Although greater accountability is required by Employment Ontario and CIPMS to demonstrate more effective and efficient use of resources and to show learning gains in a more meaningful way, there was agreement that this must not be to the detriment of current quality programming and good assessment practice.
The concept of more explicit goal paths was well received by streams and sectors and other representatives. Criteria had been established to demonstrate the distinctness of the goal paths including
Initial discussion centred on the number of paths, the language of the paths and the transparency of the language to other stakeholders. However, this discussion proved premature as the Project Team began to examine the transition paths from the perspective of Essential Skills.
Essential Skills can be applied to work, life and learning. In theory, this definition fit well with the current LBS/AU learner goal focus, i.e., employment, personal, and further education and training.
As noted, many LBS programs have been using Essential Skills or an Essential Skills approach in programming and assessment for employment-bound learners. Strong linkages also exist between Essential Skills and the apprenticeship path, which has a strong occupational focus in addition to an academic focus. The path to independence also has a very functional focus. Learners moving along this path are interested in gaining skills to function more effectively in their home and community environments. The exit point for learners with the goal of independence or employment is the real world and learners must be prepared to function in it.
It was somewhat more challenging to see how Essential Skills applied to the college postsecondary and secondary school credit paths, which have a strong academic focus. Although it could be argued that students are moving along these paths towards eventual employment, it was still difficult for team members to reconcile the academic nature of the two paths with the highly functional nature of Essential Skills. However, there was assurance that Essential Skills could be applied in different contexts. Murray, Clermont and Binkley (2006) assert that the skills demanded in an employment context are the same skills demanded in other contexts such as home and community.