has centered around meaningful public engagement and transparency of of decision-making. I honestly believe that this document shows how seriously we have taken those comments and how committed we are to improving our process. Please take a look:
http://www.epsb.ca/board/oct27_09/item05.pdf
In particular, I am pleased to see the multiple strategies to reach people- which shows that we understand some of the barriers to communication (language, time, place, etc.) and have brought forward strategies to address those issues. I like the clear pathway, which follows the IAP2's Public Participation Spectrum (Inform, Consult, Involve, Collaborate, Empower). I think this is a solid process. I like the constant evaluation built in to the process and the emphasis on "engage stakeholders to gather input and feedback on the transparency, openness and accountability of the process" (Page 6)
I have said all along that HOW we arrive at the decision is critical to HOW people feel about it. Closing a school will never be a popular choice, but if the process is fair, transparent and considers all input, people will at least understand the choice.
"EPSB recognizes that a robust public engagement process accompanying the sector review will contribute significantly to the sustainability of the resulting decisions. A meaningful public engagement process provides an opportunity to build trust, create ownership, improve relations and yield better understanding of the complexity of the issues related to the review and ultimately the decisions to be made." (Page 2)
I have been working so hard on this issue for many years; it's become clear to me that I can't stop all school closures but I have confidence now that the process to those painful decisions will be just, fair and transparent. I hope you feel the same... but if not, please, let me know.
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