• Home
• Project Overview
  • Overview
  • Purpose
  • Project Team
  • Innovation Fund Proposal
  • Findings: Year One
  • Findings: Year Two
  • Findings: Year Three
  • Transferability
• Research & Development
  • Overview
  • Six Research Questions
  • Methodology
  • Literature Review
  • Stakeholder Consultations
• Model Framework
• Toolkit Framework
  • Overview
  • Curriculum Collaboration
  • Why Collaborate?
  • Values, Principles & Themes
  • Issues
  • Limiting Factors
  • Leadership
  • Management
  • Legal
  • Communities of Practice
  • Curriculum Sustainability
  • Evaluation
  • Networking Technology
• Implementation
  • Overview
  • Dissemination of Results
  • Phase Reports
• References
• Credits

Toolkit Framework - Issues

Ownership

The curriculum commons co-ownership model that is envisioned will combine several features:

• Equal status (equity) for each college
  
  
• Jurisdictional agreement that is detailed in a Memorandum of Understanding (legal framework)
  
  
• Joint responsibilities clearly identified (clear goals and roles)
  
  
• Work together to solve problems (teamwork)
  
  
• Cooperation (teamwork)
  
  
• Contributions of elements to the process from each partner

Cost Considerations

Alberta colleges and technical institutes are funded by Alberta Advanced Education and Technology to develop and deliver credit programs such as certificates, diplomas, and applied and academic degrees. For the most part, curriculum development and sustainability are embedded within the government operating grant program. There are notable exceptions to funding curriculum development across the system. For example, the Alberta Apprenticeship Branch develops curriculum known as individualized learning modules (ILMs) on a provincial basis. Institutions then access these modules for use by faculty and students. Another example is the tri-partnership venture PanGlobal (NAIT, SAIT, and BCIT) which develops and distributes (sells) Power Engineering curriculum materials to end users such as colleges and technical institutes. Perhaps another example is Career and Technologies Studies (CTS), which develops course curriculum for use by students within the K-12 system. All these systems use advisory committee processes.

Alberta colleges and technical institutes are independent, board-governed, autonomous institutions. Each institution is categorized and has its mandate approved by Alberta Advanced Education and Technology. As previously discussed, institutions are funded to develop (sustain) and deliver curriculum to their learners. These institutions are part of the Alberta post-secondary system and compete for operational and infrastructure government funding. However, these same institutions also offer workforce development training on a cost-plus basis and may conduct applied research. These activities are largely market driven and institutions compete for resources in this line of business too.