OISE
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OISE/UT is one of the World's leading faculties of education, dedicated to the establishment of a learning society through outstanding research and practice.
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Item The 15th OISE survey: Public attitudes towards education in Ontario in 2004(Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT), 2004) Hart, Doug; Livingstone, D.W."The commitment of the new Liberal government to increase resources for public education does not yet appear to be sufficient in the eyes of most Ontarians," says David Livingstone, director of the Centre for the Study of Education and Work at OISE/UT. He conducted the 15th biennial survey, Public Attitudes Towards Education in Ontario 2004, with co-author Doug Hart, at OISE/UT. "There is a widespread consensus among virtually all social groups that further funding increases are still needed."Item The 16th OISE survey: Public attitudes towards education in Ontario in 2007(Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT), 2007) Hart, Doug; Livingstone, D.W.The overwhelming majority of the public support improving the resource base of K to Grade 12 public schools in Ontario, according to the latest findings of a survey conducted by the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE). Equally important, most of those who now want increased spending on schools are also prepared to pay higher taxes in support of education.Item The 17th OISE survey: Public attitudes towards education in Ontario in 2009(Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE), 2010) Hart, Doug; Livingstone, D.W.Public satisfaction with Ontario’s education system is the highest in 30 years, according to the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) Survey Public Attitudes Towards Education in Ontario. “The OISE Survey shows public views of Ontario schools have markedly improved since the years of discord in the late 1990s and early years of the 21st century,” says Doug Hart, co-author of the survey with D. W. Livingstone. The OISE Survey is the longest-running public opinion survey on education carried out in Canada. This is the 17th OISE Survey conducted by Hart and Livingstone since 1978. A random sample of 1,001 Ontario adults were interviewed by telephone between October 2009 and January 2010. Issues examined include: public satisfaction with schools; funding priorities; governance; testing; opportunities for postsecondary education; and current policy issues including early childhood education and Africentric schools.Item The 18th OISE Survey: Public Attitudes Towards Education in Ontario in 2012(Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE), 2012) Hart, DougPublic satisfaction with the school system as a whole, and with the job teachers are doing are at record highs, according to the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) Survey, released September 10. “Historically, satisfaction with schools and spending preferences has often moved in opposite directions. In a political climate where satisfaction with schools is falling, support for more spending will be growing. The schools can fall victim to their own success,” says Doug Hart, co-investigator with Ben Levin, of the 2012 Survey. The OISE Survey is the longest-running public opinion survey on education carried out in Canada. This is the 18th OISE Survey conducted since 1978. A random sample of 1,016 Ontario adults were interviewed by telephone between December 2011 and March 2012. Other topics covered in the 2012 Survey include: grading the performance of local schools, taxation for education; use of private tutoring services, the role of EQAO, school accommodations for religious minorities, and the relevance of education to jobs.Item 21st Century Competencies and ICT Integration in the Classroom: Preparing Students for Careers in the Current and Future Employment Market(2016-05-09) Lobo, DillonIn this research project, three educators in the Toronto District School Board share their understanding and perspectives of 21st century teaching and learning, a broad term which exists in current educational research literature and pedagogy. The main research question that was investigated was: How is a sample of teachers understanding and implementing "21st century" teaching and learning in the classroom? The educators in this study work in one or more of the various grade divisions: primary, junior, intermediate, and senior. Participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview protocol. The research findings align with existing research in the area of 21st century skills, career-relevant instruction, and the integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) into the classroom.Item A/R/Tography as an Ethics of Embodiment: Visual Journals in Pre-service Education(Sage Publications, 2008-01) Jevic, Lisa La ; Springgay, StephanieA/r/tography is an arts-based research methodology that inquires into educational phenomenon through artistic and aesthetic means. A/r/tographical research engages in pedagogical inquiry where the distinctions between researcher and researched become complicated, responsive, and undone. A/r/tography, the authors argue, develops the relationship between embodiment and ethics as a being-with. In this manner, ethics does not refer to the rationalist acquisition of knowledge or moral codes that advocate particular bodily behaviors but instead suggests that participating in a network of relations lends itself to gestures of non-violence. This article extends previous writings on a/r/tographical inquiry through a particular examination of the use of visual journals in a preservice teacher education course. Through the intertextuality of image and word, visual journals enable teachers and students to make meaning and inquire creatively into educational issues in a space that respects self and other.Item Aboriginal Women in Canada: Incompatibilities with Mainstream Education(Centre for Women’s Studies in Education, 2003-02-03) Fitznor, LaaraItem Academic Integrity: Perceptions and Practices in Secondary School Humanities Classes(2014-12-01) Yoannou, AshleyThis research investigates to what extent, and with what results for classroom practices, Ontario secondary school teachers discuss and uphold academic integrity in humanities classes (English, History and/or Philosophy). It queries how dialogues about plagiarism, one of the most common types of academic dishonesty, are framed, and how assessment practices have been developed in response to this type of academic dishonesty. As supported by interviews carried out for this study, ethical conduct relating to academic work is approached differently across school boards and individual schools, but a common factor is the role professional judgment plays in evaluating violations on a case-by-case basis. Another consistency is the benefit of scaffolding to increase critical thinking and ownership of original work produced in class. In order to protect the integrity of the work submitted by others, the findings of this study reflect literature on this topic. They support the necessity for clearly outlined consequences that are followed through by teachers and administrators. This paper considers how an absence of standardized department responses to plagiarism, as well as academic culture of the school and background of its student population, impacts the tone and frequency of conversations about academic integrity. Attempting to gain insight into the intersection between technology and plagiarism, this study also explores the role of an Internet-based plagiarism prevention service in the broader discussion of morally respectful academic conduct. By reviewing current scholarship and integrating practices and perspectives from six secondary school teachers, this research project presents understandings of academic honesty, along with the challenges, successes and next steps for carrying on the discussion.Item The Academic Senate and University Governance in Canada(The Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 2004) Jones, Glen A. ; Shanahan, Theresa ; Goyan, PaulItem Accelerating English Language Learning: Classroom Tools and Techniques(2013-03-13) Kazar, Shawnt AraEnglish language learning for foreign and international students is a facet of Canadian schools that has become the norm for all educators in the field. The task that faces English learners is an immense one: to learn a foreign language, in a foreign environment, with little understanding of the culture surrounding them, leads to many difficulties for these students both in the social and academic realm. This study aims to query the field of English language learning and uncover techniques and tools with which educators can accelerate the English language learning of their foreign and international students, thereby allowing these students to more quickly adapt to the new environments around them. A qualitative study, interviewing two teachers in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), revealed some of the classroom techniques that educators use to promote the language learning of their students, and some of the issues English language learners (ELLs) continue to face. These observations were supported by the literature in this field, which pointed to a number of key factors that can be employed that are proven to improve the language learning of students. The discussion will explore how these many factors, including the influence of a student’s first language, cultural effects, vocabulary acquisition, computer technology, and repetition, interact with another within the average English language learning classroom, and will explore how they can be utilized to accelerate the learning of English language learners.Item The Accelerative Integrated Method in Grades 7 and 8: Teachers’ Perspectives and Experiences(2014-11-26) Boucher, SarahReports show that less than 30% of Canadian students graduate from high schools with the ability to hold a conversation in French. This is problematic for various reasons, including the fact that French is one of the two official languages of Canada. A relatively new second language teaching methodology called the Accelerative Integrated Method (AIM) has been implemented in more than 4,000 schools across Canada, but very few studies have evaluated its effectiveness, especially in Grades 7 and 8. This research study analyzes the opinions of 3 teachers about the benefits and challenges of using the AIM to teach Core French in Grades 7 and 8. A qualitative research protocol was followed, based on standardized open interviews with 3 Core French teachers of the Greater Toronto Area who use AIM to varying degrees. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded using emergent themes. Results show that teachers perceive AIM as being effective in their Grade 7 and 8 classrooms. They describe student attitude as being very positive towards AIM. Academic benefits for students include better memorization of vocabulary, better understanding of grammar patterns, and greater self-efficacy beliefs about their ability to speak French. The discussion includes implementation challenges for teachers and suggestions on how to make the program a better fit for Grade 7 and 8 students.Item Acceptance, Inclusion, Advocacy: Creating a Generation of LGBT Allies in the Elementary School(2017) Shahfazlollahi, AlanaThe aim of this qualitative research study was to discover the ways in which primary and junior educators can work towards creating school environments that are safe and inclusive for individuals of all gender and sexual identities. The main research question of this study was: How do educators create equitable and inclusive environments within the elementary school community in order to create “safe spaces” for students with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations? Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with three participants who had worked in the field of education for a minimum of two years. The findings of this study indicate the need for continued LGBT equity work in schools, due to the persistent existence of homophobia and transphobia amongst students and staff. In order to decrease instances of discrimination based on gender or sexual identity, this study demonstrates the importance of individual student support, infusion of LGBT themes in classroom teaching, and whole-school LGBT equity programming. The experiences of educators in this study and within existing research determines the need for increased funding and support for educators who engage in LGBT equity work, as well as the need for solidarity from fellow staff and administrators.Item Accessing Ability: The Academic and Socio-Emotional Value of In-Hospital Education(2016-05-10) Payne, WesleyStudents with health conditions requiring medical intervention are at risk of developing severe academic and socio-emotional problems. Some pediatric hospital departments across Ontario employ in-hospital teachers to provide hospitalized students with access to education. The purpose of this Master of Teaching Research Project is to examine how a sample of in-hospital educators perceive the diverse academic and social needs of hospitalized students. Data was collected via a series of semi-structured interviews with three in-hospital teachers. Audio recordings of these interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed by the researcher via the theoretical lens of Critical Disability Theory. Results of this qualitative study indicate the specialized educational environment, resources, and personnel available in the hospital setting can be more academically beneficial to students with chronic health conditions than what is offered in a traditional classroom. Additionally, results suggest that placing students in a social environment where they are surrounded by peers who also have medical conditions can positively impact socio-emotional well-being, while providing students with socially normalized learning environments. Furthermore, results imply that in-hospital education has the potential to provide hospitalized students with optimism, hope, and motivation. This study also uncovered many roadblocks surrounding hospital logistics and confidentiality that restrict student access to education in the hospital setting. There is currently little academic research in this field, and this study has only begun to reveal the value of in-hospital education. Further recommendations suggest a deeper, more rigorous study in this field is required, as results imply in-hospital education has vast academic, social, and medical benefits.Item Accommodating Students with Learning Disabilities in Online High Schools(2015-05-06) Zaya, ShameranThis research project explores the various ways in which online high school teachers accommodate students with learning disabilities. The goal is to highlight the strengths of the online learning community and to discuss the various next steps. The project attempts to investigate the online teaching community by interviewing two experienced online high school teachers who have also taught in traditional classroom settings and who are now department heads at a private online high school. Analysis of existing literature on the topic as well as analysis of data collected through online interviews suggest that school wide and classroom specific initiatives set up to help students with learning disabilities are very limited. However, many are in the process of being established. Currently, accommodations include process scaffolding, providing descriptive feedback, and extending assignment deadlines. This research finds that the online high school learning community is one that is expanding and will require a few more years to be able to fully accommodate students with learning disabilities.Item The Achievement Gap in Gifted Education: Motivating Intermediate Students(2015-05-06) Hayward, SamanthaThe focus of this study is on the challenges that teachers face when trying to address the needs of underachieving gifted students, particularly in the intermediate grades (seven and eight). Gifted students with a profound achievement gap (the discrepancy between their expected level of achievement and their actual level of achievement) pose unique difficulties for teachers to encourage them in the classroom to reach their potential. Through a review of the current literature on gifted underachievement and the commonalities among underachieving students, this study addresses the current academic climate when discussing these issues. This develops further through a qualitative research study with three practicing teachers, who share their experiences in teaching gifted students at these grades, and what methods have worked for them and where they still need continuing assistance and professional development to understand how to help these students. Following these challenges, the experiences of these teachers are related back to the academic literature, and combined to determine the next steps for future research, and to determine where this area of research could expand to address the needs of these students in a more comprehensive manner.Item Achieving human potential : a plan for growth(Robinson and Croxall, Sundridge, ON, Canada, 2016) Robinson, Floyd; Croxall, WayneAchieving Human Potential describes a conceptual system for human development that was formulated during several OISE initiatives that Dr. Floyd Robinson spearheaded during his long tenure. Many of the ideas were developed jointly with OISE staff and students. The system evolved further following Dr. Robinson’s retirement, when he acted as volunteer consultant to a group that utilised it in various community projects over a ten-year period. Receiving enthusiastic and sustained support from practitioners that witnessed the application of its concepts, this blueprint for human development lays out the foundations of a strategy for empowering human communities and their members to become the best that human beings can be.Item Acknowledging and Bridging the East-West Cultural Divide in the Classroom(2013-03-13) Covent, Saralyn FaithTeachers work to create lessons that will reach all of their students. However, in their effort they miss a group of students who have not been recognized: those who have been educated in a different culture of schooling and often in another language, who need support to adapt to Canadian classrooms. This paper will specifically examine the differences between the educational-cultures in East-Asia and the West,including Canada. It will investigate their educational histories and present views on independence, logic, critical thinking, motivation and group work. A qualitative study was conducted, including two interviews with each of five teachers from a Greater Toronto Area (GTA) school. The interviews revealed that the teachers were unaware of which of their students had been educated in a different culture, unless they were identified as English Language Learners (ELL). This observation supports the premise that this group of students is not recognized by teachers, making it difficult for them to provide appropriate support to student learning and development in the aforementioned areas. The discussion will suggest that it is possible to recognize and provide greater support for these students by teachers becoming aware that a student’s past educational-culture does have an effect on learning.Item Action, Consciousness and Theory of Mind: Children’s Ability to Coordinate Story Characters’ Actions and Thoughts(Early Education and Development, 2004) Pelletier, Janette ; Astington, Janet WildeThis study reports on an analysis of the relation between kindergarten children’s developing theory of mind and their understanding of characters’ actions and consciousness in story narrative, based on Bruner’s (1986) notion of the dual landscapes of action and consciousness. Wordless picture books were used to model these two aspects of narrative through the direct portrayal of action and thought by way of thought bubbles and adults’ explicit metacognitive talk. Children were asked to retell stories following both an experimenter’s and the teacher’s initial storytelling. Children’s ability to coordinate story characters’ thoughts, beliefs and intentions (consciousness) was measured by the frequency of reference to both the character’s action or presence and the content of his/her thought bubbles in the stories. Results of the analyses revealed relations among children’s age, language ability, non-verbal intelligence, theory of mind development, and their ability to coordinate consciousness and action in the stories. Younger children who have less developed theory of mind more often retold just the action in the real world without reference to thought, or else described the scene depicted within the thought bubble without reference to the character who held the thought. Implications for education, such as teaching children to talk about the mind, are discussed.Item Activism in SMT Education in the Claws of the Hegemon (Editorial)(Taylor & Francis (Routledge), 2010-09) Alsop, Steve ; Bencze, LarryItem Activism or Brainwashing? A Study of Teachers’ Efforts to Mitigate Allegations of Indoctrination While Teaching ‘for’ the Environment(2017) Brown, MargauxThis study presents findings from a small-scale qualitative research project that investigates how environmental educators teach for the environment (that is, fostering active student participation in environmental initiatives) while mitigating charges of indoctrination from parents, colleagues, and administrators. Data was collected for this research through semi-structured interviews with two Ontario educators. Key findings include environmental educators’ practices of bringing outdoor learning indoors, familiarizing themselves with Ministry of Education documents, utilizing pedagogies rooted in student-directed learning, and making environmental learning relevant to their community of learners through the use of current events and cultural connections as significant strategies developed to alleviate the tensions created when teaching for the environment.