National Adult Literacy Database

Authors: Canadian Council on Learning (CCL)

Collection: Learning Materials

This annual survey provides a look at Canadians’ opinions, beliefs and experiences with learning across the lifespan. The 2008 edition covers four learning domains: early childhood learning; structured learning at the elementary, secondary and post-secondary levels; work-related adult learning; and health-related learning.

Within each of the four domains, questions were designed to elicit information on a variety of topics, including child-care arrangements; access to post-secondary education; participation in work-related training; and sources of health-care information.

The survey was designed by the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL) in consultation with Statistics Canada, which administered the survey on behalf of CCL. A total of 5,488 Canadians aged 18 to 74 were surveyed by Statistics Canada. All respondents had previously participated in Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey. Canadians living in institutions, on reserves, or in the northern territories were not included in the sample.

Added: 2010-02-10

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• L'Enquête de 2008 sur les attitudes des Canadiens à l'égard de l'apprentissage : Résultats pour l'apprentissage tout au long de la vie

Series: Composite Learning Index

Authors: Canadian Council on Learning (CCL)

Collection: Research Materials

The Composite Learning Index (CLI) is an annual measure of Canada’s progress in lifelong learning. It is based on statistical indicators that reflect the many ways Canadians learn, whether in school, in the home, at work or within the community.The first index of its kind in the world, the CLI is a valuable measurement tool that recognizes how learning throughout people’s lives is critical to their individual success, the success of their community and the success
of the country as a whole.

Until the Canadian Council on Learning created the Composite Learning Index in 2006 there was no means to measure how Canada performed across the full spectrum of learning. To reflect this broad perspective, the CLI uses a wide range of learning indicators to generate numeric scores for 4,700 cities and communities across Canada. A high CLI score means that a particular city or community possesses learning conditions that support social and economic well-being.
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The 2009 CLI is made up of 17 indicators and 25 specific measures. These are organized within four pillars: Learning to Know, Learning to Do, Learning to Live Together and Learning to Be. These pillars recognize the broad scope of lifelong learning — at home, in the classroom, at work and in the community. Indicators reflect an aspect of the state of lifelong learning across Canada and can include more than one specific measure. Specific measures are the building blocks of the index. These have defined units that quantify each indicator. For example, “Youth literacy skills” is an indicator that uses four specific measures from the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The four measures are: mean problem-solving scores for 15-year-olds; mean reading scores; mean math scores; mean science scores for 15-year-olds.

The report shows a trend of the 2009 CLI scores and trends for major Canadian cities. For the first time, Canada’s overall score on the Composite Learning Index has declined, dropping two points to 75 in 2009, from 77 in 2008.

In short, the CLI is designed as an objective and reliable measurement tool that can help communities make the best possible decisions about learning - decisions that will strengthen social ties, bolster the economy and, of course, improve people’s lives

Added: 2009-09-11

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• L'Indice composite de l'apprentissage 2009 : Mesurer les progrès du Canada en matière d'apprentissage tout au long de la vie

Series: Composite Learning Index

Authors: Canadian Council on Learning (CCL)

Collection: Research Materials

The Composite Learning Index (CLI) is an annual measure of Canada’s progress in lifelong learning, based on statistical indicators that reflect the many ways Canadians learn.
The 2010 CLI is the fifth time the measure has been taken and, therefore, the first time a five-year trend can be produced. Over the past five years, Canada has witnessed no substantial progress in lifelong learning, from a CLI benchmark score of 73 in 2006 to 75 in 2010.
But while Canada as a whole has seen only limited progress on the CLI over the past five years, the story is different when it comes to specific regions of the country. For example, 60 per cent of communities in Atlantic Canada have seen progress in their five-year score, compared with 26 per cent of all communities in Western Canada.
The CLI includes data on school-based learning; work-related learning; community and interpersonal learning; and personal development.

Added: 2010-05-26

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• Indice composite de l'apprentissage 2010 : Mesure des progrès du Canada en apprentissage tout au long de la vie depuis cinq ans

Lessons in Learning – April 17, 2008

Series: Lessons in Learning

Authors: Canadian Council on Learning (CCL)

Collection: Research Materials

Aboriginal people represent 4.5 percent of the Canadian population, but less than one percent of first-year medical students in Canada surveyed for a 2001 study were Aboriginal people. The same study showed that while almost a quarter of Canadians live in rural areas, only about 11 percent of medical students were from such communities.

Given the low numbers of rural and Aboriginal students in medical schools, it is not surprising that rural and Aboriginal communities face critical shortages of medical personnel, the authors of this paper point out. Although roughly 20 percent of Canadians live in rural areas, only 10 percent of Canadian physicians practise in such areas.

Increasing the number of doctors who come from under-represented populations can help improve health among such groups, as research shows that when underserved populations are treated by a physician from a similar background, they are more likely to seek care and comply with physician directives, and are more responsive to health promotion and prevention advice.

The authors discuss efforts to address the issue of under-representation, including trying to inspire children to consider a career in health care while they are in elementary school; modifying admission criteria for rural and Aboriginal students; setting aside seats in medical schools specifically for targeted minorities; altering the nature of admissions committees to include representatives from under-represented minorities; and changing the structure of government aid for needy students.

Added: 2012-08-10

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• Sous-représentation des communautés autochtones et rurales dans les écoles de médecine du Canada

Report on a Series of Community Knowledge-Exchange Meetings

Series: Community Outreach Initiative Reports

Authors: Jeff Meaney, Adult Learning Knowledge Centre (AdLKC), Canadian Council on Learning (CCL)

Collection: Research Materials

The report grew out of consultations held during the first six months of 2008 in Atlantic Canada. Immigrants were asked to discuss their experiences with adult learning since coming to Canada.

All participants identified the need for learning English in order to be integrated into Canadian society. In particular, they noted that a lack of ability to speak conversational English slowed their progress in making friends and participating in the workplace. They emphasized the need for better access to language classes.

As well, participants spoke of the need to learn more about Canadian culture and community. They pointed to the challenge of understanding how institutions like the courts, the health-care system and schools operate. They discussed employment challenges that ranged from simple job-search techniques to the tax implications of starting a business.

The authors recommend advancing adult immigrant education by supporting community groups, funding additional language training and backing workplace mentorship programs.

Added: 2010-02-10

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Lessons in Learning – July 25, 2006

Series: Lessons in Learning

Authors: Canadian Council on Learning (CCL)

Collection: Learning Materials

In Canada, apprenticeship offers the potential to address both labour shortages in the skilled trades, and youth unemployment. However, there are negative attitudes towards apprenticeship, as well as a lack of information about apprenticeship.

The authors note that overcoming barriers to youth participation in apprenticeships will require changing attitudes among teachers, parents, and young people. As well, establishing clear pathways from pre-apprenticeship training through to employment would make this route more attractive to young people.

They also point out that family, peers, teachers, and counsellors tend to steer women away from the trades, and there is resistance toward accepting female tradespersons in the workplace. Removing those barriers involves changing attitudes and overcoming social expectations.

However, generating interest among potential apprentices is only useful to the extent that employers are willing to hire and sponsor apprentices. Therefore, efforts to encourage apprenticeship candidates must be accompanied by efforts to encourage employers to provide apprenticeship training.

Employers tend to be reluctant to take on apprentices because they perceive the investment in training to be risky and slow to return a benefit. However, a study by the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum indicates that returns to investment in apprenticeship training are realized much more quickly than employers expect.

Added: 2013-02-27

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• Les programmes de formation des apprentis au Canada

Lessons in Learning – April 15, 2009

Series: Lessons in Learning

Authors: Canadian Council on Learning (CCL)

Collection: Research Materials

Poor mental health in Canadian schoolchildren poses a significant risk to their academic development and puts them at greater risk of suicide, substance abuse, and dropping out.

The authors of this paper note that schools can lead the way in implementing public health strategies designed to prevent and detect mental health disorders among young people. Two types of school-based mental health strategies show promise: mental health awareness and education programs, and mental health screening programs.

They point to programs like one tested in junior and senior high schools in Alberta, where students participated in workshops designed to increase their knowledge and understanding of mental health issues.

In the United States, a mental health screening program called TeenScreen has been implemented in 42 states. Participation is voluntary and students complete a questionnaire that screens for depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Participants whose results indicate they are at risk are given on-site counselling and their parents are offered assistance in accessing mental health services.

Added: 2012-03-19

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• Obstacle à l'apprentissage : La maladie mentale chez les jeunes Canadiens

Lessons in Learning – February 21, 2008

Series: Lessons in Learning

Authors: Canadian Council on Learning (CCL)

Collection: Research Materials

The authors note that improvements in post-secondary educational attainment are an important response to the growing demand for skills in the Canadian labour market. However, in addition to academic skills, employers require their employees to have occupational skills, including both job-specific technical skills and “soft skills” like interpersonal communication and teamwork.

The authors say that many post-secondary students turn to programs that include an experiential learning component – such as co-operative education, internships or other forms of work placements – in order to develop a broader range of occupational skills.

The authors discuss ways to expand and improve experiential learning opportunities in Canada, including increasing awareness of such opportunities; implementing incentive programs; and ensuring that experiential learning programs provide students with good quality learning environments.

Added: 2011-10-14

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• Les avantages de l'apprentissage fondé sur l'expérience

Lessons in Learning – March 20, 2008

Series: Lessons in Learning

Authors: Canadian Council on Learning (CCL)

Collection: Research Materials

Bullying in schools can cause serious and lasting harm to both the victim and the perpetrator, and has been linked to such problems as substance abuse, aggression, and social withdrawal.

The authors of this document examine research about the effectiveness of intervention programs in ending bullying.

Their analysis suggests that intervention programs that utilize a whole-school approach often produce significant reductions in rates of bullying and victimization. To be effective, bullying prevention programs must be integrated into the school culture, with the entire school community committed to the creation of a safe environment in which to learn and grow.

Programs administered at the classroom level and those with a single focus – such as conflict resolution skills, peer mediation strategies, or social skills development – appear to be largely ineffective. Researchers argue that these types of interventions fail, in part, because bullying is a complex socio-cultural phenomenon that relies on power imbalances, rather than a social skills deficit on the part of the bully.

Added: 2012-08-16

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• Le taxage au Canada : L'effet de l'intimidation sur l'apprentissage

Lessons in Learning – March 31, 2006

Series: Lessons in Learning

Authors: Canadian Council on Learning (CCL)

Collection: Learning Materials

This paper examines whether workplace wellness programs can actually improve employees’ health and wellbeing, while enhancing an organization’s bottom line. Specifically, the authors looked at innovative workplace health and safety practices in 12 Canadian firms, both large and small, in a variety of sectors.

They concluded that workplace health pays, noting that all the workplaces studied had seen improvements either in employee health indicators, workplace performance, or financial returns. Several organizations pointed to reduced workers’ compensation premiums.

All the workplaces were sufficiently convinced of the value of their programs to continue their workplace health activities.

The authors also identify the characteristics of effective workplace wellness programs, which include clear delineation of roles and responsibilities for employees and management; the establishment of well-defined objectives; consistent gathering of data to monitor progress; and the building in of audits and reviews to assess the effectiveness of programs.

Added: 2013-03-22

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• La formation en milieu de travail peut-elle créer des employés en meilleure santé?