Prospects and realities of process education in Nova Scotian secondary schools

Abstract

This thesis examines process education in five high school social studies programs in Nova Scotia. An examination of a classroom learning environment, student learning styles, the use of in-depth coverage of subject matter rather than a survey format, and the active involvement of students in learning process begins the thesis. The research develops an explanation of what process education is, how student-centred and cooperative learning are aspects of process learning and the role of assessment and evaluation in the learning process. An in-depth discussion of various assessment and evaluation strategies in a process education classroom is a major component of this thesis. Research conducted in five high schools in Nova Scotia, concerning the degree of implementation of process education into high school social studies programs, revealed that process education is a valued teaching and learning strategy. As well, teachers with a Masters degree were rated as being more 'progressive' in their teaching strategies than teachers who had less than a Masters degree with regards to implementing process education strategies. The implications that this research will have with regards to alternative forms of assessment such as authentic assessment, performance assessment and proposed increased use of standardized testing is a key issue to the future of education in Nova Scotia.