An Effective and Critical History of Canada’s National Standardized
Testing Program:
A Thesis
Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
in
Educational Psychology
University of Regina
by
Margaret Anne Dagenais
Regina, Saskatchewan
March 31, 2011
© 2011 M.A. Dagenais
UNIVERSITY OF REGINA
FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH
SUPERVISORY AND EXAMINING COMMITTEE
Ms. Margaret Anne Dagenais, candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Education, has presented a thesis titled, An Effective and Critical History of Canada’s National Standardized Testing Program, in an oral examination held on March 31, 2011. The following committee members have found the thesis acceptable in form and content, and that the candidate demonstrated satisfactory knowledge of the subject material. External Examiner: *Dr. Louis Volante, Brock University
Supervisor: Dr. Heather Ryan, Faculty of Education, Educational Psychology
Committee Member: Dr. Douglas Brown, Faculty of Education, Curriculum & Instruction
Committee Member: Dr. Paul Hart, Faculty of Education, Curriculum & Instruction
Committee Member: Dr. Mhairi Maeers, Faculty of Education, Curriculum & Instruction
Committee Member: Dr. Morina Rennie, Faculty of Business Administration
Chair of Defense: Dr. Neil Ashton, Department of Physics *Video Conference
i
Abstract
This dissertation explores Canada‟s national large-scale testing program, the
School Achievement Indicators Program (SAIP) and its successor, the Pan-Canadian
Assessment Program (PCAP) using a methodology built on Foucault‟s theoretical
concepts. The product of the research is a critical and effective history of the production
of SAIP/PCAP within the Canadian social, political, and economic context. The study
considers the work of Canadian scholars and commentators working in the field of large-
scale testing and the work of those working in aspects of education that are proximal to
the field of interest. The research recognizes the key role of the investigator, the critical
importance of investigator‟s proximity to the field, her struggles within the field; and it
also recognizes the need of the investigator to step away from the obligation to argue a
particular perspective. The study also explores standardized testing regimes operating in
England and the United States as well as international testing programs to gather the
effects of these correlative spaces on the Canadian experience. The outcomes of the
research include the production of an understanding of how large-scale standardized
testing was produced in Canada, its resultant effects of harmonization on curriculum, and
the identification of possible research sites for further inquiry.
ii
Acknowledgements
It is my pleasure to thank those who made my thesis possible. I would like to
acknowledge the support and encouragement that I received from my family, friends, and
colleagues. I would also like to recognize the moral support and guidance provided by my
mentor and supervisor, Dr. Heather Ryan. My committee members - Drs. Doug Brown,
Paul Hart, Vi Maeers, and Morina Rennie - offered invaluable feedback and support
throughout the writing process.
Margaret Dagenais
iii
Dedication
This dissertation is dedicated to the memory of my Father, Henry Abraham Friesen. My
Father was my role model. His life was dedicated to research and inquiry, serving his
community, and creating a loving and caring home at a time of crisis and adversity.
iv
Table of Contents
Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... i
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ ii
Dedication ..................................................................................................................................... iii
CHAPTER ONE
Background and Introduction to an Effective History of Canada‟s National Standardized
Testing Program ........................................................................................................................... 1
Overview ............................................................................................................................ 1
The Research Space ......................................................................................................... 10
Why This Study and Why Now? ..................................................................................... 19
Purpose ............................................................................................................................. 22
Research Questions .......................................................................................................... 23
Methodology .................................................................................................................... 24
Method ............................................................................................................................. 28
Assumptions ..................................................................................................................... 30
Limitations ....................................................................................................................... 31
CHAPTER TWO
The Voice of the Self: An Ontological Perspective .................................................................... 34
Las Meninas: A Contemplation ...................................................................................... 36
The Gap ............................................................................................................................ 37
A Synthesis of Possibilities .................................................................................. 42
The Self as a Field of Knowledge .................................................................................... 42
Memory ................................................................................................................ 44
Method ................................................................................................................. 47
Meditation ............................................................................................................ 50
Synthesis .......................................................................................................................... 52