Curriculum Integration: Opportunities to Maximize Assessment as, of, and for Learning

Curriculum integration, focusing on multidisciplinary tasks/projects relevant to the real-world, lends itself to authentic assessment practices. However, attempting to incorporate assessment of, for, and as learning can be challenging. Using data from two mixed method case studies (n=52, n=27) which tracked middle school student learning throughout separate integrated units, we analyzed the types of assessments used by teachers and the relationship of assessment to student learning. Results and implications for teacher practice are explored.L’intégration des divers éléments des programmes, s’articulant autour de tâches et projets multidisciplinaires s’ancrant dans la « vraie vie », rend possible des pratiques d’évaluation authentiques. Cependant, tenter d’intégrer des mécanismes d’évaluation comme mode d’apprentissage, de et pour l’apprentissage peut se révéler un défi. Pour rédiger cet article, les auteurs se sont basés sur des données issues de deux études de cas mixtes (n=52, n=27) ayant suivi les apprentissages de jeunes étudiants du secondaire au sein de groupe distincts. Ils ont analysé les méthodes d’évaluations préconisées par les enseignants et les relations existant entre l’évaluation et les apprentissages des étudiants. Les résultats et leurs implications pour les pratiques enseignantes sont détaillés

Implementing a Democratic Pedagogy in the Classroom: Putting Dewey into Practice

A vignette detailing a discussion amongst elementary school teachers brings the ambiguity and challenges of implementing a democratic pedagogy into focus. Using this as a springboard, democratic pedagogy is explored through Dewey’s three democratic dispositions: all human beings are morally equal, we are all capable of intelligent and well-informed opinions, and we can solve any problem if we work collaboratively. Taking these dispositions as the structural necessities for enacting a democratic pedagogy, this paper provides practical field examples of these three democratic dispositions as implemented by teachers

Learning from Faculty Mentors Who Had to Mentor and Evaluate Teacher Candidates Completing a Remote Practicum in the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Canada

In the Spring of 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic impacted all aspects of life throughout the world, including education. Teachers who had never taught online before, all of a sudden had one week to get ready to engage with their students in a virtual setting. On top of these changes, our small post-degree Canadian teacher education program had teacher candidates on practicum in K-12 schools. That meant our faculty mentors, responsible for recommending teacher candidates for certification, had to figure out how to mentor, support, and evaluate teacher candidates who were teaching remotely. This research aimed to address the following two questions: a) What were these faculty mentors’ experiences when having to move mentoring of teacher candidates on a remote practicum? and b) What recommendations do these faculty mentors have for teacher education programs trying to support faculty mentors having to mentor teacher candidates who are teaching remotely? Results illustrate challenges with workload, anxiety, screen time, teacher mentors limiting teacher candidate opportunities, and figuring out how to evaluate certification readiness

Using Multiple-Mini-Interviews for Admission into Teacher Education

This article reports on the validity of the Multiple-Mini-Interview (MMI) method as it was used by a post-degree teacher education program as part of their admissions process to select candidates for entry into the program. The MMI, primarily used for medical school admittance, involves several stations with different interviewers. Comparisons were made between the MMI, other intake variables, and outtake measures. Quantitative analyses also examined possible interviewer, station, gender, and heritage effects. Results support the claim that the MMI can be used to measure dispositions not measured by other intake variables; however, some concerns did emerge. Keywords: multiple-mini-interview, teacher education, admission processes, higher educationCet article rend compte de la validité des « mini-entrevues multiples » (MEM), processus d’admission qu’un programme de formation à l’enseignement pour les post-diplômés a utilisé pour la sélection de candidats à l’entrée de leur programme. Ce processus, principalement utilisé pour l’admission aux écoles de médecine, implique plusieurs stations avec différents intervieweurs. Ici, des comparaisons sont faites entre les MEM, d’autres critères d’admission, ainsi que des mesures de sortie. Des analyses quantitatives ont également permis d’examiner les effets discriminatoires possibles provenant de l’intervieweur, de la station, du sexe et de l’origine. Les résultats soutiennent l’affirmation selon laquelle les MEM peuvent être utilisées pour mesurer certaines dispositions que d’autres styles de processus d’admission ne permettent pas ; cependant, certaines préoccupations émergent. Mots-clés : mini-entrevues multiples, formation à l’enseignement, processus d’admission, études supérieure

Moving from EDID Words to Policy Action: A Case Study of a Teacher Education Program’s Admissions Policy Reform

Regardless of the commitments that universities and teacher education programs (TEPs) have publicly stated regarding equity, diversity, inclusion, or decolonization (EDID), rarely do these commitments impact their admission policies or practices. Through examining a small program’s efforts at implementing EDID change over a three-year period, this article provides critical reflections, questions, and action steps for TEPs looking to move beyond talking about the importance of EDID, to actually altering policies and procedures to address systemic change. Utilizing the concepts of “equity in” and “equity through” admissions, intake variables (Multiple Mini Interview [MMI], Program Preparation, GPA) were analyzed quantitatively and used in this beginning participatory action research project. Results illustrate the benefits of the MMI, the need for program admissions to account for capacities in relation to anti-racism directly, rather than just generally referring to equity, and the need for admission practices to reflect an appreciation of the complexities around identity and ethics.Quels que soient les engagements publics pris par les universités et les programmes de formation des enseignants en matière d’équité, de diversité, d’inclusion et de décolonisation (EDID), il est rare que ceux-ci se traduisent en impacts sur leurs politiques ou pratiques d’admission. En examinant les efforts déployés par un petit programme pour implanter les changements EDID sur une période de trois ans, cet article présente des réflexions critiques, des questionnements et des actions à entreprendre afin que les programmes de formation des enseignants puissent dépasser les discours sur l’importance de l’EDID en modifiant réellement leurs politiques et procédures dans une perspective de changement systémique. En utilisant les concepts d’« équité dans » et d’« équité par » les admissions, les variables d’admission (minientretiens multiples [MEM], programme de préparation, moyenne générale) ont été analysées quantitativement et utilisées dans l’amorce de ce projet de recherche-action participative. Les résultats montrent les avantages des MEM, ainsi que la nécessité pour les admissions aux programmes d’adopter des pratiques qui tiennent compte de leur capacité à soutenir directement la lutte contre le racisme — plutôt que de se contenter des notions générales d’équité — et qui reflètent une appréciation des complexités entourant l’identité et l’éthique

Teacher Perceptions of Project Based Learning in the Secondary Classroom

This study examines teacher perceptions of their experiences with Project Based Learning (PBL) at a secondary school in Western Canada. This PBL initiative included English language arts, mathematics, science, and digital literacy courses and all the grade nines at this large secondary school. This article reports on two teacher focus group interviews that were part of a larger mixed-methods study (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007). Results provide specific details regarding conditions for the successful implementation of PBL, challenges and support for current research into PBL, and areas of additional needed research.Cette étude se penche sur les perceptions qu’ont les enseignants de leurs expériences avec l’apprentissage axé sur les projets (PBL—project based learning) dans une grande école secondaire dans l’Ouest canadien. Cette initiative d’apprentissage actif par les projets impliquait les cours d’anglais, de mathématiques, de sciences et de littératie numérique, ainsi que les tous les élèves de la 9e année. Cet article porte sur un élément de cette étude à méthodologie mixte (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007), soit deux groupes de discussion/entrevues avec des enseignants. Les résultats fournissent des détails sur les conditions nécessaires à la mise en œuvre réussie du PBL, les défis qui en découlent, l’appui pour la recherche actuelle et les domaines qui restent à étudier plus en profondeur

Teaching and Learning in an Integrated Curriculum Setting: A Case Study of Classroom Practices

Curriculum integration, while a commonly used educational term, remains a challenging concept to define and examine both in research and in classroom practice. Numerous types and definitions of curriculum integration exist in educational research, while, in comparison, teachers tend to focus on curriculum integration simply as a mixing of subject areas. To better understand curriculum integration in practice, this thesis details a case study that examines both teacher and student perspectives regarding a grade nine integrated unit on energy. Set in a public secondary school in Ontario, Canada, I comprehensively describe and analyze teacher understandings of, and challenges with, the implementation of an integrated unit, while also examining student perspectives and academic learning. My participants consisted of two high school teachers, a geography teacher and a science teacher, and their twenty-three students. Using data gathered from interviews before, during, and after the implementation of a 16-lesson unit, as well as observations throughout, I completed a case description and thematic analysis. My results illustrate the importance of examining why teachers choose to implement an integrated unit and the planning and scheduling challenges that exist. In addition, while the students in this study were academically successful, clarification is needed regarding whether student success can be linked to the integration of these two subjects or the types of activities these two teachers utilized.Ph

Teaching and Learning in an Integrated Curriculum Setting: A Case Study of Classroom Practices

Curriculum integration, while a commonly used educational term, remains a challenging concept to define and examine both in research and in classroom practice. Numerous types and definitions of curriculum integration exist in educational research, while, in comparison, teachers tend to focus on curriculum integration simply as a mixing of subject areas. To better understand curriculum integration in practice, this thesis details a case study that examines both teacher and student perspectives regarding a grade nine integrated unit on energy. Set in a public secondary school in Ontario, Canada, I comprehensively describe and analyze teacher understandings of, and challenges with, the implementation of an integrated unit, while also examining student perspectives and academic learning. My participants consisted of two high school teachers, a geography teacher and a science teacher, and their twenty-three students. Using data gathered from interviews before, during, and after the implementation of a 16-lesson unit, as well as observations throughout, I completed a case description and thematic analysis. My results illustrate the importance of examining why teachers choose to implement an integrated unit and the planning and scheduling challenges that exist. In addition, while the students in this study were academically successful, clarification is needed regarding whether student success can be linked to the integration of these two subjects or the types of activities these two teachers utilized.Ph