POLICY 6163.1
LEARNING RESOURCES
1.0 RATIONALE
The selection and use of Learning Resources must be consistent with the First Peoples Principles of Learning and the BC Ministry of Education and Child Care curriculum. In addition to the wide range of materials available through Focused Education Resources, there are other appropriate resources which staff may select to meet the needs and interests of the student population and the professional needs of staff.
The District supports the provision of a wide range of learning resources at varying levels of difficulty with diversity and appeal to meet the needs of students and teachers. Further, access to learning resources needs to be equitably available to all, with no cost as a barrier to knowledge.
2.0 DEFINITIONS
Learning Resources will refer to any person(s) or any material (whether acquired or locally produced) with instructional content or function that is used for formal or informal teaching/learning purposes during instructional time. Learning resources include print, multi-media and online materials.
3.0 POLICY
3.1 The primary objective of learning resources is to support, enrich, and enhance the implementation of the curriculum.
3.2 The District seeks to provide a wide range of learning resources with broad appeal that reflects with the diversity of our communities and society appeal and the
presentation of different points of view, including those of Indigenous peoples worldviews to meet the needs of District students.
3.3 It is the responsibility of district and school educational staff to provide students and staff with learning resources that are appropriate to the needs, interests,
and abilities of learners.
3.4 The District believes learning resources should be available without charge.
3.5 The District seeks to provide learning resources that promote a greater understanding among staff and students of the local Nations’ history, territory, and
contemporary matters.
3.6 The District seeks to partner with Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and community members to ensure that Indigenous ways of knowing and being are responsibly
and respectfully integrated with learning resources and, where appropriate, reflected in learning resources.
3.7 Rationale for Learning Resources Selection
3.7.1 In selecting resource materials consideration will be made to include a wide variety of educationally appropriate materials that will provide for a range of
teaching and learning styles. Priority should be given to local and/or Canadian and/or local content. Selection is based on sound educational criteria unbiased by personal, political, social, or religious views.
3.7.2 Learning resources will be selected according to the following social consideration principles:
- promoting diversity,
- fostering an inclusive and equitable educational environment by actively addressing and challenging ableism.
- appropriately representing the status areas of the BC Human Rights Code of race, colour, ancestry, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, and disability;
- incorporating diverse racial backgrounds and lived experiences demonstrating equity, and reflecting Indigenous, Black and People of Colour (IBPOC) voices;
- promoting respect for and understanding of inclusion and diversity in Canadian society;
- providing appropriate context for complex issues and demonstrating awareness of personal bias;
- emphasizing opportunities for critical thinking; and
- ensuring that resources are current and do not contain offensive or stereotypical content except as needed to support learning about the effects of such damaging content. In situations where offensive or stereotypical content is to be used, consideration should be given to section 4.2.
3.7.3 All usages of materials will involve the teacher as the facilitator of learning as necessary; students will have some choice in materials selection for specific purposes, such as independent reading or research.
3.7.4 It is not expected that any single resource will be sufficient to teach a course; rather, a multimedia multifaceted approach is encouraged which integrates
materials from different packages sources and media.
3.8 Criteria for the Evaluation of Learning Resources
Learning Resources will:
3.8.1 Be age and developmentally appropriate.
3.8.2 Be evaluated for relevance, accuracy, reliability, and bias.
3.8.3 Reflect cultural responsiveness, safety, and societal diversity.
3.8.4 Be universally available to all and selected with consideration to cost.
3.8.5 Minimize student exposure to advertising and marketing; and
3.8.6 Comply with the current Canadian Copyright Act, and current Greater Victoria School District licensing agreements.
3.9 Procedures for Selection of Learning Resources
3.9.1 Responsibility for selecting and issuing learning resources in accordance with the criteria approved herein rests with the appropriate educational staff
employed by the District.
3.9.2 The Superintendent or designate and principals have general responsibility for ensuring that the approved criteria are known and appropriately applied.
Each principal is responsible for having a process in place where all educational staff have the opportunity for input into the selection of learning
resources in accordance with this Policy and the associated Regulation 6163.1
3.9.3 In selecting learning resources, district and school educational staff will evaluate available resources and curriculum needs and will consult reputable
digital resources, professional journals, catalogues, and periodicals. Whenever possible, the actual resource will be examined.
3.9.4 Gift materials learning resources shall be judged by the criteria outlined above and shall be accepted or rejected by those criteria.
3.9.5 Selection is an ongoing process which includes the removal of learning resources which are no longer appropriate according to the approved criteria for the selection of learning resources, and other criteria specific to the ongoing reconsideration of learning resources currently in use such as age, damage, and relevance.
3.9.6 Concerns about the use of learning resources will be addressed based on the principles and evaluation criteria for selecting and using resources as
presented in this Policy and using a reconsideration procedure outlined in Regulation 6163.1
4.0 RESPONSIBILITIES
4.1 The Board delegates the responsibility for the selection of learning resources to the district or school educational staff. The review of a request for reconsideration of the use of a learning resource will be undertaken in accordance with the review process outlined in the associated Regulation 6163.1.
4.2 When a teacher considers a learning resource is “sensitive in nature” or has “the potential to offend”, the teacher(s) who intends to use the resource, in consultation with the Principal, may choose to provide notification to parents of students who will have access to or be exposed to the learning resource.
The notification to parents/guardians will provide information based on the age and maturity of the students in the class and may include:
(1) Identify the learning resource
(2) Provide a brief description of the content
(3) Outline the purpose for the use of the resource
(4) And the dates that the resource will be in the classroom.
4.3 The Superintendent or designate will make staff aware and orient them annually to Policy 6163.1 and Regulation 6163.1
5.0 REFERENCES
Sections 7, 8, 17, 20, 22, 65, 85, 168 School Act
Educational Program Guide Order MO 333/99
Copyright Act – Fair Dealing Provision
Regulation 6163.1 Learning Resources
Greater Victoria School District
Approved: March 1982
Suspended: March 1992
Renamed and Revised: February 27, 1995
Revised: January 29, 2024