Canadian Council on Learning | Conseil Canadien sur l'Apprentissage

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This page provides some quick links to a variety of information on structured learning from Kindergarten to Grade 12.

The Impact of Experiential Learning Programs on Student Success

Experiential learning complements students’ academic learning and provides youth with experiences and knowledge that maximize their growth and development while meeting their needs for career exploration.

CCL was contracted by the Ontario Ministry of Education to undertake a systematic rapid evidence assessment (SREA) of the research literature devoted to examining the effects of experiential learning (EL) programs on student success.

Reports
Student Success / Learning to 18 Strategy In its report, Evaluation of the Ontario Ministry of Education’s Student Success/Learning to 18 Strategy, CCL reviews the Ministry’s strategy, concluding that there has been a positive shift in Ontario’s publicly funded high school culture over the last four years to a focus on the learner. News release Student Success / Learning to 18 (SS/L18) Strategy Stage 1 Report (PDF, 415 KB), July 27, 2007 Stage 2 Final Report (PDF, 2.8 MB), Jan. 15, 2009
Cost of Dropping Out A new commissioned report presents the estimated costs—to individuals and the state—of dropping out of high school in Canada.

Reports

Student Success / Learning to 18 Strategy
In its report, Evaluation of the Ontario Ministry of Education’s Student Success/Learning to 18 Strategy, CCL reviews the Ministry’s strategy, concluding that there has been a positive shift in Ontario’s publicly funded high school culture over the last four years to a focus on the learner.

News release
Student Success / Learning to 18 (SS/L18) Strategy
Stage 1 Report (PDF, 415 KB), July 27, 2007
Stage 2 Final Report (PDF, 2.8 MB), Jan. 15, 2009

Cost of Dropping Out
A new commissioned report presents the estimated costs—to individuals and the state—of dropping out of high school in Canada.

Videos
Evolving Education: Learning in the 21st Century Evolving Education is a three-part video series that presents viewers with compelling questions about the way we educate students and offers successful, if provocative, answers. The series celebrates three case studies that reflect the ideas of John Abbott, an advocate of cognitive apprenticeship.
Promising Practices Action Schools! BC, a Vancouver-based program, helps re-introduce physical activity to the classroom. The Promising Practices series highlights effective lifelong learning practices across Canada.

Minerva Lecture Series
The Minerva Lecture Series was created to foster discussion between Canadian learning researchers and citizens from across the country. The Minerva Lecture Series is a unique opportunity to understand how research can inform and affect learning for all at different stages of life.
What’s so special about learning to read in a second language? Dr. Esther Geva,OISE/UT
Early childhood bilingualism: Perils and possibilities Dr. Fred H. Genesee, McGill University
School success and educational reforms: Why is it so difficult to increase the performance of our educational systems? Dr. Clermont Gauthier, Laval University
Cultivating a flexible mind: Can you learn how to learn for life? Dr. Jacqueline Leighton, University of Alberta

Lessons in Learning
Lessons in Learning is published to provide Canadians with independent information about 'what works' in learning. Read articles related to on structured learning from Kindergarten to Grade 12 in Canada.
Educational toys: Learning to play or playing to learn?, May 5, 2010 Angry Youth: Learning to control aggressive behaviour, March 24, 2010 Learning and the arts: Can Mozart make you smarter?, March 10, 2010 Meeting the Demand for Trained Personnel in Canada’s Environmental Sector, February 10, 2010 The Video Game Debate: Bad for Behaviour, Good for Learning?, November 18, 2009 The effectiveness of work-experience programs in Canadian high schools, October 21, 2009 Effective literacy strategies for immigrant students, September 23, 2009 Learning about sex and sexual health, July 22, 2009 Making the environmental grade: The benefits of going green in the classroom, June 24, 2009 Promising practices in primary mathematics instruction, June 10, 2009 Homework helps, but not always, May 4, 2009 A barrier to learning: Mental health disorders among Canadian youth, April 15, 2009 Does placement matter? Comparing the academic performance of students with special needs in inclusive and separate settings, March 18, 2009 No “drop” in the bucket: the high costs of dropping out, February 4, 2009 Changing our schools: Implementing successful educational reform, January 15, 2009 The replacements – Non-permanent teachers, November 13, 2008 Understanding the academic trajectories of ESL students, October 2, 2008 Ready to learn? A look at school readiness in young children, September 18, 2008 Gappers: Taking time off between high school and post-secondary studies, June 26, 2008 Summer learning loss, June 12, 2008 Mixed Messages: How to choose among conflicting information to support healthy development in young children, May 29, 2008 Students on the move: Ways to address the impact of mobility among Aboriginal students, May 15, 2008 Bullying in Canada—how intimidation affects learning, March 20, 2008 Parents’ role in their children’s homework, February 7, 2008 Media literacy for children in the internet age, January 10, 2008 Parenting styles, behaviour and skills and their impact on young children, December 13, 2007 Creating the learners society needs: An examination of knowledge building, September 6, 2007 French-immersion Education in Canada, May 17, 2007 Equality in the classroom: The educational placement of children with disabilities, May 1, 2007 Informal science learning in Canada, April 18, 2007 Canada slow to overcome limits for disabled learners, February 26, 2007 The cultural divide in science education for Aboriginal learners, February 1, 2007 Let the children play: Nature’s answer to early learning, November 8, 2006 School enrolment trends in Canada, September 26, 2006 First language not necessarily linked to reading proficiency, May 12, 2006 The rural-urban gap in education, March 1, 2006 Falling voter turnout: Is it linked to diminished civics education?, 18 January 2006 Good news: Canada’s high-school dropout rates are falling, December 16, 2005 Student achievement: What should we really be measuring?, October 13, 2005 Making sense of the class size debate, September 14, 2005

Lessons in Learning

Lessons in Learning is published to provide Canadians with independent information about 'what works' in learning. Read articles related to on structured learning from Kindergarten to Grade 12 in Canada.

Educational toys: Learning to play or playing to learn?, May 5, 2010
Angry Youth: Learning to control aggressive behaviour, March 24, 2010
Learning and the arts: Can Mozart make you smarter?, March 10, 2010
Meeting the Demand for Trained Personnel in Canada’s Environmental Sector, February 10, 2010
The Video Game Debate: Bad for Behaviour, Good for Learning?, November 18, 2009
The effectiveness of work-experience programs in Canadian high schools, October 21, 2009
Effective literacy strategies for immigrant students, September 23, 2009
Learning about sex and sexual health, July 22, 2009
Making the environmental grade: The benefits of going green in the classroom, June 24, 2009
Promising practices in primary mathematics instruction, June 10, 2009
Homework helps, but not always, May 4, 2009
A barrier to learning: Mental health disorders among Canadian youth, April 15, 2009
Does placement matter? Comparing the academic performance of students with special needs in inclusive and separate settings, March 18, 2009
No “drop” in the bucket: the high costs of dropping out, February 4, 2009
Changing our schools: Implementing successful educational reform, January 15, 2009
The replacements – Non-permanent teachers, November 13, 2008
Understanding the academic trajectories of ESL students, October 2, 2008
Ready to learn? A look at school readiness in young children, September 18, 2008
Gappers: Taking time off between high school and post-secondary studies, June 26, 2008
Summer learning loss, June 12, 2008
Mixed Messages: How to choose among conflicting information to support healthy development in young children, May 29, 2008
Students on the move: Ways to address the impact of mobility among Aboriginal students, May 15, 2008
Bullying in Canada—how intimidation affects learning, March 20, 2008
Parents’ role in their children’s homework, February 7, 2008
Media literacy for children in the internet age, January 10, 2008
Parenting styles, behaviour and skills and their impact on young children, December 13, 2007
Creating the learners society needs: An examination of knowledge building, September 6, 2007
French-immersion Education in Canada, May 17, 2007
Equality in the classroom: The educational placement of children with disabilities, May 1, 2007
Informal science learning in Canada, April 18, 2007
Canada slow to overcome limits for disabled learners, February 26, 2007
The cultural divide in science education for Aboriginal learners, February 1, 2007
Let the children play: Nature’s answer to early learning, November 8, 2006
School enrolment trends in Canada, September 26, 2006
First language not necessarily linked to reading proficiency, May 12, 2006
The rural-urban gap in education, March 1, 2006
Falling voter turnout: Is it linked to diminished civics education?, 18 January 2006
Good news: Canada’s high-school dropout rates are falling, December 16, 2005
Student achievement: What should we really be measuring?, October 13, 2005
Making sense of the class size debate, September 14, 2005

TVO Series: Gorilla parenting from The Jungle Room
Gorilla Parenting from The Jungle Room takes viewers into the parenting trenches by addressing questions modern parents confront daily. This video series was first broadcast on TVO and produced by Sinking Ship Entertainment with support from CCL.

Releases
‘One size does not fit all’ when it comes to supporting immigrants’ school integration, new report shows, September 23, 2009 Evidence shows homework is effective—but not always, May 4, 2009 Parents allowing less time for video/computer games than television, February 23, 2009 Cost Estimates of Dropping Out of High School in Canada, February 4, 2009 Ontario education strategy is improving secondary school learning, January 15, 2009 Canadian Parents Taking Action to Gain Educational Advantages for Their Children, Survey Says, November 26, 2007 Information strategy necessary to measure success in early childhood learning, says CCL, August 29, 2007

Releases

‘One size does not fit all’ when it comes to supporting immigrants’ school integration, new report shows, September 23, 2009
Evidence shows homework is effective—but not always, May 4, 2009
Parents allowing less time for video/computer games than television, February 23, 2009
Cost Estimates of Dropping Out of High School in Canada, February 4, 2009
Ontario education strategy is improving secondary school learning, January 15, 2009
Canadian Parents Taking Action to Gain Educational Advantages for Their Children, Survey Says, November 26, 2007
Information strategy necessary to measure success in early childhood learning, says CCL, August 29, 2007

Profiles in Learning
Profiles in Learning is CCL’s ongoing series of feature articles exploring the unique lives and learning experiences of eminent Canadians.
Reading, writing, arithmetic (and repetition) Robert Bateman’s vision for Canadian kids, May 14, 2009	The confidence to dare Silken Laumann’s bold approach to learning, May 1, 2007