Aboriginal Digital Opportunities. Addressing Aboriginal Learning Needs Through the Use of Learning Technologies
by D. Greenall and S. Loizides (2001),Ottawa: Conference Board of Canada
The objectives of Aboriginal Digital Opportunities, a document prepared by the Conference Board of Canada for the Office of Learning Technologies, Human Resources Development Canada, were to identify the uses of current technologies, enumerate links with education and skills training, describe the obstacles and provide descriptions of innovate solutions, and include a guide that First Nations communities could use in making decisions about the adoption, use, and implementation of technology.
It is first evident that there is no nationwide assessment of the use of technology on reserves, and this document provides no such assessment. Cora Voyager’s article in this issue, therefore, is one important step in delineating specific situations of access to technology.
Many of the issues concerning program development raised by Ellen Facey in her article in this section are reiterated in this report: the potential for disengagement from the Aboriginal way of life; the importance of early and continuing involvement in decision-making; the importance of using the Internet to encourage understanding of Aboriginal cultures and develop networks among First Nations peoples; the need to see technology in the context of the larger issues facing First Nations communities; the need for sustaining funding beyond capital acquisition; and the need for research that identifies learning preferences and possibilities for First Nations learners and provides Aboriginal solutions for Aboriginal problems.
The report also contains a section that hints at the potential for the use of technology in First Nations communities. These communities range from isolated locations to urban locales, but the challenges they face are remarkably similar. Fort Albany and Kashechewan First Nations, who have only six telephone lines into their community, need fibre optic cabling to enhance access. In Haines Junction, Yukon, the Champagne and Aisihik First Nation already have Internet access, but need to explore how to provide schooling opportunities that combine their desire for a strong social context with new learning opportunities. The Kativik Board in Northern Quebec identify their challenges as a lack of dedicated and knowledgeable teachers and a young population with many social problems (attendance, discipline, lack of parental support, many students with learning difficulties) that disrupt the learning environment of the school. The Kwantlin Dun First Nation’s House of Learning, which has partnered with Yukon College and others to provide funding for skills development, is adding a technology component to its program. Their challenges are maintaining the pace of technological advancement; and lack of finances, training, and an effective learning technology strategy. For the Meadow Lake Tribal Council in Saskatchewan, the issue is geographic isolation and lack of access. Lack of federal funding for adults is another challenge. In Alberta, the Montana First Nation has developed a three-year technology plan for its K-12 school. A problem here is that many adults live some distance from the center, and especially in the winter time have no means of transport. The band has no funds to provide transport to these unemployed adults who otherwise could come to the local computer center for courses. The Musqueam First Nation in British Columbia has also focused on adult learners. Their problems include lack of building space, the absence of technical expertise, and the lack of associated services such as child care, which is necessary if adult students are to attend. At Nelson House, home of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, the implemention of technologies has been slow, not only because of their geographic isolation and lack of a technical infrastructure, similar to other isolated communities, but also because of issues to do with the changing nature of the instructor-student relationship. This challenge was also evident for the five communities in the Sahtu region of the Northwest Territories who linked students in the five communities with a teacher who provided instructional support for a course through e-mail, PDF files, Web links, bulletin board conferencing, and audioconferencing. Based on the success of this project, they have signed an agreement with a southern jurisdiction for future course development and provision. Other issues are similar also: financing for upgrades and maintenance, lack of technical support, absence of a long-term competent teaching force, and a very narrow bandwidth. The Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick has sought to address lack of training for the workforce by setting up a training center where members of the 26 First Nations of New Brunswick can study using technology. They found that with their self-esteem raised by the program, participants were exploring the use of technology for cultural revival and language development, a point also explored by the Musqueam First Nation.
The report makes evident the lack of information and technology resources for many First Nations. It also illustrates an absence of research and writing in the use of information technologies for Aboriginal students’ learning. The final objective of the report, a decision-making model for technology implementation, clearly sets out learnings from these practitioners under five headings: vision, plan, do, check, and act.
The report is a useful first step in helping ensure that Aboriginal peoples are not excluded from economic and educational opportunities that employ learning technologies.