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\"Reconsidering Canadian Curriculum Studies is a thought-provoking book, where curriculum scholars at different stages in their academic careers experiment with innovating theoretical and methodological ways to research the concept of \"curriculum.\" Each chapter showcases examples of the dynamic intellectual work being done within the international field of curriculum studies across the diverse geographical and cultural regions here in Canada and the United States. In this book, the authors provoke us to ask more of curriculum studies in relation to other fields of study like environmental education, anti-racist education, multicultural education, internationalization, indigenousness, cultural studies, cultural geography, interdisciplinary studies, phenomenology, hermeneutics, and poststructuralism. This book is an excellent introductory text for any curriculum studies course either here in Canada or abroad\"-- Provided by publisher.

Increasingly, teacher involvement in collaborative design of curriculum is viewed as a form of professional development. However, the research base for this stance is limited. While it is assumed that the activities teachers undertake during collaborative design of curricular materials can be beneficial for teacher learning, only a few studies involving such efforts exist. Additionally many lack specific theoretical frameworks for robust investigation of teacher learning by design. The situative perspective articulated by Greeno et al. (1998) and third-generation activity theory as developed by Engeström (1987) constitute useful conceptual frameworks to describe and investigate teacher learning by collaborative design. In this contribution, three key features derived from these two theories, situatedness, agency and the cyclical nature of learning and change, are used to describe three cases of collaborative design in three different settings. Grounded on this theoretical basis and a synthesis of the three case descriptions, we propose an empirically and theoretically informed agenda for studying teacher learning by collaborative design.

Scholars disagree about the implications of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action for history educators and curriculum developers. Some scholars contend that responding to these Calls to Action requires rejecting the discipline of history and historical thinking approaches currently being implemented in history and social studies curricula in several Canadian jurisdictions because they are derived from an ethnocentric Western epistemology. In this article, we propose three significant and important changes to Canadian history education in support of reconciliation, some of which are already underway, albeit imperfectly, and each of which can be implemented without radical epistemological restructuring. Le point de vue des chercheurs diverge concernant les implications, pour les professeurs d’histoire et les responsables de développement de programmes, des Appels à l’action émis par la Commission de vérité et réconciliation du Canada. Certains chercheurs soutiennent que répondre à ces Appels à l’action demande de rejeter le programme d’histoire et les approches de pensées historiques actuellement implantés dans les programmes d’études sociales et d’histoire de plusieurs provinces et territoires canadiens, puisque ceux-ci découlent plutôt d’une épistémologie ethnocentrique occidentale. Cet article propose trois changements importants et significatifs à apporter dans l’éducation à l’histoire canadienne afin de soutenir la réconciliation, certains d’entre eux, bien qu’imparfaits, étant déjà en cours de réalisation, et chacun d’eux pouvant être mis en œuvre sans restructuration épistémologique radicale.

Background Transgender or gender diverse patients present with health care needs as it relates to gender-affirming care, psychosocial support, and medication access. Considering this, medical education strategies should be implemented to train the next generation of Internal Medicine physicians in this area. Methods We adopted Kern’s six step approach to curriculum design to create and implement an educational curriculum for teaching Internal Medicine residents about transgender patients at a single academic institution in Canada (Kern et al, Curriculum Development for Medical Education, 2009). Semi-structured individual interviews of Internal Medicine faculty and residents were conducted to understand the needs for delivering content related to transgender health during residency training. The results informed the development and implementation of an academic half day session and objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Prior to the academic half day, participants were sent three journal articles highlighting key concepts related to the medical care of transgender patients (CMAJ 193:E562–5, 2021; BMC Public Health 15:525, 2015; Bourns A, Guidelines for gender-affirming primary care with trans and non-binary patients, 2019). A pre- and post-intervention numeric assessment form evaluated residents’ comfort in providing gender-affirming care across five domains: general care, communication, hormone therapy, side effects, and prevention strategies. Faculty raters, equipped with training in transgender health, evaluated performance in an OSCE on key transgender health issues. Both the clinical case and OSCE scenario were developed via an iterative review process by study investigators. Results Residents reported an increase in subjective comfort of providing gender-affirming care ( p  = 0.042) following delivery of the academic half day content. The OSCE demonstrated that most residents achieved “acceptable” or “exemplary” ratings across multiple domains. Conclusions We implemented a Transgender Medicine curriculum for Internal Medicine residents in the Canadian context. The curriculum improved resident comfort in providing gender-affirming care including basic knowledge on gender-affirming hormone therapy, and health promotion activities (e.g., screening for and management of chronic disease, discussion of sexual health, community supports, peer engagement). Further assessment is needed to determine whether these skills are retained in clinical practice.

PurposeGlobally, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary learning in schools has become an increasingly popular and growing area of interest for educational reform. This prompts discussions about Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM), which is shifting educational paradigms toward art integration in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. Authentic tasks (i.e. real-world problems) address complex or multistep questions and offer opportunities to integrate disciplines across science and arts, such as in STEAM. The main purpose of this study is to better understand the STEAM instructional programs and student learning offered by nonprofit organizations and by publicly funded schools in Ontario, Canada.Design/methodology/approachThis study addresses the following research question: what interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary skills do students learn through different models of STEAM education in nonprofit and in-school contexts? We carried out a qualitative case study in which we conducted interviews, observations and data analysis of curriculum documents. A total of 103 participants (19 adults – director and instructors/teachers – and 84 students) participated in the study. The four STEAM programs comparatively taught both discipline specific and beyond discipline character-building skills. The skills taught included: critical thinking and problem solving; collaboration and communication; and creativity and innovation.FindingsThe main findings on student learning focused on students developing perseverance and adaptability, and them learning transferable skills.Originality/valueIn contrast to other research on STEAM, this study identifies both the enablers and the tensions. Also, we stress ongoing engagement with stakeholders (focus group), which has the potential to impact change in teaching and teacher development, as well as in related policies.

Rapid expansion in scientific knowledge, changes in medical practice, and greater demands from patients and society necessitate reform of the medical curriculum. In recognition of this, medical educators across the world have recommended the adoption of competence-based education. This is intended to increase the rigour and relevance of the curriculum, move students beyond a focus on the memorisation and regurgitation of scientific facts, and better enable them to understand scientific principles and apply them to the practice of medicine. Experience from 40 years’ use of competence-based curricula across the world suggests that the uncritical application of this approach to the medical curriculum may not achieve its intended aims. There are valuable lessons to be learnt from the history of competence-based education. By taking on board these lessons, confronting the pitfalls of this approach, and devising new and creative solutions to the problems inherent in this methodology, medical educators can better achieve their aim of providing a strong foundation for the practice of medicine in the twenty-first century. It is only through such a strategy—rather than the uncritical adoption of this educational approach—that we will have real movement and progress both in competence-based education in general, and in its applications to medicine in particular.

IntroductionAnesthesia-related activities contribute to operating room waste impacting climate change. The aim of this study was to ascertain 1) the current existence and scope of department and education programs concerned with anesthesia “green” practice; and 2) perceived barriers to environmental sustainability efforts among Canadian anesthesia department chiefs and residency program directors.MethodsAssociation of Canadian University Departments of Anesthesia-affiliated anesthesiology department chiefs (n = 113) were invited to complete an online survey ascertaining current efforts in, and barriers to, environmentally sustainable anesthesia practice. Similarly, Canadian anesthesiology residency program directors (n = 17) were invited to complete an online survey delineating current educational programs on environmental sustainability and identifying interest in, and barriers to, developing a Canada-wide curriculum.ResultsThe response rates for department chiefs and program directors were 23% (26/113) and 41% (7/17), respectively. Department chiefs indicated that their departments participate in sustainability efforts such as donating medical equipment (65%) and recycling (58%). Despite interest in environmental sustainability, department chiefs identified inadequate funding (72%), lack of a mandate (64%), and inadequate knowledge (60%) as barriers to implementing environmentally sustainable practices. Only 29% of responding Canadian anesthesiology programs include environmental sustainability in their curriculum. Responding residency program directors believe residents would benefit from more teaching on the topic (86%) but identified barriers including a lack of faculty expertise (100%) and time constraints (71%). Respondents (71%) also indicated an interest in developing a Canadian curriculum on the topic.ConclusionOur results highlight current attitudes, gaps, and barriers to environmentally sustainable anesthesiology practice among departmental and educational leadership. Furthermore, this study identifies potential opportunities to develop cross-Canada collaborative educational programs in this field.

This paper offers content priorities, justifications, and pedagogical approaches for the integration of climate change education into the training of teachers, and thus into public schooling. To meet urgent imperatives presented by the polycrisis of the Anthropocene, climate change education must be inclusive, comprehensive, flexible, and regionally responsive. Climate change education can be achieved by adapting regional programs for teacher education to meet those requirements. An example is the Climate Education in Teacher Education (CETE) project in northern British Columbia, Canada. Using the Education Design-Based Research methodology, the project addresses critical questions for curricular and pedagogical development of teachers to address the following three questions: (a) what content and outcomes to prioritize, (b) why these elements matter, and (c) how to implement them effectively. Over two years, CETE engaged pre-service and in-service teachers through workshops, reflective practices, and consultations with Indigenous communities. Our tentative answers emphasize the importance of adapting curriculum and pedagogy to foster community resilience, address climate anxiety, and promote an ethical renewal toward sustainability. The iterative development of objectives as “High-Level Conjectures” provides flexibility and reflexivity in the design process in the face of rapid contextual change. CETE developed practical pedagogical tools and workshop strategies that align educational priorities with local and global needs. This study offers a replicable framework to empower educators and communities in diverse locations to navigate the complexities of the climate crisis in their quest for a more secure and sustainable future.

Inquiry-based learning is one approach to improving the quality of under-graduate education by moving toward more student-directed, interactive methods of learning while focusing on learning how to learn. This paper deals with a missing component in the inquiry-related literature—the extra-pedagogical challenges of introducing and maintaining inquiry-based learning in the curriculum. Based in the collective experience of McMaster University, a mid-size Canadian university that has been a pioneer in inquiry pedagogy, the paper describes the challenges administrators faced in supporting the introduction of inquiry-based learning as components of traditional courses, as inquiry-based courses, and as inquiry-based degree programs. Derived from interviews, the paper presents a series of strategies and lessons for introducing and maintaining inquiry pedagogy in the curriculum. These lessons will be broadly useful to administrators, curriculum designers and faculty developers and should be widely applicable to institutes of higher education.

A group within the Canadian Federation of Medical Students (CFMS) is drafting a set of recommended curricular competencies with a goal of seeing them implemented in 2020 advocating for the inclusion of climate change. George Kitching, who is leading Health and Environment Adaptive Response Task Force (HEART) data collection effort thinks that climate change education is important because future physicians will be dealing with its health impacts.