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We are currently witnessing the globalization of educational reforms. In such a context, ideological battles are often fiercely waged and prone to polarization. Both advocates and adversaries tend to adopt radical positions that render the balanced discussion and informed analysis of different educational reforms’ contributions to school success a difficult and sometimes even an impossible task. The goal of this paper is to examine educational reforms and school success through another lens, namely that afforded by research. In fact, the aim is to ascertain whether results from research on teaching currently exist that demonstrate positive impacts for the latter on student learning. The central question at the core of this paper is therefore: what are the pedagogical or teaching approaches that seem to best support student learning?
In light of the results gleaned from the research that has examined this question, we can be in a better position to understand why the educational reforms that have of late been implemented in a number of countries seem to have little impact on student performance.
Vol. 2, Special Issue, Article 1: Réussite scolaire et réformes éducatives (PDF, 654 KB)
Clermont Gauthier is Professor of Educational Psychology in the Faculty of Education at Université Laval, located in Quebec City. He holds the Canada Research Chair in the Study of Teacher Training.
A noted expert in the areas of teacher education, educational foundations, and instructional practice, Dr. Gauthier has extensively studied the impacts of major changes on teachers’ practices in contemporary educational systems. Over the course of a career spanning nearly three decades, he has published 30 books, some 100 articles and book chapters, and delivered more than 200 presentations at various national and international conferences on the foundations and history of education, particularly those of Quebec, as well as on pedagogy and teacher training.
He was the university representative on the Québec government's advisory committee on teacher education and an expert member of the committee mandated in 2000 by Québec's Ministry of Education to develop new skills and directions for instructional training. He also served as Secretary of the Committee of the Estates-General on Education of 1996 for the greater Québec City area.
Internationally, Dr. Gauthier has conducted studies on teaching and teacher training for UNESCO, the OECD, and the World Bank. He has also taught in various countries, including a number of developing countries, a reflection of his commitment to education the world over.
Steve Bissonnette is a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and Psychology at the Université du Québec en Outaouais.
Mario Richard is a professor at the Téléuniversité.
How to cite this article
Gauthier, C., Bissonnette, S. & Richard, M. (2009). Réussite scolaire et réformes éducatives. Journal of Applied Research on Learning, 2 (special issue), Article 1, pp. 1-14.
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