Education and Early Childhood Learning

assistive technologies

Specialized equipment or devices that can help people with disabilities with heir daily activities in communication, self-care, mobility, hearing, vision, and environmental control.

co-construction

A collaborative process where teachers and learners work together to develop criteria, knowledge, or understanding. Teachers guide this process by facilitating discussions, providing expertise, and ensuring that the criteria are clear, achievable, and aligned with learning objectives. This approach emphasizes active participation, shared responsibility, and mutual respect, fostering a deeper engagement and ownership of learning.

cumulative evidence

A collection of varied assessments, observations, and conversations gathered over time that together provide a comprehensive picture of a learner. It reflects patterns of growth and progress rather than isolated performance.

equity

The intentional practice of providing every learner with the specific support they need, when they need it, through a clearly defined set of behaviours and a mindset that fosters a culture of learning and success for all.

grade

A symbol (such as a letter or a number) used on a report card or at the end of a reporting period to communicate learning over time.

grading

Communicates learning over time using a symbol (such as a letter or a number) on a report card or at the end of a reporting period.

growth

The increase in learning that has occurred from the beginning of an instructional period to the current reporting event. It emphasizes the improvement that has occurred rather than measuring how a learner is meeting learning outcomes.

mark

A symbol (such as a letter or a number) used to evaluate a specific learning task.

proficiency

The goal for all learners. A learner is proficient when they demonstrate the expected learning in relation to learning outcomes. Proficiency is not synonymous with perfection; instead, the learner is able to demonstrate their learning consistently.

progress

Indicates, by measuring backwards from a desired end point, to what degree the learner is meeting learning outcomes.

proficiency

The goal for all learners. A learner is proficient when they demonstrate the expected learning in relation to learning outcomes. Proficiency is not synonymous with perfection; instead, the learner is able to demonstrate their learning consistently.

reliability

Refers to the quality of consistency in evaluation. Reliable evaluation means the inferences about a student’s learning should be similar when

• they are made by different teachers
• the learning is measured using various methods
• the learning is demonstrated at different times

success criteria

Describe what it means to produce quality evidence in relation to curricular learning outcomes and/or student-specific outcomes. They are expressed in learner-friendly language and are observable and measurable. Learners use success criteria to plan, monitor, and assess their own learning progress.

triangulation of evidence

Evidence of learner achievement collected over time from multiple sources, including teacher observations and learner conversations, processes, and multimodal products.

universal design

Planning by school communities, including teachers, for the full diversity of their learner population. Universally designed schools, classrooms, curricula, instruction, and materials provide all learners with access to the resources they require, inclusive of their diverse learning needs.

validity

Refers to the accuracy of the interpretation and the use of evaluation information, and it depends on

• ensuring the methods reflect the targeted outcome, including content, thinking processes, skills, and dispositions
• providing learners with opportunities to demonstrate learning in multiple ways