Essential education skills for Canadians in new economy: Building understanding to improve practice
2007-2010

Abrami, P.C. (Concordia), Collins, L. (Concordia), de Almeida, R. (Concordia), Gatbonton, E. (Concordia), Horst, E. M. (Concordia), Savage, R.S. (McGill), et al.

The Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance (CSLP) is a FQRSC Research Centre of Excellence requiring infrastructure updating and replacement. Our work focuses on improvements in education that will lead to greater functional literacy and essential skills in Québec in response to the demands of global competition and the knowledge-based economy. We conduct solution-oriented research on problems of academic failure, underachievement leading to high dropout rates in many schools, low retention rates at colleges and universities, and high levels of unemployment due to the lack of basic, academic skills. Our existing FQRSC/CFI facilities have enabled us to successfully undertake significant projects on educational interventions that implement cutting-edge developments in technology and the cognitive sciences. The present proposal for an infrastructure upgrade will support research designed to achieve significant impact, scalability and sustainability. Four facilities are implicated: the Skill Acquisition in Group Environments (SAGE) laboratories focuses on second language acquisition; the Mobile Research Laboratory enables us to conduct field research through partnerships with the schools, particularly involving students with special needs; the Multimedia Design and Production Facility involves the creation of multimedia learning tools and reusable learning objects; the Knowledge Mobilization and Testing Laboratory supports knowledge dissemination and active stakeholder participation in development and testing. Upgraded facilities will enable us to: examine how to facilitate second language learning at the micro-level of pedagogical approaches and learning processes and development, explore the integration of technology to enhance essential educational skills, and provide practitioners and policymakers with evidence-based recommendations for education via online training, bilingual websites and learning objects that will be linked to a network of learning object repositories.

MDEIE celebration March 30, 2009

The Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance and the Concordia Office of the Vice President Research & Graduate Studies held a cocktail reception in celebration of a large grant, jointly awarded by the ministère du Développement économique, de l'Innovation et de l'Exportation (MDEIE), the Faculty of Arts and Science and Concordia University for the upgrading of five CFI facilities: Multimedia Design and Production (MDP) Laboratory, Knowledge Mobilization and Testing Laboratory, Skill Acquisition in Group Environments (SAGE) Laboratory, Mobile Research Laboratory, Central Service Facility.

The following video was presented to the honored guests. [English version] [French version]

View pictures from the ceremony