How Educated are Nova Scotians? Education Indicators for the Nova Scotia Genuine Progress Index Prepared by GPI Atlantic February 2008

2 Most used measures tell us more about labour market conditions than about educational attainment + send conflicting messages. E.g. Alberta has the lowest high school graduation rate and the second highest drop out rate among provinces (because lucrative jobs are available), but the highest standardized test results (partly because higher performers remain in school). At the same time, Atlantic Canada has the lowest drop out rates, the highest graduation rates, yet scores the lowest on standardized test results.

3 Explaining the Difference 2003 CMEC data: Alberta graduation rate = 10% below Nova Scotia. Difference between Nova Scotia and Alberta PISA scores = just under 10%. According to Dr. Michael Corbett (Acadia Educ.): “By having a more exclusive high school system Alberta adjusts underperforming students out of the school door and into the workforce. As it happens Alberta has an economy that can absorb a considerable amount of educational underachievement. Here in Nova Scotia we don't have that luxury.”

4 Standardized tests -- what do they measure? Also reflect labour market conditions – i.e. who remains in school to be tested Scores often reflect and reinforce socio-economic inequalities Tests focus on a few academic subject areas -- math, science, reading/writing. Are these more important than art, history, or social studies? Standardized testing pressures teachers to “teach to the test,” at expense of other non-test subjects Standardized test results can be misused and manipulated to support calls for questionable reform

Average scores in the PISA math assessment by quartile of family socioeconomic status, 15-year-olds, Canada and provinces, 2003

6 What these quantitative “output” measures don’t tell us – esp. “outcomes”: How educated the populace is, and whether we are getting wiser and more knowledgeable Whether we’re learning what we need to know to live well and sustainably, & improve our wellbeing What and how we learn from non-school sources (media, family, community etc.) Anything about the quality of education, and the quality of information in the learning environment…. Etc.

7 So What is an “Educated Populace”? An “Educated Populace” has the knowledge and skills required to foster wellbeing in individuals and in the population as a whole —that is to live full and healthy lives, have decent jobs, participate actively in their communities as citizens, and understand the interdependence of the world in which they live, without imperiling these prospects for future generations.

8 Framework for indicators of an educated populace POPULACE Wisdom and Values CONTEXT (determinants) LEARNING OUTCOMES ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY & SUSTAINABILITY (UNDESD) SOCIAL OUTCOMES ( GPI Domains) Population Health Time Use Living Standards Human Impact on the Environment Social Capital Natural Capital To live together To do To be To know

9 YET…Literacy flat, despite more schooling “More analytical work is required to explore the factors around the lack of overall change in the literacy performance of Canadians.” (Statistics Canada) “We urgently need to understand why our current literacy and learning programs are not succeeding in order to develop more effective approaches.” (Canadian Council on Learning)

Average prose literacy scores across selected regions and provinces, Canadian population aged 16 and over, 1994 and 2003

Average document literacy scores across selected regions and provinces, Canadian population aged 16 and over, 1994 and 2003

12 Percentile scores of correct answers to general political knowledge questions, by age group, 1984, 1993, 1997, and 2000

Ecological Literacy? Footprint by Educational Attainment, Canada, 2005 (1st time)

Average debt from government student loans at graduation, by province, classes of 1995 and 2000 ($2000)

15 Average amount borrowed (all sources) for the 2003 degree, post-2003 degree education or both, by Maritime province of graduation, 2005 ($2005)

16 Average undergraduate university tuition fees, Canada and provinces, 1990/1991, 2005/2006, 2007/2008 (in 2005 constant dollars)

17 Employment rate of full-time students, 20–24 years of age, Canada, 1976–2006

18 Average work hours per week during the school year for full-time students, aged 18–24 years, Canada, 1976–2006

19 Average work hours per week during the school year for full-time students, aged 18–24 years, provinces, 1976, 1986, 1996, 2006

20 Incidence of advertising in Canada’s public elementary and secondary schools, by percentage, 2003/2004

21 Public versus private share of sponsored research at Canadian universities, 1972–2005

22 Where to from Here? What’s Next? Key Messages: 1.We have not answered the question: How educated are Nova Scotians? 2.Conventional output indicators can’t do so 3.Development of new indicators, data sources, measurement methods is needed – a ‘paradigm shift’ (NS Education Dept.) 4.See Report Appendix: Comprehensive list of “ideal” indicators (yet this summary necessary for 2008 completion of NS GPI)

23 The Good News 3 years GPI research uncovered good models, measures of arts literacy, media literacy, health literacy, food and nutrition literacy, civic literacy, multicultural literacy, Indigenous knowledge literacy, statistics literacy, ecological literacy, and science literacy. + Wisdom scales, informal and non-formal learning, ETC. – Available in other places, not yet Canada

Recommendation: Create required data -> Canadian Knowledge Survey (11+ literacies) (or Maritime KS? - MPHEC - available to NS Ed) Good education indicators = glue, binding factor, connective tissue between all GPI components – link learning outcomes to social outcomes – e.g. health, civic, ecological literacy, etc. 24