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Alberta’s Ministry of Education has released a new report that hypothesizes the future of public education in the province.
Titled Inspiring Education: A Dialogue with Albertans, the 56-page report was released last month by the Inspiring Education Steering Committee, a 22-member group put together by Education Minister Dave Hancock. Government and education professionals worked side by side on the committee.
Education Minister Dave Hancock is joined by Inspiring Education co-committee chairs, MLAs Brent McDonough, centre, and Jeff Johnson for the launch of the report to Albertans June 3.
Photo courtesy of Government of Alberta
The report, based on province-wide public forums held throughout 2009, lays out a foundational plan for how education should look in 20 years, according to the sentiments of Albertans who attended and took part in the forums.
“We wanted to hear what real Albertans hope to see from their education system, and what their hopes were for their children,” said Kathy Telfer, spokesperson for the Ministry of Education.
Inspiring Education hypothesizes about many features that would define the classroom of the future, such as less focus on planned curriculums and more on individual needs of students, who would be allowed to learn at their own pace in the classroom.
However, the report also paints a picture of a future in which children could learn outside the classroom, both at home or – more importantly – in real world situations.Technology also plays a large role in the report’s idea of the future of education, going so far as to describe a digital device worn on a child’s wrist that can project holograms, info-graphics and videos onto any nearby wall or screen.
Also mentioned is the embracement of developing telecommunications technology that would allow children to interact with peers from the same class or even from another part of the world.
The report was quickly followed by another document, Inspiring Action, which details exactly how the ministry plans to achieve what’s discussed in the Inspiring Education report.
Alternative voice:
Jim Paul, from the Faculty of Education at the U of C
Recently, Education Minister Dave Hancock released two documents: Inspiring Education, April 2010, and Inspiring Action on Education, June 2010. The word “inspiring” means, “To influence or to animate with an idea or purpose.” Why, today, do Albertans need to be “inspired” or “influenced” regarding our children’s educational future? Do these documents provide:
- A solution to cyclic worldwide economic depression?
- A plan for global competitiveness?
- A response to the Wild Rose Party?
- A privileging of all things technological?
- A getting ready for a provincial election?
- An attempt, like with health, to dismantle local, democratic boards in favour of a centralized, appointed “super board”?
- An honouring of individual rights, privileges and choices?
- An attempt to deflect attention from Alberta today, where children and teachers operate under siege from attacks by our Ministry of Education and Treasury Board?
No matter what the documents may seem to offer, it is the educational values they advance that require scrutiny.
We know most cultures succeed or fail based on the quality and adaptability of their informal and formal education systems. We know that in most cultures, some more harshly than others, education is ultimately about sorting. Education sorts those who can from those who cannot.
The definition and measurement of educational success is based on a culture’s deep values regarding self, others and the world.
I have read these two documents. Do these documents value:
- Learning that is never separated from teaching – different sides of the same coin?
- Formal and informal education that teaches why and how to learn?
- Education that engages learner knowledge, skills and attributes through authentic dialogue?
- Teaching a curriculum through inquiry learning?
- Technology as servant not master?
- Assessment that educates about the dangers of being self-centred and prejudiced?
- Education that humbles the desire to always be correct?
- Education that challenges the privilege of the mind over other ways of knowing?
- Education that exposes the harshness of any system – capitalism, industrialism, globalism, bureaucracies, even education itself – that must disempower the many by elevating the few?
Regarding the documents, I wonder: where are the values evident in a vision for tomorrow that does not accept responsibility today to provide daily inspirational education for all of us, and especially our children? Without valuing inspiring education today, tomorrow may not matter!
The Inspiring Action report stresses the need for new education legislation to be passed in the provincial assembly, which may take some time as it gets passed through the necessary levels of legislature. The report also makes mention of various structural plans and collaborative models for achieving the goals outlined in Inspiring Education.
Because the two reports was released around the same time the ministry announced the cutting of over 500 teaching jobs within the Edmonton, Calgary and Catholic school boards due to tightening of the education budget, many education professionals are unwilling to accept the province’s plans for the future while the present looks so grim.
“We cannot move toward achieving this vision if school boards are cutting teaching and support staff because of government funding decisions,” said Carol Henderson, president of the Alberta Teacher’s Association, in a statement released last month.
“Teachers are looking forward to working with government to help make Inspiring Education a reality, but we will need the tools to do the job. The first thing the government should do is to stop doing things that are clearly contrary to the direction set out by Inspiring Education.”
Despite everything currently happening within the education system, the Calgary Board of Education remains hopeful about the future, both long term and immediate.
“We’re different from other education boards in that we recruit from all across Canada, and assign jobs to our recruits based on their talent and skill level,” said Ted Flitton, spokesperson for the Calgary Board of Education.
“Any time there’s a chance to get people together to talk about the future of education in our province is a great step forward,” Flitton continued, regarding the Inspiring Education project and subsequent report. “Of course, there are other things to think about, so hopefully it doesn’t just end with this report.”
Kathy Telfer of the Ministry of Education said the ministry is already planning to take the program into the next step.
“We’ve taken the discussion to the web so anyone can log on to inspiringeducation.alberta.ca and take part in the forum, share their ideas about the future and contribute to the overall project.”
In regards to the budgetary concerns teachers are feeling the sting from, Telfer was understanding but optimistic:
“There are always points in time when resources are scarce, and it is certainly not an environment in which we prefer to operate,” said Telfer.
“That’s why it’s so important to have a concrete plan for the future.” |
