Event Title
Location
Room 320, Norman Bethune College, York University (Toronto, ON)
Start Date
17-10-2018 9:15 AM
End Date
17-10-2018 9:45 AM
Description
This presentation will discuss the discovery of the relative age effect (RAE), which emerged from observations about a higher incidence of younger children in a classroom or grade labelled as learning disabled. Early explanations of maturity, critical periods, and school readiness failed to explain the number of false positives in these younger children. Further, personal observations of hockey players suggested that skill and achievement were highly correlated with relative age. These issues were examined by analyzing the birthdates of NHL, major junior, and minor hockey players. Based on these early studies, the RAE was found when: a) children were placed in defined age (cohort) groups for an activity; b) children in an age cohort are evaluated on a particular skill or ability; c) based upon the results of an evaluation, children are labelled or placed in skill/achievement specific groups, and; d) these defined groups received differentiated programs and experiences.
The RAE: The Early Studies
Room 320, Norman Bethune College, York University (Toronto, ON)
This presentation will discuss the discovery of the relative age effect (RAE), which emerged from observations about a higher incidence of younger children in a classroom or grade labelled as learning disabled. Early explanations of maturity, critical periods, and school readiness failed to explain the number of false positives in these younger children. Further, personal observations of hockey players suggested that skill and achievement were highly correlated with relative age. These issues were examined by analyzing the birthdates of NHL, major junior, and minor hockey players. Based on these early studies, the RAE was found when: a) children were placed in defined age (cohort) groups for an activity; b) children in an age cohort are evaluated on a particular skill or ability; c) based upon the results of an evaluation, children are labelled or placed in skill/achievement specific groups, and; d) these defined groups received differentiated programs and experiences.
Comments
Roger Barnsley received a B.A. (Hons.) from the University of Victoria and a M.A. and Ph.D. in Psychology from McGill University. Roger's academic career as a researcher, faculty member, and administrator was carried out at Memorial University of Newfoundland, The University of Lethbridge, Saint Mary's University, St. Thomas University, and Thompson Rivers University, where he was the Founding President. From 1980-87 Roger was Associate Superintendent of the Lethbridge Public School District. Awards and recognitions include: President, Alberta Psychology Association (1981-2); Fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association (1984); President Emeritus, Thompson Rivers University (2011); the British Columbia Community Achievement Award (2012); and, the Order of British Columbia (2014).
Paula Barnsley, whose observations led to the discovery of the relative age effect (RAE), completed a BA (Educ.) and an M.Ed. in Educational Psychology at Memorial University of Newfoundland. For 15 years, Paula worked as an Educational Psychologist (registered psychologist in Alberta) assessing children with exceptional learning needs. In 1988, Paula returned to university and completed an LL.B. at Dalhousie University and an LL.M. at The University of British Columbia in 1998. Paula was a member of the Bar Societies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and British Columbia and practised law for 20 years.