Page 13 - THE ONTARIO CURRICULUM, GRADES 11 AND 12 | Cooperative Education

The following are the core beliefs that underpin successful implementation of experiential learning:
• Every student has a unique set of strengths, interests, needs, and aspirations.
• Every student can benefit from active participation in authentic experiential learning opportunities8 that are age- and developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive, and safe.
• Each experiential learning opportunity prepares the student for success in a future experience of greater intensity, sharper focus, and longer duration.
Central to effective experiential learning are the connections to communities and the relationships that are cultivated between and among students, teachers, and community partners. In experiential learning, students can be physically present (on-site experiences), they can use communication technologies (virtual experiences), or they can be involved in a combination of on-site and virtual experiences (blended experiences). Experiential learning therefore has the power and potential to provide increasingly authentic, dynamic, and engaging learning experiences as it opens the door to building teaching and learning relationships at the local, national, and global levels.
Experiential learning opportunities can take many forms, from field trips to job shadowing/ twinning to cooperative education, and they can have varying degrees of formality. While the nature and level of involvement by community partners (e.g., community representatives, placement supervisors, mentors) can vary, this document supports diverse community connections in the context of cooperative education, including connections with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit organizations. The relationships with community partners in cooperative education are characterized by meaningful collaboration as well as shared goals and commitments in the pursuit of student success through the curriculum. Schools and their community partners create and sustain authentic and relevant experiences of varying duration that are culturally responsive and appropriate for the age and development of the students.
Students who participate early – as early as Kindergarten and the primary grades – and often in a variety of experiential learning opportunities appreciate the value of these experiences and are well prepared to take part in cooperative education.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE COOPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM
The roles and responsibilities of students, parents,9 teachers, and principals, as well as community partners, including placement employers and supervisors,10 are described throughout this document, particularly in the sections that outline the essential processes for learning and the implementation stages (see “Essential Processes for Learning in Cooperative Education”, pages 21–29, and “Development and Implementation of Courses”, pages 31–36).
8. In this document, the terms “experiential learning opportunity”, “community context”, “community experience”, and “community connection” are used broadly in reference to various types of experiences that are possible in “experiential learning”. (See also “Other Forms of Experiential Learning” in Appendix B.) Other terms, such as “the placement”, ”the workplace”, and “the organization” or “the company”, may be used as well, depending on the nature of the experience or arrangement.
9. The word “parent(s)” is used in this document to refer to parent(s) and guardian(s). It may also be taken to include caregivers or close family members who are responsible for raising the child.
10. “Placement employer” refers to the person representing the business or organization. “Placement supervisor” refers to the individual or individuals who work with the student and guide the student’s learning.
THE IMPORTANCE OF COOPERATIVE EDUCATION
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