Journal two – reflections on the Cegep system – includes link to new Ministerial suggestions for making the system better.
Journal three – reflections on Marcia Baxter Magolda’s theoretical framework of knowledge – obviously, I can’t reproduce her work here, but I have included a link to a review of the book in question.
I made it all the way through a govt brochure, go me!
This topic was one I felt I should comment on, being a product of the CEGEP system myself. I went through the Social Sciences program at Dawson in 1996 during the Garon regime. In addition to the Humanities, Englishes, Frenches, Phys Eds, Core and Complementary courses I also had the English Exit Exam and the Epreuve Synthese to write (after taking Quantative Methods, Research Methods and the Integrative Seminar,) in order to graduate.
I’m not exactly sure what changes have gone on in the system since then, but when I was there I found there wasn’t very much choice as to course selection. They’d give you the illusion of choice, you can choose between X or Y but that was it, what about the rest of the alphabet?
One of my brothers and my sister have been in the system since and it seemed they have even less choice, even Social Sciences is being broken into specialized clusters, the emphasis seems to be to winnow it down. The choice was the lure of CEGEP, you had a chance to try a little of everything before pigeonholing yourself into something forever.
I found this interesting in the proposed measures: “Make it possible for colleges to award intermediate certificates to students who have attained a set of objectives and standards corresponding to a significant portion of a DCS program.” What does this mean exactly? Will people be able to get a demi-degree? Unfortunately Pierre’s not bright enough to graduate, but we gave him this lovely parting gift…
Or this: “Make it possible to mention, on students’ transcripts, any volunteer work that shows that they have used their intelligence and talent for the benefit of the community.” Tres bizarre. There would be a specific class so they could get credit for it or just an addendum on their transcript?
I remember having to do volunteer work in high school, we had a supervisor who signed off on how many hours we did. Now the shoe’s on the other foot, I find myself signing for people who do community service hours for fines…
Oh my God this turned out longer than I expected. Sorry ’bout that.
Don’t apologize, this is great! I absolutely agree about the lack of choice – at my Cegep, Social Science students now have a total of TWO complementary courses – and one of them has to be a computer course. In other words, in the four years they spend with us, they can only take one course outside of the program-specific and CORE courses. It sucks!
I’m hoping that the proposed changes (which won’t be enacted, if at all, until at least May) will mean a little more flexibility.
My reaction to the intermediate certificate was just like yours – no, no, you’re not a drop-out, you’re a certificate holder. Basically, I see this as completely self-serving on the gov’s part – we’ll greatly reduce the drop-out rate, without having to actually keep the students in school.
A little off track but did you know that in most arab countries education is free for as long as you care, or can afford, to be schooled. In all likelihood, the U.S. army has bagged more than its fair share of doctors.
Interesting – but if there’s one good thing I have to say about the USA it’s the free education for the military!