Transcript No Slide Title

“e-Portfolios for Skilled
Immigrants to Canada”
Metropolis 2006
Immigration and Canada’s Place in a
Changing World
Presenter: Emilie Coyle-Edmonton Mennonite Centre
for Newcomers
Surprise!
Open
Throw away directions
Use every method you can
think of to put the toy together
accurately
Hidden Skills
Most of us seriously underestimate
what we know and can do.
So deeply entrenched and
internalized has the definition of
“learning” become that even
people with advanced
credentials tend to ignore and
undervalue their experiential
learning
Immigration Statistics
• By 2011 or 2012 Immigration will
account for 100% of the net gain in the
Canadian labour market
• Employers face shortages of skilled
workers
• The Canadian economy loses $6-12
billion annually because immigrant skills
are unrecognized or underutilized
• 60% of the approximately 230,000
immigrants arriving each year have
post-secondary education.
Employment realities
“The findings suggest that the integration
of immigrants into the labour force
cannot be viewed in isolation from
immigrants’ integration into Canadian
society and culture”
“It is important for government to engage
businesses in developing policies and
outreach materials that will assist both
the employer and the immigrant and
ensure that immigrants can reach their
full potential in their adoptive country.”
Possible Solutions
To Underutilization, Lack of recognition
of skills & Credentialist Barriers:
• Immigrants need access to good
information about credentialing and the
labour market
• Enhanced language training is essential
• The education and experience of
immigrants must be made more transparent
to employers
• Credentialist barriers must be reduced or
eliminated.
Possible Solutions
To Underutilization, Lack of recognition
of skills & Credentialist Barriers:
An e-portfolio process that enables
immigrants to construct an e-portfolio tool
that makes their education and experience
transparent to Canadian employers
Metanoia
The word metanoia means: a
fundamental shift (or change) in
thinking; a mind-shift.
In systems thinking, a mind-shift or
metanoia precedes a paradigm shift – a
movement from an “old” way of doing or
seeing things to a new way.
Where are we going with this?
Current Employment Counseling Model
• Information – both for the client and
the agency
• Assessment – of the client’s
credentials, experience, language
proficiency (IQAS, PLAR, CLB)
• Bridging – filling the gaps
• Facilitated Job Search
The Proposed Model or System
 Information – for the client and the agency
 Assessment/Self-assessment & Reflection– client’s
credentials, experience, language proficiency and
interactions with licensing /regulatory bodies (PLAR,
CLB, IQAS -results) will become “artifacts” in the
client’s portfolio. Reflection on past learning and
determination of relevance to practice of the immigrant’s
profession in Canada.
 Bridging – filling the gaps and taking new career
directions. Being in control of one’s own career.
 Facilitated Job Search – e-portfolio
skillsinternational.ca
or
Assessment and Reflection
The counselor/facilitator and the client engage in a career
development process (constructivist approach).
Portfolio Learning - Reflection (deep learning).
 Assessment: translation of credentials, proof of
experience - PLAR or CBA, Language proficiency,
IQAS, Examinations required by reg./licensing bodies,
artifacts from ‘other’ learning (formal, informal, and nonformal) situations.
career planning
development of an “action plan”
Prior Learning Assessment Methods
Competency Based Assessment
standardized tests
review of transcripts
licences and certificates
challenge exams
oral examination
performance observation
skill demonstration/ product assessment
program review
Portfolio Review
Partnership
Edmonton
Mennonite Centre
for Newcomers
PLA Centre
Halifax
Portfolio Learning
Broad Reflection - Chronological
Record, Reflection on Life
More Focused - Life History
Very Focused - Goal Setting,
Learning Narratives
The Portfolio Product
Pilot Projects
•Halifax – 11 participants
•Edmonton – 4 participants
•Li Jin
•Nicholas Echeverry
Purpose and Goals of E-portfolio
Multiple purposes of an e-portfolio:
–Learning/Process
–Assessment (PLAR)
–Marketing/Showcase (Tool)
Prior Learning Assessment and Canada
Many initiatives and little
cohesion.
Why the PLAR process?
CAPLA, FNTI, PLA Centre
Manitoba, PLA Centre Halifax,
Lifia, among others
Implications for the Future
Limitless
Hopeful
Exciting
Inclusive
Welcoming
PLA
“Fundamentally, PLAR is
a means of providing for
the individual’s power
over his or her own
learning, which is the
ultimate power of all”
Alan. M.
Thomas
Thank you
Discussion and
Questions