Key Questions

Key Questions

1. What was one thing (finding, idea) in the presentation that surprised you?

2. What are the implications for action resulting from the presentation?

Focus = reducing achievement gaps

Closing Achievement Gaps for Aboriginal Students

Overall sense of seriousness and urgency

Implications for action • Student (context, personalisation, knowing the student)• Family (parents, engagement, common language)• Teacher education (pre- and in-service, aboriginal

culture, sensitivity, instructional practices)• Policy (implementation of Framework)

Research questions• Do we need an approach to assessment that is more

congruent with aboriginal worldview and experience?• What can we learn from other jurisdictions?

Closing Gender Gaps in Student Achievement

Questioning of the nature and extent of the gender gap

Implications for action • Revisit what literacy entails, and how we define success• Increase understanding of the complexity of the multiple influences on

gender achievement- encourage a more reflective and contextual stance• Need syntheses of the state of knowledge on gender gap• Focus on good instructional practices

Research questions• What other factors are embedded within gender disparities in

achievement? • How to bring both quantitative and qualitative dimensions in

assessments?• How do notions of masculinity and femininity affect instructional practice?

Poverty and Education: Closing Achievement Gaps

Overall emphasis on the importance of community partnership

Implications for action• Integrating the school in the community by building reciprocal

relationships– Engage parents, families and teachers– Integrated services model– Encourage teacher participation in the community

• Foster teacher collaboration• Require community partnerships in Ministry sponsored research

and evaluation

Research • How can we deepen our understanding of complex factors, i.e.

social justice, systemic racism, cultural understanding• How can we mobilize what is known about engaging families and

communities?

Closing Achievement Gaps: English/French Language Learners

Implications for action• Effective instructional practices• Improved professional development, better

communication and collaboration between teachers, breaking silos

• School as a community hub with integrated services for families and students

• School as a community hub with integrated services for families and students

Research Questions• Need to disaggregate data to understand and similarities

Closing Achievement Gaps: Students with Special Needs

Implications for action• Knowledge brokers in school boards• Caring adults in schools• More effective pre-school and early interventions• Collaboration and community engagement

Research • How consistent are our identification systems?• Need for research on reducing rotary in elementary,

more long-term impact data, more attention to cost-benefit analysis, more mental health data

Overarching ThemesOERS 2009

• Foster effective and contextually relevant instruction to reduce achievement gaps

• A positive student self-identity is integral to success

• Reposition the school-community relationship as one of reciprocity

• The issues are complex but not intractable

Ontario

Education

Research

Panel

Thank you:

OERP members

AERO

Ministry of Education

Research & Evaluation Policy Branch

Ontario

Education

Research

Panel

Matchmaker,

Matchmaker,

Make me a match.

Un premier anniversaire

Be visionary, not hallucinator

y

Complex times require conspicuous optimism

New learning destroys old truths

Moral energy is a renewable resource

Supporters sustain us; resistors make us wise

A person who has ceased to A person who has ceased to learn ought not to be allowed to learn ought not to be allowed to wander around loose in these wander around loose in these dangerous days….dangerous days….

[A.Toffler][A.Toffler]