“No equity problem” with the digital dictionary, says Minister Roberge



During this exam, which took place last Thursday, some students only had access to a paper dictionary to check their spelling, while others could use a digital dictionary with more features.

Despite the fears expressed by parents and teachers, in particular, the minister says he does not feel so much ambiguity in the school network.

Mr. Roberge recalls that the rule was the same for everyone: only students who used the digital dictionary on a regular basis during the school year could use it during the single French test.

In pedagogy, what is really privileged, it is to have during the examination the same tools as what one had during the courses, during teaching. »

A quote from Jean-François Roberge, Minister of Education of Quebec

A shame

A French teacher who has more than 20 years of experience is far from sharing the opinion of the Minister of Education. According to Johanne (fictitious name), who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals, the digital dictionary is an extension of the inequalities already present in the network.

According to his own experience, it is the most advantaged schools and school service centers, where the deployment of technological tools is the most advanced, that benefit from this tool in the largest proportion.

Students [des écoles privées] use a digital corrector, while our students have to leaf through an often outdated dictionary […] and a Bescherelle, and this, during an exam where time is of paramount importanceillustrates Johanne.

Is it a uniform proof? A shame. »

A quote from Johanne (fictitious name), French teacher in a disadvantaged environment

At the Center de services scolaire de la Capitale, in Quebec City, no entire group was able to use the digital dictionary last Thursday. The communications advisor, Marie-Claude Lavoie, also mentions technological constraints to explain the situation.

The digital dictionary is accessible online and the Internet is prohibited during the evaluations of the [ministère] unless you have a device monitoring and control system, which we don’t have […] for the momentshe says.

This digital dictionary will be allowed when students have had enough time to appropriate it in a learning context and when the appropriate monitoring systems have been put in place.she continues.

Open to discuss

Asked about this aspect, Minister Roberge refuted the argument that public schools lack computer tools. There is no shortage of computers in the networkhe assures.

Once you have computers, you can easily access Usito (a digital dictionary). Since the pandemic, we have multiplied by almost 300% the number of computers. »

A quote from Jean-François Roberge, Minister of Education of Quebec

Mr. Roberge also relies on an internal study by his department, conducted in 2019 and of which Radio-Canada obtained a copy, which shows that the use of the digital dictionary does not lead to better results for those who use it. .

The use of a digital tool by students would lead to an increase of 0.27%, on average, in the results of the uniform test, which is totally negligiblecan we read in the study, a percentage deemed not statistically significant.

Seeing the result of the study […] I would tell you that I see no problem of fairness, repeats the minister. Now, for the years to come, are there any adjustments to be made? I am open to discussing it.

Earlier Tuesday, the three opposition parties in the National Assembly invited Mr. Roberge to look into this question. The minister should look at what is being done, but do it fairlylaunched the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, Dominique Anglade.

If it takes directives from the minister, let him issue them. The uniform proof should be uniformhad for his part indicated the co-spokesperson of Québec solidaire, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.

The leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, went on a similar outing. Every student should have the same resources and have a fair assessment.



Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca

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