1. Career and Technology Foundations (CTF)
Welcome to this introductory session to CTF.
Today we will specifically address:
What is CTF?
What does a CTF classroom look like?
Planning for CTF implementation?
- Teachers
- Administrators.
The draft CTF curriculum is being developed by Alberta Education in collaboration with educational partners in the field, and represents an innovative approach to developing a curriculum that includes a program of studies, assessment tools and implementation supports.
This curriculum allows schools to create unique learning experiences to meet the needs of students for grades CTF can be taught in various learning environments (e.g., classroom, woodshop, computer lab, community). Through learning experiences based on occupational areas and careers, CTF builds the background knowledge and exposure that allows students to make informed career decisions.
CTF reflects changes taking place in the development of future curriculum, in accordance with the vision of the educated Albertan of 2030 as stated in Inspiring Education (an engaged thinker and ethical citizen with an entrepreneurial spirit).
During the 2014–2015 school year, the optional (elective) Career and Technology Foundations draft program of studies, for grades 5 to 9, will be provincially available as part of a continuing refinement and validation process.

2. Welcome to the ARPDC Learning Portal
All the resources used in todays presentation are available from learning.arpdc.ab.ca

3. Questions 1: What is CTF?
CTF allows students to explore their interests and passions through meaningful, hands-on learning experiences that introduce them to career opportunities and the occupational areas.
How does CTF benefit students?
CTF is about students exploring their interests and passions through hands-on learning experiences that allow them to develop skills, technologies and safety practices based on career opportunities and the occupational areas.
CTF is about students being challenged to creatively design responses to meaningful situations found in their community and world around them.
CTF is about appraising and communicating the process that they use as they work independently and collaboratively to identify and create solutions.

4. CTF Key Highlights
flexible to accommodate various learning environments
focus on the learning process, not solely on the product
not grade-specific
supports interdisciplinary connections
Promotes the foundation of literacy and numeracy
focus on the cross-curricular competencies defined in the Ministerial Order on Student Learning
encourages personalized learning based on the student’s learning needs
foundational for CTS, but NOT a prerequisite
The CTF curriculum has been designed to accommodate various learning environments:
urban and rural schools
schools with well-developed facilities for option classes versus schools without specialized classrooms
teachers who have extensive experience in the area and teachers teaching an elective/complimentary class for the first time
CTF is a competency focused curriculum. This results in a focus on the learning process that occurs as students work to resolve a challenge. While a challenge will still result in the assessment of a product, performance or service, the learning process now becomes an important aspect of the students’ assessment. The CTF curriculum will provide exemplar assessment tools, but teachers are ultimately responsible for choosing the assessment tools that they will use.
CTF is not grade-specific. CTF learning outcomes for grades 5–9 are the same, regardless of the grade. This supports flexibility in scheduling, grade configurations and the implementation of CTF. Keep in mind that the CTF curriculum is only applicable to grades 5 and 6 if a school offers optional courses other than those with existing programs of studies.
While CTF supports the development of learning experiences that explore interdisciplinary connections, an interdisciplinary approach is not required. Teachers are responsible for the “how” of CTF implementation in their classrooms.
CTF planning templates have been developed to help teachers plan challenges which promote the awareness of literacy and numeracy learning opportunities.
CTF promotes relevant, engaging and interactive learning experiences for students that support the development of the cross-curricular competencies found in the Ministerial Order on Student Learning.
CTF is designed to support the development of learning experiences that provide opportunities for student voice and choice, and the personalization of learning experiences based on student needs.
While CTF is designed to create learning experiences based on the same CTS occupational areas, it is not a prerequisite for CTS courses in high school. It is suggested that a challenge be based on two occupational areas to provide students with an understanding of the interconnectedness that naturally occurs between occupational areas.

5. CTF Learning Structure
CTF uses the same 5 clusters found in Career and Technology Studies (CTS). However, the names of the CTF clusters have been simplified. A cluster is a group of occupations with broad industry commonalities that is aligned with the National Occupational Classification.
In CTF, students develop competencies as they work to design, create, appraise and communicate responses to challenges within the contexts of business, human services, communication, technology and resources. The interaction of designing, creating, appraising and communicating is not linear. Throughout a challenge students are continuously experiencing an interactivity between the four, using them as required to complete the challenge.
CTF encourages the use of challenges/projects to develop relevant and meaningful hands-on learning experiences for students.
CTF challenges can take on several forms. A challenge involves students investigating a real-world problem, issue or topic involving two occupational areas. The real-world problem should be authentic but may be simulated. Through the use of challenges, students design or create a product, performance or service.

6. CTS Compass with 5 Occupational Clusters and Occupational Areas
This graphic illustrates the connections between CTF and CTS and also provides information about the occupational clusters and occupational areas associated with both.
CTF is divided into 5 occupational clusters (the same 5 as in CTS, but with simplified names).These 5 clusters organize occupational areas by a set of common features identified by industry, and can be used to help guide career exploration.
An occupational area is focused on attitudes, skills and knowledge related to a particular sector of industry.

7. Ministerial Order on Student Learning and CTF Essence Statements
Discover, develop and apply competencies across subject and discipline areas for learning, work and life to enable students to:
 know how to learn
 think critically
 identify and solve complex problems
 manage information
 innovate
 create opportunities
 apply multiple literacies
 demonstrate good communication and the ability to work cooperatively with
others
demonstrate global and cultural understanding
identify and apply career and life skills through personal growth and well-being
The goal of the Student Learning Ministerial Order for an inclusive Kindergarten to Grade 12 education is to enable all students to achieve the following outcomes:
be Engaged Thinkers and Ethical Citizens with an Entrepreneurial Spirit;
strive for engagement and personal excellence in their learning journey;
employ literacy and numeracy to construct and communicate meaning; and
discover, develop and apply competencies across subject and discipline areas for learning, work and life to enable students to:
know how to learn
think critically
identify and solve complex problems
manage information
innovate
create opportunities
apply multiple literacies
demonstrate good communication skills and the ability to work cooperatively with others
demonstrate global and cultural understanding
identify and apply career and life skills through personal growth and well-being.
The CTF competency focused curriculum supports the achievement of the competencies identified above.

8. CTF Essence Statement 1
CTF is exploring interests, passions and skills while making personal connections to career possibilities.
Outcomes:
I explore my interests and passions while making personal connections to career possibilities.
I use skills/technologies associated with occupational areas.
I follow safety requirements associated with occupational areas and related technologies.
It is important to understand that the bolded statement preceding each group of learning outcomes is an essence statement, not a learning outcome. These statements represent the essence, or heart of CTF, and were used to develop the learning outcomes grouped with each essence statement.
As part of curriculum development, you will notice an increased focus on the development of student competencies. Why? It’s not just about what you know—it’s about what you can do with what you know. The CTF program of studies is competency focused, and the learning outcomes reflect the cross-curricular competencies identified in the Ministerial Order on Student Learning.
A collaborative process was used to support the co-creation of the CTF curriculum. Alberta Education drew upon the extensive expertise of educational partners to develop, refine and validate these 13 DRAFT CTF learning outcomes.
These learning outcomes are still in draft format and will be sent for ministerial approval early in 2015.

9. CTF Essence Statement 2
CTF is designing, creating, appraising and communicating responses to challenges.
Outcomes:
I problem solve in response to challenges.
I design in response to challenges.
I adapt to change and unexpected events.
I make decisions in response to challenges.
I appraise product(s), performance(s) or service(s) created in response to challenges.
I appraise the skills/technologies I use in response to challenges.
I communicate my learning.
These learning outcomes support a program of studies that is “lived” by students.

10. CTF Essence Statement 3
CTF is working independently and with others while exploring careers and technology.
Outcomes:
I describe how my actions affect learning.
I develop skills that support effective relationships.
I collaborate to achieve common goals.
These competency focused learning outcomes stress the importance of looking at the learning process that is occurring in response to the challenges that students are experiencing. A final “product” is only one aspect of this learning process.

11. Assessment Possibilities for CTF Learning Outcomes
CTF was developed as a leveled, as opposed to graded, curriculum. Since the CTF learning outcomes are the same, regardless of the grade, an assessment approach has been developed based on stages of learning. This approach honours student diversity, and supports students succeeding at their own level, and to experience personal growth.
The three stages for assessing a learning outcome are: Acquire, Apply and Adapt
Acquire – Construct meaning and understanding of the learning outcome
Apply – Demonstrate the knowledge and understanding of the learning outcome
Adapt – Assess, integrate and transform an understanding of the learning outcome
Teachers and students identify the stage of assessment that best meets the student’s need.

12. Assessment Possibilities for CTF Learning Outcomes
For the learning outcome, “I problem solve in response to challenges,” the three stages for assessing are:
Acquire – Is the student developing an understanding of problem-solving strategies?
Apply – Is the student applying problem-solving strategies?
Adapt – Is the student investigating new strategies or combining strategies to solve more complex problems?
The intent of using stages of assessment is to identify the level where the learner is at, and then assess accordingly to promote success and growth.

13. Assessment Possibilities for CTF Learning Outcomes
For each learning outcome, an exemplar assessment tool will be provided for each stage of assessment.
This example shows the possible assessment for the apply stage of the learning outcome: I problem solve in response to challenges.
The draft exemplar assessment tools, being developed for each learning outcome and its respective three stages, will be available as one assessment approach that can be used by CTF teachers and students. Teachers ultimately decide on the type of assessment that they will use to assess students. There are many different forms of assessment, such as summative, formative and self-evaluative, that can be used to assess a student’s understanding of learning outcomes.
The collaborative process used to develop the CTF curriculum identified the need to provide teachers with exemplars of what assessment could look like.
Draft assessment tools are being developed to support teachers and students with potential ways to assess learning outcomes.

14. CTF Assessment Rubrics
Daily Progress Report
Group Work Rubric
Exemplar: How to Sew a Seam
Self and Peer Assessment
Self Assessment of Group Work

15. CTF: Project Based Learning
Introduction to PBL
Students explore their interests and passions through meaningful, hands on experiences
PBL Models:
Edutopia:
Buck Institute:
Galileo:

16. What does a CTF classroom look like?
Question 2:
What does a CTF classroom look like?
The strength of CFT is that it is designed to be flexible.
It will look like what best fits your teaching context!

17. Safety and CTF
The next few slides provide information on the safety aspect of CTF.

18. Safety Learning Outcome
I follow safety requirements associated with occupational areas and related technologies.
Safety is an integral aspect of a learning experience and must be addressed as CTF students explore their interests and passions. This is reflected in the learning outcome seen on the slide:
I follow safety requirements associated with occupational areas and related technologies.

19. Safety…Everyone’s Responsibility
According to the School Act:
A board shall ensure that each student enrolled in a school operated by the board is provided with a safe and caring environment that fosters and maintains respectful and responsible behaviours.
Teachers must:
provide competent instruction to students
teach the programs of study that are prescribed, approved or authorized
be responsible for each student’s health and safety while under teacher supervision.
School authorities, school administrators and all teachers are responsible for exercising due diligence, taking reasonable care and doing everything that is reasonably practical to ensure that CTF learning environments are in compliance with applicable legislation, and are healthy and safe for teachers, instructors and students.

20. Culture of Health and Safety
Health and safety concerns in the CTF learning environment vary greatly from occupational area to occupational area.
By promoting awareness of health and safety throughout the CTF learning environment, students develop a positive attitude toward their safety and that of others.
The attitudes, skills, knowledge and values they develop around safety will eventually permeate into both their private and professional lives.
Students learn attitudes, skills and knowledge that allow them to safely manage themselves, the tools and equipment, and the technologies that they encounter within each learning environment.

21. Safety Resources Guide to Career and Technology Studies (CTS)
Occupational Health and Safety School Kit (K-12)
Guide to Career and Technology Studies (CTS)
Safety resources have been developed for CTS. Sometimes these resources are appropriate for working with students in grades 5–9, and sometimes they are not. The resources identified in this slide are appropriate to support CTF learning environments that are healthy and safe for students, teachers and other participants.
The Occupational Health and Safety School Kit (K-12) has been developed by Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour.
The Guide to Career and Technology Studies (CTS) has been developed by Alberta Education.
Media Smarts is a not-for-profit Canadian organization dedicated to promoting media and digital literacy for children and youth.
Media Smarts

22. Building Safety Together!
CTF Exemplar Resource:
There will be safety resources identified in sample projects and in the Alberta Education resource being refined and validated on the topic of essential skills for occupational areas.

23. How do I plan for CTF implementation?
Question 3:
How do I plan for CTF implementation?
Teachers
Administrators
Exemplar Challenges
Teaching middle years students
CTF: 3 Implementation Models
Working with the /Community
Engaging Staff into CTF
CTF Resources for Instructional Leaders 5 6 7 8 9
CHALLENGE GUIDES DOWNLOADS
Challenge Idea Generation – English
Challenge Idea Generation – French
Abridged Challenge Guide – English
Abridged Challenge Guide – French
Detailed Challenge Guide – English
Detailed Challenge Guide – French
CTF LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE
Download English (docx)
Download French (docx)
CTF OCCUPATIONAL AREAS HANDOUT
Download English (pdf)
Download French (pdf)
Chalenge Idea Generation
Abridged Challengeglish
Detailed Challenge
CTF Lesson Plan Template
CTF Occupational Areas

24. Call on us. We can help. http://learning.arpdc.ab.ca
The draft CTF curriculum is currently being refined and validated through the scaling up process of working with school authorities.
In the 2014–2015 school year: The draft Career and Technology Foundations optional (elective) program of studies for grades 5 to 9 is available province-wide for scaling up.  
Provincial implementation will follow in the 2015–2016 school year.
In the 2015–2016 school year:
When CTF is provincially implemented in September 2015, it will become one of the provincially authorized optional courses available for students in grades 7 to 9. Schools offering optional courses in grades 7–9 that specifically fall under the CTS umbrella will be required to follow the CTF curriculum. However, it will not be mandatory that every student in grades 7 to 9 take a CTF optional course.
CTF will not be mandatory for schools that do not offer optional classes for their Grade 5 and Grade 6 students.
Schools that offer grade 5-9 optional classes which have an existing curriculum, such as language classes, band or locally developed courses may continue to use those curricula; however, schools that offer optional classes that specifically fall under the CTS umbrella will be required to follow the CTF curriculum.

25. Visit Alberta Education’s CTF webpage:
Alberta Education CTF Contacts
Dave McCann –
Danielle Amerongen –
Visit Alberta Education’s CTF webpage:
Danielle Amerongen is leading the French development of CTF.
Dave McCann is the leading the English development of CTF.
They are available at the addresses listed, and they encourage contact from the field.

26. Thank You! Brent C. Allen Executive Director
Learning Network Educational Services
Work:   Cell:  
Box 417
9531 ­ 94 AVENUE
Lac La Biche, AB
T0A 2C0
Dan Nash
Learning Program Coordinator      
Learning Network Educational Services      
Danielle Amerongen is leading the French development of CTF.
Dave McCann is the leading the English development of CTF.
They are available at the addresses listed, and they encourage contact from the field.