Société Macdonald-Cartier Society

The Société Macdonald-Cartier Society Reacts To Report on Learning

on Oct 19 in Latest Press Releases by admin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Société Macdonald-Cartier Society Reacts To Report on Learning

Reaction from youth-led organization on the final report from Canadian Council on Learning

MONTREAL, QC. October 19, 2011 – The Société Macdonald-Cartier Society has reviewed the final report presented by the Canadian Council on Learning on October 11. Our organization is most concerned about the report’s conclusion that the failure to adequately emphasize Citizenship and civics in K-12 classrooms, and agrees it is a troubling trend. During the secondary-school years, youth develop the skills and knowledge that they need to become successful adults.

The Society would like to highlight the following as the most important findings under the “Kindergarten to Grade 12” section of the report:

• Canada has the weakest record in teaching national history that we are aware of.
• The continuing trend of indifference among youth to participation in democratic and civic exercises, as well as a widespread ignorance of Canadian cultural and social life.
• Most Canadian provinces require only one high-school course in Canadian history, often teaching historical narratives that are markedly different from those which are conveyed in other regions.
• As a result of this disparity and of our failure to develop shared mandatory curricula for civics and citizenship, there is very little sense of common identity among young people, whether Canadian-born or new Canadians.

The report also points out that “[f]or many years, a complacent argument against a shared history curriculum has been the alleged incompatibility of historical interpretation, depending on ethnic origin or language. The fatuousness of this argument has been laid bare in recent years by the ability of German and French educators, working collaboratively, to write common history books to be used in schools in both countries. Many similar examples may be found that relate peoples whose interactions have been catastrophically bloody. Yet views of Canadian pasts are frequently claimed to be so opposed that a common reading of history is not possible, except in television series.”

The reports also recommends that “Canada should develop common, shared learning outcomes” and explains that adopting such an approach would allow “for harmonization, similar to models in Switzerland or Australia”. The Society welcomes this recommendation, especially in the subjects of civics and Canadian history from grades 9-12 in English Canada, and from grades 9-11 and CEGEP in Quebec.

The section concludes that the “[p]riority in the development of shared national learning outcomes should be given to core disciplines” and that “[t]hese should include areas which are critical for a Canadian consciousness and identity, for civic participation in a democratic society”.

In reaction to the conclusions in the K-12 section of the report, Executive Director Immanuel Giulea has said that “The Society’s priority for civics, citizenship and Canadian history are aligned with the report’s conclusions and we concur that a strong grasp and understanding of civics and Canadian history through a unique curriculum, well-defined goals and mandatory study are key to achieve the objective of a democratic society”.

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The Society would like to highlight the following as the most important findings under the “Post-Secondary Education” section of the report:

• “Within the education sector — particularly within PSE — interpretation of Canada’s original constitutional arrangements from 1867 (British North America Act, BNA) have varied according to the ideologies and prevalent attitudes and context of each period. It is not the case that the initial wording of the BNA provides indisputable constitutional direction to a 21st Century Canada. This is especially true of public PSE, which was simply neither mentioned, nor even contemplated in the BNA.”
• “The economic and social benefits of pursuing post-secondary education [include a] skilled workforce is linked to higher productivity, innovation, economic growth, as well as to stronger communities with higher civic engagement and social cohesion”.
• “Individual benefits include better wages and job satisfaction, fewer periods of unemployment, and improved health and quality of life”.

In reaction to the conclusions in the report’s “Post-Secondary Education” section, Immanuel Giulea pointed out that “there already exists a certain degree of inter-provincial cooperation within the framework of the Council of Ministers of Education of Canada, and we certainly agree that the great work being done by the associations representing universities (AUCC) and community colleges (ACCC) tends to fill the national policy vacuum.”

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The Society would like to highlight the following as the most important findings under the “Adult Learning” section of the report:

• Adult learning is defined by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as “all forms of education or training taken by adults (those aged 25 and over) for professional or personal reasons.”
• “Adult learning can take many forms, including returning to formal education, and non-formal and informal learning activities. It can include job-related education and training, participation in community and civic activities, attendance at cultural events, exposure to the media, and learning through information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as the internet.”
• “Adult learning can occur in many contexts, including in the home, at the workplace and in the community, and can be beneficial to adults of all levels of education and skills development”.

In reaction to the conclusions in the report’s “Adult Learning” section, Immanuel Giulea added that “The Society agrees that for Canadians to maintain the skills and knowledge they need to make informed decisions and lead successful lives, as citizens and as members of their communities, continuous learning is much needed”.

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The upcoming launch of the Société Macdonald-Cartier Society’s two new programs, “History and Heritage” and “Civics and Government,” will reflect some of the recommendations of the CCL’s report. The report’s breakdown of three different levels of education aligns well with the three different age groups served by our two programs: senior high school level (students from grade 9-12, aged 15-17), at the post-secondary level (students in colleges/CEGEP and university, and non-students aged 18-24) and for those aged between 25 and 40. Each program will be tailored according to the needs of its respective audience. The two programs will be complemented by our “The National Conversation” program, which will serve to bring an historical perspective in analyzing and understanding current issues and future challenges in the public affairs sphere.

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The Société Macdonald-Cartier Society is one of Canada’s most dynamic youth-led non-profit organizations. Its mandate is to educate young leaders about Canadian history, heritage and culture; increase their level of civic literacy; and bring their voices and ideas to the nation’s public policy discourse.

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Immanuel Giulea, Founder and Executive Director, at immanuel@macdonaldcartier.org or 514-577-2669.

[1] Canadian Council on Learning, What is the Future of Learning in Canada? (Ottawa: 2011).
http://www.ccl-cca.ca/pdfs/CEOCorner/2010-10-11WhatistheFutureofLearninginCanada.pdf
The Canadian Council on Learning is an independent, not-for-profit corporation. Its mandate is to provide evidence-based information to Canadians so they can make the best decisions about learning throughout all stages of life, from early childhood through to the senior years. CCL will cease activities in the spring of 2012.