ELEMENTARY TEACHERS’ FEDERATION OF ONTARIO

REPORT TO THE 2015 ANNUAL MEETING

Advancing and Protecting Our Union, Our Values and Our Profession

32

EQAO – Responding to 

Computer-Based Testing 

ETFO staff attended Assessment Advisory 
Committee (ACC) meetings and worked with 
the Ontario Teachers’ Federation (OTF) to pro-
vide formal responses to the EQAO initiative on 
Modernizing Assessment Operations (Computer-
Based Testing).

ETFO raised serious issues relating to the move to 
computer-based testing (CBT) specifically equity 
and accessibility, a multiple choice-only format 
and the investments in costly upgrades to serv-
ers and computers that will be required in district 
school boards. Front-line education workers will 
require training during the instructional day to 
enable them to administer, facilitate and support 
the test-takers and will incur increased workloads 
because of the change. It will also be a challenge 
to assure stakeholders that the CBT platform 
is tamper-proof and secure and that it can reli-
ably and consistently protect students’ data and 
privacy. 

While EQAO is presently field testing and piloting 
CBT at the secondary level, similar field testing in 
grades 3-6 is not expected for another two years. 
ETFO remains adamantly opposed to EQAO in 
any form.

Inquiry-Based Learning in Primary 

and Junior Grades Workshop

Offered in nine locals during the year, this new 
workshop explores the inquiry-based learning 
process, student engagement, collaboration and 
innovative thinking in primary and junior divi-
sions. Workshop participants gain the skills and 
confidence to implement new approaches to 
teaching and learning that place students’ ques-
tions, observations, creativity and thinking at the 
centre of the classroom learning experience.  

Revised ETFO Arts

Launched in September, the Revised ETFO Arts 
book is a practical step-by-step handbook for 
junior/intermediate grade teachers who want to 
include the arts in their classroom program. Like 
its predecessor ETFO ARTS, this resource introduc-
es the elements of dance, drama, music and visual 
arts and shows educators how to use the arts to 
support literacy and other subjects. Revised ETFO 
Arts includes a CD of music tracks from Soundtrack 
Performance Group and a CD with a Keith Haring 
work of art (Untitled 1982) that educators can use 
as a source of inspiration for integrating the arts. 
Professional arts resources, assessment strategies 
and teaching tips are also highlighted.

Social Justice and Equity 

Conference for Male Educators

In March, ETFO held the Social Justice and Equity 
Conference for Male Educators which was attend-
ed by occasional and contract teacher members 
from across the province and who are in varying 
stages of their careers. The two-day event was 
supported by the Equity and Women’s Services