Policy on the Evaluation of Learning

GENERAL EDUCATION IN THE YOUTH SECTOR

GENERAL EDUCATION IN THE ADULT SECTOR

VOCATIONAL TRAINING

REACH foryour DREAMS

POLICY

Evaluation for Better Learning

“One does not learn in order to be evaluated well or to perform better on

a test; One is well evaluated to learn better.”

Pierre Reid, October 28, 2003

Evaluation Policy Launch at the Rencontre Nationale

LOOKING BACK:A Brief History of Evaluation

• Plato -the word assessment comes from the Latin assidere meaning “to sit and talk with”

• Trade Guilds-roots of performance assessment-apprentice and master-evaluation on a piece by piece scale

Looking Back

• Colonization and Industrialization

-legislated universal education-Henry Ford and the Model T-assembly line production

It was the beginning and the end of imagination all at the same time.

Three Responsibilities of Education

• Basic Skills- 3 R’s-reading, writing and arithmetic for the needs of a new industrial society

• Aculturation of immigrants into a new land

• Gatekeeping to Higher Education

Assembly line education

Equal Rights Movement- 1960’s

• Equal access to education for all

– university entrance exams– SAT’s– Equal rights for minorities and low

SES

The Present into the Future…

• Success and High Quality Education for All-observation-projects-performance assessment-authentic assessment-rubrics, journals, portfolios

QUEBEC CONTEXT

• 1997, Quebec Schools on Course:-Evaluation is a central component of the curriculum-Certification of as many students as possible

• Objectives:-Updating of the 1981 Policy on the Evaluation of Learning

-Review certification rules and practices

OUTCOME

• A new policy for all three sectors

• Collaboration with the school boards and schools

• Consultation of 2001* 72,000 individuals consulted* 1,600 organizations consulted* 38 briefs

Stages Following the Consultation

• Development of a draft policy- Nov. 2002

• Validation by representatives from all sectors- Dec. 2002

• Consultation of key partners- Feb. 2003

• Approval of Minister- March 2003

• Translation• Distribution- Nov. 2003

THE POLICY

• A common core for all three sectors +

• A specific chapter for each sector:

YouthAdultVocational

OVERALL PERSPECTIVE

• A COMMON VISION IS AT THE CORE

• BASED UPON KEY VALUES

• DESCRIBED THROUGH 10 ORIENTATIONS

• THROUGH A PROCESS OF EVALUATION BASED ON STUDENT LEARNING

ORIENTATIONS

VALUES

PURPOSES AND PROCESSES OF

EVALUATION

A COMMON VISION OF EVALUATION FOR LEARNING

VALUES

JUSTICE RIGOUR

INSTRUMENTALFUNDAMENTAL

EQUITY EQUALITY OPENNESS COHERENCE

At the Center: The Student

• The student is offered learning and evaluation situations

• These situations have 2 functions: * support for learning* recognition of competencies

• These evolve within the framework of 10 orientations

DEFINITION

Evaluation is the process whereby a judgment is made on a

student’s learning on the basis of information gathered, analyzed and interpreted, for the purpose

of making pedagogical and administrative decisions.

Evaluation :

Of Learning

For Learning

As Learning

Two Complementary Purposes

Support for Learning Recognition of Competencies

Summarize(Bilan)

Certify

Recognize Prior Learning

Access learning achievements

Make Diagnosis

Regulate

The Evaluation Process

Evaluation isA complex

task

Planning

Judgment

Information gathering andinterpretation

Decision/Action

The Orientations of Evaluation

EVALUATION:

• a factor in achieving success for all students

• a means of helping students achieve their full potential without lowering standards

Orientation 1: Integration of Evaluation into the Learning Process

Evaluation in the course of learning plays an important role:

•allows the teacher to gather information on learning

•allows the students to make adjustments

•allows us to reconsider the relationship between evaluation and the recognition of competencies

Orientation 2: Teacher’s professional judgment

The judgment of teachers is the cornerstone of the

act of evaluating.

The exercise of judgment is based upon:

• the references that guide evaluation practices, such as this policy

• the regulatory framework• the standards and conditions set by each

institution• information on evaluation in education

programs and programs of study• the different frameworks on the evaluation of

learning

This requires:

– that teachers use pedagogical differentiation whereby students develop the required competencies but in different ways.

– Students are offered different educational paths that take their needs into consideration.

Orientation 3: Respecting Differences

Orientation 4: Conformity with the programs

Evaluation must take into account:

– the characteristics of the competencies, including their complexity

– their comprehensive nature– the situations in which they are applied– the fact that they are developed over

time.

Orientation 5: Active role of the student

Students should be:

– autonomous and accountable– aware of their characteristics as

learners– encouraged to exercise critical

judgment – able to evaluate themselves and to

participate in evaluation with their teacher or their classmates.

(teachers continue to have the primary responsibility for judging their students’ learning progress)

Orientation 6: Collaboration of all Stakeholders

• Teachers evaluate their students

• The principal facilitates and ensures evaluation of learning

• School boards ensure that each school evaluates student learning

• The government, professionals, parents, businesses and organizations are partners in the evaluation of learning

Orientation 7: Reflecting ethical standards

• gives students the appropriate attention

• monitors the learning progress• does not discriminate• respects confidentiality

• justifies decisions to students

and to the parents

Orientation 8: Improving the quality of language

The entire educational community must become involved to ensure that students use quality language in all activities

Orientation 9: Certification of Studies

• The Education Act determines powers and responsibilities regarding certification

• The basic school regulations establish the rules for awarding official certification documents

• Requirements for success in line with the school’s mission, social expectations and programs

• Identical certification rules, and adaptation of evaluation conditions when needed

Orientation 10: Recognition of Prior Learning

• Recognition of prior learning makes it possible to avoid taking unnecessary training

• Recognition of prior learning applies to all education sectors

Specific Applications of theOrientations- In Review

• Integration of evaluation into the learning process

• Teacher’s judgment• Respecting differences• Conformity with programs• Responsibilities of the student• Collaboration among partners

MEQ Implementation Plan

A Few Commitments• Provide information and training• Provide support to schools and school

boards and produce instruments• Conduct research activities and encourage

innovation• Ensure coherence with legal documents

such as directives and regulations• Adapt the certification management rules• Ensure that the partners become familiar

with the policy• Update the policy

A Final Note

William Yeats

Education is not the filling of a bucketbut

the lighting of a fire.

Educational Services Department Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board

www.swlauriersb.qc.ca/english/edservices

November, 2003