Alberta social studies curriculum being tested by a handful of private school teachers only
CBC
Just a couple of Alberta teachers are piloting each grade level of proposed new social studies and fine arts curricula, according to data obtained by CBC News.
The data shows teachers in 61 schools across the province are pilot testing the current drafts of most subjects.
The seven schools piloting social studies are private schools, according to information released in response to a CBC freedom of information request filed in September.
A breakdown by grade shows that one teacher is piloting the kindergarten social studies curriculum, three are testing Grade 5, and two teachers are trying all other elementary grade levels.
Curriculum experts say it would be invalid to conclude the results from such a limited scope would apply across the province.
"It was clear that most school authorities were profoundly uncomfortable testing this program of studies," said David Scott, an associate professor of curriculum and learning at the University of Calgary with expertise in social studies curriculum. "And we have in no way any sort of representative sample."
The current iteration of Alberta's proposed new elementary curriculum has been under fire since late 2020, when teachers and academics panned drafts leaked from the ministry.
The Alberta government has already pledged to rework the elementary social studies curriculum.
Critics say the United Conservative Party's approach is Eurocentric, relies on forced memorization over understanding and isn't based on current research about how children learn, among other criticisms.
Teachers, academics, Indigenous people, Francophones, Black Albertans and others say they've either been excluded from the process or their involvement was superficial and tokenistic.
In addition to a public survey and steps to gather feedback from school boards and other education organizations, the government also asked teachers to test the new material in classrooms.
Last year, the government said around 360 teachers — less than one per cent of the provincial total — would test all subjects in all grades with around 7,800 students.
Education Minister Adriana LaGrange had said she hoped up to 10 per cent of schools would be involved. Fifty six school boards representing about 95 per cent of students in the public system refused to participate.
After the government refused to provide further details on the pilot, CBC filed a freedom of information request for a list of schools involved, the number of teachers and how many were piloting each subject at each grade level.