Bridging the Gap
Math and Curriculum Redesign
Fonda Vadnais
fonda.vadnais@sapdc.ca
Sorting Activity
Cross-Curricular
Competencies
Mathematical Processes
Literacy/Numeracy
Benchmarks
An interrelated set of
attitudes, skills, and
knowledge that is drawn
upon and applied to a
particular context for
successful learning and living.
(3)
Critical components of math
knowledge that enable
success in mathematics
education and embrace
lifelong learning in
mathematics. (4)
Acquire, connect, create and
communicate meaning in a
variety of contexts
throughout daily life to
discover and make sense of
the world. (1)
Curricular General Learner
Outcomes
Overarching statements
about what students are
expected to learn in each
part of the Alberta
mathematics Program of
Study. (2)
INSPIRING EDUCATION: THE JOURNEY BEGINS
Curriculum Redesign Introductory Video
Alberta Education Mission: To
ensure inclusive learning
opportunities that enable
Kindergarten to Grade 12 students
to achieve success as engaged
thinkers and ethical citizens with an
entrepreneurial spirit.
Engaged Thinker
Collaborating to create new knowledge
Ethical Citizen
Doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do
Entrepreneurial Spirit
Creating new opportunities
Engaged Thinker
Collaborating to create new knowledge
• Think critically and creatively.
• Make discoveries through inquiry, reflection, exploration,
experimentation and trial and error.
• Use technology to learn, innovate, collaborate and communicate.
• Gather, analyze and evaluate information.
• Work with multiple perspectives and disciplines to identify problems
and solutions.
• Integrate ideas from a variety of sources into a coherent response.
• Communicate well with others.
Ethical Citizen
Doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do
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Care for myself physically, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually.
Move beyond self-interests to the needs of others.
Build relationships based on humility, fairness, and open-mindedness.
Collaborate and communicate to contribute fully to the community and the world;
environmentally, economically, culturally, socially and politically.
• Engage with many cultures, religions, and languages; demonstrating respect,
empathy and compassion for people and issues.
• Assume life responsibilities – whether they be the duties of parent, neighbour,
mentor, employee or employer.
• Adapt to any situation by relying on personal knowledge, skills, or an experience;
yet request the assistance of others and request assistance for others when
needed.
Entrepreneurial Spirit
Creating New Opportunities
• Create opportunities and achieve goals through hard
work, perseverance and discipline.
• Strive for excellence and success, and am respected for
my achievements.
• Explore ideas and technologies individually and in diverse
teams, challenging the status quo.
• Take risks and make bold decisions in the face of
adversity.
• Transform discoveries into products or services that
benefit my school, community and the world.
NEW MINISTERIAL ORDER ON STUDENT LEARNING
http://education.alberta.ca/media/6951645/sk
mbt_c36413050707450.pdf
COMPETENCIES
A focus on competencies is less about knowing something and
more about how and where to access the information and then
engaging ethically and entrepreneurially with what is known to
create and innovate. This shifts education away from a process
of disseminating information to a process of inquiry and
discovery.
WHAT IS A CROSS CURRICULAR
COMPETENCY?
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An interrelated set of attitudes, skills and knowledge
Applied in developmentally appropriate contexts for
successful living and learning
Applied from K-12 across all subject/discipline areas
WHY CROSS-CURRICULAR
COMPETENCIES?
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Growth of the whole child
Enable personalized learning
Support teacher decision making
Provide consistency across subject/discipline areas and in assessing
and reporting
THE 10 MULTI-DISCIPLINARY COMPETENCIES
a) Know how to learn
b) Think critically
c) Identify and solve complex problems
d) Manage information
e) Innovate
f) Create opportunities
g) Apply multiple literacies
h) Demonstrate good communication skills
i) Demonstrate global and cultural understanding
j) Identify and apply career and life skills
Competency
Know how to learn
Think critically
Identify and solve complex problems
Manage information
Innovate
Create opportunities
Apply multiple literacies
Demonstrate good communication
skills and work cooperatively with
others
Demonstrate global and cultural
understanding
Identify and apply career and life
What Practices Do You Currently Do In The Specific Topic Area
Arts
L
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Language Arts
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
Wellness
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Literacy and Numeracy are foundational to all
student learning. Literacy is more than just the
ability to read and write, and numeracy is more than
the ability to solve number problems. They are a
means of discovering and making sense of the world
Literacy
Numeracy
• A literate person has the ability to • A numerate person has the
identify, understand, interpret,
create, communicate and compute
in varying contexts in and BEYOND
the classroom.
confidence and habit of mind to
search out quantitative or spatial
information, critically assess,
reflect upon and apply it in their
lives when making judgments or
decisions and taking action.
Looking at a Problem Mathematically
Greg is helping his friends move from
Edmonton to Calgary, a distance of 300 km. He
has borrowed his father’s truck to transport the
furniture. If he travels at a speed of 100 km per
hour, how long will he need to truck?
The Lack of Pirates is Causing Global Warming
Being Numerate Matters
Literacy and Numeracy
Literacy and Numeracy
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use diverse texts
and media to
communicate
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Literacy
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use effective strategies
to respond to knowledge
use effective strategies
to generate and share
information
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create and express meaning
communicate what we know,
can do and want to learn
communicate about concepts,
ideas and understandings
use language tools to
communicate meaning
connect prior knowledge and
experiences to create new
understandings
use effective literacy/problem
solving strategies to acquire
knowledge
use qualitative and
spatial concepts to
communicate meaning
Numeracy
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use effective mental
calculations and estimation
strategies to manage
information
analyze and evaluate
information
DIGITALLY-BASED ASSESSMENT
•Inspiring Action on Education (June 2010) contemplates
a future where
“provincial assessment could also be made available on-demand.”
•Realizing this vision is only possible through digitally-based exam
administrations
•Digitally-based provincial assessments will enable
o Secure delivery of assistive technologies such as text-to-speech
o The use of multi-media in provincial assessments
o Innovative assessment items
o Assessments to be securely delivered across a broad spectrum of
devices
•Many existing and legacy systems will need to be replaced or enhanced
•Ideally, cloud-based infrastructure will be utilized that can easily
respond to rapid spikes in demand.
INCREASED DIPLOMA ADMINISTRATIONS
•
This year, both the November and April diploma examination sessions
are considered “open sessions”.
•
In the past, these two sessions were restricted to schools and students
enrolled in courses that concluded in November and April.
•
Students may now re-write diploma examinations during these two
sessions without having a current November or April course mark.
•
Pre-registration for these two sessions is mandatory.
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In November, Chemistry 30, ELA 30-2, Math 30-1 and Physics 30 are
offered.
•
In April, Biology 30, ELA 30-1, Social Studies 30-1 and Social Studies 30-2
are offered.
FUTURE INCREASED OFFERINGS
•
In November 2015 and April 2016, all “high-demand” diploma
examination subjects will be offered during these two sessions:
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Biology 30
Chemistry 30
ELA 30-1
ELA 30-2
Mathematics 30-1
Physics 30
Social Studies 30-1
Social Studies 30-2
STUDENT LEARNING ASSESSMENTS (SLAs)
• On May 9, 2013 Minister Jeff Johnson announced that Alberta would be
giving teachers more tools to help students succeed by introducing
assessments that will replace the existing Provincial Achievement Tests
(PATs).
• The Student Learning Assessments (SLAs) will be digital and will be
administered at the start of Grades 3, 6, and 9.
• A window of approximately 10 days, near the start of the school year, will
provide schools with the opportunity to decide when it will be best for
students to complete the assessments.
• The outcomes that will be assessed come from the previous year’s
Programs of Studies (i.e. grades 2, 5, and 8).
SLAs
• Grade 3 and 6 SLAs will be based on the numeracy and
literacy benchmarks found in the learner outcomes of the
current grade 2 and 5 programs of study
• By 2017 all SLAs , grade 3, 6, and 9 will be developed to
assess the cross curricular competencies and Numeracy
and Literacy Benchmarks.
TIMELINES for SLAs
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June 2014
June 2015
June 2016
September 2017
Choice
Last administration
Last administration
Full implementation
administration of
(full cohort) of the
(full cohort) of the
of the Grade 9 SLAs
Grade 3 PATs
Grade 6 PATs
Grade 9 PATs
___________________________________________________________________________
June 2013
September 2014
September 2015
September 2016
Last full-cohort
Choice
Full implementation
Full implementation
administration of
administration of
of the Grade 3 SLAs
of the Grade 6 SLAs
the Grade 3 PATs
Grade 3 SLAs
and piloting of the
and piloting of the
Grade 6 SLAs
Grade 9 SLAs