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About OISE/UT

The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
of the University of Toronto
252 Bloor Street West
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M5S 1V6

Telephone: (416) 923-6641

FAX: 416-926-4725


2000 OISE/UT Annual Research & Development Report (in Acrobat PDF)


Vision
OISE/UT strives to be an effective, interactive learning community which, through research, scholarship, and excellent instruction, provides the theoretical knowledge base for education as a domain of advanced study and professional practice. OISE/UT is a centre of excellence for graduate studies, research, field development, initial and continuing teacher education in Ontario. It also is a central and integral part of the University of Toronto with collaborative programs, joint appointments and linkages to a variety of professional faculties and departments.

Mission
OISE/UT is committed to the study of education and matters related to education in a societal context in which learning is a life-long activity. Its mission emphasizes equity and access and the improvement of the educational experiences of people of all age levels and backgrounds. It includes partnerships with others to address a wide array of problems, drawing upon the insights of academic disciplines and professional perspectives. OISE/UT is dedicated to national pre-eminence and international distinction in graduate studies, initial and continuing teacher education, research and field development in education, and to providing exemplary leadership within and outside the province of Ontario.


Fast Facts

PURPOSE: The purpose of OISE/UT is to pursue the goal of establishing a learning society, through immersing itself in the world of applied problem solving and expanding the knowledge and capacities of individuals to lead productive lives.

INTEGRATION: The establishment of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT) on July 1, 1996 integrated the

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) and the Faculty of Education, University of Toronto (FEUT), including the University of Toronto Schools (UTS) and the Institute of Child Study (ICS)

LOCATIONS:

252 Bloor Street West,
371 Bloor Street West (includes UTS)
45 Walmer Road (ICS)

OVERALL OPERATING BUDGET,
1999-2000: $49.7 million

STUDENT ENROLMENT 1999-2000

(projected in cases indicated)

Preservice FTE (including MA in Child Study) 1128

Master's FTE (projected) 610 (M.A. 190; M.Ed. 420)

Doctoral FTE (projected) 750 (Ph.D. 470; Ed.D. 280)

Inservice Teacher Education (headcount)
Summer 1998 3378
Winter (projected) 1725

Laboratory Schools
ICS 208
UTS 539

FACULTY AND STAFF, 1999-2000 FTE

Tenured/Tenure Stream/Tutorial Faculty 160
Additional Instructional Staff
(preservice only) 44
UTS 36
ICS 14
Administrative Staff 159 (supported by operating
budget ; excludes staff on research funds)

RESEARCH FUNDING

Sponsored Research Funding (1998-99): $5 million

DEPARTMENTS

Adult Education, Community Development and Counselling Psychology; Curriculum, Teaching and Learning; Human Development and Applied Psychology; Theory and Policy Studies in Education; Sociology and Equity Studies in Education

INTERNAL RESEARCH CENTRES

affiliated with Adult Education, Community Development and Counselling Psychology: Transformative Learning Centre

affiliated with Curriculum, Teaching and Learning:
Centre for Teacher Development; Comparative, International & Development Education Centre; Imperial Oil Centre for Studies in Science, Mathematics and Technology Education; Modern Language Centre; International Institute for Global Education

affiliated with Human Development and Applied Psychology: Centre for Applied Cognitive Science; Dr. R. G. N. Laidlaw Centre (Institute of Child Study)

affiliated with Sociology and Equity Studies in Education: Centre for Independent Visual Media and Education; Centre for Integrative and Anti-Racist Studies; Centre for the Study of Education and Work

affiliated with Theory and Policy Studies in Education: Centre for Leadership Development; International Centre for Educational Change

not affiliated with a department
Centre de recherches en éducation franco-ontarienne
Centre for Women's Studies in Education

FIELD CENTRES

Centre de recherches en éducation du Nouvel-Ontario (Sudbury)
Midnorthern/Northeastern Centre (Sudbury/North Bay)
Midwestern Centre (Kitchener)
Niagara Centre (Stoney Creek)
Northwestern Centre (Thunder Bay)
Ottawa Valley Centre (Nepean)
Trent Valley Centre (Peterborough)

EDUCATION COMMONS

The Education Commons was established in order to facilitate the integration of information and technology in the teaching, learning, research and field development activities of OISE/UT.

Its mandate is to:

- Design, develop, and evaluate innovative ways of using technology and human resources to integrate knowledge access, generation, and publication.

- Provide state-of-the-art technology and services for use in research, teaching, learning, and field development in education.

- Ensure efficient access to information resources and services.

The Education Commons is responsible for managing information and technology facilities, including the libraries, computing and media, and includes the R. W. B. Jackson Library, which is part of the University of Toronto Library system, plus a number of specialized research collections.

SCHOLARLY AND PROFESSIONAL JOURNALS

Curriculum Inquiry
Resources for Feminist Research/
Documentation sur la recherche
feministe
Orbit


HISTORY AND FUNCTION OF THE ONTARIO INSTITUTE FOR STUDIES IN EDUCATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO (OISE/UT)

On July 1, 1996, the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) and the Faculty of Education (FEUT) were integrated to form a new faculty within the university called the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT). The following is an historical view of each of the two integrated institutions, their previous relationship and the vision and mission of the new institution - OISE/UT.

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE)

OISE was established in 1965 by a special act of the Ontario legislature to provide graduate level programs, to conduct research and disseminate its findings, and to engage in field development activities in education.

As a graduate school of education affiliated with the University of Toronto, OISE provided most of the master's-level and nearly all of the doctoral programs in education in the province. OISE had also been a major centre of educational research and development in Canada. OISE's exclusive focus on graduate studies, research, and development in education provided a unique setting for faculty, professional research staff, and students to address significant educational problems and issues.

OISE offered graduate programs leading to the M.Ed., M.A., Ed.D., and Ph.D. degrees through its seven academic departments. Most courses were offered on campus, but some (about 25 per year) were offered through OISE's Field Centres or by distance education modes of delivery. While the vast majority of programs were in English, OISE offered a small number of French language courses within a French Studies focus.

Although OISE administered all admission procedures, program regulations, financial awards, and degree requirements, its admission procedures and programs were subject to the regulations of the university's School of Graduate Studies (SGS); graduating students received University of Toronto degrees.

OISE conducted major research and development projects through its internal research centres, its departments, and its Field Centres located across the province. In addition to its faculty, OISE had a professional research staff to assist in carrying out its research and development mandate.

Over the thirty years since its establishment, OISE developed a reputation as one of a small number of research and postgraduate education institutions in the world with a broad mission and mandate and with the resources to implement the full range of that mission. From its inception, its faculty and students undertook studies addressing educational theory, policy and practice from early childhood to adult and higher education, in local, national, and international settings (including a Francophone setting), reflecting the scholarly traditions of many disciplines. OISE had also made a significant contribution to the development of critical theory in education and to feminist studies in education. Through its Field Centres, OISE maintained an important presence throughout the province.

The Faculty of Education (FEUT), University of Toronto Schools (UTS), and the Institute of Child Study (ICS)

When secondary education in Upper Canada was officially introduced in 1807, qualifications for teachers were ill-defined and professional training was non-existent. Nevertheless, a surprising number of 'educated gentlemen' found their way into the classrooms of the District Grammar Schools. Unfortunately, the supply of these superior pedagogues failed to keep pace with the growth of the population and the subsequent increase in schools. But in spite of the difficulties encountered, no serious attempt to provide teacher training was made for more than half a century.

Beginning in 1858, several experiments involving model schools and training institutes were conducted with the aim of improving the academic and professional qualifications of teachers. None of these endeavours met with any widespread satisfaction, and in 1890 all such operations were supplanted by a provincial school of pedagogy in Toronto. Seven years later this institution was moved to Hamilton and renamed the Ontario Normal College.

In 1906, the training of secondary school teachers was modified drastically when faculties of education were organized at the University of Toronto and at Queen's University. In Toronto, the Faculty offered professional secondary school courses in pedagogy. In order to improve the practical and experimental aspects of its program, the Faculty established, in 1910, the University of Toronto Schools (UTS) to serve as a practice school or a laboratory school. While UTS has consistently offered an excellent academic program, its involvement in the teacher education program of the Faculty of Education has varied greatly over the years.

The Institute of Child Study (ICS) was founded in 1926 as the St. George's School of Child Study, the first university laboratory preschool in Canada. In 1939, it became the Institute of Child Study, the first of the University of Toronto's multi-disciplinary research centres, and in 1971 it became a constituent part of the Faculty of Education.

The previously described pattern of teacher training continued until after the close of World War I. In 1920, it came to an abrupt end when the Faculty at Toronto was designated the Ontario College of Education (OCE), University of Toronto. In the following years the College expanded its program, services, and facilities, and added a number of important departments: The Guidance Centre in 1943 and the Vocational and Industrial Arts Department in 1946.

During a period of forty-five years, the Ontario College of Education was the sole institution in the province for the preparation of secondary school teachers. In 1965, the situation altered with the opening of Althouse College of Education, University of Western Ontario. Since then several other faculties of education have been established in Ontario.

In 1966, the departments of Graduate Studies and Research were transferred to the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). In the same year a new agreement for the operation of the Ontario College of Education was made between the Minister of Education and the University of Toronto, establishing a College Council and an Advisory Board. By the same agreement, the name was changed to The College of Education, University of Toronto. The Educational Media Centre was added in 1966, the Department of Computer Studies in 1968.

Effective July 1, 1972, the College was formally designated the Faculty of Education, University of Toronto (FEUT). In 1976, ICS began offering a two-year child development-based initial teacher education program. Establishment of the Laidlaw Research Centre at ICS in 1992 further strengthened the link between research and teacher education.

In 1978 new postgraduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Arts/Science in Teaching - M.A.(T.) and M.Sc.(T.) - were approved. The unique feature of these programs has been their emphasis on the teaching and research aspects as well as the academic content of the subject discipline. In 1979-80 an M.A.(T.) program in English and an M.Sc.(T.) program in Mathematics were initiated. The M.Sc.(T.) program was discontinued in 1992.

In January 1995, the Royal Commission on Learning in its final report, For the Love of Learning, recommended "that the consecutive program for teacher education be extended to two years". In February 1995, the Ministry of Education and Training endorsed this recommendation and called for proposals for two-year, initial teacher education pilot programs to begin in September 1995. In response to this call a program based on six key images of the effective teacher was approved by FEUT Faculty Council and the university's Academic Board. The program was in effect for the 1995-1997 period only and was available to up to 60 Elementary students and up to 60 Secondary students.

The Relationship Between OISE and FEUT

In general, OISE and FEUT each pursued their mandates and activities separately from 1965 on. Some FEUT faculty members who held membership in the School of Graduate Studies were involved with OISE's graduate programs, particularly in the areas of child study, curriculum and educational administration.

In 1983, the University of Toronto and OISE struck a joint committee to explore the possibility of integrating FEUT and OISE. The committee, chaired by Professor Lorna Marsden, recommended that FEUT and OISE be integrated as an affiliate of the University of Toronto, i.e. with its own Board of Governors and direct funding from the province. Neither OISE nor FEUT fully supported this recommendation and it was not pursued. However, a tripartite Joint Council on Education was established (OISE/FEUT/UT) to explore areas of common interest.

In 1985, the provincial government's Treasurer announced his intention to transfer OISE's budget to the University of Toronto. Discussions broke down and the government did not pursue the matter. In 1986, OISE and the University entered into negotiations toward a possible integration of OISE and FEUT under the general framework of the Marsden Committee's report. Although there was no integration at that time, a new ten-year Affiliation Agreement between OISE and the university was negotiated and signed early in 1989.

Under the new Affiliation Agreement, there was a stronger working relationship than at any time in the past. The Agreement included the establishment of the Joint Centre for Teacher Development, the establishment of a Joint Committee on Education (with representation from OISE, FEUT and SGS), a review of the libraries of both institutions, and mechanisms for increasing collaborative research and the involvement of FEUT faculty in graduate education.

The Establishment of OISE/UT

In February, 1994, the Minister of Education and Training wrote to the U of T and to OISE inviting the two institutions to explore formally the possibility of full integration. The Minister stated his belief that, through combining the objectives and academic resources of FEUT and OISE, the work of both institutions would be enhanced in the areas of educational research, graduate instruction, teacher education, dissemination of knowledge and the improvement of educational practice among professionals in the field.

Consequently, the two institutions entered into discussions to explore the possibility of integration, and both institutions named external consultants to provide advice regarding a number of aspects.

On December 16, 1994, an Agreement was signed by the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, the Governing Council of the University of Toronto, and the Ministry of Education and Training. The terms of the Agreement outlined the broad terms for the integration of OISE and FEUT, including ICS and its Laboratory School and UTS, into a new professional faculty of education under the Governing Council of the University of Toronto, and addressed its mandate, mission, administration, governance and resources.

The new faculty, named the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT), began operations on July 1, 1996. It is one of the largest faculties at the University and one of the largest faculties of education in North America. It enjoys full status as a major organizational unit of the University with all the rights and responsibilities pursuant to which individual university faculties hold such status. Its departments are members of Division II (Social Sciences) of the University's School of Graduate Studies.

   
     
     


The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education


of the University of Toronto
252 Bloor Street West
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M5S 1V6
Telephone: (416) 923-6641
FAX: 416-926-4725

Last update: 00.03.22