Canadian Citizenship Ceremony - more than a piece of paper

Photo by: Taruna Goel

In this blog post, I pause the usual learning and development-related content to reflect on the importance of something that marked a big life change for me and reinforced my sense of identity - my Canadian Citizenship Ceremony.

The federal government of Canada has recommended a proposed change to the Oath of Citizenship that will allow individuals to self-administer the citizenship oath via online means instead of being physically required to do so before a citizenship judge. This proposed change undervalues the meaning of citizenship. To understand why I think so, let me take you back to my experience of the Canadian Citizenship Ceremony and what it continues to mean to me. 

I immigrated to Canada with my family. It took 7 years from the day we officially submitted an application to actually hold the citizenship certificate. It was a long and challenging journey and there were many ups and downs along the way. So, when the day came to be dressed in red, hold the Canadian flag, listen to the immigration story of our presiding Citizenship Judge, take the oath, and recite O Canada, it meant the world to us! Standing in that room with 100 or so other people, who all came from diverse backgrounds, we felt one as Canadian citizens. The sense of camaraderie and community during the ceremony was powerful. The in-person ceremony was a culmination of a long and challenging process and a reflection of our shared values with other fellow Canadians. We felt a deep sense of integration one can only get by being with other people. On that day, as much as we belonged to Canada, Canada belonged to us.

But it wasn't just a proud moment for us; that feeling of civic participation and deep engagement was also felt by others in the room who had come to witness and celebrate the occasion for their friends and family. In the absence of any immediate family, we invited our chosen family - my colleagues from work - who were deeply involved in and supported us in our 7 year-citizenship journey. Having been born in Canada, they never got a chance to take a citizenship test, take an oath, and 'become' citizens. Watching us go through the ceremony made them emotional and I am guessing they valued their by-birth citizenship a little more that day. Having people who cheered for us and were present in person to witness this transformative event of our lives made it even more meaningful and cherished. Later that year, we were fortunate to attend the citizenship ceremony of a close family member and relive those emotional moments as we welcomed them as fellow citizens.

It was a big milestone in our lives to become citizens of the country we chose and the in-person oath ceremony brought a sense of relief and a feeling of accomplishment. To mark this defining moment, we celebrate our citizenship anniversary every year with friends and family. This year, we are celebrating our 8th #Canaversary and the 12th year of being in Canada! 

All of this to say, while virtual citizenship ceremonies may be required due to certain circumstances, in-person ceremonies hold a unique and lasting significance that virtual events can never replicate. The solemnity of the event and the shared experience with other new citizens make in-person ceremonies an invaluable tradition. Citizenship ceremonies often become stories that people recount to their children, grandchildren, and friends as a part of a vivid recollection of a key chapter that holds deep meaning and importance. Those 90 minutes of an in-person ceremony make for a lifetime of memories. 

I understand that there is a need to focus on administration and processing efficiencies and explore flexible options but it cannot and should not be done at the expense of the meaning of citizenship. 

A citizenship ceremony is more than just a piece of paper; it becomes a core memory of a person's life and an integral part of their personal narrative. 

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I have signed the following petition to the House of Commons to abandon plans to permit self-administration of the citizenship oath and revert to in-person ceremonies as the default. I encourage others in my network, especially immigrants, Permanent Residents, and fellow Canadians to consider signing it.

https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4511

Reference:

As per Canada Gazette, Part I, Volume 157, Number 8: Regulations Amending the Citizenship Regulations (Oath of Citizenship) : “Each year, thousands of individuals apply for Canadian citizenship. Increased demand, in-person and paper-based processing, and other factors, such as constraints during COVID-19, have contributed to rising inventories of citizenship applications, resulting in processing times well beyond the published service standard of 12 months. On January 31, 2022, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (the Minister) announced that the Department would begin pursuing the necessary changes to allow for self-administration of the Oath of Citizenship. Under the regulatory scenario, clients who opt to take the Oath digitally via a secure online solution without the presence of an authorized individual would save up to three months of processing time, becoming new citizens faster than those who opt to take the Oath at a citizenship ceremony. While ceremonies take approximately 90 minutes, swearing or affirming in this manner via the secure online solution is expected to take significantly less time.”

RPL and Interdisciplinary Competence

Recently, I came across an insightful article by Colleen Knechtel about interdisciplinary competencies required for innovation and how such competencies can be implemented to foster innovation.

#InterdisciplinaryCompetence means being able to work well in different areas of study. It includes combining knowledge, methods, and ideas from different fields to solve complex problems. Interdisciplinary competence is more than just knowing one subject. It's about working together, communicating, and thinking critically across different subjects. It means seeing how different areas are connected and using that to understand things better. And who doesn't need these competencies at work?

What I found most insightful was that the first strategy that Colleen mentions for implementing interdisciplinary competencies is recognizing prior knowledge and skills. I work across a range of occupations and industries where I design and implement RPL programs and have found this to be true.

#Recognition of prior learning (#RPL) can help in developing interdisciplinary competence by acknowledging and valuing an individual's existing knowledge, skills, and competencies acquired through non-formal or informal learning experiences. It allows them to recognize their transferable skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, teamwork, and adaptability, which are important for interdisciplinary work.

I believe that RPL also helps individuals become more self-reflective and adopt a growth mindset. And this type of thinking provides a pathway for individuals to transition into interdisciplinary fields or roles where they can get credits or exemptions based on what they already know and receive opportunities for further education or professional development.

    

Image by Lukas Moos from Pixabay

Efficiency versus Effectiveness of Learning

Photo by: Taruna Goel

Efficiency versus effectiveness? 

When designing learning programs, what is more important? Efficiency or effectiveness? And why?

The statement that I always go back to is: 

"...the question is not how to make training more efficient but how to make learning more effective.”

- Brigitte Jordan, Ph.D. 

I agree with Dr. Jordan that the focus should be on making learning more effective rather than solely concentrating on making training or educational programs more efficient. The statement highlights the importance of prioritizing the quality of learning outcomes and the overall effectiveness of the learning experience. 

There is no denying that when designing learning programs, both efficiency and effectiveness are important factors to consider, and their relative importance depends on the specific context and goals of the program. However, I am of the view that:  

"Effectiveness trumps efficiency." 

Let me explain why.

Efficient Learning

Efficiency is how well a learning program utilizes resources such as time, effort, and cost to achieve its objectives. When designing learning programs, we want to minimize rework/waste and maximize productivity. So, with limited organizational resources, tight budgets, and time constraints, efficiency becomes an important goal. Efficiency in training programs often pertains to optimizing resource utilization, minimizing time investment, or reducing costs. While efficiency has its merits, only striving for efficiency in learning may neglect the core purpose of learning, which is to promote deep understanding, application of knowledge, and meaningful skill development.

For example, let's say an online training program uses a multiple-choice exam as the final assessment. The exam grade is automated via the LMS and a high volume of exams can be processed efficiently. However, an MCQ-based exam can only assess a certain type of knowledge and may not be the most effective assessment of deeper knowledge and the participant's ability to apply the knowledge in a real-world context. That goal would need the use of more authentic assessment methods beyond just the MCQ exam. 

Effective Learning

Effectiveness refers to the ability of a learning program to achieve its intended learning outcomes to produce the desired results. In that sense, an effective program focuses on the quality of learning and on the application of that learning to impact performance. The primary goal of any learning intervention is to impact performance through skill development and meaningful learning. And these skills need to be applied in real-world contexts. So, essentially the goal is to enable learners to transfer what they have learned to their work or daily lives. An effective program does that by keeping learners engaged, motivated, and participative. 

Generally speaking, I advocate for prioritizing effectiveness over efficiency, especially when the quality of learning outcomes and the long-term impact on learners are the key measures of success. By shifting the focus to making learning more effective, educators and instructional designers can explore various strategies and approaches to enhance the quality and impact of the learning experience. This includes designing engaging and interactive activities, promoting active participation, providing relevant real-world examples, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and ensuring that learners can transfer their knowledge to practical situations. 

Needless to say, in an organizational context, we often need to strike a balance between efficiency and effectiveness. For example, let's say after participating in a learning program, employees are able to apply the knowledge to real-world tasks and show some improvement in performance. However, the training took exorbitant amounts of time and resources to design/deliver. If this is the case, the sustained use of the training can't be justified. 

Ultimately, the best approach is to aim for an efficient program that optimizes resource utilization while ensuring that the learning experience is effective, engaging, and meaningful for the learners.