Students may also choose to participate in any one of a number of career programs that build on the learning outcomes of Career and Personal Planning (CAPP) and provide a more focussed and longer Work Experience component.
As a unique component of students' schooling, Work Experience should involve placement in a workplace setting outside the school, although practical considerations may dictate that schools consider school or classroom-based Work Experience arrangements for some students. Such arrangements should only be made where absolutely necessary and, like all Work Experience placements, must:
To ensure that Work Experience placements are successful and educationally meaningful, students should be well prepared with background information (e.g., on expectations of employers, on legislation and standards related to the workplace, on general workplace safety rules) before beginning a placement. Work Experience placements should also be designed to enable students to achieve a set of goals that are identified specifically for such placements and that call for students to:
These target expectations for Work Experience correspond in large measure to the 12 prescribed learning outcomes identified here under ³Links Between CAPP and Work Experience.² For additional information regarding Work Experience, teachers should consult the Work Experience Handbook.
Links Between CAPP and Work Experience
The Work Experience component of CAPP provides a means of enabling students to achieve the following prescribed learning outcomes for grades 11 and 12 (bracketed references following each outcome identify the organizer under which the outcome has been placed).
It is expected that students will:
Not all Work Experience placements will ensure that all prescribed learning outcomes on this list will be met. In these cases, some additional activities and assessment will be required.
Suggested Instructional Strategies
Instructional strategies have been included for each curriculum organizer or suborganizer and grade level. These strategies are suggestions only, designed to provide guidance for generalist and specialist teachers planning instruction to meet the prescribed learning outcomes. The strategies may be either teacher directed or student directed, or both.
There is not necessarily a one-to-one relationship between learning outcomes and instructional strategies, nor is this organization intended to prescribe a linear means of course delivery. It is expected that teachers will adapt, modify, combine, and organize instructional strategies to meet the needs of students and to respond to local requirements.
Suggested Assessment Strategies
The assessment strategies in this IRP describe a variety of ideas and methods for gathering evidence of student performance, and provide examples of criteria for assessing the extent to which the prescribed learning outcomes have been met. Teachers determine the best assessment methods for gathering this information.
The assessment strategies or criteria examples for a particular organizer or suborganizer are always specific to that component of the curriculum. Some strategies relate to particular activities, while others are general and could apply to any activity.
Assessment is the systematic process of gathering information about students' learning in order to describe what they know, are able to do, and are working toward. From the evidence and information collected in assessments, teachers describe each student's learning and performance. They use this information to provide students with ongoing feedback, plan further instructional and learning activities, set subsequent learning goals, and determine areas for further instruction and intervention. Teachers determine the purpose, aspects, or attributes of learning on which to focus the assessment. They also decide when to collect the evidence and which assessment methods, tools, or techniques are most appropriate.
Assessment focusses on the critical or significant aspects of the learning that students will be asked to demonstrate. Students benefit when they clearly understand the learning goals and learning expectations.
Evaluation involves interpreting assessment information in order to make further decisions (e.g., set student goals, make curricular decisions, plan instruction). Student performance is evaluated from the information collected through assessment activities. Teachers use their insight, knowledge about learning, and experience with students, along with the specific criteria they establish, to make judgments about student performance in relation to learning outcomes.
Students benefit when evaluation is provided on a regular, ongoing basis. When evaluation is seen as an opportunity to promote learning rather than as a final judgment, it shows learners their strengths and suggests how they can develop further. Students can use this information to redirect efforts, make plans, and establish future learning goals.
The assessment of student performance is based on a wide variety of methods and tools, ranging from portfolio assessment to pencil-and-paper tests. Appendix D includes a more detailed discussion of assessment and evaluation.
The Provincial Learning Assessment Program gathers information on students' performance throughout the province. Results from these assessments are used in the development and revision of curricula, and provide information about teaching and learning in British Columbia. Where appropriate, knowledge gained from these assessments has influenced the assessment strategies suggested in this IRP.
The provincial reference sets can also help teachers assess the skills that students acquire across curricular areas. These are:
A series of assessment handbooks developed to provide guidance for teachers as they explore and expand their assessment repertoires is also available:
.
Integration of Cross-Curricular Interests
Throughout the curriculum development and revision process, the development team has done its best to ensure that relevance, equity, and accessibility issues are addressed in this IRP. These issues have been integrated into the learning outcomes, suggested instructional strategies, and assessment strategies in this IRP with respect to the following:
(See Appendix C, Cross-Curricular Interests, for more information.)
Learning Resources
The Ministry of Education promotes the establishment of a resource-rich learning environment through the evaluation of educationally appropriate materials intended for use by teachers and students. The media formats include, but are not limited to, materials in print, video, and software, as well as combinations of these formats. Resources that support provincial curricula are identified through an evaluation process that is carried out by practising teachers. It is expected that classroom teachers will select resources from those that meet the provincial criteria and that suit their particular pedagogical needs and audiences. Teachers who wish to use non-provincially recommended resources to meet specific local needs must have these resources evaluated through a local district approval process.
The use of learning resources involves the teacher as a facilitator of learning. However, students may be expected to have some choice in materials for specific purposes, such as independent reading or research. Teachers are encouraged to use a variety of resources to support learning outcomes at any particular level. A multimedia approach is also encouraged.Some selected resources have been identified to support cross-curricular focus areas. The ministry also considers special-needs audiences in the evaluation and annotation of learning resources. As well, special-format versions of some selected resources (braille and taped-book formats) are available.Learning resources for use in BC schools fall into one of two categories: provincially recommended materials orlocally evaluated materials.All learning resources used in schools must have recommended designation or be approved through district evaluation and approval policies.
Materials evaluated through the provincial evaluation process and approved through Minister's Order are categorized as recommended materials. These resources are listed in Appendix B of each IRP.
Locally Evaluated Materials
Learning resources may be approved for use according to district policies, which provide for local evaluation and selection procedures.
Revised: June 4, 2002
BC
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