Can Canadian History Lead to Innovation?

This week, in my Innovation in Teaching and Learning course, we have been talking about Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Teaching and Learning. An article that I read by George Tomkins called "Foreign Influences on Curriculum and Curriculum Policy Making in Canada: Some Impressions in Historical and Contemporary Perspective" had me considering a new perspective of education.

Throughout the article, Tomkins explains that in Canada, the curriculum has remained relatively mainstream over the years. Other than a few significant moments in history (New Education introduced from 1880-1920, for example) the curriculum has relied heavily on outside influence. Much of this influence has come from America, Britain and France. Tomkins continues to explain that over the years, educators have demanded "more Canadian content" (Tomkins, 165) with little result.

These points made by Tomkins had me wondering whether the Canadian curriculum has incorporated more of our own history since our highly influenced past. For example, as a teacher in New Brunswick, I have learned that First Nations history is often not introduced to students. This is worrisome to me, as although it is not a "pleasant" history, it is a reality of which all Canadians should be aware.

This is where I see a possible opportunity for Canadian History to leads us toward innovation in education. As a review, my working definition of innovation includes: "a process of change that involves the extension of existing ideas and the exploration of new ideas and possibilities in order to create a product." I feel that this product can be an enhanced curriculum. With some of our history failing to be introduced to students, this would be like new content to them. Teachers could find fun and exciting ways to introduce these topics to students (I can think of many examples such as role-playing, student created videos and trips to significant landmarks in local neighborhoods).

There is no reason for Canada to be "left behind" when it comes to innovative curriculum. While I believe that we need to be careful not to incorporate too much innovation into classrooms (student dependence on technology can be an issue) I feel that there is much room in this area to move our students toward an appreciation for their own history. Let's make this past history relevant for them today.

Works Cited:

Tomkins, G. (1981). Foreign influences on curriculum and curriculum policy making in Canada: Some impressions in historical and contemporary perspective. Curriculum Inquiry, 11(2), 157–166.