Curriculum Alignment Among the Intended, Enacted, and Assessed Curricula for Grade 9 Mathematics.

This study examined curriculum alignment among the intended, the enacted, and the assessed curricula in Grade 9 mathematics in two domains: content/operations and cognitive processes. The Program of Studies was used to determine the content/ operations and the Delphi method was used to identify the cognitive levels for the intended curriculum. Classroom observations were used to capture the enacted curriculum. End of unit tests were used to determine the assessed curriculum. Results indicated that curriculum alignment among the intended, enacted and assessed curricula for the mathematics content/operations was high (97% alignment). In contrast, curriculum alignment among the intended, enacted, and assessed curricula for the cognitive processes was low (7.3% alignment). This study makes a contribution towards understanding the quality of the relationship among the intended, enacted, and assessed curricula in mathematics education. The methodological framework provides a model for subsequent research on curriculum alignment among the three components of the education system

Operationalizing the role of trust for student wellbeing, learning and achievement

Abstract:  This paper provides an argument regarding the importance of relational trust between students and teachers during the learning process. Establishing this trust is expected to foster student wellbeing and lead to openness to learn and increased innovativeness. However, there is a relative dearth of theoretical and empirical literature on behaviors to establish relational trust (Bryk & Schneider, 2002; Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 1997), and how these behaviors can be expected to lead to wellbeing and academic achievement. The Learning Errors and Formative Feedback (LEAFF) model is proposed to organize key aspects of the theoretical literature as they might relate to measurable ways in which trust can be promoted with specific words and actions in the classroom to enhance learning. Based on the LEAFF model, a framework is designed to operationalize facets of trust to help teachers develop trusting relationships with their students. However, the potential effects of these facets need to be empirically tested in future studies to secure optimal learning outcomes.

Effective leadership in school administration

v, 78 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm.The purpose of this study was to construct a tangible description of effective leadership in school administration. Current restructuring initiatives by the Alberta Department of Education seem to require educational leaders with knowledge, skills and attitudes that are different from those of the 70s and 80s. This study attempted to examine the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for effective leadership in today's schools. U sing a case study of one elementary school principal, I attempted to clarify this complex phenomenon of effective leadership. This case study was conducted using ethnographic methods to gather the relevant information. The tools I used were: participant observation and interviewing. The study was expanded to include several perspectives of what it means to be an effective leader in school administration. The superintendent and a trustee, staff members, students and parents of the elementary school were also participants and their perspectives as well as my own were added to the study. The findings of this study indicated seven main characteristics of effective leadership as defined by the participants. They were: 1) shared vision 2) open communication 3) positive interpersonal skills 4) growth-oriented 5) promotes leadership in others 6) shared decision-making 7) servant leader 8) not being afraid to make mistakes 9) having a sense of humor. The research literature was revisited and with the exception of the last two characteristics, the study's findings were found to be congruent with the research literature

Cognition in 21st century skills: A mixed methods study: Cognition in 21st Century Skills

The teaching of 21st century skills are essential for student learning in our knowledge driven society. Competencies such as critical and creative thinking and their connection with higher order cognitive processes have received attention within the educational community. Teachers are mandated to teach the content and skills reflected in provincial curriculum documents. These curriculum documents should embody the competencies that educators have identified as been important to student learning. In this mixed method convergent design study, we examine the alignment among the intended curriculum, the enacted curriculum and the assessed curriculum in a Patterns and Relations strand from the Grade 9 Mathematics Program of Studies in order to determine the extent to which teachers are teaching and assessing the competencies reflected in the curriculum documents. Results indicate that learner expectations do not clearly identify the cognitive levels and curriculum alignment of the cognitive levels is low (0.073). Recommendations include a clear connection between curriculum documents and cognitive level processes. Keywords; cognitive skills, 21st century education, mathematics education, curriculum alignmen