Examining Nova Scotia‟s Learning Outcomes Framework and the Developmental Appropriateness of Specific Curriculum Outcomes
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Date
2015-09
Authors
Griffioen, Olivia
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Publisher
Mount Saint Vincent University
Abstract
In 1994, the Atlantic provinces came together to develop the Atlantic Canada Framework for Essential Graduation Learnings, an educational framework that aimed to improve the quality of education for students in Nova Scotia. Currently in Nova Scotia, 25-32% of students are not meeting academic expectations in math and literacy and students performed lower than several other provinces in Canada on standardized academic tests. Nova Scotia‟s Learning Outcomes Framework is rooted in outcome-based education (OBE), an educational framework that has little reported success in the public education systems of other countries. Members of the public, educators, and academics in Nova Scotia have voiced concerns about the Learning Outcomes Framework and its impact on student learning and teacher workload. One concern by Nova Scotians is the developmental appropriateness of the specific outcomes. The present study reviewed the literature on OBE and developmentally appropriate education. Following the reviews, select specific outcomes from the Learning Outcomes Framework were compared to a Piagetian theory of cognitive development to generate recommendations for educators and other educational professionals to improve student achievement in Nova Scotia.
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Keywords
Outcome-based education , Learning outcomes , Education - Nova Scotia