Developing and Implementing a Distance Education Secondary School Program for Isolated First Nation Communities in Northwestern Ontario
PROCEEDINGS
Margaret Fiddler
Developing and Implementing a Distance Education Secondary School Program for Isolated First Nation Communities in Northwestern Ontario
Abstract
The Wahsa Distance Education Centre is operated by the Northern Nishnawbe Education Council (NNEC) for Cree and Oji-Cree secondary students living in the 23 remote communities of Sioux Lookout District in northwestern Ontario. Although most communities have locally controlled K-8 schools, very few communities offer secondary education. The NNEC, a Native-run organization, has been mandated by the 23 tribal leaders of Sioux Lookout District to serve the needs of secondary and postsecondary students. In 1990, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada agreed to fund a distance education program that would allow Native students to remain in their communities and attend high school. An advisory board composed of representatives from NNEC, Wawatay Native Communications Society, tribal councils, and four First Nations met regularly to work on program development. Wawatay Native Communications Society agreed to deliver Wahsa's distance education program over its radio network. Communities donated buildings to be used for learning centers, and community members offered to be distance education coordinators and tutors for the program. The program provides radio and correspondence courses for students in grades 9-11, including required subjects and courses in Native culture and language. This paper also discusses effective program delivery methods; areas for program improvement; and plans for program expansion to encompass educational television, increased programming for 12th-grade students, adult education classes, and teacher education courses. (LP)
Citation
Fiddler, M. Developing and Implementing a Distance Education Secondary School Program for Isolated First Nation Communities in Northwestern Ontario. Presented at Developing and Implementing a Distance Education Secondary School Program for Isolated First Nation Communities in Northwestern Ontario. Retrieved March 19, 2024 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/82205/.
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Keywords
- Access to Education
- American Indian Education
- Canada Natives
- Community Support
- Cooperative Programs
- Cree (Tribe)
- Culturally Relevant Education
- Delivery Systems
- distance education
- Educational Needs
- Educational Radio
- Foreign Countries
- Geographic Isolation
- Program Development
- Secondary Education
- Tribally Controlled Education
Cited By
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Enhancing Conditions for Aboriginal Learners in Higher Education: The Experiences of Nishnawbe Aski Teacher Candidates in a Teacher Education Program
Julian Kitchen & John Hodson
Brock Education: A Journal of Educational Research and Practice Vol. 23, No. 1 (2013) pp. 97–115
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The Return of Educational Radio?
Sally Berman
The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning Vol. 9, No. 2 (Jun 30, 2008)
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The effectiveness of web-delivered learning with aboriginal students: Findings from a study in coastal Labrador
David Philpott, Memorial University of Newfoundland; Dennis Sharpe, Rose Neville & Rose Neville
Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology / La revue canadienne de l’apprentissage et de la technologie Vol. 35, No. 3 (Jul 21, 2010)
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The Challenges of Improving Synchronous Web-based High School Course Delivery in Isolated Aboriginal Community Settings
Dennis Sharpe & David Philpott, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada
Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2010 (Mar 29, 2010) pp. 2948–2955
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