different ways to address the - quebec.ca

Cross-Curricular Competencies

The subject-specific competencies do not include all theskills students need to attain the objectives of the QuébecEducation Program. Cross-curricular competencies arealso necessary, and they can be developed only if theyare a focus in all subjects and all activities at school. Theyrepresent aspects of education that are the responsibil-ity of all school staff.

These cross-curricular competencies, which representgoals common to the whole curriculum, constitute the dif-ferent types of tools that schools believe students needin order to adapt to a variety of situations and continueto learn throughout their lives. They are mutually com-plementary, since all complex situations necessarily callfor more than one cross-curricular competency at a time.

The cross-curricular competencies apply to all the broadareas of learning and are also closely linked to the subject-specific competencies, which draw on them to varyingdegrees, thus contributing to their development. Cross-curricular competencies are developed both at school andelsewhere through a gradual process that begins at theelementary level and continues well beyond the sec-ondary level. They epitomize the principle of integratedlearning, insofar as they apply to all areas of learning(horizontal integration) and all the years of schooling(vertical integration).

The Québec Education Program contains nine cross-curricular competencies grouped in four categories:– intellectual: Uses information, Solves problems;

Exercises critical judgment; Uses creativity– methodological: Adopts effective work methods;

Uses information and communications technologies– personal and social: Achieves his/her potential;

Cooperates with others– communication-related: Communicates appropriately

Each cross-curricular competency is presented under fourheadings:– the Focus of the Competency indicates the compe-

tency’s function and nature– the Key Features of the Competency describe the com-

ponents– the Evaluation Criteria suggest ways to judge the extent

to which a student has developed the competency– the Developmental Profile gives an idea of how the

competency develops over time, particularly from theelementary to the secondary level,1 although experi-ence will provide a clearer understanding of this process

Different Ways to Address theCross-Curricular Competencies

Although the idea of cross-curricular competency mayseem new, it corresponds to the practices already usedby many teachers and other educators to encourage theirstudents to draw on their cognitive, social and emotionalresources in order to integrate knowledge better. In thissense, the cross-curricular competencies are not really anew feature of the curriculum, but rather a set of guide-lines that make it easier to identify important dimensionsof learning that should be used and worked on in all thesubject areas and in the broad areas of learning and, assuch, should not constitute the focus of students’ work,in isolation from any program content. They are thus ajoint responsibility; their development requires the con-certed effort of all members of the educational commu-nity. They must also be a focus of learning, because theycannot be developed unless they are intentionally calledupon, and students realize that they have learned some-thing and can reflect on their learning process.

Québec Education Program

3.1 Introduction

1. In this program, information on the cross-curricular competencies appliesto both cycles of secondary school.

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The intellectual competencies play an essential role inlearning and consequently concern all the subjects.Although some subject areas are more spontaneouslyassociated with certain cross-curricular competencies,they do not have a monopoly on them. All of the subjectareas can offer students many opportunities to call uponthem, to use them and to develop them.

For example, problem solving, which is usually associatedwith Mathematics, Science and Technology, may be usedin any subject as long as students do not simply repro-duce an existing procedure. Thus writing a text can easilyconstitute a problem-solving situation, as can consider-ing and discussing a moral issue. Similarly, although thedevelopment of creativity is most commonly associatedwith Arts Education, creativity can play a role in the othersubjects if the teachers make use of learning situationsthat encourage students to explore different avenues. Itis also important for students to use their critical judg-ment in many learning situations, particularly those call-ing for the validation of information, the questioning ofprejudices or prudence when they are urged to do vari-ous things.

The intellectual competencies, which are essential toolsin the integration of subject-specific knowledge, are alsouseful for dealing with problems or carrying out projectsrelated to the broad areas of learning.

The methodological competencies are closely linked to thetechniques, strategies and tools required in various sub-ject areas. Every subject constitutes an appropriate con-text for helping students to adopt effective work methodsand to use information and communications technologiesproperly. To develop these competencies, however, stu-dents must not only integrate the methodologicalapproaches normally associated with the subject, but alsorecognize and evaluate their personal learning styles. This

process has a metacognitive dimension, related to theknowledge students acquire about their own ways ofunderstanding and learning and the way in which theymanage them.

The personal and social competencies are related to sev-eral of the focuses of development of the broad areas oflearning, particularly those that deal with the adoptionof behaviours and attitudes—for example, Citizenship andCommunity Life clearly draws on the competency“Cooperates with others” and constitutes fertile groundfor the achievement of each student’s potential. Althoughsubject-specific or interdisciplinary learning situations thatgive students a chance to cooperate can also contributeto the development of these competencies, school andclassroom life, everyday teaching practices and positiverole models play a greater part in helping studentsdevelop the personal and social competencies.

The communication-related competency involves theassimilation of various modes of communication and theirappropriate use in a variety of contexts. The competencyCommunicates appropriately can be developed only if allschool staff share a concern for language quality and aneffort is made in every subject to use the many resourcesfor communication.

It should be emphasized that the cross-curricular com-petencies do not develop in isolation. While it may beuseful for pedagogical purposes to target one or two com-petencies in particular, according to their relative impor-tance in a given learning situation, they are generally usedin interaction with each other. By way of example, cre-ative thinking and problem solving are often linked, asare critical judgment and using information. Focusingdeliberately on any one competency necessarily involvesworking on several others at the same time.

The Evaluation of Cross-Curricular Competencies

The evaluation of competencies—whether cross-curricu-lar or subject-specific—serves essentially to facilitate theregulation of teaching and learning activities and toassess students’ learning. The nature of cross-curricularcompetencies and the fact that they concern differentaspects of cognitive, social and affective developmentmake it necessary to use a variety of approaches in eval-uating them.The observation of students’ behaviours, pro-cedures or attitudes during learning situations that callfor the competencies is one possible approach, as is stu-dent self-evaluation. From this perspective, it is importantto avoid establishing an exclusive one-to-one relationshipbetween a specific subject and the development—andhence the evaluation—of a specific cross-curricular com-petency.



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Societies today are characterized by the rapid growth ofknowledge concerning all manner of subjects and thegrowing accessibility of numerous and varied informationsources. Users must, however, perform increasingly com-plex operations in order to take full advantage of theseinformation sources that are not all of equal value. Inaddition to finding information, comparing it and assess-ing its value or appropriateness, they have to be able toorganize, process and synthesize it so that they can makeuse of it. Schools must therefore ensure that studentslearn how to locate what they are looking for and thatthey develop the cognitive flexibility required to processand use a broad variety of information effectively.

In secondary school, young people have access to a grow-ing amount of information through the media. Someinformation sources are less accessible to them thanothers, however, and it is important that they be able toconsult these sources as well. Schools have a responsi-bility to help students explore the wealth of informationthat is available, both by organizing the teaching processin an appropriate manner and by placing the necessarymaterial resources at students’ disposal.

Focus of the CompetencyEvery subject area provides a context in which studentscan develop and exercise this competency, but they haveto be given opportunities to do so. The subject-specificlearning situations should encourage them to use andprocess different types of data in order to acquire newknowledge. The broad areas of learning, because theyconcern interdisciplinary issues, also provide a usefulcontext in which students can exploit many informationsources.

3.2 Nine Cross-Curricular Competencies

COMPETENCY 1 Uses information


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Key Features of Competency 1

Evaluation Criteria

Developmental Profile

– Consultation of various sources

– Effective research strategies

– Critical analysis of information

– Logical organization of information

– Use of information in new contexts

In elementary school, children learn to rec-ognize information that is of interest to them inthe sources placed at their disposal. Graduallybroadening their range of sources, particularlyby reading, they learn to obtain and compareinformation from various sources and to distin-guish important data from data of secondaryimportance.

In secondary school, students more sponta-neously diversify their search for information,consulting databases, written, visual or audio-visual documents, multimedia, experts, etc.They gradually improve their capacity tomanage these different information sources,using more economical and effective researchstrategies. They develop their sense of judg-ment with regard to the profusion ofinformation available, particularly informationobtained from the media. Comparing varioussources of information helps them to putthings in perspective, identify similarities anddifferences and evaluate the reliability ofsources. They also develop strategies for organizing information that make it easier touse later for tasks or problem solving.

Systematizes the information-gathering

process

Establishes research strategies • Determines thepertinence of information • Identifies the value ofeach piece of information

Gathers information

Selects appropriate information sources • Comparesinformation from different sources • Evaluates thevalidity of information according to criteria • Makesconnections between what he/she already knows andnew information • Distinguishes between essential andsecondary information • Seeks further information

Puts information to use

Answers his/her questions, using the information gathered • Compares his/her new learning with previous learning • Uses information in new contexts • Respects copyright

Uses information


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The problem-solving process, which is an aspect of allhuman activity, plays a pivotal role at school—especiallysecondary school. In daily life, there are many situationsthat require various problem-solving strategies. Whetherwe have to weigh the issues raised by certain situations,to choose from among a range of possibilities that are notall equally viable or to make informed decisions, the abil-ity to handle these situations rationally is always an asset.

Problem solving is not a linear process that can bereduced to the simple application of an algorithm. Onemust begin by defining the problem or recognizing theelements that define it in a given situation. Typically it isby trial and error, exploring various possible solutions,testing hypotheses, starting over and reformulating theproblem that one constructs a satisfactory solution—which does not mean that it is the only possible solution.Such a process can take many forms, if only because ofthe many different contexts in which it is carried out.Solving a mathematical problem is not the same as solv-ing a problem concerning everyday life. And yet, beyondthe specific strategies involved, they do have somethingin common: both entail exploring many possibilities, beingopen to new alternatives, making use of various resourcesand reflecting on the approach used.

Focus of the CompetencyBy dealing with a wide variety of situational problems,students will discover that there may be more than oneway to solve a problem, that some solutions are moreeffective than others and that context and resources oftendetermine which solutions are most appropriate. It istherefore important for teachers of all subjects to set theirstudents relatively complex problems and to take advan-tage of opportunities for problem solving that may ariseduring activities not originally intended as problem-solving activities. The school should provide students withsituational problems that correspond to their level, andeither help them become aware of their own resourcesor give them access to the resources they need. It shouldalso encourage them to persevere in their efforts to solveproblems and to regulate their own procedures, whileallowing them to make errors.

COMPETENCY 2 Solves problems


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Evaluation Criteria


– Accurate definition of the problem

– Variety and relevance of solutions proposed

– Evaluation of possible strategies

– Scope of the analysis

– Application of strategies developed to other situations

In elementary school, students learn to identify the key elements of a relatively simple situationalproblem. They can explain how certain elementsdefine a problem. They can list possible solutionsand evaluate them, taking into account theresources at their disposal, and they can justifytheir choices. They can make connections betweenthe situation under consideration and similarsituations. Their implementation strategies arebecoming more effective, their testing proceduresare increasingly systematic and has improved theirability to analyze their procedures.

In secondary school, students deal with somewhatmore complex problems and learn to define problems more rigorously. They explore a broaderrange of possible solutions, whose potential relevance they are able to judge in advance. Awarethat there is more than one possible strategy, theylearn to weigh the advantages and disadvantagesof each before choosing the one that seems mostappropriate, given the resources at their disposal.They establish new connections among differentcontexts that involve problem solving, especiallysubject-specific contexts. In their search for aneffective solution, they carry out a more extensiveanalysis, comparing viewpoints, asking questionsand making connections with problems they havesolved in the past. As they become aware of theirown resources, they develop the ability topersonalize their problem-solving methods andmanage them autonomously.

Analyzes the components of a situational

problem

Identifies the context and the main elements of thesituational problem and makes connections amongthem • Recognizes similarities to situational problemssolved previously

Tests possible solutions

Lists and classifies possible solutions • Considersthe appropriateness of each solution and itsrequirements and consequences • Chooses apossible solution, applies it and evaluates itseffectiveness • Chooses and tests another possiblesolution if necessary

Adopts a flexible approach

Reviews the steps taken • Redoes some of themif necessary • Identifies successful strategies andanalyzes the difficulties encountered

Solves problems


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People use their judgment to orient their actions or toinfluence those of others or simply for the pleasure ofexploring an issue. There is no area of human activity inwhich people do not make judgments, be it politics, reli-gion, morality, science, art, recreation or sports, intellec-tual life, work, business, consumption, the legal system,the media or hobbies—judgment is required in all of them.

Exercising critical judgment is demanding, even for adults,but its importance cannot be stressed enough in a plu-ralistic society such as ours, in which highly divergentopinions and values coexist. Critical judgment involvesbeing able to go beyond stereotypes, prejudices, precon-ceptions and intuitive assumptions to do a rigorous analy-sis. Otherwise, what passes for judgment is simply anexpression of opinion. So many of our beliefs about peopleor things are formed without any reflection on our part;to deliberately form an opinion is far more demanding.One must examine the issues involved, consider the facts,evaluate their accuracy and put them in perspective. Thisrequires exploring and comparing various viewpoints,finding arguments and using well-defined criteria todevelop a position that takes all factors into account.

By secondary school, students have reached a phase intheir development in which they are particularly keen toassert themselves and discuss and validate the legitimacyof their convictions. Admittedly, for adolescents, the exer-cise of critical judgment sometimes consists in saying theylike or dislike something and they may oversimplify anargument, a fact or a situation. They are nonethelessincreasingly able to grasp the complexity of certain issues,see other viewpoints and distinguish judgments based onemotion from those based on reason. But they can only

Focus of the Competencylearn to exercise critical judgment if their teachers them-selves set an example and if they have many opportuni-ties to express their opinions, discuss them with others,compare them with different viewpoints and analyze theirvalidity.

The ability to exercise critical judgment cannot be fullydeveloped unless it is exercised frequently. Since thiscompetency forms the very basis for a critical relation-ship to knowledge, its use cannot be confined to a singlesubject, and the ability to put it in perspective. It is espe-cially important in areas that involve taking informedpositions, such as morality, religion, science, and history,or the appreciation of literature or art, the analysis of math-ematical problems or the examination of territorial issues.

COMPETENCY 3 Exercises critical judgment


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Evaluation Criteria


– Proper formulation of a question and its implications

– Openness to questioning of the judgment

– Appropriateness of the criteria used

– Well-reasoned justification of the judgment

Forms an opinion

Defines the question under consideration. Weighs the logical, ethical or aesthetic issues involved • Goes back to the facts, verifies their accuracy andputs them in context • Looks at various options andconsiders existing or possible points of view • Bases his/her opinion on logical, ethical or aestheticcriteria • Adopts a position

Expresses his/her judgment

Articulates and communicates his/herviewpoint • Justifies his/her position

Qualifies his/her judgment

Compares his/her opinion with those of others • Reconsiders his/her position • Evaluates the respective influence of reason and emotion on his/her approach• Recognizes his/her biases • Repeats the whole exercise if necessary

Exercises critical judgment

In elementary school, students learn todistinguish between their own opinion andthose of other people and to express theiropinions quite articulately. They can questiontheir own judgments and are willing to discussthem with others. They are more attentive tofacts and better able to make connectionsbetween them and to evaluate their conse-quences for themselves and others. As a result,they gradually learn to distinguish argumentsbased on emotion from those based on reason.They are therefore capable of grasping thelogical, ethical or aesthetic implications of asituation or issue, and can roughly formulatethe values, principles, rights and duties onwhich their judgments are grounded.

In secondary school, students learn to questiontheir opinions and positions and analyze thevalues underlying them. They become aware ofthe influences to which they are exposed.Recognizing that prejudices and pat answersare unacceptable, they are more concernedwith the correctness of their arguments and theneed, at times, to reconsider them. They dealwith more complex situations involving a vari-ety of issues. They are able to establish criteriafor evaluating various positions regarding asituation, taking into account the context andthe viewpoints of those involved. They expresstheir judgment more precisely and are betterable to take all relevant factors into account.

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Creativity is by no means limited to the arts, with whichit tends to be associated, but plays a role in all areas ofhuman activity. Dealing with the unexpected or withambiguity, adapting to new conditions and meeting chal-lenges are all situations that may elicit some measure ofcreativity, as all of these situations entail envisioning pos-sible solutions, imagining scenarios and finding new waysof considering a problem and doing things.

Being creative consists essentially in using the resourcesat one’s disposal in an original way. These resources mayinclude ideas, concepts and strategies as well as objects,tools and techniques. Creativity is less a matter of newresources or knowledge than of the way in which oneuses resources, rather like the ability to make do withwhat one has, using objects, ideas, concepts or means ofcommunication for purposes other than those for whichthey were designed or in a new context. It entails find-ing imaginative ways to deal with constraints that at firstglance seem insurmountable, balancing intuition andlogic and managing emotions that may sometimes becontradictory.

Focus of the CompetencyAt school, all the students’ activities should foster cre-ativity. Consequently, the school should provide learningactivities that encourage students to use their personalresources, devise problems with more than one solutionand situations that stimulate the imagination, and pro-mote the use of a variety of approaches rather than onestandard approach. The school can channel adolescents’typical need to assert themselves, by valuing initiative,risk-taking and inventiveness and allowing students toopt for the road less travelled. Schools must provide aflexible, open context in which students feel free toexpress their differences.

COMPETENCY 4 Uses creativity



43Chapter 3



Evaluation Criteria


– Exploration of new ideas

– Exploration of different ways of doing things

– Use of his/her personal resources

– Originality of connections among the elements of a situation

Becomes familiar with all the elements

of a situation

Defines the objectives and issues involved • Is opento different ways of perceiving the situation • Listens to his/her intuitions • Envisages differentscenarios and procedures

Explores

Accepts risks and unknowns • Plays withideas • Proceeds by trial and error • Turnsobstacles into resources • Recognizes possibleor partial solutions • Is receptive to new ideasand ways of doing things

Adopts a flexible mode of operation

Tries out new approaches • Uses new ideas • Explores new strategiesand techniques • Expresses his/her ideas in new ways

Uses creativity

In elementary school, students are givenopportunities to handle relatively complex anddemanding tasks and to learn to organize thesteps in their creative projects systematically.Over time, they grow less subject to the influence of other people and begin to showautonomy in their creative activities. They havelearned to be receptive to various sources ofinspiration and experiment with new combi-nations of ideas, strategies and techniques.When they explore new situations, they canrecognize the original elements in their work.

In secondary school, they become more awareof their personal resources and discover thepleasure of drawing on them in carrying outtasks. They can imagine various ways of doingthings or of thinking, adopt different perspec-tives and express their ideas in a personal way.They are able to deal with a broad range ofideas, concepts and approaches.

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To carry out an activity or project or undertake any siz-able task, one must adopt effective work methods. Suchmethods are based on knowledge about how to proceed—the methodological knowledge underlying virtually allhuman endeavours.

At school, students have to perform a variety of tasks,such as taking notes, planning their work, writing papersand answering questions. This knowledge is particularlyimportant and can have a major impact on academic suc-cess. Effective task management greatly improves schoollearning situations. Planning work to be done, ensuringthat it is done on time, taking into account various obsta-cles, locating the available resources, and gathering therequired materials are all aspects of what it means to beeffective in doing work or carrying out activities.

Adopting effective work methods involves more than this,however. This competency also involves selecting appro-priate procedures according to the nature of the task andthe resources available, particularly the cognitiveresources. Students who solve a mathematical problem,write a narrative text, interpret a piece of music or do ahistory project have to imagine their task, define itsrequirements and consider ways of carrying it out. Theyalso have to evaluate their progress while carrying outthe task and make any necessary adjustments. Their roleis not limited to following an established routine, for thereis more than one way to perform a task, and the relativeeffectiveness of a given approach depends as much onthe characteristics of each person and the internal andexternal resources at his or her disposal as on the require-ments of the situation. The exercise of this competencyinvolves being able to recognize which of several proce-

Focus of the Competencydures or methodological approaches is most appropriatefor each person in a given situation or context.

Schools should therefore not require all students to followthe same procedures. Instead, they should help them toshow self-reliance by encouraging them to select appro-priate means for attaining objectives, to analyze their useof the available resources and to evaluate the effective-ness of their work methods. If students are encouragedto reflect on their approaches and to be open to otherapproaches, particularly those of their classmates, theymay experiment with a number of possible methods andrecognize which methods are most effective for them. Allsubjects lend themselves to this exercise, and transfer-ring methods from one situation to another is likely toimprove them, as it often entails adjustments thatbroaden their applicability.

COMPETENCY 5 Adopts effective work methods



45Chapter 3



Evaluation Criteria


– Perseverance in performing the task

– Appropriate choice of methods

– Broadening and adaptation of work methods

– Effectiveness of the outcome

– Accuracy of his/her assessment of the effectiveness of the methods chosen

At the end of elementary school, studentsgradually assimilate various procedures andmethods and apply them appropriately invarious situations. They are willing to investtime and energy to attain an objective, andthey are able to define their procedure quiteautonomously and find original ways toachieve their goals. They are capable of per-ceiving the connection between their level ofsatisfaction and the work accomplished andcan communicate their successes and diffi-culties verbally.

In secondary school, students are expected toexpand their repertoire of methods, assesstheir relative effectiveness and adapt them tomore complex and varied situations. Theychoose and adapt methods and processes tosuit the context, the task and their personalcharacteristics as learners. They are capable ofrecognizing their strengths and weaknessesand taking advantage of the former andoffsetting the latter by using the resources oftheir environment. In this way, they becomemore autonomous and better able to transfer methods and procedures from one situation toanother.

Considers all aspects of a task

Adopts the objective and evaluates its complexity • Identifies the available resources • Imagines variousways to carry out the task • Reflects on the best wayto perform it • Plans how to carry it out

Adjusts his/her approach

Employs the necessary resources: people,materials, time, etc. • Adapts his/herwork method to the task and the contextand readjusts his/her actions as required • Completes the task

Analyzes his/her procedure

Examines the procedure used • Recognizes what was effectiveand what worked less well • Assesses the requirements of the task• Imagines contexts in which the approach could be reapplied

Adopts effective work methods

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The rapid development of knowledge and the increasingaccessibility and variety of information sources makes theuse of information and communications technologies(ICT) more and more essential. These technologies givepeople a new window on the world, with its conventionsand contradictions. They have also changed the organi-zation of work, made it easier to perform complex tasksand influenced intellectual life. The potential they representfor research, information processing, creation and com-munication in learning communities is further enhancedby the possibility of instantly exchanging ideas or sharingor processing data from a distance. Information and com-munication networks thus create new prospects for life-long learning. It seems likely that, sooner or later, virtuallyevery job will require at least a minimum of proficiencyin this medium, which is both a language and a tool. Itis thus essential that students acquire a certain masteryof these technologies by the end of secondary school.

Students beginning secondary school have varyingdegrees of competency in this area. They also vary con-siderably in their views on the educational relevance ofthese technologies and in their attraction to them. Somestudents use information and communications technologiesregularly and expertly, while others make do with a super-ficial knowledge and still others have little or no access.A few enthusiasts take advantage of the opportunity toshow off, using their competency to engage in unauthor-ized activities. Schools have a responsibility to recognizeand further develop the expertise of these students whilemaking sure that they make good use of their skills. Moregenerally, schools have to enable all students to developsufficient competence to use information and communi-

Focus of the Competencycations technologies in their learning. In addition, theymust foster the students’ respect for ethical standards intheir use of ICT and ensure that the educational advantagesof ICT are reflected in the intellectual, methodological,social and personal development of every student.

Mastering this competency involves using informationand communications technologies effectively and appro-priately, diversifying their use and developing critical judg-ment in this regard. This entails access to appropriateresources and ongoing support and supervision. It is thusimportant to provide students with a stimulating envi-ronment in which to learn to process information, createdocuments and communicate using ICT. If used appro-priately in teaching subject matter, ICT accelerate thedevelopment and acquisition of many cross-curricular andsubject-specific competencies. They are suitable for use indifferentiated learning situations where students areexpected to take responsibility for the construction of theirlearning. By providing access to a multitude of informa-tion sources and individuals, they give students the ben-efit of expertise from throughout the world and enablethem to share their ideas and achievements with others.

COMPETENCY 6 Uses information and communications technologies



47Chapter 3



Evaluation Criteria


In elementary school, students learn to identify, classify, compare andselect information in various formats, do simple Web searches and usevarious software programs. They also learn to communicate withothers using basic e-mail functions. They master the commonfunctions of the applications used; they know how to search for, find,select, store and organize information using various formats. They areable to transfer data from one application to another, find their wayon the Internet and use their address books. They recognize that ICThelp them organize and communicate their ideas and understand theethics of Internet use.

In secondary school, students expect ICT to help them to perform theirincreasingly complex tasks. They explore new functions of softwareprograms, expand their repertoire of resources and diversify their useof ICT. They are able to use e-mail, and appreciate its convenience forsending or receiving documents, attaching files, compressing them ifnecessary, and opening attachments they receive. By developingstrategies for constructing their knowledge, they increase their abilityto organize their Internet browsing and their bookmarks and to useappropriate search techniques to consult specialized sites, data banksor written or multimedia documents. They learn to choose fromamong the peripherals at their disposal and use them appropriately.They can digitize data and present them in various formats, whilerespecting copyright. They use technologies to interact, collaborateand solve problems. They learn to identify ways in which ICT mightallow them to be more effective in performing tasks. They use ICT tocompare several points of view and critically examine the informationthey find. They seek expert advice when they require it and learn tocompare information, see it in perspective and check the reliability ofthe sources. They evaluate their use of ICT for various tasks andidentify possible improvements, bearing in mind their potentialrelevance to other cross-curricular learning.

– Effectiveness of his/her use of the technological resources in a given learning context

– Reuse of ICT processes and procedures in new situations

– Use of appropriate interaction, communication and troubleshooting strategies

– Analysis of his/her choices, successes and difficulties

Uses appropriate technologies

Carries out various tasks using technologicalresources • Evaluates the potential of the availabletechnologies and networks • Chooses the mostsuitable tools for the situation • Applies theinteraction, communication and troubleshootingstrategies required for a given task

Takes full advantage

of these technologies

Diversifies his/her use of ICT • Takes advantage of ICTresources and functions invarious types of learning • Recognizes and uses in anew context concepts andprocesses he/she has learnedpreviously • Envisages newways to use them • Respectsthe prevailing values andcodes regarding intellectualproperty and privacy

Evaluates his/her use of this technology

Compares his/her ways of using ICT with those of others • Recognizeshis/her successes and difficulties • Seeks ways to improve his/her use ofthese technologies and suggests ways to do this • Examines the relevanceof using ICT by taking into account their contribution to specific tasks

Uses information and

communications technologies

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In order to fulfill their potential and make career choicesthat correspond to their interests and aptitudes, peoplehave to know themselves well and be willing to exploretheir abilities. It is by recognizing their strengths andweaknesses, defining their needs and aspirations andidentifying ways to fulfill them that people can developself-confidence, take their place in society and assumeresponsibility for their own development.This self-knowledgeis especially important in a context requiring regularassessment of one’s personal or occupational develop-ment and ways of pursuing it.

Secondary school corresponds to an important phase inadolescents’ development, during which they seek auton-omy, change their relationship to authority and feel aneed for self-affirmation and belonging. Faced withchoices concerning their social and occupational integra-tion, they wonder about their future and about theircapacities and aptitudes. Their knowledge of themselvesand of their potential is strongly influenced by the social,cultural and spiritual groups to which they belong andthe values supported by those groups. They are particu-larly sensitive to peer pressure and they need to recog-nize the influence of others on their values, behaviours,attitudes and choices as well as the influence they them-selves can have on their peers. In order to take activeresponsibility for their development, they need to adopta realistic and persevering attitude and develop the habitof self-evaluation, which will serve them well in the life-long learning that lies ahead.

Focus of the CompetencySchools have a role to play in helping young people todefine themselves as individuals, recognize their culturalidentity and be receptive to other cultures. By having theopportunity to utilize their personal resources, makechoices, justify and implement them and assess the con-sequences, adolescents will become aware of their iden-tity and the values that influence them. The learning thatstudents acquire at school, whether as part of the sub-ject-specific programs or in the context of school andclassroom life, contributes to their self-knowledge, to theachievement of their potential and to their awareness ofthe personal, social and cultural basis for their world-views. The various subject areas familiarize them with themajor social issues on which they will have to take posi-tions. Teachers of all subjects must also be aware of thevalues they convey and of the decisive influence thatthese values can have on the educational and careerchoices of their students. In addition, since it is oftenthrough their successes and failures that students developan image of themselves and of what they can—or cannot—aspire to, schools must enable them to carry out pro-jects that take into account their interests and abilities,while at the same time cultivating new interests and help-ing them to develop other abilities.

COMPETENCY 7 Achieves his/her potential



49Chapter 3



Evaluation Criteria


At the end of elementary school, students are capable of expressingtheir thoughts and feelings. They are learning to make choices and takeaction based on their strengths and in accordance with their values.Increasingly open-minded and curious about the world around them,they develop new fields of interest. They know that the attitudes andbehaviour of others can influence them, and are aware of the impactof their own actions and attitudes on others. They feel a sense ofresponsibility for their actions and their consequences and can explainthe reasons for what they do and say. They can recognize which tasksare most suitable for them and can reflect on factors that limit theircapacity to take effective action. They have also learned to haveconfidence in themselves and to take risks to meet challenges.

In secondary school, students become more aware of theircharacteristics and affiliations and of how the latter influence theirbehaviours, attitudes and values. They learn to draw on these influenceswhile putting them in perspective and to make their own choices. Thegroup becomes a context for the validation of their personalcharacteristics, beliefs, attitudes and behaviours. They recognize theircultural roots and can distinguish their culture from other cultures. Theyare learning to define their options in order to choose a future path thatcorresponds to both their aptitudes and their preferences. They find iteasier to put their ideas into action and can make plans that correspondto their interests and aspirations. They are learning to persevere incarrying out their plans. They observe that the efforts they must make inorder to achieve their goals give them a sense of satisfaction. They arealso better able to gauge the quality of their work and learning. Thedevelopment of this capacity for self-evaluation allows them torecognize how much progress they have made and the improvementsthey still need to make. Their increased awareness of the importance ofachieving their potential and of the power they have to do so makesthem autonomous learners.

– Expression of his/her feelings, values and opinions in interaction with others

– Realistic assessment of his/her potential

– Recognition of the impact of his/her actions on his/her successes and difficulties

– Demonstration of perseverance

Recognizes his/her personal characteristics

Identifies his/her feelings, thoughts, values, cultural frame ofreference and options • Identifies his/her strengths andweaknesses • Assesses the quality and appropriateness ofhis/her choices of action • Recognizes the impact of his/heractions on his/her successes and difficulties • Evaluateshis/her achievements and progress

Takes his/her place

among others

Recognizes that he/she is partof a community • Compareshis/her values and perceptionswith those of others • Perceivesthe influence of others onhis/her values and choices • Expresses his/her opinionsand choices • Respects others

Makes good use of his/her personal resources

Establishes short- and long-term goals • Establishes criteria for personal, academicand career success • Makes the efforts required to achieve his/her goals • Perseveresin the effort to achieve his/her goals • Displays increasing autonomy

Achieves his/her potential

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Even without the efforts of school staff, the school wouldstill be a powerful agent of socialization simply becauselarge numbers of students of various ages rub elbowsthere every day. But schools have a mandate to enhancethis spontaneous socialization with more deliberate, sys-tematic measures so as to ensure that students developsocial competency based on values such as self-affirmationthat is respectful of differences, consideration for otherpeople’s feelings, openness to pluralism, and nonviolence.School is an ideal setting for learning to live together inkeeping with these values, and an appropriate place forstudents to learn teamwork, which is particularly usefulfor tasks whose scale or complexity requires collabora-tion by all concerned. Teamwork also contributes to theconstruction of knowledge by providing opportunities tocompare various points of view and negotiate ways ofdoing things. The social activity in school makes it a placewhere interpersonal relations can contribute to the learn-ing process. For this to happen, however, students mustlearn to cooperate.

Although this competency is generally applied in the con-text of teamwork, having students work together doesnot necessarily guarantee cooperation, which involvescommitment to a common goal, establishing work rules,sharing responsibilities, recognizing complementary areasof expertise, respecting differences and using them con-structively, sharing resources, managing conflicts, mutualsupport, collaborative action, and so on. It is the school’sresponsibility to develop these skills and attitudes, andto do so, it must set an example. Secondary school stu-dents are particularly sensitive to inconsistencies between

Focus of the Competencythe behaviours that are expected of them and those theyobserve in some adults.

The teaching of certain subjects—particularly drama,dance and physical education—would be virtually impos-sible without teamwork, but in fact, all the programs lendthemselves to the creation of learning situations thatfoster cooperation, be it around a table or while usingICT. In secondary school, students are often encouragedto do cooperative tasks or projects that are peripheral tothe curriculum, for example, in extracurricular activities.Schools should show students that such experiencescan be useful in subject-specific learning activities.They should also encourage their staff to adopt the samespirit of cooperation they seek to instill in students.Interdisciplinary learning activities provide ideal oppor-tunities to promote cooperation among teachers and thusto set an example for students.

COMPETENCY 8 Cooperates with others



51Chapter 3



Evaluation Criteria


– Recognition of the needs of others

– Appropriate attitudes and behaviours

– Active participation in the work of the team

– Contribution to improving the way the team works together

In elementary school, students experienceteamwork a number of times and learn to work within structures of some complexity.They recognize which tasks can more easily be carried out by means of teamwork. They participate actively in group projects, propos-ing simple plans, activities and modes of operation and playing roles that are com-plementary to those of others. They can expresstheir feelings and points of view clearly andtake into account those of others. They helpothers and know when to ask for help. Theymake suggestions and welcome those ofothers. They know which behaviours andstrategies contribute to teamwork and harmo-nious interpersonal relations.

In secondary school, students carry out subject-specific and interdisciplinary tasks whosescope or complexity requires the sharing ofresources. They learn to solve problems collectively, which involves comparing pointsof view and coordinating actions in order totest possible solutions. They state and justifytheir viewpoints and respect those of others.Their assessments of situations that lend themselves to teamwork and of the type of collaboration required are increasingly accurate.

Contributes to team efforts

Assesses what sort of collaboration or cooperation atask lends itself to • Participates actively in classroomand school activities with a cooperative attitude • Uses differences constructively to attain a commonobjective • Plans and carries out work with others • Carries out his/her task according to the procedureagreed on by the team • Manages conflict

Uses teamwork effectively

Recognizes which tasks can be done moreeffectively by means of teamwork • Assesses the challenges or issuesinvolved • Recognizes the benefits ofteamwork for himself/herself and others • Assesses his/her participation and that ofpeers • Identifies desirable improvements

Interacts with an open mind in various contexts

Accepts others as they are and recognizes their interests and needs • Exchangespoints of view, listens to others and respects different views • Adapts his/herbehaviour to the team members and the task

Cooperates with others

52

Communication plays a major role in shaping our rela-tions with others in a world in which social, ethnic andcultural diversity contributes to the complexity of socialrelations. Some forms of communication can bring indi-viduals and societies closer together, while others canincrease the distance between them or set them againsteach other.

Competency in communicating is closely related to theorganization of thought. It is essential for disseminatingknowledge, negotiating points of view, discussing ideas,and justifying choices or opinions. It enables us to shareour thoughts, feelings, values, intuitions and perceptions,express our world-views and affirm our personal, socialand cultural identities.

The development of jargon and unique patterns of inter-action indicating their affiliation with a group is a wayfor young people in secondary school to affirm their iden-tities, distinguish themselves from others and expresstheir culture. Their competency in communicating can beconsiderably enriched by awareness of the diverse modesof communication and registers within each mode. Ittakes various forms: attitude, posture, voice, gestures,mimicry, clothing, images and symbols.

To fully understand their surroundings and interact effec-tively with others, students must recognize the impor-tance of different modes of communication, each with itsown structure and system of signs, and strive to use themproperly. Mastering this competency entails knowing andobserving the rules and conventions of each mode of

Focus of the Competencycommunication and taking into account the many vari-ables involved in their use. As an interactive process, com-munication is rarely unequivocal: it is characterized by theneed for constant adjustment to a variety of possiblemeanings and reciprocal expectations. It requires choos-ing modes and registers of communication that corre-spond to the intentions of those wishing to communicateand that are adapted to the context of communicationand to the target audience.

Since each subject is associated primarily with one meansof expression, school is an ideal place for students toexperiment with the different forms of communication:artistic, musical, mathematical, computerized, physical,symbolic, etc. School gives students opportunities toexplore the resources of each of these forms of commu-nication, to discover their conventions and codes and todevelop the ability to listen. Among these modes of com-munication, the language of instruction represents theprincipal tool and means of access to culture.

In this regard, it is a major asset to know how to use theorganized system of signs and articulated codes that con-stitutes language. Language is a factor of cohesion thatfacilitates the cultural expression of a way of being, ofrepresenting reality, of thinking and of feeling that arespecific to a community. It is also the cornerstone of indi-vidual identity: it enables individuals to form ideas,express them and compare them with those of otherpeople. The capacity to express oneself properly is a keyfactor in the ability to take one’s place in society as anindividual and a citizen.

Students’ acquisition of proficiency in this language mustnot be the exclusive responsibility of those who teach thelanguage of instruction. In all subjects, to communicatetheir learning appropriately in accordance with their levelof education, students require skill in expressing theirideas, emotions, intuitions, questions, reasoning and argu-ments using the vocabulary, codes and conventions spe-cific to the given subject. In short, while language skills helpstudents master what they learn in the different subjects,each subject in turn helps them hone their language skills.

COMPETENCY 9 Communicates appropriately



53Chapter 3



Evaluation Criteria


– Coherence of the message

– Use of appropriate vocabulary or symbols

– Observance of practices, codes and conventions

– Appropriateness of the message for the context and audience

– Self-analysis and evaluation

In elementary school, students learn to take into account the different aspects of a communication situation and to be moreand more attentive to reactions to their way of communicating.They express themselves with a certain ease, and observe the rulesand codes associated with the mode of communication used.They are capable of planning their communication activities andevaluating their own communication efforts more rigorously. Theyhave greater sensitivity to the effects of the use of different modesof communication and take into account the point of view of theother person in order to improve their ability to communicate.

In secondary school, students improve their mastery of oral andwritten communication and their ability to make full use of theresources of the spoken and written language by paying attentionto the vocabulary and specific characteristics of the specializedlanguages of each subject: the language of mathematics, of science,of computers and so on. They also continue exploring variousmodes of communication: artistic, musical, computer-related,gestural and symbolic. They are increasingly aware of the diversityof forms of communication and gradually recognize the modes ofcommunication, and of their many uses, that are best-suited totheir thoughts and feelings. They are capable of putting their ownpoints of view into perspective, and learn to use reactions toadjust their communication. They express themselves properly,taking into account the resources of the various modes of com-munication used, observe the conventions, and pay special attentionto the quality of their written and spoken language in all schooland extracurricular activities. With respect to their mother tongue,they develop greater sensitivity to the richness and precision ofvocabulary, the appropriateness of content, the coherence ofreasoning and the elegance of composition. They learn torecognize their language as an essential tool for structuring andexpressing thought and as a vehicle of their culture. They are alsoable to communicate effectively in their second language.

Becomes familiar with various

modes of communication

Knows and observes usage, rules,codes and conventions associated withdifferent modes of communication • Uses their resources

Uses various modes of

communication

Analyzes the communicationsituation • Chooses one or moremodes of communication suitedto the context and purposeof communication • Identifiesways of communicating suitedto the target audience and theircharacteristics • Uses modes ofcommunication suited to thesituation

Manages the communication process

Takes into account factors that may facilitate or hinder communication • Adjusts the communication on the basis of the reactions of the targetaudience • Recognizes the strategies used throughout the process andevaluates their effectiveness

Communicates

appropriately

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