Resourcing Educators' Professional Learning: A Pan-Canadian Perspective

• In Event: The Dreams, Possibilities, and Necessity of Educators' Professional Learning in North America

Abstract

Objectives: This paper reports on data around the resourcing of educators’ professional learning from several Canadian educational jurisdictions, collected as part of a larger national study on the overall state of professional learning in Canada. More specifically, the paper aims to shed light on the status of three key resources as identified in the overall study of professional learning in Canada: funding, time, and people.

Methods: Drawing on evidence from the larger overall study of professional learning in Canada, this paper specifically focused on data related to the resourcing of professional learning. This included an intensive review of the academic literature, OCED publications, and, where possible, publically and privately available documents from both teacher federations and Ministries/Departments of education. Survey and interview data gathered as part of the data collection process for the larger study also served to inform the paper.

Results: Owing partly to Canada’s educational governance structure (no federal body of education and 13 independent provincial/territorial jurisdictions), there is no common budgeting or reporting structure around professional learning. Hence, finding accurate data on the level of funding for professional learning was challenging. Funding for professional learning can also come from a variety of sources (e.g., government, teacher federations, and as part of special project funding), adding to the difficulty of calculating an actual dollar figure on the amount spent of professional learning across the country. Further to this, the availability and allocation of funding for professional development varies extensively within and across provinces, territories, districts, local associations, and schools, resulting in inequitable access for educators, particularly those who are located in rural areas and have higher travel costs. The issue of funding also spills over and is tied to both the allocation of professional learning time embedded during the school day and the provision of trained personal. Hence, our findings suggest that inequitable access is, partly, the result of inadequate provision of a particular combination of resources in each jurisdiction (even regions within jurisdictions). For example, it some cases participants reported that adequate funding is available but inadequate time during the school day and inadequate levels of personnel (e.g., substitute teachers). In almost all jurisdictions, teachers reported having a general lack of time to collaborate with colleagues, to learn to use resources, transfer learning into day-to-day practices, or quite simply participate in professional. Personnel challenges connected to professional learning in Canada coalesced around staff for supply coverage (too few in number) and difficulty accessing consultants or facilitators (unable or unwilling to travel to all regions of a district or provincial/territorial jurisdiction).

Significance: While the matter of quality has received ample attention in the professional learning literature—and rightly so—the resources required to deliver high quality professional learning has received comparatively scant regard (Gulanhussein, 2013; Sawchuk, 2010). The paper has the potential to raise awareness and generate discussion about the importance of a more holistic approach to the resources invested in professional learning and how those resources can be distributed in a manner that promotes equitable access.

Authors

• Brenton Cyriel Faubert, University of Western Ontario

• Carol Campbell, University of Toronto - OISE

• Pamela Janie Osmond-Johnson, University of Regina