Presentation by Maryam Wagner, PhD Candidate, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (University of Toronto)

STEP is one of the most recent developments led by the Ontario Ministry of Education to enable educators to assess and track the English language proficiency of English language learners. This presentation reports on the continuing process of validating STEP involving multiple phases and multiple stakeholders. This research also raises questions about the political nature of the validation process (Patton, 1997; 2000). This presentation aims to discuss some of the complexities arising during this research, and asks if a balance of power in research investigations may be achieved through a democratic approach to validation.

When: January 11, 2011

Time: 2:30 PM

Location: Dalton 409