Ontario touts 'new modernized classrooms resources' in schools this fall
· Toronto Sun
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Ontario elementary and high schools will return in the fall with some notable changes.
The provincial government is investing $60 million to equip teachers with modernized classroom resources via a new provincewide digital learning platform that was announced on Monday.
The province said students will have access to interactive learning tools, while educators will be able to identify learning gaps earlier.
“By giving teachers access to high-quality, curriculum-aligned resources, we are helping ensure students are learning the Ontario curriculum in a more consistent way across all 72 school boards,” Education Minister Paul Calandra said in a statement.
“ Teachers will have better information about student progress, helping them identify challenges earlier and respond more quickly to student needs. At the same time, school boards and the province will have a clearer picture of how students are performing across Ontario, helping identify trends to ensure resources and supports are directed where they are needed most.”
‘Ready-made’ lesson plans, other resources
As of September, all teachers will have access to Nelson Education’s Edwin platform covering grades 1-12 in both English and French, which is already used by some Ontario school boards.
Nelson Education Ltd. was selected through a competitive procurement process led by Supply Ontario.
“Teachers will be able to draw from a variety of materials organized by subject and grade, allowing them to find ready-made lesson plans or build their own using interactive tools, activities, videos and presentations,” said the province in a news release.
“Nelson Education’s Edwin implementation team will work with school boards to provide training materials and online demonstration sessions on how to use and access the resources.”
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Teachers can also continue to use supplementary educational materials in their classrooms approved by their board.
“Great things happen when students, educators and high-quality resources come together,” said Brendan Browne, the CEO of the Toronto Catholic District School Board, in a statement.
“Platforms like this help bring learning to life, giving students new ways to engage in their classrooms, while supporting educators in meeting the needs of every learner. Ultimately, it’s about creating the conditions for every student to succeed.”
The province is also releasing new mandatory changes to assessment standards for grades 9-12 to “bring greater consistency to grading and provide clearer guidelines for calculating final marks across subjects and grades,” said the Education Ministry’s release.