The International Observatory on Academic Achievement - Documentary search

File number :
CS-APE-13e

Bibliographic reference :
Deniger, M.A., & Kamanzi, C. (2004). Évaluation du nouveau programme de formation de l’école québécoise : la qualité de la mise en œuvre et ses effets perçus à ce jour. Enquête auprès des directions d’école, du personnel enseignant, des professionnels non enseignants et des parents des écoles primaires du Québec. Québec, Université Laval : Groupe d’analyse politique de l’éducation (GAPE), Centre de recherche et d’intervention sur la réussite scolaire (CRIRES), 38 pages.

Abstract :

This report is part of a research project designed to gain an understanding of and assess the progress of implementation of the school curriculum reform in Quebec (Canada), which began in the fall of 2001.

Purpose of Study
The study had three main objectives: 1) to gain an understanding of the curriculum reform implementation context; 2) to verify the understanding, support and engagement of the players concerned; and 3) to report on the implementation so far in terms of positive points, obstacles encountered, possible improvements and recommendations, in order to support the players and implement the new education program successfully.

Assessment
A survey questionnaire was sent to all the 2029 French- and English-language primary schools in Quebec. Four categories of education players were surveyed: school administrators, teaching staff, non-teaching professionals and parents.

Main Results
The researchers summarize the highlights of implementation of the Quebec school curriculum reform, including positive points, negative points and suggestions made by various groups. They also draw up general profiles for each group.
1) School administrators, seen as "enthusiastic reform partisans", were the most satisfied with the reform; however, they expressed a number of reservations concerning teacher training, material and financial resources, competency assessment methods, and parental involvement.
2) Teaching staff, seen as "sceptical reform artisans", represented the most critical group. Not only did they share the reservations expressed by school administrators, but also added their own criticism pertaining to the applicability of certain concepts to the bases of the reform, to the realism of certain anticipated reform outcomes, and to the scope of the effects observed.
3) Non-teaching professionals, seen as "late passengers", considered that they had not been well trained or properly informed, and shared the above groups' negative opinions of the evaluation, materials and financial resources.
4) Parents, seen as "confused supporters", supported the reform but said that they had problems understanding it and felt little involved.

The authors then go over their main findings in terms of information, training, support, understanding of the new program, program support, the capacity to change of players and their schools, steering of the reform, engagement, and perceived effects to date. After that, they interpret these same results in light of these control variables: gender, years of education experience, education cycle, and the school socioeconomic environment. Lastly, they provide a series of recommendations at the end of the report.

Links :
http://www.ulaval.ca/crires/html/pubgra.html

Key Words :
School Reform, Implementation, Capacity to Change, Effects, Curriculum, Understanding, Support, Engagement, Primary School, Elementary School

Monitored Countries :
Quebec (Canada)