The primary purpose of assessment
and evaluation is to improve student learning. Information gathered through
assessment helps teachers to determine students’ strengths and weaknesses in
their achievement of the curriculum expectations in each course. This
information also serves to guide teachers in adapting curriculum and
instructional approaches to students’ needs and in assessing the overall
effectiveness of programs and classroom practices.
For assessment and
evaluation, we follow the Ministry of
Education's Growing Success document, and by doing so
will benefit the students both in the present and future. We designed
assessments in such a way as to make it possible to gather and show evidence of
learning in a variety of ways to gradually release responsibility to the students,
and to give multiple and varied opportunities to reflect on learning and
receive detailed feedback.
Assessment and evaluation will be
based on the provincial curriculum expectations and the achievement levels
outlined in this document. Growing
Success articulates the vision
the Ministry has for the purpose and structure of assessment and evaluation
techniques.
In order to ensure that assessment
and evaluation are valid and reliable and that they lead to the improvement of
students’ learning, The Educators Academy’s assessment and evaluation
strategies focus on:
·
Address both what students learn
and how well they learn;
·
Are varied in nature, administered
over a period of time, and designed to provide opportunities for students to
demonstrate the full range of their learning;
·
Are appropriate for the learning
activities used, the purposes of instruction, and the needs and experiences of
the students;
·
Are fair to all students;
·
Accommodate students with special
education needs, consistent with the strategies outlined in their Individual
Education Plan; and those who are learning the
language of instruction (English or French)
·
Ensure that each student is given
clear directions for improvement;
·
Promote students’ ability to assess
their own learning and to set specific goals;
·
Include the use of samples of
students’ work that provide evidence of their achievement;
·
Are communicated clearly to
students and parents at the beginning of the school year and at other
appropriate points (Parent Teacher Nights) throughout the school year.
As
in assessments, Assessment of learning,
Assessment for learning
and Assessment as learning
are the key components of Assessments. For Assessment of Learning, teachers will conduct assessment by a variety of
means, which may include:
Ø observations,
Ø discussions,
Ø questioning,
Ø conferences,
Ø homework,
Ø tasks done in groups,
Ø demonstrations,
Ø projects,
Ø portfolios,
Ø labs,
Ø quiz,
Ø tests
For
Assessment for Learning and Assessment as Learning, teachers need to:
Ø plan
assessments simultaneously and combine it with instruction;
Ø share
learning goals and success criteria with students to ensure that students and
teachers have a common and shared understanding of these goals and criteria as
learning progresses;
Ø gather
information about students’ learning before, during, and at the end of
instruction by using a variety of assessment strategies and tools;
Ø use
assessments to inform instruction, guide next steps, and help students monitor
their progress towards achieving their learning goals;
Ø analyse
and interpret evidence of learning;
Ø give
and receive specific and timely descriptive feedback about student learning;
Ø help
students to develop skills of peer and self-assessment.
Assessment
Strands:
The Educators Academy will ensure
that student work is assessed and/or evaluated in a balanced manner with
respect to the four categories, and that achievement of particular expectations
is considered within the appropriate categories.
Knowledge
and Understanding (K/U)
Thinking
and Inquiry (T/I)
Communication
(C)
Application
(A)
Evaluation
and Reporting of Students’ Achievements by Report Cards
Student achievement is communicated
formally to students and parents by means of the Provincial Report Card. The
report card provides a record of the student’s achievement of the curriculum
expectations in every course, at particular points in the school year or
semester, in the form of a percentage grade. Report
cards are issued upon completion of the course. Each report card will focus on
related aspects of student achievement. The percentage grade will
represent the quality of the student’s overall achievement of the expectations
for the course and will reflect the corresponding level of achievement. The
Educators Academy will record a final grade for every course, and a credit is
granted for the course in which the student’s grade is 50% or higher.
Ø Term work will account 70% of the course work
Ø Final Exam would be a value of 30%
Final
Assessment and Evaluation = 100%
The teacher will
also provide written comments concerning the student's strengths, areas for
improvement, and next steps (E–Excellent,
G–Good, S–Satisfactory, N–Needs Improvement).
The report card will indicate whether an OSSD credit has been earned or not.
Upon completion of a course, The Educators Academy will send a copy of the
report card back to the student's home school where the course will be added to
the ongoing list of courses on the student's Ontario Student Transcript. The
report card will also be sent to the student's home address for parents’
communication.
Evaluation
Instruments/ Strategies:
Rubrics Observation
Checklist Project
Work
Peer Interviewing
Self Researching
Group Conferencing
A Summary Description of Achievement
in Each Percentage Grade Range
and Corresponding Level of Achievement
|
Percentage Grade
Range
|
Achievement Level
|
Summary
Description
|
80-100%
|
Level 4
|
A very high to outstanding level of achievement.
Achievement is above the provincial standard.
|
70-79%
|
Level 3
|
A high level of achievement. Achievement is at the
provincial standard.
|
60-69%
|
Level 2
|
A moderate level of achievement. Achievement
is below, but approaching, the provincial standard.
|
50-59%
|
Level 1
|
A passable level of achievement. Achievement
is below the provincial standard.
|
below 50%
|
Level R
|
Insufficient achievement of curriculum
expectations. A credit will not be granted.
|
Achievement
Chart – Chemistry SPH4U, Grades 9–12
Categories
|
50–59%
(Level
1)
|
60–69%
(Level
2)
|
70–79%
(Level
3)
|
80–100%
(Level
4)
|
Knowledge
and Understanding
|
The student:
|
|
|
|
Knowledge of content
(e.g.,
facts, terminology,
definitions,
safe use of
equipment and materials)
|
demonstrates
limited
knowledge of
content
|
demonstrates
some knowledge
of content
|
demonstrates
considerable
knowledge of
content
|
demonstrates
thorough
knowledge of
content
|
Understanding of content (e.g., concepts, ideas, theories, principles, procedures, processes)
|
demonstrates
limited
understanding
of content
|
demonstrates
some
understanding
of content
|
demonstrates
considerable
understanding
of content
|
demonstrates
thorough
understanding
of content
|
Categories
|
50–59%
(Level
1)
|
60–69%
(Level
2)
|
70–79%
(Level
3)
|
80–100%
(Level
4)
|
Thinking/
Inquiry
|
The student:
|
|
|
|
Use of initiating and planning skills
and strategies (e.g., formulating questions,
identifying the problem,
developing hypotheses,
selecting strategies and
resources, developing plans)
|
uses initiating
and planning
skills and
strategies with
limited
effectiveness
|
uses initiating
and planning
skills and
strategies with
some
effectiveness
|
uses initiating
and planning
skills and
strategies with
considerable
effectiveness
|
uses initiating and
planning skills
and strategies
with a high
degree of
effectiveness
|
Use of processing skills and strategies (e.g.,
performing and recording,
gathering
evidence and data,
observing, manipulating
materials and using
equipment safely, solving
equations, proving, conclusion)
|
uses processing
skills and
strategies with
limited
effectiveness
|
uses processing
skills and
strategies with
some
effectiveness
|
uses processing
skills and
strategies with
considerable
effectiveness
|
uses processing
skills and
strategies with a
high degree of
effectiveness
|
Use of critical/creative
thinking processes, skills, and
strategies (e.g., analysing,
interpreting, problem solving,
evaluating, forming and justifying conclusions on the basis of evidence)
|
uses critical/
creative thinking
processes, skills,
and strategies
with limited
effectiveness
|
uses critical/
creative thinking
processes, skills,
and strategies
with some
effectiveness
|
uses critical/
creative thinking
processes, skills,
and strategies
with considerable
effectiveness
|
uses critical/
creative thinking
processes, skills,
and strategies
with a high
degree of
effectiveness
|
Categories
|
50–59%
(Level
1)
|
60–69%
(Level
2)
|
70–79%
(Level
3)
|
80–100%
(Level
4)
|
Communication
|
The student:
|
|
|
|
Expression and
organization of ideas and information (e.g., clear expression,
logical organization) in oral, visual, and/or
written forms (e.g., diagrams, models)
|
expresses and
organizes ideas
and information
with limited
effectiveness
|
expresses and
organizes ideas
and information
with some
effectiveness
|
expresses and
organizes ideas
and information
with considerable
effectiveness
|
expresses and
organizes ideas
and information
with a high
degree of
effectiveness
|
Communication for
different audiences (e.g., peers,
adults) and purposes (e.g., to
inform, to persuade) in oral, visual, and/ or written forms
|
communicates
for different
audiences and
purposes with
limited
effectiveness
|
communicates for
different
audiences and
purposes with
some
effectiveness
|
communicates
for different
audiences and
purposes with
considerable
effectiveness
|
communicates
for different
audiences and
purposes with a
high degree of
effectiveness
|
Use of conventions,
vocabulary, and
terminology of the
discipline in oral, visual, and/or
written forms
(e.g., symbols, formulae,
scientific notation, SI units)
|
uses conventions,
vocabulary, and
terminology of
the discipline
with limited
effectiveness
|
uses conventions,
vocabulary, and
terminology of
the discipline
with some
effectiveness
|
uses conventions,
vocabulary, and
terminology of
the discipline
with considerable
effectiveness
|
uses conventions,
vocabulary, and
terminology of
the discipline
with a high
degree of
effectiveness
|
Categories
|
50–59%
(Level
1)
|
60–69%
(Level
2)
|
70–79%
(Level
3)
|
80–100%
(Level
4)
|
Application
|
The student:
|
|
|
|
Application of knowledge
and skills (e.g., concepts and processes, safe
use of equipment, scientific
investigation skills) in familiar
contexts
|
applies
knowledge and
skills in familiar
contexts with
limited
effectiveness
|
applies
knowledge and
skills in familiar
contexts with
some
effectiveness
|
applies
knowledge and
skills in familiar
contexts with
considerable
effectiveness
|
applies
knowledge and
skills in familiar
contexts with a
high degree of
effectiveness
|
Transfer of knowledge
and skills (e.g., concepts and processes, safe
use of equipment, scientific
investigation skills) to unfamiliar
contexts
|
transfers
knowledge and
skills to unfamiliar
contexts with
limited
effectiveness
|
transfers
knowledge and
skills to unfamiliar
contexts with
some effectiveness
|
transfers
knowledge and
skills to unfamiliar
contexts with
considerable
effectiveness
|
transfers
knowledge and
skills to unfamiliar
contexts with a
high degree of
effectiveness
|
use of equipment, materials and technology
|
uses equipment, materials and technology safely
and correctly only with supervision
|
uses equipment, materials and technology safely
and correctly with some supervision
|
uses equipment, materials and technology safely
and correctly
|
demonstrates and promotes the safe and correct uses of
equipment, materials and technology
|
Making connections
between science,
technology, society, and
the environment (e.g.,
assessing the impact of
science on technology,
people and other living things, and
the environment)
|
makes
connections
between science,
technology,
society, and the
environment
with limited
effectiveness
|
makes
connections
between science,
technology,
society, and the
environment with
some effectiveness
|
makes
connections
between science,
technology,
society, and the
environment
with considerable
effectiveness
|
makes
connections
betweenscience,
technology,
society, and the
environment with a high degree of
effectiveness
|
Proposing courses
of practical action to deal with
problems
relating to science,
technology, society, and the environment
|
proposes courses
of practical
action of limited
effectiveness
|
proposes courses
of practical
action of some
effectiveness
|
proposes courses
of practical action
of considerable
effectiveness
|
proposes highly
effective courses
of practical action
|
Submission of Assignments
All assignments should be submitted for grading on the stated due date.
Any late assignments may be subjected to a 10% penalty.
Work not submitted within 5 school days after the stated due date will be
assigned a mark of 0.
If a student is ill or away for a documented reason, all assignments must
be submitted upon return to class, unless arrangements are negotiated with the
teacher.
It is vital that the student realize the potential consequences of
incomplete work and absences, including failure to gain the credit for the
course. It is the responsibility of the student to catch up on all work missed
from being absent.
Program Planning
Considerations
Teachers who are
planning a program in this subject will make an effort to take into account
considerations for program planning that align with the Ontario Ministry of
Education policy and initiatives in a number of important areas.
Planning Programs
for Special Education Needs
The Educators Academy believes that
classroom teachers are the key educators of students who have special education
needs. They have a responsibility to help all students to learn and work
collaboratively with special education resource teachers, where appropriate, to
achieve this goal.
The Educators Academy is committed
to ensuring that all students, especially those with special education needs,
are provided with the learning opportunities and supports they require to gain
the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to succeed in a rapidly changing
society. The context of special education and the provision of special
education programs and services for exceptional students in Ontario are
constantly evolving.
The Educators Academy believes on
that:
·
All students can succeed.
·
Universal design and differentiated instruction are
effective and interconnected means of meeting the learning or productivity
needs of any group of students.
·
Successful instructional practices are founded on
evidence-based research, tempered by experience.
·
Classroom teachers are key educators for a student’s
literacy and numeracy development.
·
Each student has his or her own unique patterns of
learning.
·
Classroom teachers need the support of the larger
community to create a learning environment that supports students with special
education needs.
·
Fairness is not sameness.
The Educators Academy provide comprehensive procedures
for the identification of exceptional pupils, for the placement of those pupils
in educational settings where the special education programs and services
appropriate to their needs can be delivered, and for the review of the
identification of exceptional pupils and their placement. If the student
requires either accommodations or modified expectations, or both, then we will
take into account these needs of exceptional students as they are set out in
the students' Individual Education Plan. Our courses offer a vast array of
opportunities for students with special educations needs to acquire the
knowledge and skills required for our evolving society. Students who use
alternative techniques for communication may find a venue to use these special
skills in these courses. There are a number of technical and learning aids that
can assist in meeting the needs of exceptional students as set out in their
Individual Education Plan. In the process of taking their course, students may
use a personal amplification system, tele-typewriter, an oral or a
sign-language interpreter, a specialized computer programs, time extensions,
ability to change font size, oral readers, etc. Accommodations (instructional,
environmental or assessment) allow the student with special education needs access
to the curriculum without changes to the course curriculum expectations. The
IEP box on the student's provincial report card will not be checked in this
circumstance. The student is eligible for the credit.
In
planning science courses for students with special education needs, our
teachers begin by examining the current achievement level of the individual
student, the strengths and learning needs of the student, and the knowledge and
skills that all students are expected to demonstrate at the end of the course,
in order to determine which of the following options is appropriate for the
student:
v
no accommodations or modifications; or
v
accommodations only; or
v
modified expectations, with the possibility of
accommodations; or
v
alternative expectations, which are not derived from
the curriculum expectations for a course and which constitute alternative
programs and/or courses.
There
are three types of accommodations:
o
Instructional accommodations are changes in teaching
strategies, including styles of presentation, methods of organization, or use
of technology and multimedia.
o
Environmental accommodations are changes that the
student may require in the classroom and/or school environment, such as
preferential seating or special lighting.
o
Assessment accommodations are changes in assessment
procedures that enable the student to demonstrate his or her learning, such as
allowing additional time to complete tests or assignments or permitting oral
responses to test questions
Students having modified curriculum expectations
reflected in their IEP, will have either an increase or decrease in the number
of curriculum expectations. These modified expectations represent measurable
goals of the knowledge or skills to be demonstrated by the student using
appropriate assessment methods. The principal will determine whether
achievement of the modified expectations constitutes successful completion of
the course, and will decide whether the student is eligible to receive a credit
for the course.
Program
Consideration for English Language Learners
Ontario schools have some of the
most multilingual student populations in the world. The first language of
approximately 20 per cent of the students in Ontario’s English-language schools
is a language other than English. Ontario’s linguistic heritage includes
several Aboriginal languages and many African, Asian, and European languages.
It also includes some varieties of English – also referred to as dialects –
that differ significantly from the English required for success in Ontario schools.
Many English language learners were
born in Canada and have been raised in families and communities in which
languages other than English, or varieties of English that differ from the
language used in the classroom, are spoken. Other English language learners
arrive in Ontario as newcomers from other countries; they may have experience
of highly sophisticated educational systems, or they may have come from regions
where access to formal schooling was limited. When they start school in
Ontario, many of these students are entering a new linguistic and cultural
environment. All teachers share in the responsibility for these students’
English language development.
The Educators
Academy provides a number of strategies to address the needs of ESL students.
This course must be flexible in order to accommodate the needs of students who
require instruction in English as a second language or English literacy
development. Our teachers consider it to be their responsibility to help
students to develop their ability to use the English language properly.
Appropriate accommodations affecting the teaching, learning, and evaluation
strategies in this course may be made in order to help students gain
proficiency in English, since students taking English as a second language at
the secondary level have limited time in which to develop this proficiency.
The Educators
Academy determines the student's level of proficiency in the English Language
upon registration. This information is communicated to the teacher of the course
following the registration and the teacher then invokes a number of strategies
and resources to support the student in the course. The Educators Academy has
created course content to enrich the student's learning experience. Many
occupations in Canada require employees with capabilities in the English
language. Enabling students to learn English language skills will contribute to
their success in the larger world. With exposure to the English language in a supportive
learning environment, most young children will develop oral fluency quite
quickly, making connections between concepts and skills acquired in their first
language and similar concepts and skills presented in English.
Environmental
Education
Environmental education is
education about the environment, for the environment, and in the environment
that promotes an understanding of, rich and active experience in, and an
appreciation for the dynamic interactions of:
v
The earth’s physical and biological
systems
v
The dependency of our social and economic
systems on these natural systems
v
The scientific and human dimensions
of environmental issues
v
The positive and negative
consequences, both intended and unintended, of the interactions between
human-created and natural systems
Helping students
become environmentally responsible is a role assumed by The Educators Academy.
We work on different aspects like to promote learning about environmental
issues and solutions, to engage students in practicing and promoting
environmental stewardship in their community and to focus on the importance of
the education system providing leadership by implementing and promoting
responsible environmental practices so that all stakeholders become dedicated
to living more sustainably.
The Educators
Academy also ensures that the student will have opportunities to acquire the
knowledge, skills, perspectives and practices needed to become an
environmentally literate citizen. Our courses should provide opportunities for
each student to address environmental issues in their home, in their local
community, or even at the global level.
Anti
Discrimination Education
The implementation of
antidiscrimination principles in education influences all aspects of school
life. It promotes a school climate that encourages all students to work to
attain high standards, affirms the worth of all students, and helps students
strengthen their sense of identity and develop a positive self-image. It
encourages staff and students alike to value and show respect for diversity in
the school and the wider society. It requires schools to adopt measures to
provide a safe environment for learning, free from harassment, violence, and
expressions of hate.
Antidiscrimination education
encourages students to think critically about themselves and others in the
world around them in order to promote fairness, healthy relationships, and
active, responsible citizenship.
The Educators Academy ensures that
school–community interaction reflects the diversity in the local community and
wider society. We are highly concerned about a variety of strategies for
communicating and working with parents and community members from diverse
groups, in order to ensure their participation in such school activities as
parent teacher nights. It is our policy to encourage the families new to
Canada, who may be unfamiliar with the Ontario school system, so they can get
special outreach and encouragement in order to feel comfortable in their
interactions with The Educators Academy.
The most effective
way to enable all students to learn about healthy and respectful relationships
is through the school curriculum. Our teachers can promote this learning in a
variety of ways. For example, they can help students develop and practise the
skills they need for building healthy relationships by giving them
opportunities to apply critical-thinking and problem solving strategies and to
address issues through group discussions, role play, case study analysis, and
other means. The Educators Academy can also have a positive influence on
students by modelling the behaviours, values, and skills that are needed to
develop and sustain healthy relationships, and also addresses immediate
relationship issues that may arise among students.
In many instances, variations in
culture and location (whether rural, urban, or suburban) can be found in a
single classroom. Students living in apartment buildings will have different
access to plants and animals than students living in a rural setting. There may
be cultural sensitivities for some students in areas such as the use of
biological specimens. Our teachers are highly open to adjust their
instructions, when concerns are brought to their attention.
The Educators
Academy welcomes and encourages all students, parents, caregivers, and other
members of the school and local community - regardless of ancestry, culture,
ethnicity, sex, physical or intellectual ability, race, religion, gender
identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, or other similar factors.
We value diversity, and all members of The Educators Academy feel safe,
comfortable, and accepted. Every student is supported and inspired to succeed
in a culture of high expectations for learning. In an inclusive education
system, all students see themselves reflected in the curriculum, their physical
surroundings, and the broader environment, so that they can feel engaged in and
empowered by their learning experiences.
The Educators
Academy can give students a variety of opportunities to learn about diversity
and diverse perspectives. By drawing attention to the contributions of women,
the perspectives of various ethno-cultural, religious, and racial communities,
and the beliefs and practices of all multicultural diversity, teachers enable
our students from a wide range of backgrounds to see them reflected in the
curriculum. It is essential that learning activities and materials used to
support the curriculum reflect the multicultural nature of society that is
Canada. In addition, The Educators Academy differentiates the instruction and
assessment strategies to take into account the background and experiences, as
well as the interests, aptitudes, and learning needs, of all students.
We hope that all
these attitudes and attributes provide a foundation on which students can
develop their own identity, explore interconnectedness with others, and form
and maintain healthy relationships.
Critical Thinking
and Critical Literacy in Science
Critical thinking is the process of
thinking about ideas or situations in order to understand them fully, identify
their implications, and/or make a judgement about what is sensible or
reasonable to believe or do. Critical thinking includes skills such as
questioning, predicting, hypothesizing, analysing, synthesizing, examining
opinions, identifying values and issues, detecting bias, and distinguishing
between alternatives.
Students use
critical-thinking skills in The Educators Academy courses when they access,
analyse, and/or evaluate the impact of something and when they form an opinion
about something and support that opinion with a rationale. In order to think
critically, students need to examine the opinions and values of others, detect
bias, look for implied meaning, and use the information gathered to form a
personal opinion or stance, or a personal plan of action with regard to making
a difference. Students approach critical thinking in various ways. Some
students find it helpful to discuss their thinking, asking questions and
exploring ideas. Other students, who are new to Canadian Curriculum and the
Education System, may take time to observe a situation or consider a text
carefully before commenting; they may prefer not to ask questions or express
their thoughts orally while they are thinking.
The development of
these critical-thinking skills is supported in every course at The Educators
Academy. As students work to achieve the curriculum expectations in their
particular course, students frequently need to identify the possible
implications of choices. As they gather information from a variety of sources,
they need to be able to interpret what they are listening to, reading, or
viewing; to look for instances of bias; and to determine why a source might
express a particular bias.
Critical literacy is the capacity
for a particular type of critical thinking that involves looking beyond the
literal meaning of a text to determine what is present and what is missing, in
order to analyse and evaluate the text’s complete meaning and the author’s
intent. Critical literacy goes beyond conventional critical thinking by
focusing on issues related to fairness, equity, and social justice. In The
Educators Academy, critically literate students adopt a critical stance, asking
what view of the world the text advances and whether they find this view
acceptable.
In The Educators Academy, science
students who are critically literate are able to read or view reports from a
variety of sources on a common issue. They are able to assess how fairly the
facts have been reported, what biases might be contained in each report and why
that might be, how the content of the report was determined and by whom, and
what might have been left out of the report and why. These students would then
be equipped to produce their own interpretation of the issue.
Literacy,
Mathematical Literacy and Investigation (Inquiry Skills)
Literacy, mathematical literacy,
and investigation skills are critical to students’ success in all subjects of
the curriculum and in all areas of their lives. Many of the activities and
tasks that students undertake in the science curriculum involve the literacy
skills related to oral, written, and visual communication. Communication skills
are fundamental to the development of scientific literacy, and fostering
students’ communication skills is an important part of the teacher’s role in the
science curriculum.
By taking a course in The Educators
Academy, students use a different set of skills for reading in science than
they do when reading fiction or general non-fiction. They understand vocabulary
and terminology that are unique to science, and are able to interpret symbols,
charts, diagrams, and graphs. In addition, as they progress through secondary
school, they build their ability to make sense of the organization of science
textbooks, scientific journals, and research papers. In The Educators Academy,
science teachers model and teach the strategies that support learning to read
while students are reading to learn in science.
Inquiry and
research are at the heart of learning in all subject areas at The Educators
Academy. Students are encouraged to develop their ability to ask questions and
to explore a variety of possible answers to those questions. As they advance
through the grades, they acquire the skills to locate relevant information from
a variety of print and electronic sources. The questioning they practiced in
the early grades becomes more sophisticated as they learn that all sources of
information that have a particular point of view and that the recipient of the
information has a responsibility to evaluate it, determine its validity and
relevance, and use it in appropriate ways. The ability to locate, question, and
validate information allows a student to become an independent, mature and
lifelong learner.
Understanding science also requires
the use and understanding of specialized terminology. In The Educators Academy,
for all science courses, students are expected to use appropriate and correct
terminology, and are also encouraged to use language with care and precision in
order to communicate effectively
The Role of a
Library
The school library
program in many schools can help build and transform students' knowledge in
order to support lifelong learning in our information- and knowledge-based
society. The school library program of these schools supports student success
across the curriculum by encouraging students to read widely, teaching them to
examine and read many forms of text for understanding and enjoyment, and
helping them improve their research skills and effectively use information
gathered through research. The Educator Academy teachers assist students in
accessing a variety of online resources and collections (e.g., professional
articles, image galleries, videos, databases, virtual labs and much more). Our
Teachers will also guide students through the concept of ownership of work and
the importance of copyright in all forms of media.
The Role of Information and Communication Technology
Information and communications
technology provides a range of tools that can significantly extend and enrich
teachers’ instructional strategies and support students’ learning in science.
Computer programs can help students collect, organize, and sort the data they
gather and to write, edit, and present multimedia reports on their findings.
ICT can also be used to connect students to other schools, at home and abroad,
and to bring the global community into the local classroom. Technology also
makes it possible to use simulations – for instance, when field studies on a
particular topic are not feasible or dissections are not acceptable.
In The Educators Academy,
therefore, according to the needs of students, they are encouraged to use ICT
to support and communicate their learning. Students working individually or in
groups have a full access to use computers and portable storage devices, CD-ROM
and DVD technologies, and/or Internet websites to gain access to science
institutions in Canada and around the world. In The Educators Academy, students
sometimes are allowed to use digital or video cameras to record laboratory
inquiries or findings on field trips, or for multimedia presentations on
scientific issues/ problems.
As a result,
students can develop transferable skills through their experience with word
processing, internet research, presentation software, and telecommunication
tools, as would be expected in any other course or any business environment.
Although the Internet is a powerful learning tool, there are potential risks
attached to its use. All students must be made aware of issues related to
Internet privacy, safety, and responsible use, as well as of the potential for
abuse of this technology, particularly when it is used to promote hatred. Our
teachers understand that ICT tools are valuable in
their teaching practice, both for whole class instruction and for the design of
curriculum units that contain varied approaches to learning to meet diverse
student needs.
The
Ontario Skills Passport and Essential Skills
Ontario Skills Passport (OSP) is a
bilingual, web-based resource that enhances the relevance of classroom learning
for students and strengthens school–work connections. The skills described in
the OSP are the Essential Skills that the Government of Canada and other
national and international agencies have identified and validated, through
extensive research, as the skills needed for work, learning, and life. The Educators
Academy can engage students by using OSP tools and resources to show how what
they learn in class can be applied in the workplace and in everyday life.
Career Education
Ongoing scientific discoveries and
innovations coupled with rapidly evolving technologies have resulted in an
exciting environment in which creativity and innovation thrive, bringing about
new career opportunities. The Educators Academy
teachers are available to help the student prepare for employment in a number
of diverse areas. With the help of teachers, students will learn to set and
achieve goals and will gain experience in making meaningful decisions
concerning career choices. The skills, knowledge and creativity that students
acquire through this course are essential for a wide range of careers.
Throughout their secondary school education, students will learn about the
educational and career opportunities that are available to them; explore and
evaluate a variety of those opportunities; relate what they learn in their
courses to potential careers in a variety of fields; and learn to make
appropriate educational and career choices. Our program is based on linking of
personality identification with the right pathway by the help of proper
guidance. Students by this way can achieve their goals and make transitions to
achieve their targets.
PLANNING
PROGRAM PATHWAYS AND PROGRAMS LEADING TO A SPECIALIST HIGH SKILLS MAJOR
The Educators
Academy courses are well suited for inclusion in Specialist High Skills Majors
(SHSM) or in programs designed to provide pathways to particular
apprenticeship, college, university, or workplace destinations. In some SHSM
programs, courses at The Educators Academy can be bundled with other courses to
provide the academic knowledge and skills important to particular economic
sectors and required for success in the workplace and postsecondary education,
including apprenticeship training.
Health and Safety
In order to
provide a suitable learning environment for The Educators Academy’s staff and
students, it is critical that classroom practice and the learning environment
complies with relevant federal, provincial, and municipal health and safety
legislation and by-laws, including, but not limited to, the Workplace Safety
and Insurance Act, the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
(WHMIS), the Food and Drug Act, the Health Protection and Promotion Act, the
Ontario Building Code, and the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). The
OHSA requires all schools to provide a safe and productive learning and work
environment for both students and employees.
Resources:
v Dictionary
v Nelson Grade 12 Textbook
v
Gizmos
v Videos from Internet (Khan Academy)
v Virtual Labs
v Internet
v A Calculator