Artifact 4
Artifact #4:
Discussions via advisory committee meetings and emails concerning implementation are frequent. An example is:
A group of grade 9 SS teachers was quite disappointed lately upon hearing that the PAT's would NOT be including a written component. Their disappointment stemmed from the fact that they had been working with their students in a different way since the implementation of the new Program of Studies. They felt that since they were using an inquiry based pedagogy in their instruction, they should also use an inquiry based approach to summative assessment. Therefore, they took it upon themselves to collaboratively create a final assessment that will align with the pedagogy of the new Program.
When they discussed this with students, the students were in full agreement. They talked about the fact that they had been learning this way for three years and agreed that a multiple response assessment would not be an adequate opportunity to demonstrate their learning. So, the students completely supported the teachers in the development of this type of final assessment.
That speaks to me as evidence of implementation. The teachers collaborated to design assessments that reflected the pedagogy. The students, having experienced the inquiry approach for three years, supported the teachers’ decision.
The teachers involved have attended ERLC sessions over the past several years and are actively involved in peer collaboration where the experiences of one participant of an ERLC session are shared with the others on their team.
Mark Thiesen
Director of Instructional Services