By Chris Brown

Education changes

Alberta’s new education curriculum to offer a social studies curriculum ‘without political bias’

Aug 6, 2020 | 10:39 AM

Education Minister Adriana LaGrange says Alberta’s new vision for student learning will give them a foundation of literacy and numeracy, and a knowledge of the rich and diverse history of Alberta and Canada.

She adds it emphasizes civic virtues, core knowledge and the outcomes students need to succeed both in school and throughout life.

“Education in Alberta will promote to the acquisition of skills and the pursuit of knowledge with wisdom while valuing equality of opportunity, parental responsibility, personal responsibility and excellence and respect for difference and the inherent dignity of each individual,” LaGrange says.

Under the plan, LaGrange says students will “explore life opportunities that develop their unique talents and potential, provide a sense of purpose and belonging and affirm the dignity of work. They will become lifelong learners who will cultivate the virtues of wisdom, courage, self-control justice, charity and hope.”

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“It will include a social studies curriculum that is taught without political bias, offering an objective understanding of Alberta, Canadian and world history,” LaGrange said.

LaGrange also said the new curriculum moves away from an “ideological bent” that UCP members heard about from constituents while campaigning in 2019.

When pressed, LaGrange could not provide a specific example of bias in the social studies curriculum.

The new curriculum will also have financial literacy as a mandatory element woven throughout the entire curriculum and it will teach consent as an essential part of the health and wellness curriculum, LaGrange said. It will be created through a reform process that begins by determining the key knowledge and skills Alberta students should possess by the time of their high school education.

She went on to call the ministerial order signed today a return to proven teaching methods that will set up Alberta students for rich personal and work lives, and the cornerstone for future curriculum development which has charted the course for the government to honour other curriculum campaign commitments.

“We now have a new ministerial order on student learning that no longer focuses on constructivist approaches to learning,” the minister said.

Angus McBeath, chair, Curriculum Advisory Panel, highlighted measures toward equality in the curriculum.

“We want every Alberta student and their family to appear in the curriculum,” he said. “We don’t want students to say schooling appears to be about everybody else but me.”

LaGrange said participating schools will start piloting this curriculum in Grades K-6 classrooms in September 2021 and a draft curriculum for Grades 7-10 will be ready for classroom validation in September 2022.

The work by the curriculum advisory panel was augmented by input gathered directly from roughly 8,500 Albertans and education stakeholders, LaGrange said.