Ontario is set to “modernize” the science curriculum for students by introducing a new science and technology curriculum.
The provincial government announced on March 8, 2022, that they will be introducing a new science and technology curriculum for students in grades 1 to 8, as well, they will introduce a new de-streamed Grade 9 science course.
This comes as part of the government's plan to align curriculum changes with Ontario's economic needs while placing an emphasis on critical life and job skills – including fast-growing skilled trades.
Updates have been a long time coming, 2007 was the last time the science and technology curriculum was updated and the Grade 9 science course was last updated in 2008.
The updated curriculum will address the ever-evolving world of significant scientific and technological innovation, everything from smartphones to genomic vaccines. The province hopes this will better prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow.
The benefits of de-streaming include increased culturally responsive instruction, assessment and evaluation, and increased student engagement, achievement and well-being.
Schools will see these changes in time for the 2022-2023 school year.
“Ontario has transformed the curriculum to now emphasize STEM education across all grades, embedding life and job skills that will support the next generation of scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education.
Lecce continued, “From finding new cures for cancer, to space robotics that reach new planets, and the development of artificial intelligence and technologies that are changing the economy, Ontario's new science and technology curriculum is focused on giving young people the skills to think critically, dream boldly and chart new pathways forward for our economy.”
The revised curriculum will include the following:
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Coding: mandatory learning on coding from Grades 1 to 9, consistent with the math curriculum, to further enshrine Ontario as a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) leader. For example, in Grade 3, students can learn how to program a small robot.
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Connecting STEM Learning: for the first time, Ontario has dedicated learning expectations from Grades 1 to 9 which explicitly connects science, technology, engineering and mathematics to real-world issues.
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Emerging technology: students will learn about the rise and application of advanced research, robotics and the development of artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Students can learn about the impact and application of AI in their daily lives, including facial recognition, autonomous vehicles, drones and search engines.
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Skilled trades: mandatory learning from Grades 4 to 9 on the relationship between how advancements in science and emerging technologies are enhancing the skilled trades and providing exciting career opportunities.
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Food literacy: learning related to food literacy in every grade that empowers students to make decisions that affect physical and mental health, consider local food production, and the scientific processes involved in agriculture.
The ministry says they are committed to supporting educators through this change, through teaching STEM. The ministry is partnering with subject associations and third-party organizations, including Ontario Science Centre, Science North and Let’s Talk Science, to develop classroom-ready resources and professional learning opportunities for educators in the months leading up to classroom implementation and throughout the 2022-23 school year.