Page 26 - Social Sciences Humanities - The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9 to 12 - 2013

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
BASIC CONSIDERATIONS
Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools, First Edition, Covering Grades 1 to 12, 2010 sets out the Ministry of Education’s assessment, evaluation, and reporting policy. The policy aims to maintain high standards, improve student learning, and benefit students, parents, and teachers in elementary and secondary schools across the province. Successful implementation of this policy depends on the professional judgement4 of educators at all levels as well as on their ability to work together and
to build trust and confidence among parents and students.
A brief summary of some major aspects of the current assessment, evaluation, and reporting policy, with a focus on policy relating to secondary schools, is given below. Teachers should refer to Growing Success for more detailed information.
Fundamental Principles
The primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning.
The following seven fundamental principles lay the foundation for rich and challenging practice. When these principles are fully understood and observed by all teachers, they will guide the collection of meaningful information that will help inform instructional decisions, promote student engagement, and improve student learning.
To ensure that assessment, evaluation, and reporting are valid and reliable, and that they lead to the improvement of learning for all students, teachers use practices and procedures that:
• are fair, transparent, and equitable for all students;
• support all students, including those with special education needs, those who are learning the language of instruction (English or French), and those who are First Nation, Métis, or Inuit;
4. “Professional judgement”, as defined in Growing Success (p. 152), is “judgement that is informed by professional knowledge of curriculum expectations, context, evidence of learning, methods of instruction and assessment, and the criteria and standards that indicate success in student learning. In professional practice, judgement involves a purposeful and systematic thinking process that evolves in terms of accuracy and insight with ongoing reflection and self-correction”.
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